PAX Twitter says that badges are completely sold out.
What'd that take, two hours?
I got in the queue about 5 minutes after they went live and I only JUST got a monday ticket.
It took two hours of real life time, but judging by the time people got in the queue, I'd say Saturday and Sunday tickets took about 2 minutes to sell out, Fridays about 3 or 4, Mondays about 10.
What is the latest anyone who got a Saturday entered the queue? I did and was in at 1:01.
My friend got in at 1:03 and got Sat.
Crazy thing, she got in just over 1 minute after me, but was in queue for at least 20 minutes longer. Don't have the exact time she made the purchase. (somehwere between 20-45 minutes after me was her purchase.)
I got all available when the page went live for me, and I was solidly in at 1:05, the clock just turned for me as the queue page came up.
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TD&TRQrockband night co-host in seattleRegistered Userregular
so I got in queue, selected my ticket quantities, and went back to change them...but sure as shit it wouldn't let me, time expired, and I got screwed again, like the last 3 years. thanks again for the frustration (that's a sarcastic smile)
And that is it, about 2 hours. Interesting it took that long.
Yeah we need to start subtracting queue time. As noted, the real sellout time was in minutes. And not many minutes.
I put that disclaimer in the spreadsheet back in 2013 when they first did the Queue. There is no way to know the exact sell out time with out the queue, especially since the queue moves at different rates for different people. There are some who got in withing a few minutes and only got a Monday. Some much later and got all four days. The system is not perfect and some people just have no idea how it works. Just because something shows sold out does not mean it is. People just need to refresh and more pop up from carts timing out.
For these reasons we can only track the full sell out time with any accuracy.
1. First, make it so everyone has an equal chance by raising the price. Supply/demand dictates the price and how fast something is sold. Selling a new car for 20$ will sell them out in a heartbeat. So we raise the price. I would suggest 200$. (See third if you don't like this)
2. Second, Have the buy date be the day after old pax is done. No waiting and on edge not knowing when it will happen.
3. Third, here is the fun part. Each day the price of the ticket drops 1$. Then when the last ticket is sold anyone who paid more is refunded the difference on their CC, or we just mail a check of the difference with the tickets.
This will allow that 200$ fan to go for sure since they will pay that while also removing most scalpers (not all i'm sure).
Those three points would also increase revenue for better swag.. cause lets face it.. the swag has sucked quite a bit the last few years.. Last year's swag bag had most nothing in it except ads for other stuff and you had to walk a mile to get it haha.
I did have a thread on it, but it got closed cause mod didn't like it.
The buy date is after the previous PAX is done. South specifically sold "early" because of issues in terms of planning the event - it is still new, and it doesn't have the demand that West does. Tickets for West pretty much always go up after East is finished.
Scalpers will pay any amount, because they can double/triple it. $200 is nothing in the scalper world - I've seen $50 concert tickets going for $300-$400, and then that goes back in to the pool for future purchases.
But, scalpers aren't the problem. The simple fact of the matter is they want to sell an event that can only fit 60k or so people per day in the building. Until they get a new convention center in Seattle, there is always going to be a higher demand than supply. There are more than 60k gamers in north america, let alone the world. Your suggestions are ones that Khoo has shut down before.
1. First, make it so everyone has an equal chance by raising the price. Supply/demand dictates the price and how fast something is sold. Selling a new car for 20$ will sell them out in a heartbeat. So we raise the price. I would suggest 200$. (See third if you don't like this)
2. Second, Have the buy date be the day after old pax is done. No waiting and on edge not knowing when it will happen.
3. Third, here is the fun part. Each day the price of the ticket drops 1$. Then when the last ticket is sold anyone who paid more is refunded the difference on their CC, or we just mail a check of the difference with the tickets.
This will allow that 200$ fan to go for sure since they will pay that while also removing most scalpers (not all i'm sure).
Those three points would also increase revenue for better swag.. cause lets face it.. the swag has sucked quite a bit the last few years.. Last year's swag bag had most nothing in it except ads for other stuff and you had to walk a mile to get it haha.
I did have a thread on it, but it got closed cause mod didn't like it.
People really don't deal well with the idea of a problem that has no solution.
But this one really has no solution.
And most don't really even understand the problem. As Khoo notes, only (estimated) like 1% of tickets are sold to scalpers. Stop every last scalper, and guess what...you're still not getting tickets. Scalpers aren't the enemy. Your fellow fans are. Nobody wants to accept that.
