Is Botcon Worth Going to This Year:, What Happens When You Don't Like the Set Options

[Exillion]

Topic speaks for itself: while this year's theme is cool, I rather spend the money on retail toys and saving up for Comic Con this year (if they ever get registration up again).

However, I had planned and saved to go to the convention this year, but I am considering three options: (1) not go as the toys are always the pull for me; (2) get the non-toy package (i.e. no dinner, etc.) or (3) get the full Primus package, but sell the main toy set on Ebay, knowing that I have never sold anything off Ebay before.

I guess my question is what are your opinions about Botcon. Is it worth going if what money I am still able to save on toys I get while still retail and the main collector's set is not a real pull for me this year?

I have only been to one other Botcon, and that was for a day, so I haven't really experienced Botcon in its grandeur. Any advice is helpful, because I need to start making arrangements with my office that I will be gone on those days.

Thanks.

[xZAOx]

Yes. If the toys are the only reason for going, then you need to make some friends (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif) . Room with some people on the boards - the fun begins then!

Even from a purely financial standpoint - popular set or not, you could turn around and resell the set really quickly (even to dealers at the show, or on the "for sale" board in the hotel, screw eBay), for, at minimum, what you paid. But you'll probably be able to come out ahead. So you get BotCon for just the cost of hotel, travel, and food.

Never, ever, buy the non-toy package. Horrible idea.

[Thylacine2000]

I disagree about the non-toy package, precisely because I have enough friends who go to BC and I've dialed down my collecting interests enough that it means more to me to be at the event longer and have total panel access than it does to get all the toys all the time. At BC08 I paid like $150 to get to go to every panel, didn't get the toys I didn't want in the first place, and thought it was a fine experience.

There are some people who just don't want to deal with the hassle of standing on line to pick up toys they don't want and then re-selling and shipping those same toys they didn't want. If the whole point is to experience the event itself, you are now throwing other considerations and time-wasters in your own way.

[xZAOx]

I disagree about the non-toy package, precisely because I have enough friends who go to BC and I've dialed down my collecting interests enough that it means more to me to be at the event longer and have total panel access than it does to get all the toys all the time. At BC08 I paid like $150 to get to go to every panel, didn't get the toys I didn't want in the first place, and thought it was a fine experience.

There are some people who just don't want to deal with the hassle of standing on line to pick up toys they don't want and then re-selling and shipping those same toys they didn't want. If the whole point is to experience the event itself, you are now throwing other considerations and time-wasters in your own way.

There's only a horrible line if you just HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT NOW OMG. You can show up the next day, or really late on pick-up night, without much, if any line. Then you walk into the dealer room, go to almost any of the big dealers, and especially if you throw in the attendee freebie, and ask for what you paid. No standing in long lines, no shipping.

And while this depends on your circle of friends, but while the pick up line is, in general, horrid, I'm usually in line with friends, which makes the whole thing fun. And even the times when I'm not there with friends, usually you can at least make talking buddies with whoever is around you.

[G.B.Blackrock]

I disagree about the non-toy package, precisely because I have enough friends who go to BC and I've dialed down my collecting interests enough that it means more to me to be at the event longer and have total panel access than it does to get all the toys all the time. At BC08 I paid like $150 to get to go to every panel, didn't get the toys I didn't want in the first place, and thought it was a fine experience.

There are some people who just don't want to deal with the hassle of standing on line to pick up toys they don't want and then re-selling and shipping those same toys they didn't want. If the whole point is to experience the event itself, you are now throwing other considerations and time-wasters in your own way.

That's an awful lot of money thrown away just to get an extra day and/or avoid the hassle of re-selling and shipping the toys.

Seriously. Dont want the toys? Get the Primus package anyway. You'll pay so much less at the end of it all (assuming you don't turn a profit, which is easily possible), it's easily worth the hassle.

