For anyone curious, the way Bikeshare works is you buy a membership, then pay a rental rate. So it's $10/day or $24 for a week. Then it's free for an hour rental with each additional 30 minutes being $2. Maxing out at $35/day (this doesn't count the membership fee). There are numerous stations around the area, so avoiding rental fees shouldn't be hard. You can dock & checkout to reset the clock.
Emergency question:
What payment methods are accepted for badges this year, friend left his CCs at home, and wants to know if Paypal is a viable option
Public service announcement. That 4 set limit on badges can cause problems if 2 people at the same address order them. Especially with South having all-day ones. So it might let you order 4 of each day and 4 all-days (it has in the past). I can see that getting flagged and rejected. If you are in a buying group or have roommates, be careful.
So i have a question. If i wanted to buy two 3 day passes, would they get cancelled later? Or is that under the limit? They would be going to seperate addresses, my friend at work wants me to buy her badges.
Emergency question:
What payment methods are accepted for badges this year, friend left his CCs at home, and wants to know if Paypal is a viable option
Don't quote me, but I don't remember being able to pay with pay pal for prime. I think I had to use my CC
0
Options
whypick1PAX [E] Info Booth Manager~2' from an LCDRegistered Userregular
So i have a question. If i wanted to buy two 3 day passes, would they get cancelled later? Or is that under the limit? They would be going to seperate addresses, my friend at work wants me to buy her badges.
The ticket page currently says you can buy 6 of each ticket type - not sure if a typo or a different limit for South ?
"PLEASE NOTE: In order to keep things fair, we currently have badge limits in place. You are allowed to purchase up to 6 badges of each type, per household. If we determine that you are ordering under different names and multiple addresses, all of your orders will be cancelled immediately."
So after looking around it wound up being cheaper to fly direct that do the rental car route. Can anyone speak of the general taxi quality without Uber however? I feel we at least need one to get from the airport to the hotel but I've had some really bad experiences in the past (Las Vegas cabs suck).
So after looking around it wound up being cheaper to fly direct that do the rental car route. Can anyone speak of the general taxi quality without Uber however? I feel we at least need one to get from the airport to the hotel but I've had some really bad experiences in the past (Las Vegas cabs suck).
I used this last year with no problems http://www.citytoursinc.com/shuttle-faq. In fact on the way from the airport to my hotel I rode with some dude from Twitch that was on the opening day broadcast. Apparently he was "famous" from the reactions of the other people on the ride.
So after looking around it wound up being cheaper to fly direct that do the rental car route. Can anyone speak of the general taxi quality without Uber however? I feel we at least need one to get from the airport to the hotel but I've had some really bad experiences in the past (Las Vegas cabs suck).
we taxied in from the airport last year and it was fine.
I think they have flat rate from the airport to downtown.
life's a game that you're bound to lose / like using a hammer to pound in screws
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
I've been working on 'Star Trek' for about a decade, and I have a ton of trading cards. Is it okay to bring stuff like this to PAX as giveaways to fellow attendees?
So after looking around it wound up being cheaper to fly direct that do the rental car route. Can anyone speak of the general taxi quality without Uber however? I feel we at least need one to get from the airport to the hotel but I've had some really bad experiences in the past (Las Vegas cabs suck).
Lyft should be operating again in SA by January, so I wouldn't worry about it. Taxis from the Airport to downtown are usually fine though given it's a straight shot down a single highway with no interchanges unless your staying on a hotel near market square or something.
So after looking around it wound up being cheaper to fly direct that do the rental car route. Can anyone speak of the general taxi quality without Uber however? I feel we at least need one to get from the airport to the hotel but I've had some really bad experiences in the past (Las Vegas cabs suck).
we taxied in from the airport last year and it was fine.
I think they have flat rate from the airport to downtown.
We took several cabs last year, no problems. It was around 25 dollars from airport to the convention center metered. I was the first to arrive in my group, and I walked to the cab stand, saw some other people who looked like paxers, struck up a convo and we all shared that 25 dollar cost.
0
Options
NorinEclypseI'm here for the streetpassesSavannah, TXRegistered Userregular
When will I be charged for the tickets? IIRC last year it wasn't an immediate charge to the card I used.
When will I be charged for the tickets? IIRC last year it wasn't an immediate charge to the card I used.
It should be relatively immediate since it uses an online cc processor. If you have specific questions about your order, email pax_questions@paxsite.com
If you end up moving between the time you order your badges and the show, make sure you hit up the paxsite contact and update your address on the showclix site as soon as possible.