I say this as somebody who didn't get badges this year, because they went on sale during literally the one hour all week I was unavailable. So it goes.
Funny that you all think I'm trying to stop all scalpers.. never said all. just most...
AND this is not about scalpers for the most part.. it's about giving a die hard fan even a chance to buy tickets..
Read number 3 of my point.. the price starts high.. then goes down.
If the tickets sell at 200$.. then yes.. that would be crazy.. but that would mean every single person who bought it is a die hard fan.
At least read the 3 sentences of my statement before commenting on them and saying there is no solution, it's all scalpers, or the link answers all..
fyi zerzhul, it won't change unless we speak up with a possible answer. However you shutting down a thread because you think that link answers that question is silly. It does not give the people a chance to voice our opinions and share with one another. Try to be more open to ideas. And if you have any ideas or reasons why my idea won't work then answer.
Funny that you all think I'm trying to stop all scalpers.. never said all. just most...
They've stopped "most" scalpers. That's what you fail to get.
As for the rest, we've had hundred-page threads every year on this. Khoo had read much of what we write, both there and on Twitter. Don't think for a second your concerns or suggests are simply being ignored.
But they won't work.. Or at he very least they won't make things any better.
There is no real solution for demand that outstrips supply by an order of magnitude. Or, rather, every solution is worse than the problem.
Edit: maybe somebody more industrious than me can link the last three years or so worth of the "zomg scalpers" threads? For reference?
Funny that you all think I'm trying to stop all scalpers.. never said all. just most...
AND this is not about scalpers for the most part.. it's about giving a die hard fan even a chance to buy tickets..
Read number 3 of my point.. the price starts high.. then goes down.
If the tickets sell at 200$.. then yes.. that would be crazy.. but that would mean every single person who bought it is a die hard fan.
At least read the 3 sentences of my statement before commenting on them and saying there is no solution, it's all scalpers, or the link answers all..
fyi zerzhul, it won't change unless we speak up with a possible answer. However you shutting down a thread because you think that link answers that question is silly. It does not give the people a chance to voice our opinions and share with one another. Try to be more open to ideas. And if you have any ideas or reasons why my idea won't work then answer.
So because I can't afford to shell out $200 because I have a 2year old and am going to school means I am not a die hard fan? Great, thanks for letting me know!/sarcasm
I have said this before and I will say it again, it is not our job to come up with solutions to this problem. If these was a single idea that worked best to ensure people got tickets, then the people who get paid and whose focus for a job would have thought of it long ago. But I am sure you know better than them.
I am sorry that i seem hostile, I am just sick of seeing fan based "fixes" that in reality only benefit them or just makes their purchasing experience better and does not actually solve the problem.
3 time TWDT attendee. One year as House Head Boy and Now Head of House for Slytherin DE.
4 Year Pax West Attendee
Why is somebody more of a "die hard fan" just because they've got more disposable income?
And it's really not scalpers. We've just got way more people who want to go than available tickets, and they're mostly the sort of people who know their way around a computer (so will have all the notifications and whatnot set up) and are probably even sitting at one all day, ready to jump the moment sales open.
The only change I can think of that would help most people is to give us a bit more of a hint of when ticket sales will be. I know they can't give us the exact date, but right now we're working with "sometime after east" and "historically on a weekday between 10am and 1pm, but not guaranteed". So most of us are on edge for weeks, afraid to be anywhere where we won't be able to jump on tickets. Honestly it sucks.
If they could at least guarantee "weekday, between 10 and 1" it would be a lot less stressful. Better yet if they could tell us it won't ever be on a Monday or a Friday, or narrow it down to a two-week period where they could go on sale.
Also, not to be a dick, but I'm confident that on this matter Khoo is smarter than every last person in this thread. Including me.
Smarter or not, they are a team who spends all year putting on conventions. They know far more than any of us about it. And have more time than any of us to research the implications of these changes.
Maybe that's why tickets were delayed for so long, Khoo and the PAX crew wanted to stave off all the angry tweets and "scalper solution" threads that pop up every year. LOL
The only change I can think of that would help most people is to give us a bit more of a hint of when ticket sales will be. I know they can't give us the exact date, but right now we're working with "sometime after east" and "historically on a weekday between 10am and 1pm, but not guaranteed". So most of us are on edge for weeks, afraid to be anywhere where we won't be able to jump on tickets. Honestly it sucks.
