Post: #76

Thanks for the links Safado.

If anyone is thinking about going the same flight I booked is now 1k more. There are of course alternative flights at comparable $$$ but it will be interesting to see how the prices fluctuate with the demand and added flights the closer we get to the World Cup. I'm flying in and out of Rio but the fares to São Paulo seemed to be similar, booked my fare using OnTheFly.

The other thing is the deadline for first ticket sales lottery is October 10th so get in your application soon if you haven't already done so but it seems as though many tickets will still be available after this "lottery window" of sales is over.

Post: #77

Good stuff JAS^^^

I just hope a flight into Brazil around Mid-May isn't going to be so bad because I have to wait until Jan/Feb to book my tickets for the student visa process (flying in mid-may to late-december).

What are your dates if you don't mind me asking?

Post: #78

I'm sure you'll get airfare in the 900-1,100 range depending on where your coming from, I'm assuming USA, because your traveling outside of the WC traffic.

I'm hesitant to put my exact dates of travel on the Internet but I'm leaving from the East coast first week of June and coming back mid-July. My flight was $1,200 or so, like I said its since gone up but there are other flights similar in cost. For people traveling closer to the WC it was like $1,600 or more but you could still get lower airfare if just going for a week or two while being flexible. OnTheFly seemed to give me the best prices, I'd recommend messing around with the travel dates a bit too. (Yb13, doesn't even look like you can get a Dec '14 return flight yet, at least through OTF).

For me personally I waited too long on a flight that arrived a day or two before the WC and departed a day or two after the WC so when I saw this flight at the same price but a week earlier I said F it and jumped on it.

With that said I've read some travel forums regarding the WC and it seems like additional flights will be added. I don't have enough experience to really give advice on this, can only share my experience.

P.S.- If anyone needs suggestions on learning materials for Portuguese YB13 is THE MAN!

Post: #79

(04-06-2012 12:36 AM)samuca Wrote:  My city is considerated one of the ecologic capitals of the world. We have a lot of parks. And about the women....ah the women....we have the best place in brazil...the girls here in curitiba are so pretty and hot...

Curitiba is an amazing city with amazing talent of the european kind but the girls are very snob and people there don't like to talk to strangers. I don't know if the situation is different for a foreigner but i think it is worth a try. If you are european , curitibans are londoners wannabes so it should help. It is also a very inexpensive city for the current brazilian cost standard.

Post: #80

(10-05-2013 04:23 AM)hipster Wrote:  Curitiba is an amazing city with amazing talent of the european kind but the girls are very snob and people there don't like to talk to strangers. I don't know if the situation is different for a foreigner but i think it is worth a try. If you are european , curitibans are londoners wannabes so it should help. It is also a very inexpensive city for the current brazilian cost standard.

Good insight. Let me know what you think of my Curitiba data sheet - /thread-10987-...#pid478460

Onde vc mora no Brasil?

Daygame is really rough in CWB but the equalizer is nightlife there as there are so many bars scattered all over the city that do not require cover and lack entrance charges, which is good.

50% of Curitibanos are not from city so those are the people you want to connect with as the girls of that crop will def be more outgoing to meet ppl and introduce you to their local friends.

I prefer Porto Alegre or Belo Horizonte more than Curitiba. If you go to a site called gringoes.com, there are people who move to CWB and then have panic attacks then move out accordingly, lol. It can be a miserable place but I got a good feel for it during my visit since I have to go back later this May for an extended stay.

Post: #81

(10-05-2013 12:15 AM)JohnnyAppleSeeds Wrote:  I'm sure you'll get airfare in the 900-1,100 range depending on where your coming from, I'm assuming USA, because your traveling outside of the WC traffic.

I'm hesitant to put my exact dates of travel on the Internet but I'm leaving from the East coast first week of June and coming back mid-July. My flight was $1,200 or so, like I said its since gone up but there are other flights similar in cost. For people traveling closer to the WC it was like $1,600 or more but you could still get lower airfare if just going for a week or two while being flexible. OnTheFly seemed to give me the best prices, I'd recommend messing around with the travel dates a bit too. (Yb13, doesn't even look like you can get a Dec '14 return flight yet, at least through OTF).

For me personally I waited too long on a flight that arrived a day or two before the WC and departed a day or two after the WC so when I saw this flight at the same price but a week earlier I said F it and jumped on it.

With that said I've read some travel forums regarding the WC and it seems like additional flights will be added. I don't have enough experience to really give advice on this, can only share my experience.

P.S.- If anyone needs suggestions on learning materials for Portuguese YB13 is THE MAN!

Thx for the insight. I will likely book my tickets around January/February 14 so that I can get a return ticket around Dec 14. One way ticks to Brazil are usually more $$ than RT. With American Airlines, I can always pay an extra $250.00 if I had to change my return date, which would still be exponentially cheaper than two one way ticks.

Post: #82

The more I think about it, the more I really want to go to Brazil for WC14. I'm sure it will be everything I could ever imagine it being.

