The Official Seibertron.com Guide to BotCon 2014

With a week to go, I figured it'd be time to drop some knowledge for any first timers to the convention. Botcon is a great time but there are some things you can do to make the whole thing a lot smoother. Without further ado, I hereby present...






This year will be my 6th Botcon and 4th consecutive one, as well as my 3rd in Pasadena. While I haven't been to as many shows as some folks, I feel like I've been to enough and learned enough to help out others with some knowledge. So here we go.



Tip 1: Stay at one of the official hotels and book it early.

I'm not a travel guru - no extra knowledge here on how to get a cheaper flight or anything like that, you're on your own there. Quite frankly, paying the extra coin for the "official" convention hotel (or first alternate, depending on the city) is well worth it. Room parties, sales, and general proximity to the actual events will greatly enhance your convention experience. So, while it's tempting to look around town for a budget motel, I don't recommend that.

For this year's show, the Sheraton is very, very booked. The Hilton is not full but the rate may not still be available - but don't be afraid to call them and see if they can work you in to the block for at least some of the nights. I unwisely waited too long to book this year and had to do that. This is why Tip 1 says to book early - you'll end up paying a regular rate for some nights if you don't, and that can be catastrophic to your trip budget.



Tip 2: Find a local store to grab some quick meals that you can keep in your room.

Gotta eat, right? Unfortunately, this can be one of the more challenging things at the show to do without breaking the bank. Some years, like 2012 in Dallas, there were extremely limited options for restaurants even near the convention hotel. I can already tell you, you won't give a damn about most of your meals, you're just gonna want to grab some calories and move on. The easiest way to do this is to find a local store.

This can be a challenge. Pasadena's Gelson's, which was right across the street from the convention center, has apparently closed down. In Dallas, there was nothing remotely close. In San Diego, one had to take a trolley to find a store. Map things out beforehand and have a plan, and set aside some time to go buy some cheap stuff you can scarf down at the ready for breakfast and lunch. Non-perishable is best, but sometimes hotels will have mini-fridges that you can either use for free or pay a small fee per day for, you just have to ask. Just remember to be polite even if this option isn't available.

Trust me on this one, taking a couple hours on day one to get some cheap eats from a store will help your travel budget immensely, and take some of the stress out of having to "find" food while at the show. And yes, this can also make any alcohol-related expenditures a bit better as well. A $15 case of beer to share with friends will cost you as much as 2 pints at many hotel bars.

As a bonus tip for Pasadena, run across the street to Paseo Colorado and grab some Rubio's fish tacos if you want a tasty meal in a hurry that isn't stupid expensive. I know some California natives will groan at that, but this Carolina Boy has to go to a Rubio's at least once every time in CA. Deal with it



Tip 3: Do a tour or class and show up Wednesday.

How is that a line tip? Pretty simple, actually. If you register for a class or tour, you can pick up your box set and any other attendee stuff (comic, freebie, etc.) on Wednesday night - even if that class or tour is on Thursday! I've done this the past three years and it's made the entire experience better for several reasons. For one, the classes/tours/trips to theme parks are a lot of fun, and you get to hang out and meet other fans in a cool setting. Also, getting in on the Wednesday pick up means you can go straight to the club store line on Thursday, saving you literally hours. This of course ignores the Golden Ticket option, which I think is only practical for some folks and not a majority of con goers.

Of course, if you can't exercise this option (for instance, way too late this year to do so), make sure to bring something to do in line. That something can indeed be yourself - reach out and talk to the other folks in line with you! If you're not all that social though, pack a book, game system, something. These can get long, especially in Pasadena. [note: lines have been getting more efficient through the years, but bad timing on your part can make for a long wait.]



Tip 4: Bring plenty of cash for the Dealer room.

Make it rain! Well, if the dealer doesn't mind. I don't think they'll want you to get too creepy about it though.

Seriously though, cash is king. Most dealers cannot take your card. ATMs will run out. I'm not advising you to travel with $4,000 cash in your pocket, that's dumb. What I am advising you to do is to have a plan on how to get some cash out before you hit the dealer floor. If you use a big bank, it's pretty easy to find a branch near the convention center to make a withdrawl.

