FAQ

Can I bring my kids or my pets to the event?

Our events are Adults Only, so if they are over the age of 21, sure. As for pets, the site, unfortunately, does not allow them. If you have a service animal, please email us so we can note that on your registration record.

What are the rooms like?

Comfortable (I know, I stayed in two)! There are double queens and single king bed rooms. Some are more "upgraded" with living room areas. There are also hearing accessible and wheelchair accessible rooms. All room are $159 based on this year's contract.

How do I get an upgraded room?

You are more likely to snag an upgraded room the earlier you book with the hotel. The rooms will go fast! Don't worry if you don't manage to snag one though, the regular rooms still have plenty of room! You will be charged after your stay, like a normal hotel stay. Important: The hotel puts a credit card hold on your card of $100 per day (at your arrival) for damages. This is their policy.

Why do I have to wear a name badge?

Nametags let us know that you are an attendee and belong on site. If you are found without your name badge outside of your lodging, you will be escorted to registration for a replacement. It also lets folks know who's over/under 21 for alcohol-related activities. If you are in doubt about the age of your potential drinking companion, ask to see their name badge.

Do I have to buy my meals ahead of time?

No, you are free to purchase meals from Check In on an as-needed basis; just show up and pay for the meal at the check-in table to get a ticket. Please note, however, that meal prices will be increased on site and tickets may sell out for the extra slots so buying meal tickets in advance online will save you money. You do not need to purchase them with your registration, HOWEVER, meal ticket sales will be stopped Feb 20, 2024 to give a meal counts to the venue. Please be aware, though, that we can't refund you for meals after we've given meal counts to the site. If you don't want to buy your meal tickets with your registration, you can return to this site to purchase them at a later date. Important: please make sure you use the same name and email to purchase meals or merch through this site that you use for the registration site or we may not be able to link your purchases!

What should I expect with the meals?

All meals are buffet style to allow people with dietary restrictions to have multiple options. The hotel is able to accommodate most dietary restrictions. Breakfast and lunch are both located in the restaurant. Your meal ticket for breakfast and lunch will allow you to either sit down OR receive a box to make a to-go meal if you want to attend a workshop or event. The themed dinners will be in the ballroom as a group for the dinner and a show experience. The restaurant will be open for those not wishing to attend the themed dinners.

Yeah, but what are we eating? Is it any good?

Menus will be released closer to the event, but I tasted the food and think it is great with multiple options! Friday evening will be "pub fare" style. Check back in later for more info on Thursday and Saturday.

Help! I didn't buy my meal tickets with my registration!

That's okay! You will be able to buy them separately through this website. Just make sure you don't accidentally double order. Or do, and feel free to donate a meal(s) for others who wish to attend but can't afford it! Important: please make sure you use the same name and email to purchase meals or merch through this site that you use for the registration site or we may not be able to link your purchases!

Can I bring beer, wine, mead, etc. to gathering?

Of course. As long as you are over 21, are responsible, and don't give any to anyone under 21 years old. However, overt and excessive intoxication or giving alcohol to those under 21 will get you ejected from the event without a refund. Follow the alcohol rules on the rules page. There will also be bar services on site with ID.

Do I need a credit card to register online?

You can only use a credit or debit card to register for our events. One way people have gotten around this is to purchase a prepaid Visa or Mastercard gift card and use that to register. If you are having trouble with this, please feel free to contact us.

I don't belong to a group; can I still come?

Of course! While we do have several groups who make the event an annual outing, most of our attendees are not part of a group. Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of group affiliation or geek or kink background. Many people have met lifelong friends at the event.

Does it cost extra to attend the workshops?

Generally, no, except for a few workshops that charge a materials fee. These workshops are clearly marked in the program book.

Are all events open to everyone?

Generally, yes, HOWEVER, some mini-events/meetups are held by the community for specific groups, such as TNG (35 and under) or BIPOC-focused events. In this case, some of these events may be private, based on the host's wishes. If you are in doubt, ask before assuming. If you have questions, reach out to the Event Coordinators.

Is it okay to have public sex at the event? How about public BDSM scenes?

