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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Aug 27, 2005 22:00:43 GMT -5
I just got my hotel reservation for the tourney next week. My question is how/where do I park on campus for the O'Connell center? I have maps of the area and know where the arena is on campus, however, your campus is a bit hard to read and the "directions" don't discuss parking. Also, I see that there is a football game Saturday at 6:00 PM. How will that affect things? The final match will end what, about 5:30 PM?
Thanks for any help.
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Post by GatorVball on Aug 27, 2005 22:06:38 GMT -5
Well, parking will be a problem. The first match for UCSB is Friday, during classes and parking is impossible on campus, whether you have a parking decal or not. What hotel are you staying at? Once classes end, parking is easier, but since it's football weekend, the O'Dome parking lot is closed off Friday night around 6pm, because it's used for reserved parking for football boosters. The majority of parking lots will be filled or closed off because of football. My suggestion would be to take a cab, bus or walk, if your hotel is close enough. It's really a much better option than trying to park. You'll just drive yourself nuts. Also, you'll avoid getting a ticket. UPD loves to ticket people.
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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Aug 27, 2005 22:12:04 GMT -5
I'm in the Econo Lodge which is South East of campus, just east of the Lake B's arm and MLK Blv. I don't know exactly how far that is from campus.
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Post by GatorVball on Aug 27, 2005 22:18:27 GMT -5
Relatively close, but not nearly close enough to walk. Probably 5 minutes by car. You could try going to one of the kiosks and getting a visitors pass to park on campus on Friday, but I doubt you'd have any luck parking anywhere close to the O'Dome on Friday, and no chance on Saturday at all. You're just better off taking the bus or cab. That would be my suggestion.
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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Aug 27, 2005 22:31:03 GMT -5
Okay, thanks. I guess I should get there fairly early Thursday so I can make sure that I can get a handle on the bus schedule etc.
I am looking forward to seeing the Gauchos beat err... seeing the Gators play. ;D
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Post by GatorVball on Aug 27, 2005 22:38:02 GMT -5
Hopefully they'll get to play and there won't be some stupid hurricane getting in the way. I hope to see all the matches, might have to skip a class or 2 on Friday. Looking forward to seeing Missouri State as well. Have a safe trip.
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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Aug 27, 2005 22:41:41 GMT -5
It is no longer politically correct to use the "h" word.
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Post by Alberta on Aug 28, 2005 18:05:25 GMT -5
You could catch a city bus up to campus, it isn't that far. I don't know if I would walk on South 13th Street, not the best of areas. Have a safe trip.
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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Aug 28, 2005 21:01:33 GMT -5
You could catch a city bus up to campus, it isn't that far. I don't know if I would walk on South 13th Street, not the best of areas. Have a safe trip. Oh great, I figured that since there were a number of hotels along that street it was probably okay. Oh well, I come in at about 6'3" and 220 so maybe they'll let me alone. How bad is the area. Alternately, can you gave me the name of a couple of hotels/motels within walking distance of the arena?. |
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Post by Alberta on Aug 29, 2005 15:42:52 GMT -5
The closest hotel is about 8 blocks away...the Holiday Inn at the corner of University Ave. and 13th St. (US 301).
You'll be OK to walk during the daytime on S. 13th Street if you're that big! Just don't wear red.....(just kidding).
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Post by JB Southpaw on Aug 30, 2005 9:21:52 GMT -5
FYI
if you goto Gatorzone.com, a pop up comes up, and it's for a free ticket to the tournament.
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Post by vbmomfan on Aug 31, 2005 14:45:35 GMT -5
This could help. I found it on Gatorzone today. If you have a rental car, there is alot of parking at the mall.
For the Saturday match, a shuttle to the O'Connell
Center from the Oaks Mall will begin at 2:30 p.m.
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Post by JT on Aug 31, 2005 14:58:17 GMT -5
The closest hotel is about 8 blocks away...the Holiday Inn at the corner of University Ave. and 13th St. (US 301). You'll be OK to walk during the daytime on S. 13th Street if you're that big! Just don't wear red.....(just kidding). I was down in 2003 when MN was playing, the same weekend that FSU was in town for football. I don't remember where I ended up parking, but it was a loooong ways off. I had only good experiences with local fans. They appeared, in general, stunned to find that someone would be there to watch a sport that wasn't football.  |
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Post by gatorguy on Sept 1, 2005 14:57:02 GMT -5
This could help. I found it on Gatorzone today. If you have a rental car, there is alot of parking at the mall. For the Saturday match, a shuttle to the O'Connell Center from the Oaks Mall will begin at 2:30 p.m. Be careful. The match is BEFORE the football game. I tried the shuttle a couple of years ago.. It worked great going TO the match but there is no way back after volleyball is over. The buses don't return passengers to the mall until AFTER the football game is over (4 hours later!). I called a friend for help! The best plan is get there very early (I get there at least an hour before the match) and park as close as possible- chances are that you'll have to walk a mile or so. I normally try to park somewhere around the MedCenter parking garages and walk a good mile. I really hate it when they schedule a match before a football game! I guess that it might bring in a few people from their tail-gating parties but it sure makes it tough on the loyal fans who could care less about football! (Yes, there is one in GatorCountry!) |
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Post by TheSantaBarbarian on Sept 1, 2005 16:35:58 GMT -5
Hey gatorguy, thanks for the heads up. I wsa going to take the shuttle on Saturday. You saved me a fair amount of pain. I think I will use a combo of bus (route 13) and maybe Taxi if necessary. It looks like it is about 1 km from the route 13 stop at Newell and Museum to straight across campus to the OCen.
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