Last year we moved and I updated my address a month or so later, but still a month before badges went out but they still ended up getting sent to old address. The forwarding service got them to us the very last day before we flew down.
So am I right in assuming that the upcoming PAX (January 2016) is currently fully staffed with Enforcers and they aren't looking for any new ones? Because the website says that they're fully staffed for PAX South 2015, and so I've been waiting for that to update...
So am I right in assuming that the upcoming PAX (January 2016) is currently fully staffed with Enforcers and they aren't looking for any new ones? Because the website says that they're fully staffed for PAX South 2015, and so I've been waiting for that to update...
An open enforcer call is likely, but won't be for some months yet.
life's a game that you're bound to lose / like using a hammer to pound in screws
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
So am I right in assuming that the upcoming PAX (January 2016) is currently fully staffed with Enforcers and they aren't looking for any new ones? Because the website says that they're fully staffed for PAX South 2015, and so I've been waiting for that to update...
An open enforcer call is likely, but won't be for some months yet.
Ahh I see. It's my first time trying to be an Enforcer (though I've volunteered at anime cons before) - I didn't want to wait and let all the hotel rooms and badges get sold out and then not have the Enforcer option pop up at all, either... Does anybody here have any experience with Enforcing? If so, can you tell me more of the nitty gritty details about how it works in terms of - when do you show up, where do you sleep, eat, how much does it end up costing you, do you get an orientation, etc.
So am I right in assuming that the upcoming PAX (January 2016) is currently fully staffed with Enforcers and they aren't looking for any new ones? Because the website says that they're fully staffed for PAX South 2015, and so I've been waiting for that to update...
An open enforcer call is likely, but won't be for some months yet.
Ahh I see. It's my first time trying to be an Enforcer (though I've volunteered at anime cons before) - I didn't want to wait and let all the hotel rooms and badges get sold out and then not have the Enforcer option pop up at all, either... Does anybody here have any experience with Enforcing? If so, can you tell me more of the nitty gritty details about how it works in terms of - when do you show up, where do you sleep, eat, how much does it end up costing you, do you get an orientation, etc.
Good thing I'm an Enforcer
I wouldn't count on that to get into the show. Not everyone who applies gets in. Go ahead and buy badges, if you are accepted as an Enforcer they will refund you.
An Enforcer badge works like a normal 3-day badge when you're not on shift.
Generally you're required to work a 6-hour shift each day of the show, and you have the rest of it to yourself.
There are usually opportunities to work before and after the show for setup/teardown but they aren't mandatory.
Enforcers aren't provided lodging or meals or anything like that, you're going to want a hotel room and a food budget.
Orientation depends on which department you are assigned to. There's lots of information you'll go over on the enforcer forum, and usually there are department meetings that happen in the evening before the show. Most of the jobs are fairly straightforward, what we need is Enforcers with our patented helpful and friendly attitude. The rest you can learn as you go.
life's a game that you're bound to lose / like using a hammer to pound in screws
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
Thanks for the info! I wasn't sure if Enforcers could get their badges refunded (I know badges normally don't get refunded for PAX) so I was uncertain about buying ahead of time.
I already had a "just in case" room booked, I know how fast the hotel rooms went last year and when I booked my room I saw that you could either do it as a "fan" or as an "enforcer", so I wasn't sure if Enforcers had special room blocks allotted to them, or a special Enforcer rate, or something else nifty like that - most anime cons put their non-local volunteers into rooms together, 4 people to a room.
Are there any special needs that PAX South might have, in terms of Enforcer staffing? I'm a professional photographer/videographer, and I have some experience working in AV, and I've operated live camera feeds for events before. Sorry, lol, I know you're probably not the person to go to with all that, I just wanted to explain what I meant by "special needs" - I know PAX is very much it's own kind of con, and so it has very unique needs that are different from anime and comic cons.
0
Options
BekerChild's Play Program DirectorSeattleRegistered User, Penny Arcade Staffregular
99% of our enforcers do not need special skills to do their enforcer tasks. As Aioua said Customer Service is the number one skill we look for. All our "skilled" jobs are filled either with enforcers who have been doing it a long time and understand how our show works, or by professionals who are hired outside of the enforcer process. There are thousands of active enforcers at this point, and many of them are very skilled at various aspects of putting on a convention. That being said, if you are accepted as an enforcer, and you put your request in for a given department (note: department requests are not guaranteed) there might be a department that appeals to you more if you want to use your existing skills. But just because you might get put in one of the theater's, does not mean you will run the sound board. We need far more people managing lines then operating equipment. Or maybe you would like to try something new and broaden your skill base.
