so now that I'm "officially going" (for the first time)...I need some advice on what ticket to purchase.

Any advice would be appreciated it.

My only prerequisites are: I don't want to stand in any lines to enter anything. lol

 

Primus Package will get you into stuff. Golden ticket cuts lines - but is significantly more expensive.

 

Protoform was what I was considering...

 

I went to Botcon 2011. I paid for the Primus package by borrowing money. Betting I can sell the boxset. (I regret that, I really liked it)

I was able to sell the box set for the price of the convention. Putting me at $0 for the three days. It was awesome. However there is no telling you could make your money back. Even then the extra day and the dinner, with the extra figures is well worth it.

 

Since I am new to this entire process, and have no trial and error to go off of, this is a rather confusing decision.

Would getting something as simple as the Protoform package leave me standing in line for 50% of the day?

THAT'S the only thing I don't want to happen.

Getting the free toys and whatnot is not a priority for me.

If anyone can help break this down for me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

While it's hard to guarantee that you'd get the entirety of the Primus package price back by selling the box set, you would almost certainly get more than the difference of the price of the Primus and the Protoform package. I really don't think anyone should waste money on the Protoform package.

That said, there is NO difference in regard to standing in lines for any package you'd buy, with the exception of the Golden Ticket package. (Or if you were a walk-in with no pre-registration at all. That would mean MORE lines... just to get in)

You're gonna HAVE to deal with lines, though. There's no getting around that. If you want as few as possible, you have to shell out the several hundred dollars more for Golden Ticket.

 

I have been to 2 Botcons...the first time, I got Primus package and the second time was the Golden Ticket. The protoform price was allow you to go to most things in the convention. The only thing it will not allow you to do is go to the dinner on Saturday night. In terms of the lines, the only time that one really has to wait in line is to get your registration. It is done on Thursday night. The wait time in line has cut down considerably because Fun Pub will give you an e-mail on what time you need to be in line.

 

oh no....I'm not a FunPub member....and I might not be arriving till late Thurs night, possibly Fri morning. (east coast)

How does this registration thing work?

 

Cascadia, as a Protoform member...did you feel like you missed out on things you wish you could've attended?

 

By "not a FunPub member" are you saying that you aren't a member of the Transformers Collectors Club? If so, and you plan on going to BotCon, you really should join. Even granting for the sake of argument that nothing about the club interests you, the cost of the club is less than the amount of money you'd save on the registration discount. You may as well join and save that money.

How does registration work? Well, basically, you stand in a line with all of the other pre-registrants until you get to the table up front, where the FunPub staff will give you your registration materials (and toys, if you get the Primus package, and again, because you can sell those for more than the difference of the Primus and Protoform prices, you should get the Primus package). If you do this on Friday morning, there's really very little to worry about in terms of registration itself. Your line is just in a different place (and may in fact be shorter, since most folks do this on Thursday). It does mean you may have less time in the dealer's room while those who went through the line on Thursday can go right in and snatch up the few bargains to be found. Depending on whenyou arrive on Friday, you might miss some panels, but there's no way to know which ones until FunPub reveals the convention schedule, and that tends not to happen until shortly before the convention opens (well after the pre-registration period).

 

I never got the Protoform package, so I apologize for a bit of confusion. With the Protoform package, the only things you would miss out on would be the set and going to the dinner on Saturday night.

 

ah wonderful, this is starting to make sense now.

ok, so how would all THAT work, if I went with Protoform?

such as, what would I miss out on?

 

Oh really? Hmmmm....for a price tag that is significantly less, that might be the option to go with....since I'm not really interested in the dinner/toys.

 

The dinner might include a bit of a premiere to the movie, which they have done in the past. Next year's brochure will tell you everything when it is released. But ultimately, it is your choice on which package you go with.

 

I've already said, NOTHING is different with Protoform (except you won't get that one event that Cascadia mentioned). There's really NO incentive to getting Protoform. I'm not sure why you keep asking about it at this point. The price tag is NOT significantly less. You'll easily make the difference back (and then some) by selling the toys you apparently don't want.

 

I will take your advice and sign up for FunPub this weekend.

 

To sum up. Protoform is not much cheaper and doesn't include the Saturday night event or the toys. The Saturday night can be very good or not, but it's generally entertaining. Good years may include script readings or some kind of live performance. The food is usually good and casino night can be a lot of fun. Even in the bad years at least you get a meal out of it.

If you are thinking getting the primus package just to sell the toys is too much hassle, don't. All the big dealers will have boards up saying what price they will buy the boxset for (most do store credit too a slightly higher rate). They will also have a price for the attendee freebie that you get at the same time as the boxset, that is often worth $50-100 on its own. Hand over boxset receive cash thats it. Between the two you are likely to cover at least 75% of the Primus cost even if the set is unpopular. On a good year you'll get spending money too.

The way I see it, if you go Protoform and either the toys or the saturday night event eventually appeals to you, you're out of look. Get the Primus and you have options.

 

This was outrageously helpful. Thank you.

The reason why I keep asking about the Protoform, is because I am not interested in any of the evening events...I'm staying with old college buddies nearby, and my "visit" is comprised of Botcon during the day and hanging out with them at night.

So as you said, if the toys are the big draw....then I'll save the $200.

Thanks for the information.

 

Doesn't matter.

The point we're trying to make is, even if you don't want the toys at all, you'll get more for them than the money you'd "save" by buying Protoform vs. Primus. If you buy Primus, you end up spending less overall.

There is one caveat, however, I've not mentioned. That is if you have an immediate cash crunch. You will have to wait until the convention itself to get that money (whether by cash or store credit) for selling the toys, so if the extra hundred or so upfront you have to spend by going Primus is a problem, that's worth considering.

But, seriously, no one who can handle the few months of waiting should be buying Protoform instead of Primus. It doesn't matter if you don't want the toys or the evening event. The Protoform package is a bad deal in the long run.

 

Oh cool. This makes a lot more sense now.

As for signing up for FunPub...once I do, am I automatically on some list that allows me that "easier" registration? Or do I need to something extra to ensure that come Botcon?

I plan on signing up for FunPub this weekend.