Buying Blizzcon tickets is an inexact science, but I think I have it down. Last year I managed to snag spot number 413 in the queue, this year my position wasn’t as fantastic–only 1254.
The secret to buying Blizzcon tickets is the three Rs: recruits, reflexes, and a resist choosing quantity.
Have people there to back you up, like how Ildara and Cendra were camped out with me in Mumble and prepared to unleash our shared expertise on the Blizzard store. Also, make sure to sport the proper position: your most dextrous and least cramp-prone finger from the left hand on the F5 key, with your right hand on the mouse, guiding the pointer over the words “Currently Unavailable”.
Then, two minutes before the appointed hour, start refreshing the page like a friend. Every time you see the word “Unavailable” load, immediately key the refresh again. Prepare you brain to click down on a button as soon as it appears. (Sidenote: I find Chrome is beastly at quick refreshes, consider using that browser.)
Remember you don’t have to change your quantity before clicking the button–you can do that later when at the checkout page. Doing it before entering the queue will cost you precious seconds, and could be the difference between getting tickets and not.
Also, don’t forget to pre-log into the Blizzard Store.
In any case, like I said above, I managed to snag spot 1254. Cen got something in the 700s, and Dara got around 3000. Between the three of us we managed to pick up 10 tickets for the guild and we’re currently figuring out who’s going. Ideally we’d like to field a larger group than we did last year, though a good chunk of the same people won’t be going.
Either way though, I have a strong suspicion that this years Blizzcon will top last years–be it via our hotel room at the Anaheim Hilton next door (rather than a 20 minute walk away from the Con), or the fact that we know exactly what’s going on this time around, or even the promised presence of Antigen and other awesome people attending for the first time this year.
Really looking forward to going in October!
Nonetheless, I wish the best of luck to anyone going for tickets tonight. Just remember the three Rs, and you should be able to snag a good spot in line.
ChromeReload. Get it, install it, love it. Great for Blizzcon tickets and Woot-Offs.
(I was not paid to say this, although I probably should be.)
Well, that would have nice to know before I went through three keyboards.
It’s a ton better at the Hilton.
Lots of people around, much entertainment.
The only real complaints I had…
1. The wait at the elevator during peak times, but that’s pretty minimal compared to the extra time wasted walking back and forth from someplace further away.
2. Noise. It’s mostly a matter of where you are in the hotel. Generally it wasn’t too bad, but one of my friends ended up getting woken up at 4am by a small drunk asian woman who was looking for Mexican Bob, who was last seen by the pool. She was 3 floors and a wing away from the pool, but she was bound and determined and armed with one hell of a cop knock.
Definitely looking forward to this year as well. Should be a hoot.
Heh, thanks for the tips. I think I’ll stick with the stairs in that case!
…and for Firefox, the ReloadEvery addon will do a similar thing.
So sad I was not mentioned in the post WHY DO U HATE ME. When I see you I shall burn you to the ground.
Looking forward to it this year!