Atlantic City Here We Come!
Support Miss Texas at Miss America!
Planning Guide for the 2016 Miss America Competition
Preliminary Competitions: September 8, 9, 10, 2015
Miracle Mile Walk: September 11, 2015
Show Us Your Shoes Parade: September 12, 2015
Final Competition: September 13, 2015
Deadline for Orders – July 17, 2015
Miss Texas Supporters:
Congratulations to Shannon Sanderford, our new Miss Texas! The following
information will help you with your plans to join the Miss Texas delegation in
supporting our Miss Texas at the 2016 Miss America Competition.
Purchase pageant tickets, parade tickets, photo ID badges, t-shirts and buttons
through the Miss Texas website. You will make your own
hotel/airfare/transportation arrangements. Please read everything very
carefully and submit your payment/information by July 17, 2015. The Miss
America Organization will mail the tickets to Nancy Marston mid-August. You
will receive your purchased items via priority mail.
Please read everything very carefully and submit your information and
payment by the required deadline -- July 17, 2015.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
There is no hotel designated as the “host hotel”, and groups of 4-6 state
titleholders stay at various hotels in Atlantic City. Miss America has issued
their friends and family hotel rates at many of the hotels along the boardwalk.
Room reservations are made directly through the Atlantic City Casino Hotels
using the phone numbers and links in this document http://www.missamerica.org/map/MissAmerica2016FriendsFamilyRates.pdf or
go to our online map at http://www.missamerica.org/map/. Reservations are
received on a first-come, first-served basis. Each hotel property has its own
cut-off date, so we encourage you to book as soon as possible.
TRANSPORTATION
You do not need a car while in Atlantic City – everything is within walking
distance or via a rolling cart on the Boardwalk!
Most people fly into the Philadelphia Airport. From the airport to Atlantic City,
it is 62 miles and approximately a 1.5 hour drive. Here are some suggestions
for transportation from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. I have used Avalon
Limousine (601-525-4400) numerous times. Tell Avalon you are with Miss
Texas. Rapid Rover (601-344-0100) and Tropiana (877-593-1877 or 800-5592040).
By Train: I have also used this service. You have to carry your luggage down a
flight of stairs at the station in Philadelphia, but it is inexpensive and reliable.
From the airport, take the SEPTA Regional Rail Line (entrance on pedestrian
bridges and commercial roadway) $7.00 one-way to 30th Street Station
(Amtrak). New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City line runs from 30th Street Station
to AC, so you can catch the train at 30th Street Station. The train also makes
local stops through Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, etc. The fare is
$10. Schedule http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/R00... Once you arrive at
the Atlantic City Train terminal, there are free shuttles to all casinos. Use the
Kirkman Boulevard exit [follow the crowd] and each shuttle has signage for
which casinos they go to. The shuttles depart quickly, so it's best not to linger
or use the restroom in the Train Terminal as the shuttles will depart without
you. BTW, there is a restroom on the train. The return shuttle is free as
well. Ask the shuttle driver and/or the hotel front desk for pickup times and
waiting area. It's usually 30 minutes before train departure at the spot the
shuttle drops you off, but not always so please be sure to ask.
SHOW AND PARADE TICKETS
Parade Tickets – The parade seating will be different this year. Preferred prepurchased seating will be near Boardwalk Hall. There will be no other seating
for the parade, and individuals must bring their own chairs if they do not have
tickets in the preferred seating. The Miss Texas Organization has purchased 50
tickets in the preferred seating area and these will be issued on a first come
first serve basis.
Pageant Tickets - All season ticket holders will be grouped together as the Miss
Texas delegation. The location of our seats, are determined by a Miss America
lottery. Seasons will sit together and Sunday only ticket holders will sit with
other Sunday only ticket orders, also by state. Ticket purchases are nonrefundable. Tickets are $50 for each night of preliminary competition and $125
for the final night. Season tickets for all four nights may be purchased for
$225.
PHOTO ID BADGES
Badges - Photo ID badges will once again be offered this year through the Miss
Texas Organization only and must be approved by Jan Mitchell. If you would
like to see and speak with Miss Texas after the show each night, you must
have an official badge. The badge will also allow you to attend rehearsals and
the trade show, and the cost is $40 per badge. Children age five and younger
do not need a badge. Badges may NOT be shared at any time. Anyone caught
sharing a badge will have it revoked immediately. After July 17, any badges
requested may be delayed in processing and will be subject to the on-site price
of $55.00 each.
