So at what point do you say enough is enough
08-23-2022 | 04:55 PM
#21
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From: Santa Clarita CA
08-23-2022 | 04:58 PM
#22
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From: Channel Islands, So. Cal.
theyre crazy expensive too. We’ve been going to the worlds since the early 2000’s. I always said it’s an event we won’t miss.
couple of observations -
air prices are up but not enough not to go in my opinion. 8-10 years ago I could get to key west from ca with a change of planes in Miami for $350 or so. 5 years ago $500 a ticket I looked a couple months ago and it was $1200 a ticket.
we usually Airbnb shacks off of duval each year. Have done 1, 2 & 3 bedroom places. 10 years ago this was a score because Airbnb wasn’t that popular and most everyone was staying at the hotels. I could get a one bedroom bungalow a block off of duval
for $150 a night 8-10 years ago. 5 years ago $300 a night. This year- 2 bedroom place $1,000+ a night. The one bedroom places $800+ a night.
slow escalation in cost is expected. The gouging is not cool and the one thing that really opened my eyes was last year we scored good prices at la concha by booking during the covid lockdowns Jan of 21. Once thing started opening up, the rooms we got for $200 a night immediately went up to $800 plus a night. And are more this year. Which is way up from the normal prices previous years.
Main observation was it seems all the hotels got together (not a conspiracy theory, I’d guarantee all the hotels belong to a local business group) and jacked the prices WAY up (like at least doubled prices) in order to recover from the 2 year lock downs. Last year people paid it, so why would they lower prices now? I think it was an experiment and way to hopefully recover thats turned into “no turning back now, keep ratcheting the prices up”
like I said, we’ll see about going next year. Maybe we’ll start every other year instead of every year and then hunt a good deal on a place to stay and tickets early. For now. Have fun if anyone’s going.
couple of observations -
air prices are up but not enough not to go in my opinion. 8-10 years ago I could get to key west from ca with a change of planes in Miami for $350 or so. 5 years ago $500 a ticket I looked a couple months ago and it was $1200 a ticket.
we usually Airbnb shacks off of duval each year. Have done 1, 2 & 3 bedroom places. 10 years ago this was a score because Airbnb wasn’t that popular and most everyone was staying at the hotels. I could get a one bedroom bungalow a block off of duval
for $150 a night 8-10 years ago. 5 years ago $300 a night. This year- 2 bedroom place $1,000+ a night. The one bedroom places $800+ a night.
slow escalation in cost is expected. The gouging is not cool and the one thing that really opened my eyes was last year we scored good prices at la concha by booking during the covid lockdowns Jan of 21. Once thing started opening up, the rooms we got for $200 a night immediately went up to $800 plus a night. And are more this year. Which is way up from the normal prices previous years.
Main observation was it seems all the hotels got together (not a conspiracy theory, I’d guarantee all the hotels belong to a local business group) and jacked the prices WAY up (like at least doubled prices) in order to recover from the 2 year lock downs. Last year people paid it, so why would they lower prices now? I think it was an experiment and way to hopefully recover thats turned into “no turning back now, keep ratcheting the prices up”
like I said, we’ll see about going next year. Maybe we’ll start every other year instead of every year and then hunt a good deal on a place to stay and tickets early. For now. Have fun if anyone’s going.
Last edited by thisistank; 08-23-2022 at 05:03 PM.
08-23-2022 | 05:02 PM
#23
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I remember Key West and Marathon when most of the people you ran into actually lived and worked there. Definitely had a cool vibe back then but IMO has since morphed into a cheesy tourist destination.
For a boating venue, I’d much rather do Boyne City, Clinton NY, Sarasota, etc.
For a boating venue, I’d much rather do Boyne City, Clinton NY, Sarasota, etc.
08-23-2022 | 05:03 PM
#24
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Airfares are starting to fall. Last year, I flew from California to Key West for about $350. I booked the same trip for this year for $500, which historically speaking (I've done this trip a few times) is pretty good, though obviously up from 2021. I found a twin bed hotel room for $450 a night, not cheap but about what I spent last year.
Earlier this summer, I read an interview with an airline CEO (I think it was the American Airlines guy) and he said they would continue to raise fares until demand began to decline. I took him at his word and waited to book my Key West trip until two weeks ago. When I looked at the same trip in as of early July, it was $1,700.
