<p>I’m trying to finalize travel plans for Elon auditions in November. We will fly into Raleigh-Durham on Thursday night, and spend Friday at Elon. I don’t think we can count on her being done in time to get back to Raleigh Durham in time to catch the last flight back to Chicago, so we’ll have to stay Friday night, too, and catch an early flight back Saturday morning.</p>
<p>It actually just occurred to me, we could get a room near the Raleigh Durham airport for both nights. That way, when we arrive Thursday night, we won’t have an hour drive to Elon, we’ll have to get up earlier Friday morning to drive there; then when we’re done on Friday, we can drive back to Raleigh Durham, stay there and be close to the airport for an early flight Saturday morning. I’m almost wondering if we could get away with a car rental for just one day if we did this.</p>
<p>I haven't stayed near the airport, but it is only 45 minutes, all Interstate. Near Elon, my first choice place to stay is Acorn Inn B&B, a block from campus. My second and still very good choice is Country Suites in Burlington.</p>
<p>I can't answer that; we're going the second date in November. The first weekend coincides with my daughter's fall high school production. Yea, bad timing. But I also learned it was homecoming weekend, so you might want to follow up on those tickets now. Wish we could see Carousel.</p>
<p>You should definitely get tickets in advance athough seating is general admission. We have missed a few shows here and there because of them selling out. I think tickets go on sale 2 weeks prior to the show opening. Ericsmom may get back with more specific info on this.</p>
<p>I don't know specifically about Elon - but at some of the schools my D auditioned for, she told them when she scheduled the audition that she hoped to see the show that weekend, and they took care of it(with comps) without having to go through the box office.</p>
<p>As Ericsmom stated, we, too, have only stayed near the school. I noticed they are building a new hotel, I believe it was a Hilton. Perhaps someone could confirm for you. It looks nice and just about done if you choose to stay by school.</p>
<p>You might check the Elon web site. They may have some choices by airport.</p>
<p>Tickets to Elon's mainstage shows go on sale 3 weeks before opening night, and I think the ticket office opens at 12:30 each weekday. I believe opening of Carousel is the last Thurs. of Oct., so count backwards accordingly. Seating is general admission, as kaysmom mentioned, so you also want to get in line early for the show to which you have tickets.</p>
<p>While some schools did give us comp tickets for shows when we went to auditions, this was not the case with Elon. We paid for the tickets, but they are not very expensive.</p>
<p>There is a brand new Hampton Inn across the interstate from Country Suites- it's behind the Outback Steakhouse- just opened last month. The rooms are really nice and have upgraded linens, marble bathrooms, free newspapers and free breakfast at Hampton Inn prices. This did not show up on the Hampton Inn website, but my D told me about it- I think I might have been the first one to stay in my room! 5 minutes or so from Campus. (I think the Acorn Inn is overrated and you can't book a room online there).</p>
<p>Thanks for the Hampton Inn advice which we will keep in mind, and we also like Country Suites! The main reason we like the Acorn is that we can park our car at Acorn and walk to campus. It's probably as close to the performing arts building as the visitor parking is (on other side of campus).</p>
<p>Please let me know by e-mail who your daughter is!</p>
<p>My daughter was bringing her boyfriend to RDU airport after his weekend visit with her at Elon (!?) this past Sunday only to find traffic at a crawl on I40. I checked online and they are doing a lot of construction and actually have traffic go into one lane. Needless to say there was some telephone scrambling to find alternate routes so that he wouldn't miss his flight, this route also being tied up. Fortunately his flight was delayed a half hour, but there was some stress to say the least.
