The Energon Pub

A couple of questions to all of you BotCon veterans out there.

I am going to Botcon #1 next year, and have a few questions. Mods, please move me if you feel I should be in another forum.

1). Generally about how much am I looking at just to get in? I figure about 500 bucks for hotel, and about 400 for the Primus package.

2). How much does it cost to get the extra convention sets?

3). How do I go about getting into the customization class? And how much extra is that?

4). Does it make sense to join the fanclub now, or wait for it to get closer to the registrastion date?

5). What is the minimum age? I am thinking about bringing my then 5 year old, but I'm not sure if there is a limit, or if it is a very good idea in the first place.

Thanks peeps!

1). Generally about how much am I looking at just to get in? I figure about 500 bucks for hotel, and about 400 for the Primus package.

$300 Primus package
?? for hotels...I've always managed to get out on hotels for either nothing or next to nothing by making friends, splitting costs, or staying in town with friends.
?? Flight and travel are up to location, but you could say $400 for a flight to anywhere in the US and be really safe.

Plan to have at least $300 for the dealer room. You will be overwhelmed. You will spend more than you planned. Everyone does.

Most people say the trip costs them anywhere from $1000-2000 for the whole experience. Your results may vary. I've done the whole thing, toys, packages, etc for nearly nothing in 2007 and 2009.

2). How much does it cost to get the extra convention sets?

Depends. 2008 was really expensive, like almost $250. This past year was cheaper and you got more due to production numbers. There are 2-3 sets at each convention, a large one and a smaller one with possibilities of 'troop-builders' as well.

3). How do I go about getting into the customization class? And how much extra is that?

Register early. Like, be one of the first 150 or so to register because there are usually only 50-75 spots. Custom classes never did anything for me, so I can't recommend them or refute them. (though the figures produced have never really looked all that striking...)

4). Does it make sense to join the fanclub now, or wait for it to get closer to the registrastion date?

Wait. You already missed the deadline for the figure for next year, no sense in getting up for itnow.

5). What is the minimum age? I am thinking about bringing my then 5 year old, but I'm not sure if there is a limit, or if it is a very good idea in the first place.

The event is really an all ages type thing. There are a lot of after hours event though and bringing your kid along is going to likely limit your ability to go about with people at night. It just depends what you're looking for: a fan/friend event or a family experience.

I don't see why couldn't bring your kids to BotCon. Of course as CP there might be some actitives you might want to get some info on before you bring them in however and keep an eye on them in the dealer room.

Thanks CP, I was hoping for something as discriptive at that.

Considering it was in Cali last year, I'm hoping for something a little more East Coast this year. I'll stop buy and pick up you and the Mrs. and we can carpool

I'd be all about splitting rooms with people, but I was just trying to figure it out. Hell, I'd sleep in my car! Bringing my son would be fun, but this trip is more for ME to have a little freedom for a change!

He would be fine in the dealer room, he looks but doesn't (usually) touch, it's the younger one that tends to take things off of the shelf.

It's a shame that I am missing out on next year's collectors club figure, but if it is still a part to the combiner, I won't be upset, since I don't have the rest.

The customizing class was just a thought, sometimes the figure is cool, but I am a crappy painter and very impatient, so mine would probably suck!

B, you can never bring enough money to the dealer room. I try and bring a check list of things I want, a basic idea of how much I want to pay for them as a guide and that helps curb the crzy spending. I always try and go from my list first.

Also, the dealer room opens for us on Friday and to the public on Sat and Sun. I've learned that the best deals and find are usually on the days when the dealer room is opened to the public. Kinda irked me this year too since I did most of my spending on Friday and not Sat or Sund. Those dealers know that they can do more on the public days so wait for them hard to find items then if you can.

Yeah, I'm really not looking for a whole lot, so it would be down to finding the best deal for whatever I don't have by then. My whole "want" list was produced between late 2006 and now, so it's not like I am going for any rare high dollar G1's or anything. It's more that I want to go and experience it for once. Hang out, have a few drinks, talk to some cool people.

I finally get my display shelves this weekend, so as I put my collection out, I will be able to see what can go and what will stay, so I will be putting up a decent amount for sale soon. Some of that money will come along with me, I'm sure!

CP is pretty dead on with what he said, especially the part about hotel rooms (a lot of us end up sharing rooms)

You'd be surprised how many people from Seibertron.com actually come out yearly to this event, and almost all of us end up hanging out together. Good times, to be sure!

If I had a bigger car I'd stop off and pick you and Prime Evil up as well!

Like I said, I'm hoping for ithin driving range of PA next year.

--B-- wrote:If I had a bigger car I'd stop off and pick you and Prime Evil up as well!

Like I said, I'm hoping for within driving range of PA next year.

There's a good chance of that.

I really think that Philly is a likely location. It's big city enough, yet really reasonable on hotel rates, kind of like Cincinnati was.

Or it could be straight up southeast. Georgia and South Carolina are both convention spots with reasonable pricing.

I think the cost of the trip is going to be factored in heavily on their location choice this year.

You didn't ask about this, but apparently it's my Job in Life to give people advice they didn't ask for and probably don't want, so, here goes:

BRING AN EMPTY SUITCASE. I thought I'd be all clever and not have to check luggage so I brought my backpack and my little rolly suitcase. Yeah, the con set didn't even fit, much less anything else I bought. Smart Botconners brought empty suitcases. If you have to use the Fedex people to ship, you will *hate* yourself.