As always, I would certainly recommend to anyone that they experience a PAX or two as an attendee before applying as an enforcer. Not that you have to, but I think it can be valuable to understand the vibe of the show before you work the show.
Thanks for the reply! And no worries, just wanted to get a feel for what was needed/if there was anything useful I could offer out of my professional skill set I did attend last year, and had a great time - that's why I wanted to be an Enforcer this year, I want to attend again, but I also feel that giving up a portion of my time to helping out doesn't seem like a bad deal at all, especially since it would be an opportunity to meet and get to know other people in the community better while also doing something productive/useful with myself.
I figured a show as polished as PAX probably had PSAV or someone similarly professional running most of the big stuff, but until someone gives you a peek behind the curtain you never can tell for sure with conventions.
And very true about taking the opportunity to try out different things outside of my core skill sets - I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Very specific panel questions! Let me know if they're too specific, and I'll move them to email.
1: Are workshops considered panels? Can I put together a non-messy craft project (high-quality replica item from a video game) and require a few dollars per person, payable at the panel, to cover materials?
2: Are panelist badges the same as 3-day badges? If so, will I be reimbursed for the 3-day badge I already bought, and can my other panelists still get their panelist badges if there are no 3-day ones left?
I don't think PAX has ever done anything like the workshop idea you are proposing. There aren't signups for panels ahead of time, so that would probably be a tough sell to try to get people to show up and pay day-of. Doesn't mean you couldn't try to submit it though. It's possible that there could be room for something like a workshop in the tabletop area or some other open space as opposed to taking up a theater.
Panelist badges are effectively the same as 3-day badges, although they do grant you early entry to your own panel area for set-up. As far as I know, you would not be reimbursed. All listed panelists are usually supplied with speaker or special guest badges depending on whether or not that sepecific pax chooses to do those two separate badge types or merge them (it changes from year to year and pax to pax). The number of badges planned for panelists is completely separate from the badges for general sale.
Thanks for the reply! And no worries, just wanted to get a feel for what was needed/if there was anything useful I could offer out of my professional skill set I did attend last year, and had a great time - that's why I wanted to be an Enforcer this year, I want to attend again, but I also feel that giving up a portion of my time to helping out doesn't seem like a bad deal at all, especially since it would be an opportunity to meet and get to know other people in the community better while also doing something productive/useful with myself.
I figured a show as polished as PAX probably had PSAV or someone similarly professional running most of the big stuff, but until someone gives you a peek behind the curtain you never can tell for sure with conventions.
And very true about taking the opportunity to try out different things outside of my core skill sets - I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Thanks again for answering my questions!
Hey random Enforcer here. That happens to be the attitude that brought me to join the Enforcers. I wanted to contribute back to the community. Good luck.
1: Are workshops considered panels? Can I put together a non-messy craft project (high-quality replica item from a video game) and require a few dollars per person, payable at the panel, to cover materials?
In addition to what @zerzhul said, PAX works very hard to make sure that all content at PAX is free once you have a badge. We make a few exceptions, thinks like Magic Drafts where you must have new un-opened boosters or other product to compete. A "panel" that required a fee for entry would not have a high chance of getting approved. Ideally look for a sponsor that can cover the costs for you or provide the product for you? That being said, you are welcome to submit any "panel" (panel being anything that used one of our rooms for a time block) and see if it gets accepted. Best of luck.
The following are all within a short walk or cab ride of the con:
Fast and cheap: Taco Haven, Whataburger
Budget Conscious but Willing to Spend: Mi Tierra, La Gloria, Alamo Street Eat Bar
Willing to Splurge: The Boiler House, Stella Public House, The Monterey, The Granary
Just Won a Huge Cash Prize at the Omegathon: Restaurant Gwendolyn, Bohanan's
If I want to leave the River Walk, how do I find my way around on the Transit System?
What are some good places to drink beer with lots of people in San Antonio that are near the Convention Center?
Again, all within foot or affordable cab range:
For a cheap-ass beer: Leapin Lizard Pub, Durty Nelly's, Bar America
For a good glass of wine: The Monterey, Zinc Bistro, the Boiler House
For a good microbrew: Stella Public house, The Monterey
For a kickass cocktail: 1919, The Brooklynite, The Esquire Tavern, TBA (that is not a placeholder, TBA is actually the name of the bar)
Best happy hours: Luke, Liberty Bar, Cured
Best Ice Houses: The Friendly Spot, La Tuna Ice House
San Antonio Local here, gotta comment on your list.
