QMUG/LA’s Macworld Expo/SF ’98 Prep Sheet!

Here is a full-fleshed breakdown of expected, estimated expenses regarding attending Macworld Expo/San Francisco ’98 which takes place Tuesday-Friday, January 6th-9th, 1998, and DQ’s Big Bash/Party/Benefit which takes place Saturday night, January 10th.

The purpose of this is to show how inexpensive attending can be.

Dates:
  before Monday, December 1st ...:  pre-register for Macworld by mail
  (must be ***received*** by)         for moderate savings and avoid
                                      the crowds!
  before Tuesday, December 16th .:  buy your plane tickets in advance
                                      for moderate savings!
  Tuesday-Friday, January 6th-9th:  Macworld Expo!
  Friday, January 9th ...........:  Visit Apple’s Co. Store in Cupertino!
  Saturday, January 10th ........:  DQ’s Big Bash/Party/Benefit!


Estimated Expenses:
                                    before  @ Mac-
  Macworld Registration .........:  12/01   world
    Exhibits only ...............:  $  25   $  40
    Conferences too .............:  $ 170   $ 195


  Transportation (LA to SF) .....:  ~380 miles

    your car ....................:  ~5-7hr drive
      gas .......................:  ~$______
      parking, etc. .............:  ~$______

    Shuttle by United ...........:  LAX to Oakland
      1-800-SHUTTLE, or             before 12/16, 1 way, $39*
      1-800-748-8853 ............:  after  12/16, 1 way, $86*

    SouthWest Airlines ..........:  LAX to Oakland
      1-800-I-FLY-SWA, or           before 12/16, 1 way, $39*
      1-800-4-359-792 ...........:  after  12/16, 1 way, $86*

                                      * airfares are subject to change and
                                        do not include airport tax(es).

    Greyhound ...................:  LA to SF, ~8-13hr ride
      1-800-231-2222 ............:  $33 one way  (e.g., 11pm -> 6:40am)

    Public Transportation once there:
      Shuttle ...................:  $2.00  (e.g., Airport to BART)
      BART ......................:  $2.75  (e.g., Oakland to SF)
      MUNI (buses) ..............:  $1.00  (e.g., Moscone to Castro)


  Accommodations:

    Friend/Relative .............:  $0!  FREE!

    American Youth Hostel .......:  $19 / person / night
    312 Mason St.                   $ 5 key deposit
    San Francisco, CA  94102        must have photo ID
    (415) 788-5604                  no curfew, no guests
    by BART .....................:  get off at Powell station, walk one
                                    block to O’Farrell, turn left, walk
                                    one block to Mason, turn right.

    Central YMCA ................:  $30 / single room / night
    Attn: Hotel                     $40 / double room / night
    220 Golden Gate Ave.            $ 5 key deposit
    San Francisco, CA  94102        includes continental breakfast
    (415) 885-0460                  has steam room, sauna and gym
                                    no jacuzzi, no curfew, no guests
    by BART .....................:  get off at Civic Center, walk past
                                    fountain to Leavenworth, then walk
                                    one block to Golden Gate.


  Food  (tax, tip, etc.) ........:  ~$7-10 / meal


  Apple Company Store ...........:  ~$35-40


  DQ’s Big Bash/Party/Event .....:  ~$35-40


=======================================================================

Examples:          exhibits      exhibits     conferences   conferences
                  in advance   last  minute   in  advance   last minute

Transport To .:     ~$ 40         ~$ 90         ~$ 40         ~$ 90

Accomm., 4days:     ~$ 80         ~$120         ~$ 80         ~$120

Macworld .....:      $ 25          $ 40          $170          $195

Food, 4days ..:     ~$ 40         ~$ 40         ~$ 40         ~$ 40

Apple Store ..:     ~$ 40         ~$ 40         ~$ 40         ~$ 40

DQ’s Big Bash!:      $ 35          $ 40          $ 35          $ 40

Transport Back:     ~$ 40         ~$ 90         ~$ 40         ~$ 90
===============      ====          ====          ====          ====
Total, 4days..:     ~$300         ~$460         ~$445         ~$615

Average / day.:     ~$ 75         ~$115         ~$110         ~$155

Minus prepaid.:     -$105         -$  0         -$250         -$  0

Needed Cash ..:     ~$195         ~$460         ~$195         ~$615

1. Clearly these are just minimums. I am not suggesting anyone actually leave for SF w/ only $200 in their pocket or bank acct., but to show that one could go w/ at least that much, but of course should have more. And clearly, if one goes for only the exhibits, stays w/ a friend, doesn’t visit the Apple Company Store, and leaves before DQ’s big Bash/Party/Benefit, that person’s expenses will be very different.

2. Transportation does not include airport taxes or shuttle, BART or MUNI rides. Also keep in mind one could ride Greyhound at the last minute for $70 round trip, but then one spends a full day (~13hrs each way) in commute.

3. Accommodations vary to take in consideration four nights at either the Youth Hostel or the YMCA.

4. Food is definitely a minimum.

5. Prepaid expenses are Transportation and Macworld.

 

We hope you find this helpful and useful, and we at QMUG/LA, DQ and DQ/LA hope to see you there!

 

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QMUG/LA is the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Macintosh User’s Group for all of Los Angeles, an officially recognized and registered Apple Macintosh User Group, and has been in existence since June 1994. QMUG/LA meets the second Monday of each month at 7:30pm at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center at 1625 N. Schrader Blvd., east of Highland Ave., south of Hollywood Blvd. QMUG/LA can be visited at http://www.qmug.org, and contacted via e-mail at QMUGLA@aol.com, by phone at (213) 222-QMUG, or by fax at (213) 993-7490.

DQ is Digital Queers, an organization of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and allies/friends in the computer industry crossing all platforms -- DOS, Mac OS, OS/2 Warp, UNIX, Windows, etc. -- which “promotes equal rights for queers and the queer community through strategic and effective use of digital technology and communications” (and through fabulous parties, too). DQ can be visited at http://www.dq.org, and contacted via e-mail at info@dq.org, by phone at (415) 252-6282, or by fax at (415) 252-6290.

DQ/LA is the Los Angeles chapter of Digital Queers. DQ/LA can be contacted via sending a message to majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu with “subscribe dq-la” in the body (text in the subject header is ignored), or by calling (213) 683-3955.