<p>Do activities start early on Friday? Should we come in on Thurs?</p>
<p>Yes. Receptions, speeches and workshops start Friday morning. I am sure the website will have the schedule up soon. </p>
<p>Last year it started on Thursday so we got there on Wednesday evening. The Jewish holiday is delaying the start this coming Fall. I had fun going to classes with my D and the S of a friend I met at Orientation. It was fun shadowing the kids through their day. I loved watching marching band practice--I guess I really missed her! ;-)</p>
<p>Because it is Yom Kippur on Thursday and we are on the East coast, my husband thought he would take off early Friday morning for the Parents weekend.</p>
<p>thanks, and the last day, does it end early on Sunday? I'm trying to figure out which flight to book for Sunday. It says the schedule comes out in the summer and I need to make reservations soon for hotel rooms.</p>
<p>Last year I booked my rooms on priceline in August and there was no problems with downtown hotels. The Rad is already booked. I think Sunday afternoon was a play, but we didn't go to it.</p>
<p>TeachernMom, which downtown hotels have you stayed at? I was checking into some of the cheaper ones -- Clarion, Comfort Inn, Ramada etc, but they have such bad reviews and the area they're in sound scary -- any comments?</p>
<p>I called the Rad the very day D confirmed her enrollment (April 29th) thinking I would be the first to reserve for parent's weekend. They only snickered a little when they gently told me it was all booked up. (And had been for some time.)</p>
<p>I use Priceline. When I bid $77 I get the Marriott. When I bid $80, I get the Bonaventure. The only thing I noticed is the Marriott isn't always on the list. So I check first in the Downtown LA category and then the star level to make certain it is there before I bid. I like the Marriott better--parking is cheaper and the rooms are nicer. On football weekends, I have asked to upgrade to a suite for an extra $25 and then my D comes and stays with us on Sat after the game. At Orientation, the Holiday Inn (on Figueroa) has a booth--I haven't stayed there but perhaps they have a USC discount. If you check the strand, "hotels near USC", there are other ideas as well.</p>
<p>I got the Bonaventure for $80. a night last week on priceline.com. Look at 4 star hotel, downtown Los Angeles.</p>
<p>i checked hotwire has no more downtown hotels left
i haven't done priceline before so it'll take me a while to figure that out (not comfortable with all these online bidding -- prefer talking to real people)
thanks for the other info</p>
<p>To bmom: It is easy to use priceline.com. Type in Los Angeles hotel, go to downtown Los Angeles 4 star hotel with the dates you want, then type in your credit card info. plus the price you are willing to pay. It only goes on your credit card if they accept the price. You can always come up in price if you want to try again (if your price is not accepted the first time). My price of $80. was accepted the first time.</p>
<p>To bmom: I went to hotwire.com to see what was going on. If you type in Los Angeles dates Oct. 10-13, one room, 2 adults, the first hotel that comes up is in downtown Los Angeles for $89. a night. Plus you can put it on billmelater which gives you 90 days to pay interest free. Hotel has a pool. Try it again.</p>
<p>thanks mdcissp, i need the hotel room for Oct 9 to 12 (coming in Thurs and leaving Sun). Is everyone else coming in Fri and leaving Mon?</p>
<p>Our case may be different because my husband doesn't want to take off another day from work on Thursday and wants to stay all day Sunday at USC.
We live on the East Coast.He is leaving very early Friday morning and returning on Monday.</p>
<p>anyone has last year's Family Weekend schedule? so that I can have an idea if it's worth going? thanks</p>
<p>To Weedeeg: I sense from CC that the Family Weekend is good for your child to see you.</p>
<p>To Bmom; I checked hotwire.com again tonight. They have a 4 star downtown LA hotel, Oct. 9-12 for $102. a night. Also, at the front of hotwire (first screen where you type in the city and dates) there was something about $10. off if you use billmelater (get 90 days interest free). Hope this helps.</p>
<p>thanks mdcissp, we also need the room for 3 people. I'll check again. Maybe they release different things at different time. really appreciate your help =)</p>
<p>To bmom: I suggest calling the Bonaventure and asking if you happen to purchase a room with hotwire.com for 2 adults, can the hotel give you a room with two doubles plus pay extra for a rollaway bed? Just a thought.</p>
<p>The Bonaventure is still available on Priceline for $75 for parents weekend. I just booked it, now that I'm officially a Fall admit parent :)</p>
<p>Bmom, if the 3rd person is a child, I suggest finding out the Westin's policy - most big chains have a "children stay free" policy, which would apply whether you booked a room directly, through bidding, or through a 3rd party site. I've never had a problem bringing along one of our kids on a Priceline booking.</p>