San Jose, California will host 2018 U.S. Nationals (Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018)
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myhoneyhoney
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oh my gosh, it’s like scrapbooking! hahaha I hope that indeed is the job.
Accreditation at Nats is likely just coaches and officials. They may or may not have you verifying the coach's credentials/proof of certification (they bring a card, plus it's online). If this Nats is like the past few years, the skaters (and chaperones) send in their photos in advance and credentials are made in advance and just handed out. Saves time. 
clairecloutier
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I'm feeling frustrated with the schedule at Nationals this year. It is so spread-out, for lack of a better word. Most days, there are only 2 competition events scheduled at SAP Center. And too many of the intermediate/novice/junior events are ending before the senior events even start. Spreading out the events like this makes an already-expensive trip even more so. 
I was comparing the schedule to Boston 2014 (which is the only full Natls I've attended so far). Boston Nationals was only 8 days long, compared to 10 for San Jose, and there were more events per day in the main arena.
San Jose http://skatesanjose2018.com/
Boston http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_fs_champs/index.asp
I don't know which type of schedule is more typical for U.S. Nationals.
I was comparing the schedule to Boston 2014 (which is the only full Natls I've attended so far). Boston Nationals was only 8 days long, compared to 10 for San Jose, and there were more events per day in the main arena.
San Jose http://skatesanjose2018.com/
Boston http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_fs_champs/index.asp
I don't know which type of schedule is more typical for U.S. Nationals.
TanithandBenFan
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I think being on the West Coast and accommodating East Coast prime time has hampered the schedule somewhat. Because events have to end earlier for prime time, it makes for a shorter day to squeeze in events. I'm bummed the junior events are starting so early. I arrive on Monday, which puts me in SJ an entire week, and I won't be able to see the Jr Men or Jr Pairs SP.
Since Juv and Int were included in the 'big' Nats, the schedule has been atypical. In Boston (I think the 2nd year of that change), the LOC tried to spread the JN events throughout the week in an effort to make the lower levels feel a part of the 'main event', so to speak. Another factor in their scheduling was that the Garden wasn't used until mid-week, so a lot of events were at the secondary venue. The past 3 years, the JN events were scheduled on the first weekend and the sched from Monday through Sunday was more typical of Nats when only Nov-Sr were included (but there were always a few variations each year). This year, the time difference between Nats and the East Coast - and the desire by NBC to broadcast both the long and short programs live - meant that the Senior events need to be earlier in the day than usual. If events can't run until 10 or 11 pm, that means they need to be spread out over more days.
At least they are not splitting events, though, like they've done for the past 10 years - last time Nats was in San Jose (before Juv and Int were included), they did hold all events at the main arena and the Senior events on their usual days, but they needed to split the Pairs FS into 2 days - 1st 2 groups on Sat night after the Ladies FS and the final 2 groups on Sun aftn before the final groups of men (and the first 2 groups of men started early Sun morning) - all to accommodate TV.
With USFS going back to a separate Junior Nats after next year, I'm hoping they'll go back to holding all events in the main venue.
MacMadame
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I didn't get my link to sign up. Only the email saying they'd send me an email.
Frau Muller
From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
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Could someone kindly post a link to a list of all 2018 US Nationals competitors by event? Thanks, in advance!
Carolla5501
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Did everyone else get the fund raising emails? I'm tempted to splurge on the Hall of Fame reception Friday. I'm under budget on hotel and tickets (thanks to posters on here) and while it's strange I'd like to congratulate Michael Weiss personally. (I feel like I know him I shared a cab with him in DC and helped contain his kid during practice. His wife was at one end of the row and I was at the other and their kid would run between us. LOL)
myhoneyhoney
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I didn't get that email
MacMadame
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I wrote to them and said I didn't get the email and haven't heard back.
My friend Dorie had a chance to check out the secondary venue (Solar4America Ice) and gave me permission to share the information here. I've augmented her discoveries with information from the facility's website.
