As your friendly local/hotel liaison, I want to answer any questions you have about the details of what you may encounter at the hotel/in Minneapolis/at the con itself.

As mentioned before, the light-rail train from the airport works like a charm. I assure you, it is not worth wasting your money on a taxi or shuttle. If you get confused, it's okay to talk to strangers. Minnesotans love to be helpful. (Last time I flew home, I helped a woman from my flight find the train, and then after the train ride I walked her to her hotel on the other end of downtown from where I was headed, just because she was nervous!)

The 2.5-block walk from the Nicollet Mall Station to the Radisson Plaza is primarily on Nicollet, a street that's well-lit and safe to walk at night (as are most streets downtown Minneapolis; you're unlikely to encounter anything more scary than someone who wants spare change unless you go someplace isolated).

Safety in general can be best assured by keeping an eye on your personal belongings and paying attention to your surroundings. Don't leave your purse sitting on the table while you go get your order; don't wander by yourself late at night on streets with no people. Just like at summer camp, the buddy system is your friend. And I recommend that you don't interact with the panhandlers. If you want to help them, donate to a local effort such as Sharing and Caring Hands or People Serving People.

If you're arriving Thursday during the day, you'll see an extension of the Minneapolis Farmers' Market set up on Nicollet, the street between the train and the hotel. That's only there Thursday, so carpe shopping. (The Mill City market on Saturday/Sunday is a mile walk from the hotel; don't try to walk to the Lyndale market mentioned on the Minneapolis Farmers' Market page linked above. You would go through a questionable area.)

Any supplies you need during the con can be served by Target (two blocks from the hotel at 9th & Nicollet). It stocks a limited range of groceries as well as any typical drugstore-type supplies. In case anyone has a sweet tooth, Candyland is right downstairs from our meeting rooms. Om nom nom.

Many restaurants exist at every price point, to the degree that I'd just say "walk any direction from the hotel and look around".

Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at noon. Earlier or later depends on availability. Baggage storage is available at the bellstand in the hotel lobby.

The low temperature is likely to be around 60F and the high around 85F. But it will be a lot closer to 70F inside the hotel, so bring layers. And don't forget some comfy and/or fun clothes for the cocktail party & dance Friday night and for any hittin'-the-town you may do Saturday night. There are oodles of places with pounding music and booze within stumbling distance.

Speaking of comfort, bring comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough; it's not WC-specific, but just travel-and-con advice. Cute/fun/heeled shoes are great. You will get sick of them if that's all you bring.

And another thing you might want to bring is bills of various denominations. There will be dealers with tempting goods who may not take credit cards. You may want to tip the con's hospitality room (which runs on donations), housekeeping, the bellmen, or even dancers. ;)

Feel free to check this discussion on livejournal for more questions and answers about this topic. Any questions asked will help us prepare on-site local info for the convention.