Both
The flights were uneventful, aside from having to wait a while in Chicago to see if United could change our seats for two together (considering we checked in around 8am in the UK for a 3pm in the US flight...), which they managed. I watched most of Garfield on the way; definitely aimed at a younger age group, though some of the set pieces are funny.
Got to Indy, collected bags, asked taxi to take us to the Adam's Mark hotel. I am here to tell you that there is nothing quite so confusing as finding out that the hotel has changed its name... the previous week. Taxi pulls up, we say "but this is the Hilton," he explains. Luckily they still had our booking (somewhere...) so we showered, changed and then went to collect tickets.
We approached the whole ticket-collection concept with no little trepidation after the Great Generic Ticket Fiasco Of 2003. However, this time it was as simple as walking up to the Will Call desk, saying hello to the guy behind it (who was in fact a UK person who'd gone over to volunteer; we usually see him at UK GenCon), showing some ID and then collecting the envelopes. Phew. In fact, I didn't get the impression that queues were a major feature of this GenCon at all -- there were lines to register for badges if you hadn't pre-registered, and getting into the party on Thursday night would have required hanging around in line for some while if we hadn't decided it wasn't worth it, but nothing like the insane levels of queueing last year.
The Ram brewery/restaurant was full and then some (apparently both the manager and the assistant manager are gamers so they provide a game room, tailored menu, films,...) so we headed down the block to the Alcatraz brewery. Good food, good (and plentiful) beer and a coupon for 20% off in the GenCon goodie bag, what more can one ask?
Oh yes. Sleep. That's what one can ask.