If they could at least guarantee "weekday, between 10 and 1" it would be a lot less stressful. Better yet if they could tell us it won't ever be on a Monday or a Friday, or narrow it down to a two-week period where they could go on sale.
These past couple of times they've been really helpful with the timing. They basically said they would go on sale in May of 2015 and this year they said after South tickets go on sale, which had a definitive date. Much better than the several months long windows of years past in my opinion.
These past couple of times they've been really helpful with the timing. They basically said they would go on sale in May of 2015 and this year they said after South tickets go on sale, which had a definitive date. Much better than the several months long windows of years past in my opinion.
Yeah, that has helped a lot. Still, three weeks is a long time to be anxious. I do hope they keep that up in the future though.
I have to say, based on my stalking of various sources (most of which would be available to you! Thanks to some lovely people in various PAX communities. Most stalking was here and reddit.) I was feeling pretty confident of it being this week. More so than before being hopeful with a baseline vigilence of Twitter.
For that reason, I have made sure, more than usual, I was at a computer with notifications and my phone set up today.
I am pretty sure the amount of searching I do for any potential hints and my various set ups could easily constitute me as being a rather big fan.
But I'd be priced out with any major ticket price increases. Your "decrease" in sale prices would likely not help me as they'd still likely be sold out prior to being within my reach.
Price does not correlate to how big of a fan somebody is when not everybody has the same amount of disposable income.
fyi zerzhul, it won't change unless we speak up with a possible answer. However you shutting down a thread because you think that link answers that question is silly. It does not give the people a chance to voice our opinions and share with one another. Try to be more open to ideas. And if you have any ideas or reasons why my idea won't work then answer.
I see you are new to this forum, and don't think this conversation has occurred before.
Hello! Welcome to the Official Penny Arcade PAX forums, the place where this conversation rages on for years on end, even after the convention staff have said they aren't interested in your or my (or anyone else's) idea on how to sell convention badges!
I am sorry you don't believe that the link answers your plea for a different solution, I really am. It's straight from the horse's mouth. We can do no better, and it has been discussed over and over and over again (including the idea you just proposed). They run 4 major conventions per year, and work with companies that are involved in some of the largest conventions in the world. If you really truly believe you have the magic solution, you should apply for a job with Reed Expo and put it in your cover letter.
... it's about giving a die hard fan even a chance to buy tickets..
fyi zerzhul, it won't change unless we speak up with a possible answer. However you shutting down a thread because you think that link answers that question is silly. It does not give the people a chance to voice our opinions and share with one another. Try to be more open to ideas. And if you have any ideas or reasons why my idea won't work then answer.
Die hard fans ARE buying tickets. This is a supply and demand issue, not an equality issue. Aside from that argument, it's broken record old that PAX isn't for a select few, it's for everygamer. The event is about inclusion, new people, and the die hards.
Zerzhul (and other mods) does a great job staying on top of the madness in this forum, let's acknowledge that. He gave an answer that comes straight from Khoo, just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean it isn't a valid point. Opine all you like, it doesn't change the circumstances, there's no social justice to be had. Read the link and you'll see.
For the discussion at large, in queue at 1:02, purchase completed at 1:54. Doesn't really seem to matter what time you get in. May the odds be ever in your favour.
Prime 2011- Vintage Nintendo
Prime 2012- Melisandre (GoT)
Prime 2013- Regular nerd attire
Prime 2014- Aurin Esper from WIldstar + Vintage Chell
Prime 2015- Splatoon Inkling + Dream Sequence Bee + Aurin Esper + Vintage Chell
Prime2016- Handmade nerdy dresses (cosplay break)
How come nobody has offered the real solution: buy the state of Montana and hold all PAX there? Plenty of room, and the 15 people living there won't mind (probably)
"Try, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damned fool about it."
Does anyone have experience with onPeak tweaking a hotel reservation over the phone? My party decided we'd like to stay an extra night.
I have usually just done it on the website. Once you log in there is a link to "View details, make changes, or cancel" you can just click that and add the extra day (as long as there is a day available that is.)
Does anyone have experience with onPeak tweaking a hotel reservation over the phone? My party decided we'd like to stay an extra night.
I have usually just done it on the website. Once you log in there is a link to "View details, make changes, or cancel" you can just click that and add the extra day (as long as there is a day available that is.)
Yeah did that. That's the thing, the day isn't available online so I tried calling in but they're closed now. We'd be adding Thursday night so I don't see how someone could have a booking in my room only to checkout one day prior to PAX. Kind of confusing to explain via text. But yeah, holding out hope for tomorrow.
