Why Aren't UWO Dorms Full?

Jim Rosenow

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Jim Rosenow
There are still non-a/c dorm rooms open for all days of Airventure. I saw that someone had posted from one of the dorms. Can you, or someone else, tell me why they're not full? Seems like they would be a viable option to camping. Could someone post a review based on first-hand knowledge?

Reason for the question...we're planning to come up on Thursday...had a place picked out an hour away to park the plane and drive up each day.. The room were $40-$50 up-charged for the fly-in (to be expected), but the rental cars were rape rates. So...exploring other options.

Thanks!
Jim

PS- How expensive is the shuttle to the airport?
 
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I don't know about the dorm, since back in the college days, depending on location you just need a ride to a bus shuttle route. The bus does go from the Fond du Lac airport, & a few other points.

The dorm option sounds viable to me. I'm thinking they would have some transportation options. The next idea would be to sniff around for a ride. I try to avoid the rental car whenever possible.
 
I called for a friend. Non air con was $75 nightly and air con was $125 nightly for twin dorm room, both with three day minimum.
I'd guess they're priced more then the market will bear.
 
Consider that there's a bus that goes between the dorms and the show on a regular basis ( every 30 min or less ) and is cheap, the advantage of being close to everything is worth it. Hotels as far away as GreenBay are going for over $120/night.
 
I'm typing this from my dorm room overlooking the river. In all of the years I have been coming up here, I have never stayed in the dorms, until this room came open due to someone at my home drone being forced to cancel.

While staying in the dorms brings back horrible memories from college, (and an insatiable desire to construct a bunk from whatever wood is available for free) it's beats the hell out of driving an hour to Green Bay after a long day in the sun.

It's close enough, and the shuttle service is frequent enough, to make it easy to leave after the show, take a shower, and go back for the night festivities in the North 40 or Scholler. Uber seems plentiful and, as well. if I could find a reasonably priced hotel nearby, that would be option 1, but this is a decent 2nd option if you aren't camping.
 
I'm typing this from my dorm room overlooking the river. In all of the years I have been coming up here, I have never stayed in the dorms, until this room came open due to someone at my home drone being forced to cancel.

While staying in the dorms brings back horrible memories from college, (and an insatiable desire to construct a bunk from whatever wood is available for free) it's beats the hell out of driving an hour to Green Bay after a long day in the sun.

It's close enough, and the shuttle service is frequent enough, to make it easy to leave after the show, take a shower, and go back for the night festivities in the North 40 or Scholler. Uber seems plentiful and, as well. if I could find a reasonably priced hotel nearby, that would be option 1, but this is a decent 2nd option if you aren't camping.

In addition, the place is full of pilots, and you can't beat.
 
Prior to opening the thread, we were quoted $150 a night at the Comfort Inn in West Bend (an hour out by car) for Thursday, and $190 for the rest of the week-end (specifically due to the airshow, per the manager.) Daily car rate was $80 (as opposed to $45 out of MKE), again stated as 'airshow' rates. I DID forget to ask about the EAA rental car discount...not that it mattered by then. Oh....parking was $35 a night for the airplane at West Bend....the most reasonable of the bunch IMHO :)

We are UWO-bound on Thursday...wx permitting! I have to admit it just seemed wrong anyway to go to Oshkosh (will never truly be Airventure to me) without flying the approach.

Thanks!
Jim
 
No way in H. E. double hockey sticks would I want to stay in a non-A/C'd college dorm room.
 
We're staying in the dorms, a/c room. Love it. There's a bus to/from the show, and sometimes it stops at the OSH terminal and the downtown bus terminal, but even then it's fairly direct. There really aren't any downsides, but I've never stayed in a non-ac dorm room here. The nights have been exceptionally comfortable, but most people I've talked to in the non-ac rooms also bring a box fan anyhow (or purchase a cheapo at walmart and then ditch it before departing).
 
Camp Schoeller is $27/night with good facilities and you are right there. As long as you figure out a way to drown out or ignore the generator/highway noise and don't mind camping you are golden. The dorms do offer a nice alternative to the non-camping crowd though and we will probably look at them more in the future if we bring the kids.
 
We stayed at the dorms Thursday thru Sunday morning. Had a good experience. A/C was nice, bus almost at the front door direct to the main gate, and breakfast and dinner available in the cafeteria. Food was actually quite good. Definitely an option for future years.

