Considering making the trip this year to the DCC for the first time, but as I have never been, what would you old timers tell a first timer to make the experience easier with less glitches.
What would you tell a first timer to the DCC
- Thread starter CocoboloCowboy
- Start date
BPG24 said:
Believe me. SPEND THE MONEY it is well worth it to be in the venue. It also helps to support the event. This is very, very important.
The time you will spend traveling back and forth + the parking hassles are not worth saving a couple of bucks. Not to mention all the action you will miss watching or being a part of.
Stay at the hotel and don't expect to get any sleep.
Mike
Mike
bring extra cash even if you are not a gambler because you may become one at DCC and sleep as much as you can the week before because you'll need the rest.
BPG24 said:
Yes, you can find a motel a few miles away for $45, but then you have to rent a car for $30-35 a day. Net gain - Zero!
I would caution you to be careful when leaving the host hotel and walking in the parking lot at night. This ain't Disneyland! Better to leave most of your money locked up and only carry what you need. And don't walk around alone at night. Every year there are one or two unfortunate incidents, brought on by carelessness.
Let's be honest here. This is a high profile event, where people are known to carry large amounts of money. Very tempting for professional muggers, pickpockets and other assorted scoundrels. Every form of grifter is liable to show up at DCC to demonstrate their talent. Dice men, card mechanics and other short shot artists have populated this event. Remember one thing, they prey on your greed.
The food may not be so bad this year. I understand they have upgraded the hotel restaurant, and have new management. Their breakfast buffet has always been adequate in my book. And you will find something on the menu that appeals to your tastes I'm sure. Even the tournament snack bar is not all bad with pizza, hot dogs and sandwiches. And you can always try the bowling alley across the road for a good burger and bowl of soup.
There are many good restarants nearby, and lots of people have cars. So make friends and go to lunch or dinner. And if you happen to see an old broken down pool hustler named Toupee Jay, have mercy on him and buy him a good meal. You can see he looks hungry all the time.
Try and partner up with someone and split your hotel bill. There ia also a couple of hotels right next door but I don't have the rates. But if you are not saving at least half then you might as well stay at the venue. And remember be careful when you go outside by yourself.
Get a room at the Executive West. Now. Seriously.
You do not want to be wandering around Louisville in January trying to find the Motel 6 after being up for 70 hours straight sweating the most amazing pool you have ever seen.
It worth twice the price to be able to sleepwalk right to the elevator and be whisked upstairs for a little 4 hour power nap. Don't want to miss anything.
If you like to gamble bring money. If you like cues bring ALOT of money.
Thats all I got.
You do not want to be wandering around Louisville in January trying to find the Motel 6 after being up for 70 hours straight sweating the most amazing pool you have ever seen.
It worth twice the price to be able to sleepwalk right to the elevator and be whisked upstairs for a little 4 hour power nap. Don't want to miss anything.
If you like to gamble bring money. If you like cues bring ALOT of money.
Thats all I got.
i agree with jay. the breakfast bar is as good as you get most places and better than some. i think it runs about 10 bucks. the money spent for the room(75 bucks) is STEALING when you consider the money saved on rental cars and gas prices. you probably end up ahead on the money from driving to another hotel and then having to find parking at the executive inn. i still shake my head when people come on az and complain about the food at the event. at what other tournaments do you go to and not go out to restaraunts at least half of the time? the snack bar has pretty good nachos,sandwiches, hot dogs, etc... and if you want better food drive 3 to 4 miles in any direction and get what you want. most important of all is come and enjoy more action, woofing,BSing, and the best field of pool players,shortstops, good local and regional players, stakehorses, cue dealers, card tricks, etc... When you come to the derby, you can see and FEEL the excitement. Even the players act different at the derby. this is the superbowl of pool and all others pale in comparison. if the derby doesn't do it for ya, you officially lose your title of "pool fan". lol
stay far away from poker games...too many mechanics and bad people in the house
pace yourself...its easy to go overboard and stay up way too much and burn out. Esp if you plan on playing. Id try to sleep up as much as possible before arriving. I know I went from my usual up at 7am/ going to bed at 11-12pm to going to bed at 7am and waking up at noon. Maybe its easier if you come from a different time zone to the DCC but I found it to be very brutal on the ol body adjusting and then coming back to the real world.
FWIW, any punishment I laid on myself physically was sooooo worth it. The Derby is pool players nirvana.
pace yourself...its easy to go overboard and stay up way too much and burn out. Esp if you plan on playing. Id try to sleep up as much as possible before arriving. I know I went from my usual up at 7am/ going to bed at 11-12pm to going to bed at 7am and waking up at noon. Maybe its easier if you come from a different time zone to the DCC but I found it to be very brutal on the ol body adjusting and then coming back to the real world.
FWIW, any punishment I laid on myself physically was sooooo worth it. The Derby is pool players nirvana.
Ditto everything else that has been said plus some warm clothing. But only if you plan on going out.January in Louisville is pretty cold. Don't skimp on the room. Pay the $75 and have a good time. You will regret it if you don't. It's just so much easier being there and being able to crash anytime you need to. Plus you may want to bring drinks or snacks with you and leave them in your room. This helps cut down on some little expenses.
Gary
Gary
If you don't gamble, wear a friggin' sign that says so. Everyone there is all about the money. You will not have a better time anywhere if you are a pool fan. Who cares about the food... order a pizza, don't leave the action room, and watch the money on the light.
I can't give much more advice than that, but since you've never been to Derby before, if you see a 20ish years-old guy looks kinda like the one in my avatar... he can't play a lick. Give him the break and 5 out and rob him.
I can't give much more advice than that, but since you've never been to Derby before, if you see a 20ish years-old guy looks kinda like the one in my avatar... he can't play a lick. Give him the break and 5 out and rob him.
From my 2005 stay... my thoughts are pretty much the same...
1. Stay at the hotel! Get a room near the lobby if possible.
2. Bring some food or have the hotel driver take you to Wal-Mart (give him a good tip) to get food for snacks. The breakfast isn't too bad there though in my experience.
3. Bring lots of $$$ if you want to get in on some action.. and there is always action!
4. Sleep a lot beforehand or try to adjust your schedule to something like 9:00am to 2:00pm (I did 10:00am to 2:00pm). You'll be mad if you missed Efren playing Williebetmore because you were sleeping!
5. Pay to play in the AZB room!
1. Stay at the hotel! Get a room near the lobby if possible.
2. Bring some food or have the hotel driver take you to Wal-Mart (give him a good tip) to get food for snacks. The breakfast isn't too bad there though in my experience.
3. Bring lots of $$$ if you want to get in on some action.. and there is always action!
4. Sleep a lot beforehand or try to adjust your schedule to something like 9:00am to 2:00pm (I did 10:00am to 2:00pm). You'll be mad if you missed Efren playing Williebetmore because you were sleeping!
5. Pay to play in the AZB room!
Stay at the Executive West, and if you drove to the event park your car and LEAVE IT! The hotel lot is huge but it is usually completely full. If you go out to get food or something you might come back and need to drive around the lot for 30 minutes waiting for a parking spot. And believe me, in this area you don't want to go out on the city streets looking for a place to park in the HOOD!
The Executive West may be sold out by now I don't know. I usually make my reservations about 5 months in advance.
The Executive West may be sold out by now I don't know. I usually make my reservations about 5 months in advance.
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