It may not be a bad idea to stay near the airport for this reason, so that you aren't worried about the construction which I think I read was to continue through mid November. This can be checked out with a little bit of googling.</p>
<p>Personally, I know that I would be stressed having to get up that much earlier to get to the audition. Traffic can be pretty bad on I-40 ( as it was to the last time I drove to the Raliegh-Durham airport just a few weeks ), so personally I would be scared not being able to make it to Elon ontime! Hope that helps some!</p>
<p>Maybe I'm naive, but if we leave our hotel near the airport Friday morning going toward Elon, wouldn't we be going against inbound traffic? Friday night getting back to the hotel I'm not too worried about since we have no deadline, but again, I'd think the traffic would be headed away from Raleigh-Durham.</p>
<p>Also, good luck to all those leaving soon for this weekend's audition!</p>
<p>Not necessarily..... We live in NC and I can tell you that traffic could certainly go into Raleigh and out toward Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, Winston-Salem (which is the way you would be going). It's really too unpredictable to say for sure but for some reason there always seems to be more traffic regardless on Fridays. Stay wherever you would be most comfortable just be prepared because some days I-40 is a great road to travel on and other days I want to pull my hair out!!!</p>
<p>And I second the good luck wish to all those for this weekend. I know you will have a great experience at Elon!</p>
<p>Thanks for the traffic reminder, as we're heading there to see the show this weekend. The few times we've flown into RDU (which is a cheaper flight from here), we've not had too much trouble getting to Elon. On parent's weekend, there was definitely much construction along that I-40 route, but it didn't slow us up too much.</p>
<p>I can tell you, though, that toward Greensboro we've often run into heavy traffic, including the times we've driven to Elon from home. On our audition day a year ago, we were flying home late Friday out of Greensboro to get back for a Sat. choir competition, and the traffic going from Elon toward Greensboro was at an absolute stand still! I was so fortunate to have met kaysmom and daughter the night before, seeing Elon's Westside Story, had her number in my phone, and was able to call kaysmom who walked us through the alternate route to get to the Greensboro airport. Otherwise, we would have definitely not made it home on time - it was the last flight. (I think I posted about this once before - CC friends can come in handy in all sorts of ways!!!).</p>
<p>Bumping up for us parents of the HS class of 2008! So for those of us who prefer chain hotels that we can book online, which is preferred - Hampton Inn? Country Suites? Which is more convenient? And is the Hampton Inn in their online database yet? Thank you!!</p>
<p>We have stayed at the Country Suites on several occasions and have always been happy there. We were unable to book a room there for parents weekend (the end of this month) so are booked at the Hampton Inn. It is not ideal for me since it doesn't have a refrigerator and microwave in the room like the Country Suites does, but I've heard it is very nice. And it is new, and is on the Hampton Inn website. DON'T stay at the Best Western in Graham NC!!!!!! I've heard the one in Burlington isn't very good either, but have only stayed one night at the one in Graham and it was so awful we had to switch hotels!
Both Country Suites and Hampton are convenient to the Campus--five to ten minutes drive. The Hampton Inn is across the highway from the Country Suites.
There is also a Marriott Courtyard next door to the Country Suites. We have not stayed there, but it is convenient and I see plenty of other people coming and going who look like Elon parents/kids.</p>
<p>We have always stayed at the Marriott courtyard (to get the points) and it is fine. Just like every other one in the country. I would recommend asking for a room facing the back of the hotel to avoid the highway noise.</p>
<p>For us, Acorn Inn is always first choice, walking distance, about one short block from campus. All others are driving distance. </p>
<p>Second choice - Country Suites. </p>
<p>(This one and the next few are one exit down from Elon, exit 141 from I-40, in Burlington.)</p>
<p>Third choice - the new Hampton Inn right across the highway (only a little farther away than Country Suites), and very nice - we just stayed there on move-in weekend. It is nicely decorated and new, but I like the breakfast better at Country Suites.</p>
<p>Fourth choice - Courtyard by Marriott next door to Country Suites.</p>
<p>There is a Comfort Inn next to the Hampton Inn that we have not stayed in.</p>
<p>We know people who like the Best Western in Burlington, now that renovation is completed.</p>
<p>If you want a fabulous highly rated hotel, go to O'Henry in Greensboro, and they have Elon special rates. I think they are 22 miles from campus. We've stayed there when our favorite Burlington hotels have been booked up.</p>