Botcon 2013 was the first Transformers convention I had ever attended. And I too had a lot of the same questions and concerns prior to the event. I also took two family members with me who loved the movies but do not have the same appreciation for Transformers as I do. Knowing this I decided to just purchase one Primus package for myself and two Mini-con packages for my attending family members. Although they did not receive the convention set that came with Primus package witch I purchased for meself. They were able to participate in everything I could even the dinner on Saturday night.

As for when is the best time of the show to attend if you can only make it one or two days. This would be a difficult decision because there's benefits and disadvantages to only going at the beginning or end of the convention. If you go towards the beginning you have a better chance of getting popular exclusives that sell out quick. And assuming you purchase one of the botcon packages. Going at the beginning you have the Friday preview witch is a whole lot less crowed then Saturday and Sunday. Going on Sunday also has it's benefits because you can get some really good last minute deals. Sorry for the long comment but I hope this helps..

 

This is going to be a lot to read, so please, bear with it  

1) I'd register her as a Minicon, it'll probably be $100 (going off probable inflation)

2) If you register her as a Minicon she won't get a convention set, although you can purchase a "loose" bagged set with all the toys, no box, no comic, no pin. Which will probably be around $280+ (again going by probable inflation). Registering her as your Minicon AND adding a loose set of the convention box set, will run ABOUT the same as Registering her with a Primus package. Getting her as a Minicon & buying a loose set will allow you to part the figures out without trying to get rid of a box, foam insert, pin, and comic/certificate. Those are REALLY hard to ditch.

3) Without a doubt, I'd say the earlier days. At least Thursday-Saturday. I went to my first (and only) Botcon in 2012, and didn't even go on Sunday. And I won't be going the Sunday for this year either. You're better off getting what you want (souvenirs, and dealer room figures, albeit at a higher cost) on Friday anyways. Thursday is just a good day to get all of your stuff and hang out with folks.

4) Bring plenty of cash. The odds of you seeing something(s) you really want are very likely to happen, so come prepared to see a couple things you'd REALLY like to take back home. That being said, stop and think about the purchase before pulling the trigger. I've sold half of the stuff I bought at 2012 Botcon, mostly because my collecting wasn't focused at the time, and I was also in the moment with about $2,800 burning a hole in my pocket.
All the souvenir sets are probably going to run you $350+ (assuming they do Kreons again, and assuming you actually want those), so plan ahead for that. Also, you can do what others do and bring spare money to get an extra (or two) "hot" souvenir set to sell on the secondary market for a profit. If you go Golden Ticket (which is like $600+), if they do that again, you already have the ability to buy 3x the amount of the limit per set. But that's up to what you're feeling/able to do.
Bring a camera. A decent video camera, with plenty of memory cards to put plenty of convention hours on. Especially the panels they let you film. I didn't do that in 2012, I only took pictures, and totally regret not having ANY video of my favorite panel from that year (Gary Chalk & David Kaye). It'll be a nice way to look back on your weekend whenever the struggles of real life kick back in on the following Monday, and until the next Botcon.
Also, I recommend staying at the convention hotel, so hopefully you can book rooms for the days you want to stay, assuming they can open more blocks. I stayed at a pretty decent Holiday Inn a few miles away from the Hyatt Regency in 2012, because I wanted to save an extra $200 or so. I regret those savings. From what I understand there are a lot of room-to-room trading, parties, shenanigans, keeping the FunPub staff awake through the wee hours of the night, 3rd party toys black-market, and so on...
But again, that's if you feel that you want the ideal fan-interaction experience. And who knows, any special guests might want to party it up too. There's also the TFW/Seibertron/Whateverothersite meet-up on Friday night. Assuming you're 21+, so yay, more drinks! Those are my first-timer recommendations.

 

Thanks so much for all the thoughts everyone. Keep them coming, and I hope you don't mind if I PM a few of you later for specific questions.

 

Everyone should go to TFcon in Chicago!!!

 

Not a problem at all, I know what it's like having all these questions as a first time Botcon attendee.

Both conventions have their pros and cons. Were it NOT the 30th anniversary, then I would totally attend TFCon Chicago. However I'd like to attend the official convention because of the anniversary. Although if TFCon Chicago & TFCon Toronto are both successful this year, then I can see us as fans having some type of weight to throw around at FunPub for having 2 Botcons per year. A "since it worked for an unofficial fan-run convention, SURELY it can work for Botcon" type of situation, IF they're both successful that is...