The short answer is 'yes.' It is okay to have public sex at the event because it is a sex-friendly event. However (you knew there was a catch, right?), we ask that you remember the rules and that we are guests of the Hotel and we want them to invite us back for many years to come. Also remember there are other people around you. For example, if your hallway is full of sleeping people, and you decide to have loud sex in your room in the middle of the night and wake everyone up, no one except you is going to be happy. And that's going to make the organizers of the event unhappy, too, and we're likely to pass our unhappiness along to you in the form of either interrupting you or later asking you to apologize and not do it again. So be considerate of your 'audience' when having public sex. The same goes for BDSM scenes. While it is not against the rules to 'scene' in pre-approved locations (such as appropriate workshops, Dungeons, hotel rooms, etc), if we get complaints about your scene, we will interrupt it and ask you to move it to a more private location or into the Dungeon. This is a kink-friendly event, but not at a kink club, so please consider the non-kink Hotel folks' limits when deciding where to do your scene. Also, if a member of the event staff wanders by a scene and hears the event safe-word (which is 'red'), we will interrupt the scene. If we see you doing something we think may result in injury, we will interrupt your scene. PLEASE FOLLOW ALL EVENT RULES REGARDING OKAY LOCATIONS TO SCENE OR HAVE PUBLIC SEX. No, you may NOT have sex in the pool.

What should I bring?

Housing & Bedding:

• It is a typical hotel, so bring what you would bring to stay at a hotel. They have basic toiletries.

• You might also wish to bring a 'sex-in-the-Dungeon' blanket for additional carpet protection.

  Clothes:

• Comfy clothing to slip on when you need to go to the lobby, restaurant, or other public areas. Pasties and full coverage underwear are required for ALL GENDERS in these public areas. G-strings and jock straps don't count.

• A towel/sarong to place under your butt when sitting on Hotel chairs is also a great idea.

• Bring fetish wear, comfy shoes, sexy outfits, comfy clothes.

• Cosplays or LARP gear and more! We love to see you all dress up. If you want to be a Tabaxi rogue all weekend, cool.

• A bathing suit if you don't want to skinny dip. The pool will be open!

• Gym clothes if you want to use the gym

  Food:

• Meals at THG D&G are not included in your registration fee. You can purchase them in advance online or at the check in table for an additional fee.

• If you have any special dietary needs feel free to email us ahead of time and be vigilant of any ingredients which you cannot tolerate. The Hotel will do their best to accommodate your needs.

• The Hotel has a few ice machines for personal coolers.

• Be careful washing dishes in the hotel bathrooms.

  Personal Care:

• If you're taking prescription medications, please bring ample amounts to last you the whole time you're on-site and appropriate storage.

• If you have a Medic Alert bracelet, please wear it all the time.

• If you have any medical issues we should know about please let us know when you check in and we'll put you in touch with our medical team so they can help ensure your safety and well being.

• You'll probably also want: soap, shampoo & conditioner, baby wipes, a basic first aid kit, razor, comb & brush, toothbrush & toothpaste, aspirin/ibuprofen/acetaminophen, etc.

• Bring a water bottle. We might not be outside but it's still important to hydrate!

• Tools & Miscellaneous: Stuff we've found useful and/or necessary: ear plugs, a mini sewing kit that includes a couple of safety pins, extra Ziploc bags and extra trash bags, etc.

• Fun stuff: Toys, games, fetish wear, cards, your imagination…

  What to Leave Home

• Do not bring pets or animal companions. We do welcome service animals accompanying people with special needs; please let us know ahead of time if you'll have one with you. We must follow Hotel rules.

• Do not bring firearms.

• Do not bring illegal items or substances.

• Do not bring fireworks or sparklers. Glow sticks make great substitutes.

• Do not bring any fetish toys illegal in the state of New Jersey (such as certain knives). We recommend checking the laws

What if I forget something at home? Are there stores near the site?

There are stores around, including a Target.

Photography rules:

By attending the event you acknowledge there is a possibility you may be photographed/captured in video. While THG works hard to ensure your privacy, we cannot guarantee you will not be photographed, given the prevalence of cameras in all types of electronic devices. That being said, here are the photography rules:

• For privacy and safety of all of our attendees (including yourself), you must have the explicit permission of all people in any photograph including those in the background.

• Blurring faces are not acceptable substitutes for consent

• We highly suggest video recording only in your hotel room due to an increased concern in videos capturing people without their consent

• -Photography and/or audio/video recording is strictly forbidden in the Dungeon Spaces, except during the designated Photography Hours

• Photography and/or audio/video recording is strictly forbidden in Workshops and performances unless you have obtained prior, explicit permission from both the presenter and all participants in the Workshop or performance

• Video/audio/photography is not allowed during Entertainment Dinners

• By attending this event you agree to allow Senior Event Staff (specifically Coordination, Event Monitors, and Dungeon Monitors) to examine your device for unauthorized photographs and/or audio/video files upon request, without objection or hassle if suspected of violating these rules. Don’t want this? Leave your phone in your room.

