Hi Shrekkies! You guys are the only ones in the world who 'get' this. Brian and the most of the people in my real life are clueless and can't understand why I would want to travel hundreds of miles to see a show that I've already seen 3 times with people I met on the internet, and that attitude is exactly why they are not invited on our trip. I &hearts you guys! There is a lot of information in the post below. Please read it carefully and let me know what you think.
More info on tickets and accommodations:
Tickets go on sale to the public on Sunday, February 14, only ~35 days away - get excited!
1. Ticket prices range from $22.50 - $82.50, but Ticketmaster stacks on $13.37
per ticket in "convenience fees".
2. I know the $82.50 seats are in the orchestra or in the front rows of the Dress Circle (or maybe the Loge, IDK which level is closer to the floor), and the $22.50 seats are the back rows (probably L - T) of the balcony, but prices haven't been released for the sections between floor and balcony yet. If we are going to get seats together our best chances of doing so on or after 2/14 would be in the orchestra.
3. We can't get group seating for less than 20 people before tickets go on sale to the public, but I can buy up to 19 tickets at the same time on 2/14.
4. How do we want to buy the tickets? Would those of you that are going prefer to pick a section of the theater and buy your own tickets even if it means that we will not sit together, or would you prefer to send the money to one person and let her buy the tickets? ST2010 was my idea so I will be happy to buy the tickets for the group but I would need the full ticket amount from each person in advance by no later than 10p.m. on 2/13 (earlier is better) so I can buy the tickets as soon as they go on sale on 2/14. Paying in full for orchestra seats would give me/the buyer the best chance of finding great seats together. If we get seats together in a less expensive section, then the difference in ticket costs will be refunded to you immediately.
Ticket Price: US $82.50
Facility Charge: US $2.50
Convenience Charge: US $10.35
Additional Taxes: US $0.52
$95.87 total per ticket
5. I promise that this is not a scam and I will not just take your money and
run waddle away! If it turns out that I am too pregnant to travel comfortably in July, then I will mail your ticket(s) to you well in advance of your departure dates so you will still be able to go without me. I can even mail them out right after I buy them if you want.
Accommodations:
1. I've been stalking hotel group reservation people all week, but they have not been very helpful. On my own I found three rooms at the Courtyard (Marriott) in downtown Chicago for $190/night (
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chimm-courtyard-chicago-downtown-magnificent-mile/ ). Each room can accommodate 3-5 people for $877.04 for all 4 nights. That works out to ~$175.41 split 5 ways or $292.35 each split by 3.
2. There is also a hostel in Chicago (
www.hichicago.org ). It's basic, but for $33/night you can't really beat the price. By my math (which is almost always wrong) it works out to $144.64 for all 4 nights, tax-inclusive, or less if we book 10+ people as a group.
3. If none of these options are appealing, please feel free to suggest alternatives. We don't all have to stay together, but I think it would be more fun. I've never coordinated a group trip before (especially one taken with people I have never actually met IRL - but that's the point of the meet-up!) but I am looking forward to trying and could use all the help I can get.
4. I am going to be in Chicago for the entire week (7/11-18), so if some Shrekkies wanted to come for the 7/13 show and others for the Saturday night show, then I could happily see it twice! I could also make 2 sets of iron-on transfers so the shirts would reflect the correct dates.
Shirts (LOL!):
1. My shirt design is (if I do say so myself) pretty hilarious and well-drawn if you consider that it was my first time using Paint, but I am sure that there is someone in this group who can do a better job with the design or come up with a new one. Would anyone be interested in a design contest for the official Shrek Trek 2010 shirt? We could let the entire group (not just the Shrekkies, since there are so few of us) vote on it and the winning Shrekkie would get a free ticket to the show (or an equivalent amount of VB/PayPal if she can't make it to Chicago)! I would happily sponsor the prize.
2. What color shirts would you guys like - black, white or some shade of green? Or would you rather let me just send you the transfers when the design is finished so you can pick your own shirts?
lol
lol
[3] :\ [] 
[] Parents smoke, non-shedding dog, all other dogs are NOT allowed near my stuff! 
[], 
