Out of Pod Experience

Greetings everyone!

So I won't be able to make it this year, but next year I'm planning on going to Fanfest. This will also be my first trip that I'll be doing to another country, alone.

I've done my research but I just have a few questions that I hope some of you will be able to answer for me.


Here it goes:

1. The Icelandair packages available for Fanfest are great and they are available right now for this year, but I would like to know when do they become available for next year's? I'm asking this because I need to catch another plane from my country to London so that I can go to Iceland through Icelandair, and I kinda need to know at what time the flights are so I can plan accordingly, so technically the sooner I buy those, the better! :)

2. I've already got a few restaurants registered here, but if you guys can recommend me a couple of cheap restaurants near the Harpa center aswell as some prices I would appreciate it!

3. Do I get a discount if I buy a flybus ticket early? Just wondering :P

4. I've heard that ATM's in airport's aren't great for withdrawing money because of the enormous bank fee's present, so I was planning on acquiring the money in an ATM near the Hotel. Is this a feasible?

Please excuse me if some of these questions sound pathetic but I just haven't got much clue when it comes to traveling :)

Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the feedback! :)


I heard that the ATM tax present in airports was just higher than usual, but of course I could be wrong.

Certain banks have a partnership with the ATM Alliance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_ATM_Alliance) which basically means, if you have a bank account in one of them, you won't get charged at certain ATM's for withdrawing money.

However, my bank is not part of this group, so I was trying to find ways to just not deal with these type of fee's or at least, be as cheapest as possible, but I guess I'll just have to deal with them, which isn't kind of a big deal I guess.


Thank you for the info in regards to the packages aswell, I shall start planning accordingly then. :)

Do you happen to have any tips for cheap restaurants in the area? If you also know prices, let me know!


Thanks again for the input!

Hi there,

1) As far as the Iceland air packages goes, I've found it to be cheaper to book right now compared to the packages, so the sooner you can book, the cheaper it will get, despite the packages they are offering. But if you are unable to book early the packages are often cheaper.

I booked my stuff for this year separately and it became cheaper than the package (and this was pretty much the day everything was released).

2) Sorry no idea about food (for this year lols I'm also bringing my Trangia since I'm gonna head far away from Reykjavik...)

3) afaik the bus tickets are the same price regardless if you book them in advance or buy them at the airport

4) I'd say you will save money exchanging in advance, foreign ATMs always take an extra charge of cards, so if you can go to your local Forex or similar you will probably save a buck or two (plus not have to worry about finding an ATM).

Best of luck and maybe we'll bump into each other next year!

/c

it's his little endorsement of his posts. sort of a "make your mark on the line provided" kinda thing.

If you follow the steps below, you may or may not get a better deal than booking an Icelandair package.

Proceed in roughly the following order:

Start saving

Research relevant airline sites to see how far ahead they release flight schedules

Wait for CCP to announce the dates of Fanfest 2014

Arrange holidays with your employer

As soon as flights become available for the Fanfest period, book them

Book accommodation via an accommodation booking site

Order your Fanfest ticket before they run out

The reasons are (in order):

No dough, no go

Some airlines don't release flight details more than 10 months or so ahead of the scheduled flight date. If this is the case it would pay to know when the dates you are likely to want will be available.

Fanfest dates have changed over time. Fanfest used to be in the second half of the year (round Sept/Oct). In 2010, it was deferred until March 2011, and there was NO Fanfest in 2010. In 2012 Fanfest was again held in March. This year (2013) it is being held a month later - in April. So assume nothing and don't book anything until you know when you need to travel.

If you have an employer and they don't approve your holidays, you're going to be pretty unhappy should you have booked and paid for flights and accommodation and then you find can't get your money back. So don't book anything until you have an assurance you'll be able to get leave at the right time.

Some airlines will release a small number of seats at price X, when these seats are sold they sell another small block at price X plus Y, and then when the second set are sold they increase the price again, and so on and so forth until they reach a 'full' fare. If you really want the best price you need to be 'waiting at their door' when your preferred tickets first go on sale. If you leave it too late all the cheap flights will be gone.

You can book accommodation in advance as well. Many sites will offer a choice between a cheap price you pay now and can't cancel, versus a slightly dearer price which you can cancel up until a few days before your trip. You need to decide which one is best for you.

As people found out this year Fanfest can sell out. Make sure you don't miss out especially if you have already booked accommodation and flights.

In previous years Fanfest dates were more secret than the truth about Roswell. However the dates for Fanfest 2013 were actually announced at the end of Fanfest 2012. If CCP repeat this formula, you shouldn't have to wait too long.