Botcon 2009 location announced

[llamatron]

BotCon 2009 will be in Pasadena, CA May 28th-31st

After months of June been heavily hinted at we now get this.

Boy it sure is a good thing that I already had my flights to the UK booked for June so that I could make it across at the same time.

Well done FP, your incompetence is only matched by your refusal to enter the 21st century and inability to properly cater for international fans.

[STL]

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/botcon-2009-date-and-location-revealed/14814/

This just in from the North Pole:

##Santa just announced the location of BotCon 2009##

BotCon 2009 will be in Pasadena, CA May 28th-31st!

__________________________________________________ ________________________________

Much earlier than expected. Maybe they couldn't get the movie screening. The toys can't be far behind now.

[roller]

bah!!! in America again

[MV75]

Mmmmm.... maybe I should save up and go....... nah, I'd rather a new car. :D The arse end is about to fall out of that market, I'll take a slice of it. Beep beep!

[griffin]

Got the email from Fun-Pub as well.
Good news is that being on the west coast, makes it a lot cheaper for flights. And LA makes for a good opportunity for a holiday at the same time with all the theme parks and hollywood.
Bad news that it isn't at Hasbro HQ again.
And I wonder if it would be too early to have an advance screening of the movie. We had the advance screening in Sydney a month early, so it's possible. Maybe they plan to have a tour at the movie studios that produced the movie.

Hmmm, the date is earlier than I was expecting. I'm not able to acces my next batch of annual leave until June. Will have to work something out... Still happy though.

[doubleclouder]

just curious, any one of you guys here attend botcon regularly?
i have a girl fan in SG who attends every year without fail!

[griffin]

I've only been to nine... :p
But there could be a few from here going next year, especially with it being on the cheaper west coast.
This topic keeps track of who might be going:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=1129

[Paulbot]

I wasn't planning to go to LA again... but I'm familar with the city so I'm happy. I'm also kind of happy that it's earlier than the movie release so I can see that here in a Gold Class cinema when it comes out. (Then again we still might get a preview screening)

[fatbot]

ahh well, i'm out then, the state government overlords won't allow me to swap my holidays a second time.

can you still get the exculisve figures without going? i mean, pay for 'em and have another person pick them up? if you can i may beg someone who's going to grab them for me.

[Paulbot]

ahh well, i'm out then, the state government overlords won't allow me to swap my holidays a second time.

can you still get the exculisve figures without going? i mean, pay for 'em and have another person pick them up? if you can i may beg someone who's going to grab them for me.

They usually have a "non-attending" package where you get most of the stuff someone going does, except the ticket to the actual convention (and the attendee figures). Several of us did that last year.

[fatbot]

They usually have a "non-attending" package where you get most of the stuff someone going does, except the ticket to the actual convention (and the attendee figures). Several of us did that last year.


sweet as bro, now i need to figure out how to get the attendee figures without selling a kidney

[doubleclouder]

haha, if i go, my mum will probably kill me over it, she has been nagging at me using an entire spare room to store toys and paying my way to botcon, no way for her! unless...i tell her i am on "business trip". hehehe

[griffin]

Since I never actually ever got around to doing up my BotCon 2004 report, I had to go sort through the photos
I still have sitting on my computer, to find some to post here. After finding out that BC09 was in the same place as BC04
I was wanting to do the report tomorrow, but something more important has come up to tie up my time.

Anyway, some BC04 piccies (and odd rambling...)

Below is the map I acquired from mapquest five years ago, showing LA in the middle, with the airport (red star)
at bottom left, and Pasadena (red X ) top right. There was a shuttle bus, that serviced the Hotel, but I can't remember
if it had to be pre-booked. Most flights from AUS arrive in LA at about 6-7am, so if you are going straight to your hotel,
or the BC hotel, you won't be able to check in for several hours. I had to spend half the first day toy hunting and
watching a movie (there were 2 department stores and a cinema complex within walking distance, but not a whole lot else).
http://www.otca.com.au/b04l02.jpg

This was the floor plan of the hotel and convention centre complex. If the convention is only in the Conference Building
and Exhibition building again, there is no undercover access between the hotel and Con Centre. You'll see what I mean
in the next few photos. Basically, those two Con rooms are underground, with a long corridor running between them.
The hotel, auditorium and iceskating buildings are above ground.

http://www.otca.com.au/b04l08.jpg

The front of the hotel (the right hand edge of the map above).
http://www.otca.com.au/b04l03.jpg

And below is the left hand edge of that map above, showing the stairs going down to the two Convention rooms, and
the building on top is the Auditorium and Iceskating.

http://www.otca.com.au/b04l05.jpg

The sign out the front in the photo above, advertised the 20th anniversary of TFs, which is ironic that
they have gone for this location for the 25th anniversary.

http://www.otca.com.au/b04l06.jpg

It will mean they have easy access to Movie Guests, including this repeat offender:

http://www.otca.com.au/b04r09.jpg

Peter Cullen lives in CA, so it would be a surprise if he isn't at BC09.