Does anyone have experience with onPeak tweaking a hotel reservation over the phone? My party decided we'd like to stay an extra night.
I had to make a change about 4 or 5 years ago, and the person I spoke to on the phone was very friendly and helpful. Dunno if it changed at all since then, but it was a very easy and positive experience for me.
EDIT for newer posts: I deal with hotels all the time so I understand what you're saying. There's a couple easy explanations for why that specific room isn't available for just Thursday night. Another PAX goer could have booked it for the one night since that's the day they're getting in and their other accommodations aren't available until Friday. Alternately, the specific room you were assigned is already booked by a random hotel guest who is checking out Friday. The room itself may have been blocked out for PAX, but only for a PAX-goer who was specifically arriving on Friday. And with the third use of specific, I know I've fallen into that super tired state where I start repeating words in every sentence. I'm out.
---
Hoo boy, was today nuts. I mentioned in the anticipation thread that today was my first day as team lead on a new project. Well, on top of that, I was in the middle of a meeting being run by two people way up the corporate ladder (my boss' boss, and his boss). So while they're talking about the team and how things are going to go forward, my pocket suddenly starts playing Karate by Babymetal (because of course I set my Twitter notification to be an entire song so I wouldn't miss it). I managed to realize the intro to the song was playing and get it silenced just as the first notes of the song proper started up. Spent the rest of the meeting watching the queue with my phone in my hand the whole time. Just as the meeting broke up I got through and picked up 4 full sets of badges.
Tl;dr got in queue at 1:01, completed checkout at 1:26 with all badge days still available. Timestamps are based on text messages to my friends.
Does anyone have experience with onPeak tweaking a hotel reservation over the phone? My party decided we'd like to stay an extra night.
I have usually just done it on the website. Once you log in there is a link to "View details, make changes, or cancel" you can just click that and add the extra day (as long as there is a day available that is.)
Yeah did that. That's the thing, the day isn't available online so I tried calling in but they're closed now. We'd be adding Thursday night so I don't see how someone could have a booking in my room only to checkout one day prior to PAX. Kind of confusing to explain via text. But yeah, holding out hope for tomorrow.
There are some people who stay only Thursday night because the rest of their party does not get there until Friday. There are also other people that are there just for Pax Dev (which is Wed & Thur).
I would still call them and try to get a room, usually there will be multiple cancellations over the next few days. I would also just keep an eye on the website and see if one pops up that way.
The only change I can think of that would help most people is to give us a bit more of a hint of when ticket sales will be. I know they can't give us the exact date, but right now we're working with "sometime after east" and "historically on a weekday between 10am and 1pm, but not guaranteed". So most of us are on edge for weeks, afraid to be anywhere where we won't be able to jump on tickets. Honestly it sucks.
If they could at least guarantee "weekday, between 10 and 1" it would be a lot less stressful. Better yet if they could tell us it won't ever be on a Monday or a Friday, or narrow it down to a two-week period where they could go on sale.
This is all I've ever wanted. This has been one of my biggest gripes for years. I'll give you not announcing an exact date and time, but at least give me a ballpark. Even those occasional "Not this week/month" tweets Khoo drops are at least something.
Posts
Yeah we need to start subtracting queue time. As noted, the real sellout time was in minutes. And not many minutes.
My friend got in at 1:03 and got Sat.
Crazy thing, she got in just over 1 minute after me, but was in queue for at least 20 minutes longer. Don't have the exact time she made the purchase. (somehwere between 20-45 minutes after me was her purchase.)
I put that disclaimer in the spreadsheet back in 2013 when they first did the Queue. There is no way to know the exact sell out time with out the queue, especially since the queue moves at different rates for different people. There are some who got in withing a few minutes and only got a Monday. Some much later and got all four days. The system is not perfect and some people just have no idea how it works. Just because something shows sold out does not mean it is. People just need to refresh and more pop up from carts timing out.
For these reasons we can only track the full sell out time with any accuracy.
1. First, make it so everyone has an equal chance by raising the price. Supply/demand dictates the price and how fast something is sold. Selling a new car for 20$ will sell them out in a heartbeat. So we raise the price. I would suggest 200$. (See third if you don't like this)
2. Second, Have the buy date be the day after old pax is done. No waiting and on edge not knowing when it will happen.
3. Third, here is the fun part. Each day the price of the ticket drops 1$. Then when the last ticket is sold anyone who paid more is refunded the difference on their CC, or we just mail a check of the difference with the tickets.