 

Quick question from me now,   does anyone remember when the Golden Ticket packages sold out last year? I know the customizing class didn't sell out until the 2nd day after registration (I believe). Didn't know if I needed to keep refreshing my email/Botcon website all day, every day when they announce pre-reg is about to go live, or if I have a day's time?

 

Not a problem. Happy to answer any questions I can. ShockaNdMagnus mentioned the most important part and that is to bring plenty of cash. I learned this the hard way. Although some of the bigger vendors like Big Bad Toy Store and TSOURCE except credit and debit cards most of the others do not. Last year there were two ATM's on site. However both became empty and out of service by Friday afternoon. Sadly both ATM's remained empty for the rest of the convention.

Since both conventions are a few months apart. And in spirit of the 30th anniversary. I actually plan on attending both this year!

If I remember right the Golden Ticket packages for BOTCON 2013 sold out fairly quickly. In fact I recall logging in to the registration site a day or two after registration opened and it appeared to be sold out then. I was planning on purchasing the Golden Ticket package last year. But since I had two other people with me and I was only limited to purchasing one Mini-Con Golden ticket. I just went a head and purchase the Primus and two Mini-Con package.

 

Yeah, I know for sure they sold out quickly in 2012, but never found anything FunPub announced about GT selling out. I asked the same question in the theme reveal thread and someone mentioned that it probably didn't sell out for a couple of days. Just didn't know how quick on the trigger I needed to be come time for registration. Seems as if things follow previous years I'll be good within the 1st 24 hours. Which is good considering I've normally registered about 3 hours after it goes live the last 2 years.

 

Oh remember if you are disabled at all the only thing they are going to do if you need an accommodation is tell you to buy a Golden Ticket. Any last shred of respect I had for them went out the window with that.

 

When did that happen?

 

i belive that the goldern ticket sold out with in the 1st 24 hours, but i think this years botcon is going to have low attending numbers cause of the texas comic con and tfcon in chicago. i'm having mix thoughts about attending botcon myself

 

Wow really! You were actually told by Fun Pub the only way they will accommodate the disabled is if you paid an extra $300 on top of a Primus package! WOW! If that is true then it is wrong for them to do or even say! When I registered last year I do recall seeing a question box asking if I had any special needs. And while at Botcon I notice there were plenty of previsions for the disabled. Shin-Gouki, would you mind elaborate on some of the accommodations you felt Botcon was lacking for the disabled. One of my only complaints was with the Town & Country and not really Botcon. While booking the room last March I registered one of my family members as being disabled. When I checked in to the hotel I reminded them again that one of my family member is disabled and has a hard time getting around without the aid of her scooter. I requested to be as close to the convention hall as possible. Not only did they put us completely on the other side of the hotel complex away from the convention hall but they put us on the second floor in a section with out an elevator. When the desk clerk showed me where our room was on a map I again asked if there was any thing closer to the convention hall and was told no everything closer to the convention was already full. Anyways we got through the weekend and had a great time regardless.

 

so when do the tickets go on sale

also is the collector's club safe to use my credit card

 

If your planning on getting a box set, it will make front page news on this site. If your just planning on get general addimission ticket. You can buy them at the door the weekend of the show

 

If I had to guess, sometime next month. Typically pretty soon after all the box set figures are revealed. Which we've only seen 1 so far.

And I'd say it's safe. I got hit when the credit cards were stolen and all I did was call my CC company and they straightened it out. Since then, I've had no issues.

 

I would not plan on registration going live for Botcon until the end of April. As registration has not gone live for joecon and when it does they are going to be busy with getting all that planned out

 

Is it worth going to Botcon early and being there for the 18th? I know the website says it is the 19th to the 22nd but is there anything going on the day before. I have noticed that sometimes the start dates don't always include the actual first day of events.

 

Aside from custom class (if you can get in a Wednesday class), or golden ticket pick up (if you register that way; hanging out with any other fans who may be there on Wednesday, going on the Wednesday tour if it's offered, or the parts parties, like the one Megamus hosts.

 

You know it! Starting either Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

It all depends on what you can spend. sometime the airlines will give you a cheap plane ticket to fly on tuesday or wednesday. In the pass the thursday custom class fill up fast the wednesday and FP will have tours on wednesday and thursday. I'm sure 1 of the tours will be Universal Studios park. plus their will be room sales to hit at night.