Rinks: Solar4America Ice is a 4-rink facility. We're nearly certain that competition will be held in the rink on the left. It is most commonly called the "North" rink and has backless bench (bleacher) seating for perhaps 400 or so people if they sit close together. Information about the practice rink seems fuzzier. For qualifying competitions, they have used the "Center" rink for practice, but we've had one report that practices will be held on the rink beyond the Center rink. I'm sure there will be no doubt when we actually arrive in San Jose. The Center rink has less seating than the North rink, accommodating perhaps 300 or so people if they squeeze together. Bleachers again.
The bleachers for the Center rink are above the snack bar and are accessed via stairs or an elevator.
If you have a stadium seat/backrest, you'll want to take it to San Jose if possible. Even a cushion would be better than nothing. I bought a new backrest from REI that's more transportable than many I've seen; the padding in the seat is very thin but dense. Amazon has at least a couple of options that are at least superficially similar. I have no idea about the comparative quality.
Parking: The common entrance to the North and Center rinks is in the building closest to the corner of 10th Street and Alma. The parking lot will fill up quickly but there's overflow parking at nearby Kelley Park and at the zoo. And if that fills us, there's pay parking next to the San Jose State Stadium (a block or two away).
Transportation: My quick-and-dirty investigation indicates that taking a bus will not be practical, given the schedule that has us ping-ponging back and forth between the two venues. There's too much walking required (possibly on both ends of the trip). There will be no reason for taxis to cruise past Solar4America Ice unless they are specifically looking for fares at that facility. I'm expecting to have to call taxis or use Uber/Lyft.
Temperature: As is typical at training facilities, the rinks are chillier than major sports arenas. Dorie reports that Solar4America Ice is not as cold as the facilities in Spokane and Scottsdale used for sectionals/regionals--which she says are particularly cold--but she wasn't warm enough in a polypro top and light down jacket even though she was walking around. There are no coin-fed, spectator-controlled overhead heaters; heaters are present but are controlled by staff. Dorie was told that it is often a bit warmer in the Central rink seating area than in the North rink.
Food: There's a "No Outside Food" sign on the front door of the building, and Google Maps indicates that there is no outside food source within a mile of the facility. I have no idea whether there will be bag checks. There's a standard rink snack bar between the North and Center rinks. I haven't found a menu online but am expecting pretzels, hotdogs, coffee, sodas, etc. There is also--thank heavens--a sports bar (Stanley's) above the North and Central rinks. It will apparently be open (even for breakfast) at any time a fan would be looking for food. The menu is available on the webpage I linked to. I've never been to a training rink that didn't have water/soda and snack/candy machines.
If you meet Dorie at Nationals, please thank her for her scouting expedition.
Rinks: Solar4America Ice is a 4-rink facility. We're nearly certain that competition will be held in the rink on the left. It is most commonly called the "North" rink and has backless bench (bleacher) seating for perhaps 400 or so people if they sit close together. Information about the practice rink seems fuzzier. For qualifying competitions, they have used the "Center" rink for practice, but we've had one report that practices will be held on the rink beyond the Center rink. I'm sure there will be no doubt when we actually arrive in San Jose. The Center rink has less seating than the North rink, accommodating perhaps 300 or so people if they squeeze together. Bleachers again.
The bleachers for the Center rink are above the snack bar and are accessed via stairs or an elevator.
If you have a stadium seat/backrest, you'll want to take it to San Jose if possible. Even a cushion would be better than nothing. I bought a new backrest from REI that's more transportable than many I've seen; the padding in the seat is very thin but dense. Amazon has at least a couple of options that are at least superficially similar. I have no idea about the comparative quality.
Parking: The common entrance to the North and Center rinks is in the building closest to the corner of 10th Street and Alma. The parking lot will fill up quickly but there's overflow parking at nearby Kelley Park and at the zoo. And if that fills us, there's pay parking next to the San Jose State Stadium (a block or two away).
Transportation: My quick-and-dirty investigation indicates that taking a bus will not be practical, given the schedule that has us ping-ponging back and forth between the two venues. There's too much walking required (possibly on both ends of the trip). There will be no reason for taxis to cruise past Solar4America Ice unless they are specifically looking for fares at that facility. I'm expecting to have to call taxis or use Uber/Lyft.