This post has been edited by G.B.Blackrock: Jan 29 2011, 07:10 PM

[Jeremy]

Yeah, I don't have any interest in collecting Animated anymore, but I still want to go because it's a fun trip and a chance to see people I only see once a year, if that. Pasadena was a really nice convention location, so that's an incentive to go back again. I'm probably either going to unload my toys at the convention, or just bring them home and sell them if the price would be a bit better that way.

I'm still really hoping that some of the souvenirs aren't Animated molds, but either way it lowers the convention costs quite a bit from what I usually invest, basically bringing it down to room cost, food (I like to eat out and try good places while I'm in other cities), and some spending money for BSing in the dealer room. I usually buy multiples of all the toys so I can be super picky for my own personal set, so this will make the trip cheaper by a ton, probably.

I'm trying very hard not to have sour grapes for the people excited for the set, because supposedly everyone's tastes are equal and deserve recognition, but it's just not for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

This post has been edited by J Gargoyle220: Jan 29 2011, 07:31 PM

[Galenraff]

If you don't like the toys, you can always resell them and pay for the trip. I only kept one of the at-show sets from 2008, but had a great time hanging out with people otherwise!

While the sets don't generally get *quite* the insane prices they used to, it's still worth getting and reselling if you're on the fence about going and worried about expenses.

(Yes, yes, I know, damn dirty scalpers and all...but aside from that, the math works.)

[Yertle]

I would consider the protoform package except that dinner was actually very fun and well done last year so I want to try it again. At this point I'm probably going to flip the set in the dealer hall and use the proceeds to buy Masterpiece Rodimus and effectively make him my personal convention exclusive

[G.B.Blackrock]

I would consider the protoform package except that dinner was actually very fun and well done last year so I want to try it again. At this point I'm probably going to flip the set in the dealer hall and use the proceeds to buy Masterpiece Rodimus and effectively make him my personal convention exclusive

That sounds like a decent plan.

[Sean Whitmore]

Last year's dinner was great, but I can't say I had a lot of fun at 2009's Paramount party. If it's offered again this year, I may have second thoughts about spending the fifty bucks or whatever.

This post has been edited by Sean Whitmore: Feb 1 2011, 11:49 PM

[G.B.Blackrock]

Last year's dinner was great, but I can't say a had a lot of fun at 2009's Paramount party. If it's offered again this year, I may have second thoughts about spending the fifty bucks or whatever.

I'd definitely pass. Glad to get my picture with Weird Al, but the rest was a waste of my time.

[ChessPieceFace]

I got to meet Al, I enjoyed hanging around the Paramount lot in the dark, I liked the quick tour, and it was fun to see a few minutes of the movie and the appearances by Peter Cullen, Tyrese, Michael Bay and the "Autobots." The food was nothing special, and the concert I could've done without entirely.

I hope they don't do the same thing again this year, because it'd just be a rerun, but I liked it the first time.

As for going without the toys, I didn't love the toys in 2009, and I'd just been laid off so I sure wasn't keeping anything I didn't love. I had a good time at the convention, and sold the exclusives. I didn't make a ton of bank, but I covered my admission, a few dealer-room purchases, and a couple of lunches. This year, since I'm not into Animated, I'll probably end up doing the same.

But I'm definitely going. It's just across town!

[Bleargh001]

This year's dinner will probably be a hall of fame as well. I could see them inducting Bay just to get him to make an appearance and screen some of the movie maybe (unless he's on a press junket or something). That would be awesome just for the outcry....

Still, I think going for the full package and then selling or trading the exclusives is the way to go. Dealers had a good experience the last time the convention was in LA, so I bet there will be lots there. Plus, it seems to be a popular box set this year, so unloading it to at least break even should be easy.

[xZAOx]

I had a lot of fun at 2009's, but once again, it was just the friends that made it fun. We sat around acting/dancing like idiots while singing along to Stan Bush.

[Suspsy]

Unless it's announced that there's going to be a fourth movie, I'd imagine this year is going to be the last truly ginormous Botcon. 2012 will see a return back to smaller venues and smaller attendance---not necessarily a bad thing.