Post: #83

I had similar thoughts and in the end I just couldn't pass it up. Regardless of USA's performance in the World Cup I know I would have regretted not going too much. Without being too dramatic it would have haunted me till my death.

It still hasn't really hit me that I'm going, that will probably happen when/if I get tickets, but sometimes I think about it and a big smile comes across my face. I even start chuckling to myself sometimes, it's a "OMG this is going to be insane" type laugh...

With all that excitement comes the realization that I'm going to be dropping some serious dough for these 40+ days in Brasil. About $4,000 for flights there, transportation in Brasil and tickets. About another $8,000 for lodging/food/drink while there. Now those #'s are assuming I get my tickets to every USA game and 1 game per knockout round including the final ($1,386) and budgeting $100 a day for both food and accommodations (probably over budgeting).

All of that is going to fuck me a little for the next 8 months but I see this as a trip of a lifetime...

Obviously going would depend on how much you want to attend this World Cup and what you can afford but I would recommend it. Probably won't regret spending the $$$ after.

Disclaimer: I've never been to a World Cup or Brasil for that matter.

Post: #84

(10-04-2013 05:13 AM)JohnnyAppleSeeds Wrote:  The other thing is the deadline for first ticket sales lottery is October 10th so get in your application soon if you haven't already done so but it seems as though many tickets will still be available after this "lottery window" of sales is over.

Thanks for the reminder -- gotta get my application in in the next day or two.

Did you go for a follow-your-team ticket or venue-specific? Our plan is venue-specific. Just checked flights and they're still in the $2k-2,500 range from where I am.

Post: #85

I'm going balls out for the TST7 package. Just the thought of attending a QF,SF and World Cup final gives me a hard-on.

I did agree to the option of a lower TST if it is available instead of the TST7, so TST6, TST5, etc...

If I don't get the tickets I applied for then I will be trying to get in the FCFS sales window starting Nov 5th.

Post: #86

Johnny,
100$/day on food and accommodations? Hate to break it to you but there's no way you'll find accommodations in Brasil during the WC for 100$/day. Not even in a hostel! Hostels in Rio are going to be charging upwards of 200 EUROS PER NIGHT FOR A bed in a dorm! And with a minimum of 5 nights bookings! If you do find accommodations for 100 bucks a night during the world cup, please post it here! Or even better, just pm it to me! lol

If you've got the skills and or contacts, your best bet is to simply make good friends till there and crash in their place.

I'm budgetting at least 6-8k just on the accommodations for a whole month. To really do the WC in Brasil for a month, my guestimate is about 20K. Expensive yes, but worth every single penny, even if you're not a footie fan. The WC in Brasil, in the country of football par excellence, is going to be simply out of this world. Nothing has ever and nothing will ever come close to it!! This is truly one of those once in a lifetime things as the last WC in Brasil was in 1950. How many in here were born, let alone remember that WC? Maybe not even IKE or Tenderman...ahahah

Post: #87

VP, I've been looking on HostelWorld and it seems like hostels in Rio that usually going for $15-$18 a night will be in the $50-$60 range. I'm expecting to spend $50-$100 a night for Hostels throughout Brasil.

If I wasn't clear originally I meant $100 for accommodation and $100 for food and drink a day, $200 for accommodation/food/drink a day.

I guess we'll have a better idea of prices closer to the World Cup.

Post: #88

(10-06-2013 12:09 AM)JohnnyAppleSeeds Wrote:  I'm going balls out for the TST7 package. Just the thought of attending a QF,SF and World Cup final gives me a hard-on.

I did agree to the option of a lower TST if it is available instead of the TST7, so TST6, TST5, etc...

If I don't get the tickets I applied for then I will be trying to get in the FCFS sales window starting Nov 5th.

That's a great option in terms of what you'll see. Have you factored in traveling to all the cities? I think that's what made us lean towards venue-specific -- to cut back on the travel part.

As for $100/day and accommodation costs, another option to look at is if you can get an AirBnb-type option, but share with friends. A $200/night apartment isn't so bad if there are 4 of you sharing it.

Post: #89

Paninaro, yes I have. I actually drew out my own little map of Brasil with distances between the host cities and how long the travel would be by bus (if applicable). Also indicating the number of games each venue will host and the odds of the US having a group stage game there. I made a rough estimate of $1,500 for travel inside Brasil which obviously changes on where the US plays and subsequent knockout games if I get those tickets. Based on the schedule it's clear that if I do get the TST7 I applied for I'll be able to take a bus between some of the venues, cutting down on costs. I will also be looking to travel through the night when possible, although that would cut down on seeing a lot of scenery on my travels by bus (I also read its more dangerous to travel by bus at night, especially from Rio to São Paulo). Manaus is the wildcard here which would be a more expensive destination to reach.

If I am going to spend all this money and be in Brasil for over a month then I will want to follow the US. I think the travel will add to the adventure. With that said if I am only able to get the TST3 series tickets it would allow me to make my own plans on cities to visit and which games to apply for which could lower the cost as well.

