The valet parking is free and I tipped the guy... just to find the battery with 3 bars left. I had 6 bars when I gave my car up. If you are planning to drive in, don't forgot to give your smart key if you have SKS.
Don't assume the valet parking is free like in New York. I called and neither Toyota nor the Arts Center could tell me if valet was free or cost. Wayne
I called the Prius Connection 800 number and they did not know how much the valet parking is, and told me to call River East. I called River East, and they told me to call Standard Parking. I got an answering machine at Standard Parking, so I gave up. I'll figure it out when I get there. ...Oops...look like Wayne already did all that and didn't get an answer either....
Prius Connection Attendees: Valet parking is provided for the Chicago event as well and no tipping is necessary for our guests. I have alerted the 800 line to the proper response, the venue itself probably wouldn't have the correct info. Rest assured, we will cover the valet. Enjoy the event. Prius Team
OK, I stuffed on pizza, saw the fabulous collections at the art institute, walked around downtown, and already got a sneak peek at the cars. First impression - the side ridges are not as pronounced in person as I was expecting. The car does have sharper edges. Not really that far off the Gen II design, but enough that maybe my wife won't ask again "why'd they have to make it so dorky looking." Did not bring a computer (just an iPhone), so no pictures from me till tomorrow.
It was all good, and much more useful for me than I thought it would be. I think it was even more informal than the earlier parties. Unless it happened before I got there, there was no formal unveiling and only the briefest of a greeting. It was in a fairly small space, with the 3 cars close together at the bottom of a 2 level atrium, and people milled around from car to car. The cutout display was off to one side. The trivia game was on the upper entry level and was pretty much ignored, though I managed to stumble into a game and get one of the shirts. The swag was the same as at the other parties - the seeds, water bottles and prius name tag holder. Open bar and catered food, including prime rib, turkey, spinach, rissota etc. Based on pictures from the earlier parties, the same car hostess/experts were there. There were also a lot of local Toyota dealership people there. Friendly crowd and everyone enjoyed exploring the cars and getting each other takes on the various features. Wayne was there as the real expert in residence.
Just sharing what I knew and making sure Toyota was taking care of my property. The cut-a-way is going to Geneva, it's going to be like the roaming gnome. Wayne
Tom - Sorry not to have responded sooner! No, I didn't get an email confirmation. Not to worry, though, because I had not accepted the invitation. I thought it would be better to allow some other folks to attend. In the end, I was wishing I had accepted so I could take my wife and show her the car!
Great Food, Great Company, and a Great Car!! I had a blast playing with the cars and talking to everyone. I like the new body and interior but don't see myself dropping the money unless my wife decides she wants a new car. Scallops... YUM!!!
So did he mean Wisconsin or Switzerland?? The later is obviously more impressive. It was a very cool display though.
Sorry, but that was a bit "inside" of me. I was referring, obliquely, to Geneva, Illinois (my DNA source), while Fire Engineer was talking about Geneva, Switzerland, site of an upcoming auto show, and the source/recipient of other DNA, familial and otherwise.
So has Toyota acknowledged the EBH addition? Did Wayne leave a "note" or "label" on it this time around?
Does that mean that there will be no other Prius Connections on the western side of the country; for example Denver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, or Los Angeles??
I received a voicemail yesterday from someone regarding the event. I unfortunately will not be able to attend. I wish I could!!
I was able to attend the Chicago event. It was very informative and had a blast. It had the right amount of crowd, so after a short wait could get into the different cars. Now how can I get an invite for the pre-order ? I was hoping the people who attended the event would get an invite.
