Hi Stitchbounce, small world - not sure if we've chatted about this before, but my son Tom is captain of Team Monsoon
You must go to the filming if you get the chance again. We had full pit access as the unofficial team support - great fun, but you get a much better view of the fights from the audience! You're right though, the venue might well have to change for next year (the building has actually been sold and I believe the new owners take possession at the end of October), I know Greg would like to keep it around that area if he can but Vegas has also been suggested for the future - but who knows at this stage.
Up until this year the teams stayed in the Norwalk DoubleTree. My husband and I stayed there in 2018 as we flew out for the weekend when Monsoon was confirmed as being in the final 16 (they reached the final 8 in the end). However that's quite an expensive hotel and isn't actually very close to the filming venue.
Last year we decided to take our daughter and go out for the whole of filming so had rather more time to plan. I did a lot of research and settled on the
Pacific Inn at Seal Beach. I was so glad we did, it was great. Nothing fancy, just a good family-friendly hotel, a short walk from the beach in a really nice neighbourhood - largely residential with lots of small shops and restaurants, a proper small holiday resort. It was quite a bit closer to the filming venue than the team hotel.
Breakfast was help-yourself, quite simple but there was always fresh fruit, muffins, a waffle machine, cereals and some hot options.
There were free cookies and a coffee/hot chocolate machine in reception.
It also has a small pool (outdoors in a courtyard but nice and warm, even in April) and plenty of parking under the main building. We had a deluxe room for the three of us with two queen beds, a balcony, fridge and microwave.
There were several families of fans who stayed there for a few days at a time for filming as well. We'd gladly stay there again.
I always take far too many photos and I run their website, so there are lots of photos and videos on the
media page of their website, so maybe some of those will help to tide you over. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll try to answer.
Unless things change very quickly, like most of the international teams they've had to pull out this year, but Monsoon Mk3 is ready and they'll be back next year.
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