I want to go to Botcon this year as it's in my home state next year. My question is what is a ballpark figure on price? Not including meals and buying transformers toys. What am I expecting to spend? Everything from registration to hotel. To the people that went last year what was the damage?
Please PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting price.
Thanks for all your help.

 

You don't say how far from Pasadena you are but mention hotel so I'll assume your not within a 2hr drive. Cause if you were you could save yourself some $$$$. When it was in Lexington, a 3hr drive from Nashville, I saved that way. Gas at the time 3yrs ago was a cheaper swap out and likely will be this year if gas stays the same.

That said.

Registration.Plan on $350 or so for your registration if you want the boxed set only.
If you order an additional loose set plan on $500ish right off the bat. This would be the cost regardless if you lived local or anywhere.

Hotel. Are you solo? If so plan on at least $200-250 for two nights. Add about $100 per additonal night. Having done 10 Botcons IMO you need only two nights, Fri&Sat. If your a first timer and want to do the Thursday activities you'll need another night obviously.

Gas. You don't say where you are. You'll have to figure this yourself. If you're 4hrs away and have a good economy vehicle I'd say 2 tanks there and back--$150ish but this is your call.

Food. Overestimate this cause you will work up an appetite with all the walking around. Minimum 6 meals. You should eat something for breakfast both days, even if your not a normal breakfast eater to account for the energy you will need for the aforementioned walking, running and standing around. At least $100 but I'd go $125.

As you can see the low end is around $1,000 for Botcon. If your share a hotel with one or two people you can get your cost down to around $800 for just being there. That does not include whatever spending cash you'll want for the showroom floor.

If your a first timer I say plan on at least $500.

Hope that helps.

 

A tip is to buy the extra set to sell to offset the costs of the convention. I sold my Games of Deception box set (kept the loose set) & it paid for both sets. So my Thundercracker/Dirge/Thrust/BB/DW cost me $0.