Temperature: As is typical at training facilities, the rinks are chillier than major sports arenas. Dorie reports that Solar4America Ice is not as cold as the facilities in Spokane and Scottsdale used for sectionals/regionals--which she says are particularly cold--but she wasn't warm enough in a polypro top and light down jacket even though she was walking around. There are no coin-fed, spectator-controlled overhead heaters; heaters are present but are controlled by staff. Dorie was told that it is often a bit warmer in the Central rink seating area than in the North rink.
Food: There's a "No Outside Food" sign on the front door of the building, and Google Maps indicates that there is no outside food source within a mile of the facility. I have no idea whether there will be bag checks. There's a standard rink snack bar between the North and Center rinks. I haven't found a menu online but am expecting pretzels, hotdogs, coffee, sodas, etc. There is also--thank heavens--a sports bar (Stanley's) above the North and Central rinks. It will apparently be open (even for breakfast) at any time a fan would be looking for food. The menu is available on the webpage I linked to. I've never been to a training rink that didn't have water/soda and snack/candy machines.
If you meet Dorie at Nationals, please thank her for her scouting expedition.
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MacMadame
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The ice is at ground level. But you climb up into the bleachers and the Center rink's bleachers are above the snack bar area so those have to be accessed via stairs/elevator. People often watch from the snackbar area though.
The other rinks have them starting at ground level so the first row doesn't have to climb at all.
The Center rink is usually fine during competitions temperature-wise. The North rink is the coldest. The South rink varies and sometimes is quite warm with wet ice but usually is between the North and Center in terms of temps. The 4th rink has never been used for figure skating ever when I've been there so I can't speak to its temps or bleacher set up at all.
Sucks. If we are lucky, they won't have events at the nearby stadium and the overflow parking will be available. It will still suck though.
They have them too. In the snack bar area.
I've never been to Stanleys for food, but the seating is kind of basic. You can watch the action in the 4th rink and *I think* there is a view of Center ice from some seats but it's off to the side so you'll be watching from the end of the ice.
skatfan
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The volunteer schedules are out. They are posted online, just sign in at usfigureskating.org and go to the volunteer section.
myhoneyhoney
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I got one shift, only one. Oh well, better than not getting any at all. I’ll be doing Accreditation at SAP!
skatfan
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Wow, I got eight shifts - almost all the ones I asked for! Hopefully the Solar 4 America one's won't be too bad in terms of parking...
@skatfan I'm going to ask about it tonight. All the times I've been to Solar4America the parking has been severely lacking. It's also not really close to any good public transit or other parking options, making everything more awful. At some USFS competitions I've seen volunteer parking reserved separately, but we'll see...
ETA: Just got my tickets for the free skates! (I'm getting my SP tickets via the volunteer ones). I'll be at the top of section 110 near the media booth.
ETA: Just got my tickets for the free skates! (I'm getting my SP tickets via the volunteer ones). I'll be at the top of section 110 near the media booth.
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skatfan
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How did you get your tickets? I didn't see anything listed on how to do this.
Anita18
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I've been busy all day and finally checked the schedule - I think I got all the times I requested at the Marriott info desk. And the orientation packet says the Fairmont is HQ. Oh well! More time working on non-work work... 
HeatherC
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Does anyone have any ideas for the best way to travel from the airport to the hotels? Uber? Lyft? Hotel shuttle? Taxi? I don't remember seeing anything specific in this thread (I may have missed it so I apologize if this is a repeat question) so I'm asking for some help. Thanks in advance!
skatfan
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I've been busy all day and finally checked the schedule - I think I got all the times I requested at the Marriott info desk. And the orientation packet says the Fairmont is HQ. Oh well! More time working on non-work work...
All the schedules for volunteers are tentative at this point - until the captains for each team confirm. There’ll be an email next week after they’ve scrubbed everything. All the folks with the LOC are being polite about being the guinea pig for the USFSA’s online system which is being used for the first time for the organization’s most important event in 4 years.
skatfan
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For out of Town folks - there will be a public shuttle from the hotels to the SAP arena, and hopefully the Solar4America too (that’s the one they really need, since the light rail goes from downtown to the SAP). Price unknown at this point.
Are they referring to the DASH buses, or is this a separate shuttle for the event? Are they planning to post info on their website? Did they say which hotels it will stop at?
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