The cost of Trek fandom/cons

[dreadpiraterose]

If you've been attending Trek conventions for a long time, I'm sure you remember the days when Star Trek conventions were pretty darn cheap to go to. Not anymore. In fact, there's nothing cheap about being a Star Trek fan, is there?

Here's an article you all may appreciate, with a breakdown of two conventions: one large, one small, and how much it costs to attend them.

Link: How Much Will the Convention Cost Me?

How much do you usually spend on conventions now? Creation cons are still $300 just for weekend tickets (that include autographs), right?

 

[Too Much Fun]

I've only ever gone to the science fiction convention that happens in Toronto every summer. I don't think it's the admission that's expensive. It's just the $20-25 charge for an autograph and $100 or more to witness an actor talk and then participate in a Q & A session with them. I'm glad I'm not interested in autographs, but it would be nice to be able to ask an actor a question or listen to them without having to pay a triple digit fee.

 

[Saxman1]

My wife and I attended our last convention in 1995 or 1996. We don't expect to go to another one. Too expensive even if we don't bring the kids. Like a lot of things, the price will have to come down in this economy or conventions will go the way of the dodo.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Wow...the rates for some of the major cons are seriously absurd! I think I'll stick to the one I'm headed to: local, so no plane ticket or hotel to worry about, $35 for the weekend if you pay early (+$5 to be entered into the raffle), and other optional add-ons, and no autograph fees that I've heard of.

The one drawback is it's not likely to draw "major" guests (Marc Alaimo and Andrew Robinson are definitely high on my list of who I'd like to see)...but right now, that's best for me.

This frees me up to put together the costume I want...

 

[JustKate]

I'm guessing...just guessing...that it will involve Cardassian fashion. Call me psychic.

My mother, bless her Trekish heart, is often a Bajoran for Halloween. We have an acquaintance who used to do makeup on one of the shows who showed her how to do the nose. He promised me a comm badge, dang it, but...I never got it. Somehow...somehow...life goes on.

(Geek alert! Geek alert! Geek alert!)

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I'm guessing...just guessing...that it will involve Cardassian fashion. Call me psychic.

Uh-huh...

My mother, bless her Trekish heart, is often a Bajoran for Halloween. We have an acquaintance who used to do makeup on one of the shows who showed her how to do the nose. He promised me a comm badge, dang it, but...I never got it. Somehow...somehow...life goes on.

(Geek alert! Geek alert! Geek alert!)

LOL! Seeing as that's one of the easier costumes for people to make, I think I could get some fun photo ops...

 

[JustKate]

Trade secret (until now): Apparently the perfect product to use to create the nose wrinkles is...an unlubricated condom. Which are apparently kind of hard to find - who knew? Mom (who is 75, by the way) went to one of those "adult" stores to get them. "Well, they didn't have any at the drug store," she said. Is she cool or what?

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Oh....wow.

I remember when I did it, I just used some of that "fake skin" stuff you can get around Halloween.

The funny part was...my mom told me I couldn't wear the Trek costume to our school's little Halloween parade. Then another kid (who I couldn't stand) showed up in a Bajoran costume, same rank and everything! And I KNEW my uniform was better, KNEW I'd done a better job with the nose (looked like he used clay or something!), and I couldn't do a damn thing about it!

That burned!

 

[JustKate]

Yet it is childhood traumas such as these that have made you the fine upstanding geek that you are now.

 

[plynch]

Wow...the rates for some of the major cons are seriously absurd! I think I'll stick to the one I'm headed to: local, so no plane ticket or hotel to worry about, $35 for the weekend if you pay early (+$5 to be entered into the raffle), and other optional add-ons, and no autograph fees that I've heard of.

The one drawback is it's not likely to draw "major" guests (Marc Alaimo and Andrew Robinson are definitely high on my list of who I'd like to see)...but right now, that's best for me.

This frees me up to put together the costume I want...

I think I would pay to see the real Dukat and Garak (best character ever!), but listen to actors? Probably not. I went to a very low budget convention in Marquette, MI. In fact, it was free; they had a jar for donations to help cover the cost of the Caesars pizza on the table. It was really fun! No guest stars, but that was fine. Very enjoyable. Be well.