This will allow that 200$ fan to go for sure since they will pay that while also removing most scalpers (not all i'm sure).
Those three points would also increase revenue for better swag.. cause lets face it.. the swag has sucked quite a bit the last few years.. Last year's swag bag had most nothing in it except ads for other stuff and you had to walk a mile to get it haha.
I did have a thread on it, but it got closed cause mod didn't like it.
Also - keep in mind, $200 tickets is an $800 event. I can only imagine how the demographics of PAX would be drastically changed by that.
Scalpers will pay any amount, because they can double/triple it. $200 is nothing in the scalper world - I've seen $50 concert tickets going for $300-$400, and then that goes back in to the pool for future purchases.
But, scalpers aren't the problem. The simple fact of the matter is they want to sell an event that can only fit 60k or so people per day in the building. Until they get a new convention center in Seattle, there is always going to be a higher demand than supply. There are more than 60k gamers in north america, let alone the world. Your suggestions are ones that Khoo has shut down before.
Prime: '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15
West: '16, '17
East: '14, '15, '16, '17
South: '15, '16, '17, '18
But this one really has no solution.
And most don't really even understand the problem. As Khoo notes, only (estimated) like 1% of tickets are sold to scalpers. Stop every last scalper, and guess what...you're still not getting tickets. Scalpers aren't the enemy. Your fellow fans are. Nobody wants to accept that.
I say this as somebody who didn't get badges this year, because they went on sale during literally the one hour all week I was unavailable. So it goes.
AND this is not about scalpers for the most part.. it's about giving a die hard fan even a chance to buy tickets..
Read number 3 of my point.. the price starts high.. then goes down.
If the tickets sell at 200$.. then yes.. that would be crazy.. but that would mean every single person who bought it is a die hard fan.
At least read the 3 sentences of my statement before commenting on them and saying there is no solution, it's all scalpers, or the link answers all..
fyi zerzhul, it won't change unless we speak up with a possible answer. However you shutting down a thread because you think that link answers that question is silly. It does not give the people a chance to voice our opinions and share with one another. Try to be more open to ideas. And if you have any ideas or reasons why my idea won't work then answer.
They've stopped "most" scalpers. That's what you fail to get.
As for the rest, we've had hundred-page threads every year on this. Khoo had read much of what we write, both there and on Twitter. Don't think for a second your concerns or suggests are simply being ignored.
But they won't work.. Or at he very least they won't make things any better.
There is no real solution for demand that outstrips supply by an order of magnitude. Or, rather, every solution is worse than the problem.
Edit: maybe somebody more industrious than me can link the last three years or so worth of the "zomg scalpers" threads? For reference?
So because I can't afford to shell out $200 because I have a 2year old and am going to school means I am not a die hard fan? Great, thanks for letting me know!/sarcasm
I have said this before and I will say it again, it is not our job to come up with solutions to this problem. If these was a single idea that worked best to ensure people got tickets, then the people who get paid and whose focus for a job would have thought of it long ago. But I am sure you know better than them.
I am sorry that i seem hostile, I am just sick of seeing fan based "fixes" that in reality only benefit them or just makes their purchasing experience better and does not actually solve the problem.
4 Year Pax West Attendee
And it's really not scalpers. We've just got way more people who want to go than available tickets, and they're mostly the sort of people who know their way around a computer (so will have all the notifications and whatnot set up) and are probably even sitting at one all day, ready to jump the moment sales open.
The only change I can think of that would help most people is to give us a bit more of a hint of when ticket sales will be. I know they can't give us the exact date, but right now we're working with "sometime after east" and "historically on a weekday between 10am and 1pm, but not guaranteed". So most of us are on edge for weeks, afraid to be anywhere where we won't be able to jump on tickets. Honestly it sucks.
If they could at least guarantee "weekday, between 10 and 1" it would be a lot less stressful. Better yet if they could tell us it won't ever be on a Monday or a Friday, or narrow it down to a two-week period where they could go on sale.
Smarter or not, they are a team who spends all year putting on conventions. They know far more than any of us about it. And have more time than any of us to research the implications of these changes.
Aside from that it's all been said.
These past couple of times they've been really helpful with the timing. They basically said they would go on sale in May of 2015 and this year they said after South tickets go on sale, which had a definitive date. Much better than the several months long windows of years past in my opinion.