The Monterey is closing in about 2 months from today - so strike that off your list unless something awesome pops back up If you're a local here, enjoy it while you can!!!
B&D Ice House across from the Friendly Spot has, in my opinion, the best marbled brisket in the city. They also serve nothing but TEXAS beers, cans and draft. It's BBQ, so not fast and cheap, but fast and budget conscious. Tito's Mexican Restaurant across the street is some "ok" Mexican Food.
I consider Schilo's Delicatessen to fall under your "Budget Conscious but willing to Spend" Category. It's a great little deli, and makes their own root beer. It's a very short walk from the convention center.
Let's add to your "Budget Concious / Willing to Splurge" with what I consider one of the best bars and pretty good restaurants in town - the Esquire Tavern. I always take out of towners here, and they love it. You threw it under bar, but they have a good menu.
You should also put Cured under willing to Splurge for restaurants.
Never been to San Antonio and asking yourself, "What is Tex Mex Culture like?" Go to Mi Teirra for dinner. The food is "ok" but the ambiance is the best. The restaurant is also open 24 hours, in case you find yourself leaving a bar at 2am starving. Nothing like a heavy buzz and mariachi music.
You listed good microbrew, but you didn't list The Blue Star Brewery ?
For those of you with a close knit of friends and want to experience some good bars, I prefer Esquire Tavern, The Last Word, and The Soho. I also like to stop into The Menger Hotel bar, which is next door to the Alamo. If you like historical things, walking through the Menger reading the pictures on the wall is amazing. Bohanan's is an expensive steak restaurant, but their bar is amazing as well.
I can probably name off a few more, but it's already past closing time and I gotta get out of here!
@TheJoe I actually didn't make the list It was taken from last year's FAQ, which was informed by people on this very forum! What I know about San Antonio is just what I learned via PAX last year.
Note the part you left out of the quote "thanks to wickersham for this write up"
Making a separate thread about food and drink to discuss that at length sounds up your alley.
Posts
For anyone curious, the way Bikeshare works is you buy a membership, then pay a rental rate. So it's $10/day or $24 for a week. Then it's free for an hour rental with each additional 30 minutes being $2. Maxing out at $35/day (this doesn't count the membership fee). There are numerous stations around the area, so avoiding rental fees shouldn't be hard. You can dock & checkout to reset the clock.
What payment methods are accepted for badges this year, friend left his CCs at home, and wants to know if Paypal is a viable option
Don't quote me, but I don't remember being able to pay with pay pal for prime. I think I had to use my CC
The limit is 4 full sets of badges, you're fine.
The ticket page currently says you can buy 6 of each ticket type - not sure if a typo or a different limit for South ?
"PLEASE NOTE: In order to keep things fair, we currently have badge limits in place. You are allowed to purchase up to 6 badges of each type, per household. If we determine that you are ordering under different names and multiple addresses, all of your orders will be cancelled immediately."
I used this last year with no problems http://www.citytoursinc.com/shuttle-faq. In fact on the way from the airport to my hotel I rode with some dude from Twitch that was on the opening day broadcast. Apparently he was "famous" from the reactions of the other people on the ride.
we taxied in from the airport last year and it was fine.
I think they have flat rate from the airport to downtown.
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
Lyft should be operating again in SA by January, so I wouldn't worry about it. Taxis from the Airport to downtown are usually fine though given it's a straight shot down a single highway with no interchanges unless your staying on a hotel near market square or something.
We took several cabs last year, no problems. It was around 25 dollars from airport to the convention center metered. I was the first to arrive in my group, and I walked to the cab stand, saw some other people who looked like paxers, struck up a convo and we all shared that 25 dollar cost.
Last year we moved and I updated my address a month or so later, but still a month before badges went out but they still ended up getting sent to old address. The forwarding service got them to us the very last day before we flew down.
An open enforcer call is likely, but won't be for some months yet.
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
Ahh I see. It's my first time trying to be an Enforcer (though I've volunteered at anime cons before) - I didn't want to wait and let all the hotel rooms and badges get sold out and then not have the Enforcer option pop up at all, either... Does anybody here have any experience with Enforcing? If so, can you tell me more of the nitty gritty details about how it works in terms of - when do you show up, where do you sleep, eat, how much does it end up costing you, do you get an orientation, etc.
Good thing I'm an Enforcer
I wouldn't count on that to get into the show. Not everyone who applies gets in. Go ahead and buy badges, if you are accepted as an Enforcer they will refund you.
An Enforcer badge works like a normal 3-day badge when you're not on shift.
Generally you're required to work a 6-hour shift each day of the show, and you have the rest of it to yourself.