Jim
 
What is the transit time from the dorms to the bus park?

I'd like it expressed in "bus time" and "Uber Dollars."

I can see myself putting Candy in Home Built Parking and staying in the dorms for the A/C.
 
What is the transit time from the dorms to the bus park?

I'd like it expressed in "bus time" and "Uber Dollars."

I can see myself putting Candy in Home Built Parking and staying in the dorms for the A/C.

Normally about 10 minutes. During peak hours with a lot of traffic, it got near an hour, though.
 
We arrived Thursday AM, and never personally saw more than a 10 minute wait on either end for a dorm bus thru Sunday AM. Bus rates are $20 for weekly pass or $3 a round trip.

Web page said GAP was open when we left for KOSH but arrival ATIS said full, so we diverted to Appleton....great experience! Marshalers to the tie-down. Tied down in the grass for < $100 for 3 days. Picked up at the airplane by an SUV. Nice bus direct from the airport to main entrance at KOSH...$25 per person for round trip. And....we were #2 behind Fifi on approach.
 
So as a Oshkosh newbie, is the dorm way the best value for the non camper?
 
So as a Oshkosh newbie, is the dorm way the best value for the non camper?
The AC dorms are same price as the hotels 30 miles and more away. $125/night. The other dorms are $75. Advantage to both is location, location, location. Typical dorms but they do have microwaves and small refrigerators and wifi.
 
We had a good dorm experience. I have trouble calling a dorm room for $125 a night a 'best value', but.... Compared to a hotel room an hour out by car at $180 a night, and the requisite rental car (at $80 a day plus mileage), it was much less fiscally painful. Bear in mind we didn't start looking 'til the Monday when AirVenture had already started, tho.

Jim
 
Jim,

I looked at going two years ago, kinda at the last minute. With the hotel, car rental, parking, admission, it really added up. I had to pass on the trip. I am trying to get ahead of the curve on this attempt. Trying to find a good balance between convenience and cost.
 
...Web page said GAP was open when we left for KOSH but arrival ATIS said full, so we diverted to Appleton....great experience! Marshalers to the tie-down. Tied down in the grass for < $100 for 3 days. Picked up at the airplane by an SUV. Nice bus direct from the airport to main entrance at KOSH...$25 per person for round trip. And....we were #2 behind Fifi on approach.

"Fifi" approached the main entrance to KOSH in a bus direct from Appleton too? :eek: :rolleyes:
 
My first Oshkosh I stayed in the dorms because Todd Huvard had booked extra rooms and I got one. I had initially intended to room in a house right on 20th street. My wife, on the next trip, did research and decided that we needed to camp with the plane. We've camped ever since. Two years in the North 40, one year in Scholler, and the rest in Vintage.
 
I might consider the camping thing....nope , nevermind. Do you sign up for the dorms ahead of time or just show up? I like to know where I sleep ahead of time.

Then what about food?
 
https://gcc.uwosh.edu/home/eaa-airventure-lodging/reservations-and-rates/ Page says the a/c rooms are full already, but we got one while the convention was on (may have been a fluke, who knows).

The UWO cafeteria is open for breakfast and dinner... $9 and $14 respectively. I'd say the food is good and of course it's grazing-style. Opens at 6AM...my wife is an early riser and would wait for me in the cafeteria, do her business stuff (wifi all over campus), talk with other pilots, and drink coffee. The bus to the show stops right outside the cafeteria door.

We camped for years and years...just this year started exploring other options.

Jim
 
I stayed in an non-a/c dorm the first time (I think that's all that was available).
Advantage: no pitching tents, a reasonable bed, flush toilets, real showers, hot breakfast in the cafeteria
Disadvantage: Have to take the city bus to the show. Can't really hang out late at the airport. Long lines for the bus at key times.
 
I stayed in an non-a/c dorm the first time (I think that's all that was available).
Advantage: no pitching tents, a reasonable bed, flush toilets, real showers, hot breakfast in the cafeteria
Disadvantage: Have to take the city bus to the show. Can't really hang out late at the airport. Long lines for the bus at key times.

The bus runs until 2330, so you have some time. Also,they have uber, so getting around after isn't so bad.
 
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