Cash also helps with the club store - there are usually two lines, one for cash and one for cards, and the cash one typically moves faster. There have been exceptions to this some years, so don't hold me to that one too hard.

Just remember to be careful when traveling with cash, especially large amounts. Redeposit anything you don't use as soon as possible. Pasadena is very safe, so I don't imagine you'll get mugged and robbed or anything, but still be careful.



Tip 5: If you plan on making purchases, bring bags.

I can't stress this one enough. I've even forgotten to do this as recently as a year ago. That wasn't smart! Most dealers will not have bags for you to carry your things. A few might, but don't count on that. Just pack a few extra leftover grocery bags in your luggage and you'll be way happy you did. Most plastic bags you can even bunch up and throw in your cargo short pockets (or purse, for the ladies) for easy access (fade, haters, cargo shorts are super useful).

If you bring too many bags, they can be useful for tip 8 below - use them as packing material! And of course, please recycle.



Tip 6: Haggle politely if you think a price is too high.

My apologies to dealers for this tip, as some may read into incorrectly. I urge readers of this post to carefully read this one, as over-haggling will make you "that guy".

First, when should you not haggle? If you walk up to an item you want, and you like the price, pay for it and move on. Pretty simple, right? Also, if the dealer is an established store (BBTS, TF Source, etc.), you probably aren't going to get any discounts, so I wouldn't bother there.

Now that that's out of the way, here's when you should haggle - when there's something you want that you feel is just priced way too high. Sometimes an item is just a hair too much to stomach. Don't be afraid to make a dealer an offer. However, and this part is important, if they aren't willing to negotiate or say no to your offer, then be polite, thank them, and move on. Some dealers didn't mark prices just to reduce them anyway, and that's ok. Also remember to be reasonable. Offering $50 for something marked $120 has a 0% chance of success.



Tip 7: Go to some panels, and not just the ones you know you'll like.

So, I'm going to safely assume that almost everyone will go to the Hasbro panel, and most folks at Botcon will go to the TFCC panel. My only tip for those is to go to the panel beforehand so you can have a decent seat for the "main event".

My other tip for panels is to pick out at least one that sounds "meh" to you at first glance and go check it out. Broaden your horizons! Learn fun things! Or, you know, end up not liking it at all and leaving halfway through. At least you tried.



Tip 8: Ship any large items purchased back to your house for easy packing.

You know what's way cheaper than an overweight checked bag or replacing a broken toy because your luggage was too full and the TSA threw it around like a sack of potatoes? Shipping out your purchases, at least the big ones, while you're at the show. There is a Post Office near the convention center in Pasadena, and for other years, I recommend tracking down a close by US Post Office when possible. Or even just a regular UPS store or something.

The other important part of this tip - DO NOT use the shipping services on the convention floor! The rates are a complete rip off. As in, "$100 to ship just your box set home domestically" level of rip off. Just avoid it. Oh yeah, and remember, you need to do this before the PO closes on Saturday, so check hours carefully!

Final suggestion on this tip - if you need boxes, hit up the club store. They've got a ton of them and are happy to give you one or two.



Tip 9: Conventions can get busy and tiring, but remember, you're here for fun.

Man, sometimes, on that Sunday morning, you're all hungover and exhausted and your dopamine levels are spent and then you have to go be social and stuff and, well, remember at that point, that this is supposed to be a fun experience. Don't let stuff bog you down. Do what you can to keep feeling good. Drink lots of water, take a shower, change your clothes, get a good night's sleep, and make new friends. Botcon can be a really good time, but it's also only ~4 days of your year - make the most of it!



So with all that said, here's my final tip - post yours as well! There's a ton of collective knowledge and I could've droned on even longer, but I'm anxious to learn from others on this too. I'll see you next week in Pasadena!


(Many images ganked from The official Botcon Website. Please don't kill me for hotlinking. Thanks!)