In June, I spent a totally outrageous $1,600 to get to Nashville from Napa to cover the Kuttawa Cannonball Run, the same equally offensive airfare I paid in early July to go to Lake Wawasee in Indiana. Also booked in July but two weeks later, my flight to St. Louis tomorrow for the Lakes of the Ozarks was $600, half of what I saw when I looked in June.
Normally, waiting for airfares to drop as an event approaches is a sure loser, but times are different.
All of that said, Dan, I hope you come to Key West ... I hope all of you do. We're going to throw one hell of a party for you, benefitting Samuel's. House of course, on Thursday night there.
Earlier this summer, I read an interview with an airline CEO (I think it was the American Airlines guy) and he said they would continue to raise fares until demand began to decline. I took him at his word and waited to book my Key West trip until two weeks ago. When I looked at the same trip in as of early July, it was $1,700.
In June, I spent a totally outrageous $1,600 to get to Nashville from Napa to cover the Kuttawa Cannonball Run, the same equally offensive airfare I paid in early July to go to Lake Wawasee in Indiana. Also booked in July but two weeks later, my flight to St. Louis tomorrow for the Lakes of the Ozarks was $600, half of what I saw when I looked in June.
Normally, waiting for airfares to drop as an event approaches is a sure loser, but times are different.
All of that said, Dan, I hope you come to Key West ... I hope all of you do. We're going to throw one hell of a party for you, benefitting Samuel's. House of course, on Thursday night there.
Looks like Matt has a one bed vacancy!
08-23-2022 | 05:09 PM
#25
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From: Channel Islands, So. Cal.
I live about 250 miles from Key West. Its an expensive dump and always has been. I go to the lower keys about once every 10 yrs (like Las Vegas) and then it instantly reminds me of why I don't visit either place often! I've done the FPC runs, used to be a 3K commitment if nothing actually broke. I enjoy watching Stu's videos on youtube and what OSOr's post but I don't need $800 a night holiday inn rooms to enjoy those either!
33Outlaw nailed it, it isn't volume but rather margin! Look at the hardware that appears that week, they look at those million dollar boats with engines/paint that cost more than a house in the midwest and figure they can pay $800 a night!
33Outlaw nailed it, it isn't volume but rather margin! Look at the hardware that appears that week, they look at those million dollar boats with engines/paint that cost more than a house in the midwest and figure they can pay $800 a night!
08-23-2022 | 05:12 PM
#26
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From: Clearwater, FL
As a Florida native. I love the keys, upper, middle and Key West.
Each has its own vibe and feel and all are awesome IMO. I am hating the Key West pricing as of late and this has started and been going on well before or just for the world's event.
Each has its own vibe and feel and all are awesome IMO. I am hating the Key West pricing as of late and this has started and been going on well before or just for the world's event.
08-23-2022 | 08:01 PM
#27
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From: Lighthouse Point, Florida
We are not going this year either. While I did sell the Gladiator earlier this year; I thought about going with no boat. The hotel prices are out of control. We stayed at The Marker this past May (great hotel BTW) but it was $750/night then for a random weekend. I think it’s $1000/night for KW through FPC. Probably $1200/night if you don’t do the run. We stayed at the Hyatt Centric last year for the poker run and that place is a dump. It was $680 + taxes through FPC.
What use to be a $7,000 weekend just a few years ago bringing a boat is now probably $12,000 due to hotel/fuel cost. I actually feel bad for FPC, because their rates haven’t changed much over the past couple years. It’s just hotel/fuel have gone through the roof and at some point you say enough is enough. Plus, I haven’t had great luck on the KW Poker Run 🤣. I am curious to see how many boats go this year though.
What use to be a $7,000 weekend just a few years ago bringing a boat is now probably $12,000 due to hotel/fuel cost. I actually feel bad for FPC, because their rates haven’t changed much over the past couple years. It’s just hotel/fuel have gone through the roof and at some point you say enough is enough. Plus, I haven’t had great luck on the KW Poker Run 🤣. I am curious to see how many boats go this year though.
08-24-2022 | 06:53 AM
#28
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From: Richmond VA
I've gone 4 of the last 5 years and a buddy has been calling me the last 2 weeks about finding/getting a place to stay. Like others, looks like I'm skipping it this year. While it's an absolute blast, it's just gotten too damn expensive to actually enjoy it. (Maybe we need to bring back the OSO parties that were in Richmond VA years back! 
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