If you purchased a Photo ID badge at Miss America in 2014 or 2013, your picture
should be on file with Miss America. Otherwise, you must email a digital JPEG
(*.jpg) photo file to Nancy Marston when ordering your badge. For your
badge, Miss America requires you to indicate an affiliation from the following
choices:
State Miss Texas board members, volunteers, their spouses and children 21
years of age and older
Local Miss Texas local pageant committee members, local volunteers, their
spouses and their children 21 years of age and older
Family/Friend Miss Texas’ family and friends 21 years of age and older
Guest Sponsors and guests who contribute to Miss Texas, former Miss Texas’s,
their spouses and their children 21 years of age and older
Special Guest State and local contestants currently eligible to compete and
children age six through twenty.
T-SHIRTS AND PHOTO BUTTONS
Show your Texas support by ordering a Miss Texas Photo Button and T-Shirt
featuring our 2015 Miss Texas! Every state has a t-shirt supporting their
contestant wears them to the parade. We will definitely wear our t-shirts at
the parade! The t-shirts are $20 and the photo buttons are $5.
MISS AMERICA PROGRAM BOOK
Program Book - Place your order on-line and you will actually receive the
program book before you leave for Miss America. To receive highlights of Miss
America 2015's amazing year of service, information on all of this year's
contestants and other exclusive articles, pre-order the 2016 Miss America
Competition Magazine!
OTHER PAGEANT EVENTS
Visitation – After each night of competition this event is an opportunity to
speak with and take pictures with Miss Texas. The large ballroom is divided
into states, and the Texas delegation always greets Miss Texas singing the Eyes
of Texas and Deep in the Heart of Texas. We are always loud and proud!
Miss America Breakfast – Last year, the Miss America Anniversary Celebration
was held on Saturday morning. It featured a breakfast buffet overlooking a
picturesque view of the Atlantic coastline, live entertainment and an
opportunity to mix and mingle with former Miss Americas. The tickets were
$75. You will receive information about purchasing tickets to this event later
in the summer.
Miracle Mile Walk and Steel Pier Celebration - Last year was the inaugural
walk. We walked down the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk with the
contestants, family and friends to the Steel Pier. Then we celebrated with
food and unlimited rides at the Steel Pier Amusement Park. It was a great way
to have fun, spend time with Miss Texas and raise money for Children’s Miracle
Network Hospitals. You will receive information later this summer about
signing up for this event and forming teams. There were team awards and
many teams wore various costumes. Last year, it cost $55/person to
participate.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Restaurants - Some of the Miss Texas Delegation will go to dinner each night
before the competition and after the parade. You will receive a list of these
restaurants, so you can make a reservation and join in!
Boardwalk Hall - This historic building, where the pageant is held, is very
large. Binoculars are a good idea! There are usually large screens also. Food
and beverages are sold and allowed in Boardwalk Hall. Before entering, you go
through security and purses are searched. Boardwalk Hall has announced that
enhanced security procedures and guest admission policies are currently in
place for all events. The policies, which include stricter limits for baggage and
handbags, are intended to provide a safer, more enjoyable environment for
fans. The measure is similar to the stadium policy introduced by the NFL and
other public facilities.
Guests are reminded to arrive early, as they will be
subject to bag checks, a physical search and/or metal detection prior to
entering the facility.
Prohibited items include but are not limited to:
• Alcoholic beverages, controlled or unlawful substances and controlled
substance paraphernalia
• Items which could be used as weapons, such as firearms, knives, chains and
spiked jewelry
• Cans, bottles (glass or plastic) or coolers
• Outside foods or beverages
• Professional cameras, audio or video recording devices and tripods
• Mobile tablet devices and laptops
• Laser pointers and pens, pepper spray and Mace
• Noisemakers, such as air horns, fireworks, Frisbees, balls and other
projectiles
• Baggage, such as shopping bags, briefcases, backpacks, duffle bags, luggage
and diaper bags, are strictly prohibited.
• Large handbags are prohibited. Guests are permitted to bring a clutch-type
handbag no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”. They may also carry their personal
items in a transparent bag no larger than 12” x 6” x 12”. Guests who
require medically necessary items will be permitted entry with these
items after appropriate inspection by building personnel.
• Any other item deemed unacceptable by the event or building management
Boardwalk Hall does not provide storage for any confiscated baggage, so
visitors should leave these items at home or in a secured area prior to arrival at
the venue.
Building re-entry:
Please note there is no re-entry upon exit from the building.
On behalf of the Boardwalk Hall management team, we thank you for your
patronage and cooperation.
ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS
To purchase tickets, photo ID badges and other merchandise, click here.
(http://store7098519.ecwid.com/) Debit cards, credit cards and Paypal will be
accepted.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Nancy
Marston at Nancy.Marston19@gmail.com.
Please forward this to all of your family, friends and local committee members.
Thank you for your continued support of the Miss Texas/America Organization.
We are all looking forward to the Miss America Pageant and hope we can bring
the Miss America crown back to Texas!!!!