2016 Arch Madness

[Play Angry]

Just booked flights on Southwest and have a refundable room locked down at the Missouri Athletic Club.

Who else is in?



This can also serve as a hotel rate watch and travel tips thread. I've picked up some great ideas for this annual adventure from SNers in the past and love reading the suggestions.

[ShockdaWorld]

Are the flights pretty inexpensive? I just drove to StL and back a couple of weeks ago, and although it was just over 6 hours each way, it wasn't a bad drive.

[ShockerPhi]

Are the flights pretty inexpensive? I just drove to StL and back a couple of weeks ago, and although it was just over 6 hours each way, it wasn't a bad drive.

Well Play Angry is from Dallas, so he has a different situation... But yeah, I think from Wichita it's better to just drive.

[Play Angry]

Yea, looks like it's about $260/pp out of ICT, so not bad but it'd depend on the size of your group.

[ShockdaWorld]

Well Play Angry is from Dallas, so he has a different situation... But yeah, I think from Wichita it's better to just drive.

Oh ok. I didn't think to look at that. I'd probably fly from there too. Where is the Missouri Athletic Club you speak of?

[shock]

Wait for a bit before booking flights. Airfare is supposed to drop 75% in the next 2-3 months.

[shox526]

Wait for a bit before booking flights. Airfare is supposed to drop 75% in the next 2-3 months.

Why is that? Not disagreeing, just curious if you mean for a particular route or just generally you're better off waiting rather than booking flights 6+ months in advance.

[shock]

Why is that? Not disagreeing, just curious if you mean for a particular route or just generally you're better off waiting rather than booking flights 6+ months in advance.

No idea why. Maybe oil.

[GarH]

I've heard the prices will really go down for a few weeks in August also.

[Onegreatracer]

I'll probably go, but I never book too far in advance in case something comes up.

[ShockdaWorld]

I'm looking into taking my wife for our birthdays. It may be my saving grace if I am unable to secure tickets to senior night. When we went a couple weeks ago, my company put us up in a Hawthorn Suites about 15 minutes from the arena. It was nice enough (we aren't extremely picky, clean and comfortable is all that matters), but was just wondering where other SNers have stayed for the tourney. Also, I love basketball, so I'm sure I'll probably get all session passes. Any reason that isn't a good idea?

[WuShock16]

As a reminder to everyone, 4 of the 8 NCAA first-weekend sites are within an easy drive of Wichita. If you can only do one, I would suggest that you hold out for that and skip Arch Madness.

[WuShock16]

Also, I love basketball, so I'm sure I'll probably get all session passes. Any reason that isn't a good idea?

If you really want to see all nine games, go ahead and get all-session. If not, I'd piece it together if I were you. You'll spend potentially half as much as an all-session ticket.

[shockmonster]

If you really want to see all nine games, go ahead and get all-session. If not, I'd piece it together if I were you. You'll spend potentially half as much as an all-session ticket.

Last year prices went up. If I remember correctly, they cost 30.00 on Friday per session and 40.00 on Saturday. Sunday would have cost 40.00 or more again (unfortunately WSU only played on Friday and Saturday so I'm not sure). The year we bought All Session tickets, we enjoyed going to the other Friday games too. I think All Session tickets cost 130.00 so I plan to go that route this year. By the way, those single session tickets were for the upper bowl.

[WuShock16]

I bought my Saturday ticket from scalpers last year. I purposely had a single $20 bill in my possession so that I could only do that price. I saw a guy who had a single, and he wanted $35. I told him I could only do $20. He tried to drop to $30 and I told him that I had a $20 bill...that's it. When I started to walk off, he caved in and accepted the $20.

It felt enpowering.