 

[WillsBabe]

I go to SF Ball in the UK every year. Registration is £105 for the weekend - that's a weekend full of parties and events, a wide variety of good guests, live entertainment/discos on three nights and a gala meal with entertainment on Saturday evening. I consider it to be well worth the cost. Autographs cost £20/£25 (I think). I think it's great value for money. (There are other pricing structures, but that's the one I choose). When I first started going to cons, the reg was £20/25 and the autographs were sometimes (most times?) free. I used to get my folks to pay the reg fee as a birthday present. These days £25 doesn't seem much, but back in the early 80's it was. These days there are hotel rooms to pay on top of the registration fee, and food, and booze. Back in the day we all kipped on someone else's hotel room floor, barely ate and smuggled in our own booze. Happy memories!

 

[JiNX-01]

I've been to 3 conventions. Creation is the worst in terms of expense and overall experience. They charge a fortune and you have practically no contact with the actors.

My first con was Shore Leave which was a pretty good experience.
My next was Seatrek (cruise to Alaska -- it cost quite a bit, but I considered it a two-fer because Connor was there (and we got to sit at his dinner table the last three evenings!) and I'd always wanted to see Alaska).
Last year's Creation Vegas was the 3rd. Unfortunately, I'll probably end up going again because Shatner is going to be there (and he ain't gettin' any younger!).

If you're looking for a convention that's fairly inexpensive:
Shore Leave 2009:
Pre-registration: adult/$70; kids 5-12/$15; kids under 5 free with a paying adult. If you have to withdraw, you can GET A REFUND if the request is postmarked by June 1.
Hotel: $129 a night for two (a few extra dollars each for third and fourth). And they usually arrange for the same rates at nearby hotels when the convention hotel fills up.
Photo ops: Range from $35 to $65 depending on how many actors you want in the shot.
Autographs: One general autograph and your photo op autographed by the headliners are covered by the admission ticket. Other actors set their own fee for autographs ($15-20 on average.)
They also invite authors and scientists and hold workshops (with a very reasonable fee). And there's a party on Friday night called the Klingon Feast that isn't too expensive.

The big attraction for me is that it's actually possible to catch the actors during a slow period in the autograph line and chat with them for a few minutes! Imagine that!

 

[steevo]

I've been to 3 conventions. Creation is the worst in terms of expense and overall experience. They charge a fortune and you have practically no contact with the actors.

My first con was Shore Leave which was a pretty good experience.
My next was Seatrek (cruise to Alaska -- it cost quite a bit, but I considered it a two-fer because Connor was there (and we got to sit at his dinner table the last three evenings!) and I'd always wanted to see Alaska).
Last year's Creation Vegas was the 3rd. Unfortunately, I'll probably end up going again because Shatner is going to be there (and he ain't gettin' any younger!).

If you're looking for a convention that's fairly inexpensive:
Shore Leave 2009:
Pre-registration: adult/$70; kids 5-12/$15; kids under 5 free with a paying adult. If you have to withdraw, you can GET A REFUND if the request is postmarked by June 1.
Hotel: $129 a night for two (a few extra dollars each for third and fourth). And they usually arrange for the same rates at nearby hotels when the convention hotel fills up.
Photo ops: Range from $35 to $65 depending on how many actors you want in the shot.
Autographs: One general autograph and your photo op autographed by the headliners are covered by the admission ticket. Other actors set their own fee for autographs ($15-20 on average.)
They also invite authors and scientists and hold workshops (with a very reasonable fee). And there's a party on Friday night called the Klingon Feast that isn't too expensive.

The big attraction for me is that it's actually possible to catch the actors during a slow period in the autograph line and chat with them for a few minutes! Imagine that!

I go to Shore Leave every year. It's always a great weekend with so much to do. Guests, panels, authors, mystery trekkie theater, you name it.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

Mystery Trekkie Theater sounds AWESOME.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

In fact, there's nothing cheap about being a Star Trek fan, is there?

The way I do it is damn cheap! I'm sure I've spent under $100 on Star Trek overall in my entire life. I don't buy DVDs - I've rented a few over the years - bought a couple novels before giving up on that. Watched maybe three or four of the movies in theaters (that I've paid for). That's about it.