There are usually opportunities to work before and after the show for setup/teardown but they aren't mandatory.
Enforcers aren't provided lodging or meals or anything like that, you're going to want a hotel room and a food budget.
Orientation depends on which department you are assigned to. There's lots of information you'll go over on the enforcer forum, and usually there are department meetings that happen in the evening before the show. Most of the jobs are fairly straightforward, what we need is Enforcers with our patented helpful and friendly attitude. The rest you can learn as you go.
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
I already had a "just in case" room booked, I know how fast the hotel rooms went last year
Are there any special needs that PAX South might have, in terms of Enforcer staffing? I'm a professional photographer/videographer, and I have some experience working in AV, and I've operated live camera feeds for events before. Sorry, lol, I know you're probably not the person to go to with all that, I just wanted to explain what I meant by "special needs" - I know PAX is very much it's own kind of con, and so it has very unique needs that are different from anime and comic cons.
As always, I would certainly recommend to anyone that they experience a PAX or two as an attendee before applying as an enforcer. Not that you have to, but I think it can be valuable to understand the vibe of the show before you work the show.
I figured a show as polished as PAX probably had PSAV or someone similarly professional running most of the big stuff, but until someone gives you a peek behind the curtain you never can tell for sure with conventions.
And very true about taking the opportunity to try out different things outside of my core skill sets - I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Thanks again for answering my questions!
1: Are workshops considered panels? Can I put together a non-messy craft project (high-quality replica item from a video game) and require a few dollars per person, payable at the panel, to cover materials?
2: Are panelist badges the same as 3-day badges? If so, will I be reimbursed for the 3-day badge I already bought, and can my other panelists still get their panelist badges if there are no 3-day ones left?
Panelist badges are effectively the same as 3-day badges, although they do grant you early entry to your own panel area for set-up. As far as I know, you would not be reimbursed. All listed panelists are usually supplied with speaker or special guest badges depending on whether or not that sepecific pax chooses to do those two separate badge types or merge them (it changes from year to year and pax to pax). The number of badges planned for panelists is completely separate from the badges for general sale.
Hey random Enforcer here. That happens to be the attitude that brought me to join the Enforcers. I wanted to contribute back to the community. Good luck.
Does the convention center itself provide onsite medical control or is there an Enforcer niche for providers/responders?
In addition to what @zerzhul said, PAX works very hard to make sure that all content at PAX is free once you have a badge. We make a few exceptions, thinks like Magic Drafts where you must have new un-opened boosters or other product to compete. A "panel" that required a fee for entry would not have a high chance of getting approved. Ideally look for a sponsor that can cover the costs for you or provide the product for you? That being said, you are welcome to submit any "panel" (panel being anything that used one of our rooms for a time block) and see if it gets accepted. Best of luck.
San Antonio Local here, gotta comment on your list.
The Monterey is closing in about 2 months from today - so strike that off your list unless something awesome pops back up
B&D Ice House across from the Friendly Spot has, in my opinion, the best marbled brisket in the city. They also serve nothing but TEXAS beers, cans and draft. It's BBQ, so not fast and cheap, but fast and budget conscious. Tito's Mexican Restaurant across the street is some "ok" Mexican Food.
I consider Schilo's Delicatessen to fall under your "Budget Conscious but willing to Spend" Category. It's a great little deli, and makes their own root beer. It's a very short walk from the convention center.
Let's add to your "Budget Concious / Willing to Splurge" with what I consider one of the best bars and pretty good restaurants in town - the Esquire Tavern. I always take out of towners here, and they love it. You threw it under bar, but they have a good menu.
You should also put Cured under willing to Splurge for restaurants.
Never been to San Antonio and asking yourself, "What is Tex Mex Culture like?" Go to Mi Teirra for dinner. The food is "ok" but the ambiance is the best. The restaurant is also open 24 hours, in case you find yourself leaving a bar at 2am starving. Nothing like a heavy buzz and mariachi music.
You listed good microbrew, but you didn't list The Blue Star Brewery ?
For those of you with a close knit of friends and want to experience some good bars, I prefer Esquire Tavern, The Last Word, and The Soho. I also like to stop into The Menger Hotel bar, which is next door to the Alamo. If you like historical things, walking through the Menger reading the pictures on the wall is amazing. Bohanan's is an expensive steak restaurant, but their bar is amazing as well.
I can probably name off a few more, but it's already past closing time and I gotta get out of here!
Note the part you left out of the quote "thanks to wickersham for this write up"
Making a separate thread about food and drink to discuss that at length sounds up your alley.