Yeah, that has helped a lot. Still, three weeks is a long time to be anxious. I do hope they keep that up in the future though.
For that reason, I have made sure, more than usual, I was at a computer with notifications and my phone set up today.
I am pretty sure the amount of searching I do for any potential hints and my various set ups could easily constitute me as being a rather big fan.
But I'd be priced out with any major ticket price increases. Your "decrease" in sale prices would likely not help me as they'd still likely be sold out prior to being within my reach.
Price does not correlate to how big of a fan somebody is when not everybody has the same amount of disposable income.
Hello! Welcome to the Official Penny Arcade PAX forums, the place where this conversation rages on for years on end, even after the convention staff have said they aren't interested in your or my (or anyone else's) idea on how to sell convention badges!
I am sorry you don't believe that the link answers your plea for a different solution, I really am. It's straight from the horse's mouth. We can do no better, and it has been discussed over and over and over again (including the idea you just proposed). They run 4 major conventions per year, and work with companies that are involved in some of the largest conventions in the world. If you really truly believe you have the magic solution, you should apply for a job with Reed Expo and put it in your cover letter.
Die hard fans ARE buying tickets. This is a supply and demand issue, not an equality issue. Aside from that argument, it's broken record old that PAX isn't for a select few, it's for everygamer. The event is about inclusion, new people, and the die hards.
Zerzhul (and other mods) does a great job staying on top of the madness in this forum, let's acknowledge that. He gave an answer that comes straight from Khoo, just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean it isn't a valid point. Opine all you like, it doesn't change the circumstances, there's no social justice to be had. Read the link and you'll see.
For the discussion at large, in queue at 1:02, purchase completed at 1:54. Doesn't really seem to matter what time you get in. May the odds be ever in your favour.
Prime 2012- Melisandre (GoT)
Prime 2013- Regular nerd attire
Prime 2014- Aurin Esper from WIldstar + Vintage Chell
Prime 2015- Splatoon Inkling + Dream Sequence Bee + Aurin Esper + Vintage Chell
Prime2016- Handmade nerdy dresses (cosplay break)
I have usually just done it on the website. Once you log in there is a link to "View details, make changes, or cancel" you can just click that and add the extra day (as long as there is a day available that is.)
Yeah did that. That's the thing, the day isn't available online so I tried calling in but they're closed now. We'd be adding Thursday night so I don't see how someone could have a booking in my room only to checkout one day prior to PAX. Kind of confusing to explain via text. But yeah, holding out hope for tomorrow.
I had to make a change about 4 or 5 years ago, and the person I spoke to on the phone was very friendly and helpful. Dunno if it changed at all since then, but it was a very easy and positive experience for me.
EDIT for newer posts: I deal with hotels all the time so I understand what you're saying. There's a couple easy explanations for why that specific room isn't available for just Thursday night. Another PAX goer could have booked it for the one night since that's the day they're getting in and their other accommodations aren't available until Friday. Alternately, the specific room you were assigned is already booked by a random hotel guest who is checking out Friday. The room itself may have been blocked out for PAX, but only for a PAX-goer who was specifically arriving on Friday. And with the third use of specific, I know I've fallen into that super tired state where I start repeating words in every sentence. I'm out.
---
Hoo boy, was today nuts. I mentioned in the anticipation thread that today was my first day as team lead on a new project. Well, on top of that, I was in the middle of a meeting being run by two people way up the corporate ladder (my boss' boss, and his boss). So while they're talking about the team and how things are going to go forward, my pocket suddenly starts playing Karate by Babymetal (because of course I set my Twitter notification to be an entire song so I wouldn't miss it). I managed to realize the intro to the song was playing and get it silenced just as the first notes of the song proper started up. Spent the rest of the meeting watching the queue with my phone in my hand the whole time. Just as the meeting broke up I got through and picked up 4 full sets of badges.
Tl;dr got in queue at 1:01, completed checkout at 1:26 with all badge days still available. Timestamps are based on text messages to my friends.
PAX Prime attendance: '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16
There are some people who stay only Thursday night because the rest of their party does not get there until Friday. There are also other people that are there just for Pax Dev (which is Wed & Thur).
I would still call them and try to get a room, usually there will be multiple cancellations over the next few days. I would also just keep an eye on the website and see if one pops up that way.
This is all I've ever wanted. This has been one of my biggest gripes for years. I'll give you not announcing an exact date and time, but at least give me a ballpark. Even those occasional "Not this week/month" tweets Khoo drops are at least something.