This other photo of the location, was taken from my second room (I had to change rooms after the first night),
and shows the open walkway alongside the Auditorium/Skating building that we had to use to get to the other
side of the premises and down the steps into the bowels of the centre. Hopefully they have fixed that by having
some sort of internal access to the hotel.

http://www.otca.com.au/b04l15.jpg

Another big picture, that may stretch your screen a bit (it won't let me resize it in this post) - the dealer room.
The room looks a bit empty, but only because BC04 was not the 'official convention' that year, and didn't exactly
advertise itself too much. It still had a big turnout, with more guests than any convention before or since.
http://www.otca.com.au/b04r04.jpg

And one of the highlights of BC04, in addition to the guests and special events, was this display of probably
99% of all TFs toys at that time, set up by fans.

http://www.otca.com.au/b04r05.jpg

http://www.otca.com.au/b04r06.jpg

PLEASE - IF YOU REPLY TO THIS POST AS A QUOTE, REMOVE THE PHOTOS FROM YOUR REPLY, TO SAVE SPACE.

[Burn]

So a lot ofpeople seem to be complaining about the timing and location of the event.

But given the location and timing I have to wonder if they'll use BotCon as a chance to have the official premiere of TF 2009.

[liegeprime]

oooh look at all that space! And yummy G1 goodness on Display! Hmmm its positively sinful! :D:D

[llamatron]

So a lot ofpeople seem to be complaining about the timing and location of the event.

But given the location and timing I have to wonder if they'll use BotCon as a chance to have the official premiere of TF 2009.

Word on the street says there will be a screening of TF:ROTF. I hope that it's true.

[gamblor916]

Holy crap, I have relatives in El Monte I can stay with. Going by the map that looks like 10km away.
If ever there was one to go to this is it. Hmm decisions...

[kup]

For some reason, I am also feeling some sort of temptation..but I am not sure if its worth it or not for me :(

[orionpax1]

Was going to go this year (2009) but we only came back form the states 4 months ago (would of went again anyway) but our first baby will be born like two weeks before hand and besides the dollar is expecting to reach 50 cents going by research and what all the money guys are saying, so unless you win the lotto i cant justify the expense.

[griffin]

The Collector Club sent out another email to *officially* announce that BotCon will be at the Sheraton Pasadena Convention Centre, and that the online reservation at the hotel is now open (if any rooms are left).
Sounds like the Convention Centre has undergone some changes since BC04, so maybe there is undercover access to the hotel now, or they just gave it a new coat of paint or something...



We are excited to officially announce that you can now make your reservations for BotCon '09 online.
To make your hotel reservations, go to BotCon.com (http://www.botcon.com/) and follow the link to the Sheraton Pasadena Hotel.
BotCon '09 will be at the new Pasadena Convention Center (http://www.pasadenacenter.com/). The Sheraton is attached to the center. Hotel rooms will go very quickly and they have a limited number of rooms with double beds so next week we will have a second hotel block available at a near by property that has additional double bed rooms.

We will send out another update after we receive the electronic reservation link.
It will be several weeks before we have the registration forms available so keep checking BotCon.com for future updates!

Sounds like the pre-reg forms won't be ready until late February or March even...

[iceburn]

yeap...got that email today too. sucks...just reminded that i've to renew membership.
hope i can do it with the pre-reg in Feb/March would sound good as I'll then have enough time to save for my May trip :P

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I was thinking, my renewal ting is due in march, I wonder if I could renew with the buying of the Iacon package, as that includes membership, or doesn't that count for us dirty foreigners?

[griffin]

As long as it doesn't expire before pre-reg is released, you should be able to order the non-attendee pack as a member without renewing your membership.

[gamblor916]

Just a question for those that have been. I understand there's a registration process for those going to Botcon but can Joe Public walk in off the street and just pay an entry fee to get in?

[griffin]

Yes. They have day tickets. It is only for the Saturday and Sunday events, not the Friday or evening events. And you probably would have zero chance of getting the box set of toys, but might get lucky with any of the additional Con toys.
If you are planning to go all the way over there and attend the convention, it is recommended to pay out couple hundred dollars to get full access and a set of their exclusive toys. Even if you don't want the toys, you can make back more than the original expense of the registration.

[griffin]

Announced on the Botcon website (http://www.botcon.com/BotCon09/), is the second hotel with a discount rate.



168 South Los Robles Avenue Pasadena, California 91101

The Pasadena Hilton Hotel has opened a new room block for BotCon.
Click here (http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/PASPHHF-BOTCON-20090526/index.jhtml) to make your room reservation.

Our special rate at the Hilton is $141 a night. The hotel is 2.5 blocks from the Pasadena Convention Center (about 5-8 minute walk).

If you need to call to make your reservation, tell the operator you are with the BotCon group. This will get you the special rate of $141 a night. 1-800-HILTONS or call the hotel directly at 626-577-1000 and ask for the reservations department.



Also mentioned on the site, some initial details:


All Attendee, Dealer Booth, General Admission and Convention Packages and prices will be announced at a later date. Please keep checking this site. Now is the time to make your hotel reservations. There will be pre-convention tours (not announced yet) on Wednesday and Thursday. Attendee package pick-up will be Thursday night at approximately 6 PM. Show ends on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 PM. This is all the information that we can release at this time. Please reserve all inquires until after the registration forms are posted and you have read our F.A.Q

[Paulbot]

I checked out that other hotel before I booked into the main one. The 2.5 blocks looks a bit of a hike based on googlemaps, so I'm happy enough that I booked into the main hotel with the slightly higher fee.

[MV75]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10140697-38.html

Enjoy your trip. :)