I'm trying to plan it as much as possible while still being open minded about everything. Right now the only thing I know for sure is I'll be in Brasil from first week in June to mid July. After this upcoming ticket sales window and the December draw it will be easier to plan everything.

Post: #90

Ok I put in my bid yesterday for venue-specific Cuiaba tickets. It shows as "Request Status: Pending" in yellow on their site. Do you see the same thing for your tickets? Just want to make sure that's what to expect, as it took me 3 tries to get through since their credit card server was having some problems apparently.

Looks like they have until 11/5 to announce who got tickets this round, but I hope they announce early. Right now from where I am, economy class tickets are about $2-2.5k and business class tickets are going for $3.5-4k. I may splurge on business class (or try to use up some FF miles), so I'm rested upon arrival. I plan to arrive the day before the first match.

Anyone have tips on the best parts of Cuiaba to look for a place to stay? Doesn't need to be near the stadium since there's not a game every day, but rather a place walkable to other attractions like bars/restaurants/etc.

Post: #91

paninaro, I like your strategy of hitting a second tier city like Cuiaba during the WC, instead of the major cities that will attract the drunk gringo wolf packs. Girls in Cuiabá aren't used to seeing many gringos...

Post: #92

Pan, pending is what you want at this point. Now it's a waiting game.

Post: #93

I am patiently waiting to see if me and my friends get the tickets we want. There are 3 of us going in total. If anyone wants to meet up, let me know. We'll be staying in Rio for the whole month!

Planning on booking my flight soon, but tickets are about $1800-2100 from the US!

Post: #94

I'm going!

Just got the official confirmation email a few hours ago. Did anyone else receive theirs also? We bid on Cuiaba venue-specific tickets, and those were in low demand, so maybe they announced ours early since there wasn't a need for a drawing.

Anyone have tips on where the best part of Cuiaba is to stay? Looking on Google Maps, it's sort of hard to figure out what are the ideal parts of town logistically.

Post: #95

Unfortunately I missed out on my TST7 tickets. It seems as though there weren't many TST packages available.

The FCFS portion of the ticket window opens Monday at 6:00am ET. I suppose the silver lining to missing out on TST would be I might now be able to choose the locations and travel more to my liking.

Post: #96

(11-07-2013 03:40 PM)JohnnyAppleSeeds Wrote:  Unfortunately I missed out on my TST7 tickets. It seems as though there weren't many TST packages available.

Yeah I imagine they were quite conservative in those, since at this point they don't know where the team will play -- so it's hard to plan. I wonder if they set aside like 1,000 tickets at every match for TST holders.

Also if you were going for USA TST tickets, those were some of the highest demand.

Who knows, maybe in Cuiaba it will be all crap teams playing, but we'll have fun anyway.

Right now airline tickets are $1500 from east coast US to Cuiaba (via Brasilia). I plan to book tomorrow before the FCFS tickets drive up demand.

Post: #97

I entered the lotto for every game in São Paulo + the final in Rio.... and came away with nothing. Going to have to come up with a plan B and maybe head out of town to catch a game or two.

Anyone else have luck?

Post: #98

(11-09-2013 08:52 PM)champ Wrote:  I entered the lotto for every game in São Paulo + the final in Rio.... and came away with nothing. Going to have to come up with a plan B and maybe head out of town to catch a game or two.

Anyone else have luck?

Every game in Rio and SP, along with the final in Rio, were way oversubscribed. I read somewhere is was 10-to-1 for those.

It makes sense -- lots of people in those cities = increased demand, and who wouldn't want to see the WC final in the legendary Maracana stadium.

The next round of ticket sales is just about to start for what's left. Maybe try some smaller cities too?

Post: #99

(11-10-2013 01:36 AM)paninaro Wrote:  

(11-09-2013 08:52 PM)champ Wrote:  I entered the lotto for every game in São Paulo + the final in Rio.... and came away with nothing. Going to have to come up with a plan B and maybe head out of town to catch a game or two.

Anyone else have luck?

Every game in Rio and SP, along with the final in Rio, were way oversubscribed. I read somewhere is was 10-to-1 for those.

It makes sense -- lots of people in those cities = increased demand, and who wouldn't want to see the WC final in the legendary Maracana stadium.

The next round of ticket sales is just about to start for what's left. Maybe try some smaller cities too?

Yeah, was hoping to not have to travel to watch a game (unless the finals) as I'm already in SP. Figured if I ever want to it's easy for me (not to mention much less expensive and much less of a shit show) to visit the WC cities outside of the tournament, but it would be a shame to be living in Brazil and completely miss the WC. I'll be looking into flights / accommodations for the games in the North East cities and see if something makes sense. Also, it's a short bus ride to Curitiba and BH for me so those are options.

I will still probably head to Rio for the final weekend if my buddy doesn't rent out his place I can crash with him and party on the street with the povão.

Post: #100

I applied for the third group stage game here in Sao Paulo and got it. Hoping it is a decent encounter.