Bring a couple of hundred in cash. A lot of dealers only take cash and you do NOT want to have to tear through town looking for an ATM that doesn't have a ridiculous withdrawal fee hoping they won't sell the figure out from under you.

If I had kids, I'd bring them on Friday. When it opens to GA, especially the Hasbro booth is ridiculously crowded. Not fun, I'd think, for the small bots.

You *say* you will only stick to your shopping list. Just be advised, you will not. I collect mainly Starscream figures (shut up, it's a fangirl thing) and I was hopelessly seduced by a Skywarp. You will see stuff you never knew existed. And you will want. It happens to everyone, apparently.

People who attend the con are unbelievably friendly. This past year was my first time and I knew NO ONE. Seibertronians managed to avoid me somehow. I met *one*. But everyone I did meet was super cool. Especially if you tell them it's your first time.

Comfy clothes. You WILL spend a lot of time standing/sitting in line, especially on the first day.

HK, I'm already saving up for next year. Woohooo!!

--B-- wrote:It's a shame that I am missing out on next year's collectors club figure, but if it is still a part to the combiner, I won't be upset, since I don't have the rest.

I think some clarification is in order here. We don't yet know what the figure for next year is, and you haven't missed out on that yet. CP means you've missed out on Heatwave, the 2009 figure. The deadline for the figure for any given year is around March 15th of that year (give or take a couple of days). The figure then arrives in late Spring/early Summer. Heatwave was the last figure of the combiner, "Nexus Maximus," so even if the 2010 incentive figure is part of a combiner (which is doubtful), you won't have missed any parts of it yet. You'd be getting the first.

hellkitty wrote:BRING AN EMPTY SUITCASE. I thought I'd be all clever and not have to check luggage so I brought my backpack and my little rolly suitcase. Yeah, the con set didn't even fit, much less anything else I bought. Smart Botconners brought empty suitcases. If you have to use the Fedex people to ship, you will *hate* yourself.

I was given an empty suitcase by my flying companion, which ended up housing some of his goodies on the return trip.

That Counterpunch is smart.

Thanks G.B. I was hoping to hear that. I will probably wait until early 2010 to sign up for the club.

The extra suitcase is a must HK, I tend to do that whenever I fly, just pack my clothes in one that fits inside a slightly bigger one, and seperate if I need to on the way home.

I would LOVE next year to be within driving distance of PA, but my parents/brother live in Hotlanta, so I would at least have a place to stay down there. If it's within driving range, I've got 3 empty seats for anyone wanting to hitch a ride!

Just remember the old rule, grass gas or ass, nobody rides for free!



J/K I only accept cash, or certain TF's on my want list

Next year will be my first Botcon as well, and all the great advice in this thread is much appreciated. When do they usually announce the following year's convention, and how long after do they allow purchase of attendance packages? I'm making it a point to plan and pay for as much as possible in as far as advance as possible, because it's going to be my big indulgence for the year.

magnusalpha wrote:Next year will be my first Botcon as well, and all the great advice in this thread is much appreciated. When do they usually announce the following year's convention, and how long after do they allow purchase of attendance packages? I'm making it a point to plan and pay for as much as possible in as far as advance as possible, because it's going to be my big indulgence for the year.

Haha, they are waaay too random with all of this. Still, it's definitely worth going and I look forward to seeing you there!

Hint - I'm the coolest one there.

Heatwave was the last part of THIS combiner club exclusive, and can still be purchased from the club. It'll be cheaper if you wait until you join (by March 15th next year) but either way you'll get a free figure, have to pay for Heatwave, and will have to pay for a club membership.

I can talk from experiencing the customizing classes for three years...

The teacher, Shawn, is really fun, good at explaining ideas, helpful, and provides all materials/tools needed. He teaches you some basic techniques for customizing with paint, as well as, shares workable products, and where to purchase them from, if you want to do this kind of thing on your own.

HASBRO provides a deluxe figure, still on the sprues, for you to take apart, paint and construct. Everybody gets the same figure, and the plans are for everyone to create a particular character that Shawn and HASBRO have agreed on. You can paint to your heart's content, so you can feel free to stray from his recommendations, but the plastic molding color, limited amount of tools to share, and limited time, will hamper your creativeness.

This also is either a Wednesday, or Thursday morning event, so it is a good excuse to arrive early, maybe do some site seeing depending on the day, settle in, or what not. Thursday night is Primus package pick up night, so it kind of all works nicely together.

The three molds we have customized in the 3 years I was there... Cybertron Scrapmetal (red) into Cybertron Frenzy, or Beast Wars Dawn of Future's Present Inferno... Classics Grimlock to Classics Overkill... Energon Hot Shot to Shattered Glass Nightbeat...

Last year without me they did Cybertron Rodimus into Shattered Glass Thunderclash.

And yes, CP was right, if you want into one of these classes, you will need to fax your registration in the day you hear they are available to download.

tigertracks 24 wrote:Last year without me they did Cybertron Rodimus into Shattered Glass Thunderclash.

Energon Rodimus.

tigertracks 24 wrote:Last year without me they did Cybertron Rodimus into Shattered Glass Thunderclash.

And yes, CP was right, if you want into one of these classes, you will need to fax your registration in the day you hear they are available to download.

I'd be so bold as to say you need to fax your registration in the first hour or two once they're available to download.

For those who care, here are my thoughts on customizing Shattered Glass Thunderclash.