Second vote for the dorms at UWO. I went into Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. I had points, so the airfare was cheap. I took a bus from Mitchell Airport to UWO. It really couldn't be more convenient. The bus picks you up outside the baggage carousels at the airport and drops you off right in front of the reception center at UWO. It's a two block walk to the dorms this year. It was a one block walk last year, but the main residence hall is closed. The rooms come with four sheets and two spreads, towels and washcloths. Showers are shared by everyone on the floor. The rooms were womens' dorms only. You will not find any 400 thread count sheets, but what is provided is functional. The first two years, the dorm rooms I had were furnished with a small refrigerator and microwave. This year, despite having an airconditioned room which were supposed to come with those appliances, none were provided.
The cafeteria is another one block walk. What they lack in quality they more than make up for in quantity. If you leave hungry, there's something wrong with you. There are excellent salad and fruit bars with every offering imaginable. There are steak nights and prime rib nights. The Bananas Foster was a bit gummy, though. Tickets for the meals are available at a discount for 3 or 5 day purchases.
When you walk out of the cafeteria, the shuttle picks you up across the street to go to Whitman Regional. The city ended its contract with EAA, and now they use cheese wagons. I miss the city busses because they were very conducive to lively conversations among the attendees. I had great conversations with people from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France, Germany and Great Britain. Not so with school busses, conversation is difficult. The busses drop you off outside one of the entrances to Airventure, about a block away.
Leaving is the reverse procedure. Busses run extended hours for the Wednesday and Saturday night air shows.
When you are ready to return home, there is a bus which picks you up outside the dorm, and drops you off at Milwaukee Mitchell. Other than spreading a tarp over the wing and eating out of dumpsters, this is the most efficient way of attending Kosh. Figuring the cost of gas from the East Coast, it is probably the cheapest way.
One year I rented a car from Milwaukee airport. I really didn't have many places to go in the evenings. You have to pay for parking on the student lots at UWO. When I returned the car, I got a bill for about $200.00 for damage to the interior. Luckily for me, I had photos documenting every square inch of the outside and inside. The rental company went away, but I decided that if I could avoid car rental, I'd do it. Of course, there's always Lyft/Uber if you are so inclined.
