Never been to OSH. But going at least once is on the bucket list. Living on the west coast means going will not be a small trivial trip, but then it also says to go for the whole week. This is probably going to take some advance planning. So I am seeking suggestions on how to crack this nut from those who have BTDT and have the T-shirt.

One of the questions is where to stay:

The college dorm option sounds interesting with a real bed, hot showers, flush toilets, etc. I suspect there are regular shuttle bus services back and forth to the show that support this? Downsides/upsides from those who have tried this?

Camping onsite at Camp Scholler has some attraction as well. Could fly in commercial and bring tent/gear. Closer to the action, total immersion. Likely more people interaction opportunities. I understand there are showers but are they warm? How big of a deal is rain for tent campers?

As background I have attended two Boy Scout National Jamboree's as an adult leader. So I have some experience with getting together with 30-40 thousand close friends and creating an instant city for a week and then all leaving it the way we found it (more or less). I have tried "ambient" showers but did not care for them much. I have walked miles and miles every day. I have survived Virginia and West Virginia thunderstorms. With a solar charger I can live off the grid (but not off the 'net). Sleeping on a cot is a lot better than sleeping on the ground. A week away from home pretty much means doing laundry... either in a machine or in a bucket. And I am crazy enough that I did it more than once and would probably do it again.

So what would you recommend to a first timer figuring out how best to go to Osh? (apart from the obvious go for the entire time and plan on not seeing everything )