OK:

1. The light rail runs every 20 minutes during Monday-Friday at that time. and every 30 minutes on the weekend. Total hours are 6A-10P Monday-Saturday, and Sunday 11A-7P. There are no extended hours around Preakness, but trains that Saturday will run every 20 minutes to Camden Yards. Also, after O's games, last light rail leaves 30 mins after end of the game.

2. You will need to take your hotel shuttle back to the airport, to the International Terminal, and walk downstairs. On your return, you will take the BWI-specific light rail (NOT Cromwell!) back to the airport and have the shuttle pick you up at Int'l bag claim.

Cromwell station is near the airport, but no airport's shuttle will take you there unless they're feeling VERY generous. You'll need to go to the airport, which is more well-lit and safer anyway.

Keep in mind that it will take you AT LEAST an hour and a half to get to the Preakness shuttle stop via light rail. The rail ride itself is, by timetable, 50 minutes. Add wait time at BWI, plus shuttle time from the hotel, plus your time to get to Pimlico from the Light Rail stop. At least 90 minutes -but plan on two hours that day. On the way back, if you want to go back to your hotel before the game, you do it all in reverse - and then back again to go to Camden Yards. You can take everything with you for both Preakness and Orioles, as the light rail from the area near Pimlico goes right through Camden Yards on your way back to the hotel. You'll just add hours to your day if you want to go back to the hotel.

Light rail direction for staying at BWI: It can be confusing, since certain trains go certain places. Heading North: Take only trains that say "Hunt Valley"; and Heading back to your hotel, take only trains that say "BWI".

What other posters have said is true. There is very little to do/eat at the airport hotels. There is a Ruby Tuesday, a movie theater, a Bob Evans, and that's about it - but again, good luck getting the hotel shuttles to take you there. They are not walkable.

As far as places to stay - Holiday Inn Airport is decent. Four Points at the airport - you may as well stay downtown for the summer rates you'll pay there most times, and it is NOT walkable to the airport. Read the SPG thread for some reviews as well. There is a new Westin opening at BWI, but I think that's 2008.

Bottom line: If you really want to save the money by staying at BWI, you should consider renting a van for all of yourselves - at least to get to the light rail downtown so you have SOME flexibility. Staying at BWI and relying on light rail, if you are known as the "group planner", you may end up with a group of frustrated fellow travelers at the amount of time it will take you to get places.