How Much Does Attending GenCon Cost?

[Hand of Evil]

I go to find hard to get items, if I know I can find something at my local store, I will not pick it up at GenCon. It also lets me do some window shopping, getting to look at and check out items I have seen on-line.

20$ a week is 1040$ by GenCon next year, so start now!

 

[Belen]

I think Alenda and I spent around $1500 between the too of us, but this was our vacation this year and we were not trying to be stingy.

 

[drquestion]

Thanks for putting that in perpective.

For even more perspective, you could do a 5-night carribean cruise that time of year for about the same amount of money, assuming you could get a decent airfare.

 

[Treebore]

Using Priceline $743.00 for round trip airlines for me AND my daughter, plus 4 nights at the Amerisuites near the airport.

4 day badge: $75.00

No taxi fees because Amerisuites has a courtesy shuttle for the airport.

Taxi fees to the hotel because the indygo bus line was shut down for the night: $38.00 (two trips)

Indygo bus line fair: $6.00/day for unlimited useage. Plus the hotel courtesy shuttle to get me 5 miles closer to the Con.

Food (mostly at the Ram, once at the Japanese place two doors down) $240.00 (for my daughter and I, plus I bought an appetizer platter and a couple of potato chip platters for my Necromancer/Troll Lord gaming buddies)

Stuff bought at the Con: $453.68



ENWorld Ennies auctions: $300.00+

Fun time had at GenCon: Priceless

 

[Varianor Abroad]

For even more perspective, you could do a 5-night carribean cruise that time of year for about the same amount of money, assuming you could get a decent airfare.

No no, there's the cost of the tuxedo rental for former dinners on those cruises!

 

[drquestion]

No no, there's the cost of the tuxedo rental for former dinners on those cruises!

Well, consider the cost of elf ears and chainmail bikini for Gen Con

 

[DaveStebbins]

$1000 is pretty steep and I would have a real hard time rationalizing spending that much to attend it. Especially since the gaming at the few cons I have been to (one being a GenCon South back in 83) has been uniformally lame.

That's why I play exclusively in EN World games. I played in four games this year (and asked kiznit to take my place in a fifth), and they ALL ROCKED ON TOAST! Playing games with EN Worlders is like getting together with friends that you only see once or twice a year, but that you keep in touch with pretty well. Kind of like a family or close friend reunion. By signing up for the En World pickup games, you pretty much ensure a better gaming experience.

I could take half that amount and be able to buy everything wotc puts out for a year or more. :\

Yup. And if all you're getting out of it is loot and bad gaming experiences, it probably isn't worth dropping the bucks. For me, it about spending four or five days with two or three dozen of my closest friends. It's like a constant party from beginning to end. Games, parties, outings, picnics (I will definitely make the picnic next year Mr and Mrs FickleGM) and meals. I don't remember a single moment of the whole time where I didn't feel like I was among close friends.

For me, GenCon is just an excuse to hang out with my EN World and Circvs Maximvs friends. Totally worth the $1,000 I spent for me and my best friend to attend.

 

[Rel]

Let's see:

$250 - Airline tickets
$40 - Taxis from and to the airport
$20 - Powerbars to eat during the days
$175 - Hotel split 5 ways came to $35/night for 5 nights
$56 - Went through True Dungeon twice
$75 - Average $15/night for dinner
$45 - That's all I spent in the dealer's hall

So a little over $650 for me. Next year, my wife and I will be driving, so that'll cut down on that cost. You can do it pretty cheaply if you don't buy too much in the dealer's hall, which seems to be where all the money gets sucked away, if you bring food to eat, and if you room with people to split the bill.

You left out how much you spent at the Red Garter. That was a significant "Line Item" for me!

I got to go to GenCon REALLY cheap this year but if I'd had to pay double or triple that amount it still would have been SO worth it. The people are why I go.

I will say that I don't think GenCon should be judged by the quality of games you've played at other cons. One can go to GenCon and play nothing but ENWorld games for four straight days, morning, noon and night. And EVERY ENWorld game I've ever played has been great! And not only great but educational too. Playing under some of the great GM's there (ahem PIRATECAT!) has really taught me a lot about running a good game for my regular group.

 

[ssampier]

For even more perspective, you could do a 5-night carribean cruise that time of year for about the same amount of money, assuming you could get a decent airfare.

Wahoo! Does that include that Geek Cruises (i.e. where you can take classes in Photoshop and Perl when at sea)?

 

[airwalkrr]

I spent $150 on airfare, $60 on food (I packed some non-perishables to save cash), $30 on cab fare, and got a free con badge and hotel for GMing. I also have a friend in the airline business. So I spent about $240. I don't expect other people to get in as cheaply though.

In previous years I attended without GMing and split the hotel four ways with friends. That lessened costs quite a bit. One word of warning: the badge cost is deceptively low. You have to pay for each slot you play. A four-hour slot typically costs 6 bucks. If you play 11 slots, that's 66 extra bucks.