• Unauthorized photos and recordings will be deleted from your device and any cloud back ups, and you will be reminded of the Photography and Device Usage policy.

• Refusing to allow Senior Event Staff to examine your device will result in your immediate removal from the event without refund and possibly banning from all future THG events.

• This policy may be overridden or altered by event-specific circumstances, so please follow the instructions of the staff

• Out of common courtesy we ask that if you must talk on your cell phone, you do not use it in any public areas such as the Playspaces, workshops, poolside, restaurant, HQ, etc.

Photography and/or audio/video recording of those who have not given explicit permission is not allowed, and will result in immediate removal from the event without refund and erasure of said media and possible banning from all future THG events. THG adheres to an Opt-in philosophy.

We provide painters tape to cover your camera so no accidental photography occurs. Please respect others' right to consent to their privacy.

• Green wristband- you can ask me for my consent to photograph/video. You must receive my explicit consent in order to capture me

• Red wristband- I do not consent to photography at all, do not approach me to ask. If you accidentally capture me, you MUST immediately delete the photo and you understand you risk being removed from the event
  
  

Why can't I register a group of people all at once?

We get this question a lot. We've gone to a single-user registration system because of data security. We've been in this business a long time, and we've seen some awful things. People have lost jobs, homes and custody battles because they've been outed as being part of some of the sub-cultures we welcome at our events. When one person registers others, that person may unknowingly expose those others to this kind of trouble. One person can keep a secret, but two rarely can, and three never. We know it sounds paranoid, but we really do have your best interests in mind. If you need help figuring out how to get someone who doesn't have their own email address registered, get in touch.

How can I join the staff? Can I get a discount if I become staff?

We are always looking for a few more people, so depending upon your qualifications, we might be able to find a job for you. Your first step will be to fill out an application form here. Depending on your level of involvement at the event, you may be offered a discount on your registration fee.

What do I do if I want to present a workshop?

We no longer accept workshop submissions through the website. If you have workshops you'd like to propose, you can send them, along with a bio, to our Presenter Liaison. You will need to fill out a form to help us understand your workshop(s). You should be aware that we do not accept workshop submissions from those actively under indictment for or with past convictions for sexually-related crimes. In fact, if we discover credible information that a registrant has this kind of issue, we will cancel said attendee's registration and bar her/him from the event.

What are the workshops like?

Workshops at the event cover a wide range of topics aimed at a variety of experience levels. We could offer everything from cosplay tips and tricks to polyamory to couples' communication to bellydancing to BDSM to how to be an effective TTRPG Game Master. Check back closer to the event for a list of workshops!

When will the workshops be posted?

Look at the Workshop page to see what's available at the moment. We usually post a preliminary workshop and presenter list as soon as we have enough workshops confirmed, and the schedule after it's built. The schedule is never final until the program book goes to press, and there may still be some differences between what's posted/printed and what actually happens onsite.

What do I do if I want to organize something else like a meetup?

Feel free to fill out the presenter form with any ideas! We welcome many community led mini-events.

What is the Geekdoms referring to?

Anything your geeky heart desires. If you like anime, TTRPGs, Broadway, Disnerdery, video games, board games, pop culture or cult classic movies and TV shows, I bet you'll find someone else with similar interests. There's too much to list here!

How can I stay in touch with my fellow attendees?

You can join our group on FetLife! Search for Dungeons & Geekdoms NE or Dungeons & Geekdoms NJ. We also have a Dungeons & Geekdoms 2024 RSVP on Fetlife. We will also be developing other social media platforms to join us on, the links will be at the bottom of every page of this website.

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Did you submit a request for your admission to be carried over through the THE survey for the COVID-impacted D&G?

If you registered for the last D&G that was cancelled due to the pandemic, a survey went out from THE to be filled out by May 1, 2021 regarding the paid registration fee. The options were to either request a refund, donation, or your admission to be carried forward. THG (this company) has the list of those who responded from THE. If you requested your admission to be carried forward, email us at connect@tempesthillgatherings.com with a copy of your receipt or the receipt of submitting the request form, if you can find it, or the legal name you registered with if you can't find it. Even though the event has changed hands, THG will honor the carryover requests from those who requested them on the THE survey.