The funniest thing is that on Tuesday, when we put up the Mouse Guard interview, we recorded a show for next Tuesday, where we did talk about how PAX is going to be sold out and you should have already gotten your tickets. So now, that episode is going to go up, and it sounds extra mean in retrospect, as we didn't think they'd be back on sale by then. ^_~
I think the generally advice on that is to buy the max number you might need. You can always sell the extras if you end up not needing them.
Yeah, I should have known that, but just like everyone else I know around here, none of us expected it to sell out in a day. I figured I wouldn't have a problem getting them in the evening.
But, it is going to sell out. It has for a long time now and at an increasing speed. If you know you will be going but just aren't sure whether you are going to talk your friend into joining you, buy all the tickets that would make you happy to have. Because it will sell out and the tickets are transferable, reselling any unneeded tickets is the only safe way to not get left out in the cold. If that doesn't seem like a good idea, then you are choosing to be left out or to buy more expensive tickets off Ebay/Craigslist/etc...
Maybe the faster sellout was also due to PAX perhaps DECREASING the number of three day badges and increasing the number of one day passes. They may have thought this might make it so at least more total people can see some PAX, as opposed to no PAX. Just guessing based on how I think they think.
Maybe the faster sellout was also due to PAX perhaps DECREASING the number of three day badges and increasing the number of one day passes. They may have thought this might make it so at least more total people can see some PAX, as opposed to no PAX. Just guessing based on how I think they think.
yea, I was thinking this myself, if they go this route though it definitely will put the breaks on people traveling long distances to experience one day of PAX....
As far as I can gather, MOST single-day badges are sold to people who wanted to, but couldn't, get a 3-day badge. They're forced to get some combination of days.
Now, as two single-day badges cost more than one three-day badge, and most of the people buying them are the local type, I see many people buying just Saturday to get the most bang for their buck. Saturday thus sells out almost immediately, then Friday, then Sunday.
I see a lot of Friday-Sunday combos, and a lot of Saturday-only people. Almost no one with a single one-day badge I've ever talked to bought it on purpose: they were all forced to by the sellout of three-days.
Otakon went to a three-day-only badge awhile back, and which it was more expensive if you only wanted to go for a day, it was definitely worth it in terms of hassle reduction.
Some have also speculated that with no Blizzcon this year PAX has additional interested attendees. I think it would be hard to conclusively prove the impact of no Blizzcon on PAX Prime, but it is yet another variable to factor in for sure.
Due to the large number of my friends who did not get passes, it is entirely possible that we may set up a mini-PAX event where we just do our gaming up on the hill where most of us live. Basically the same thing we would've done anyway, but with the added advantage of booze ^_^
EDIT: Not that most of my friends weren't bringing booze to PAX anyway. We can just be more open about it.
It's already opposite Dragon*con... how much competition do these people want?
DragonCon doesn't compete with PAX that much because it is super far away. Atlanta vs. Seattle. Doesn't get much more distant than that in the 48 states. Maybe if PAX completely sells out DragonCon could advertise "Can't get into PAX? Come to DragonCon!" Pretty sure DagonCon does not sell out.
Yea, I think eliminating single day badges would help a little bit, the only issue is for the sake of the exhibit hall they want a certain amount of new people every day as vendors wanting to "put the word out". So the professional side would love to have all single day badges with everyone being there one day, while the PA people and fans want three day geek party fest. Competing interests as to what PAX should be like. Obviously I know where we all stand.
Scott, Atlanta isn't any further away from PAX than NY is, logistically. All it takes is an airplane ride. Once you get far enough away that you need a plane, the rest of the distance doesn't matter much.
Dragoncon only doesn't sell out because they don't have a single venue with body limits. They SHOULD cap attendance. They did add a 4th hotel to help mitigate the crowding, but when all the main events are in one hotel, the fire marshal has to kick people out.
Some have also speculated that with no Blizzcon this year PAX has additional interested attendees. I think it would be hard to conclusively prove the impact of no Blizzcon on PAX Prime, but it is yet another variable to factor in for sure.
I really like this theory. BlizzCon is well known for selling out really quick, so those same people just slammed PAX this time around.
Didn't Anime Boston increase in attendance this year while being the same weekend as PAX east. If that's the case there is no way that Dragon*Con and Pax Prime even come close to interfering with each other. Most of the people complaining about PAX single badges is the 50 dollars they have to pay more that they can't afford. I think long distance plane tickets turn a lot of people off.
A small aside, Zenkaikon is now in Oaks PA which is like 10 minutes away from Valley forge where we were before and still along train and bus routes, but we had people at this festival we were advertising, saying that we are too far away from Philadelphia. (which if you know the area is like 15 minutes away by bus.)
A small aside, Zenkaikon is now in Oaks PA which is like 10 minutes away from Valley forge where we were before and still along train and bus routes, but we had people at this festival we were advertising, saying that we are too far away from Philadelphia. (which if you know the area is like 15 minutes away by bus.)
I never got that about people not liking that venue, I think it looks deceptively empty until you go around that mini mall area and realize there is a lot of stuff to do in that proximity area.
Well, looking at all this, I'm glad I wasn't planning on going to PAX Prime this year. Also, I'm glad that I enforced for East this year, which means that I'm essentially guaranteed a spot as an Enforcer next year.
Andrew and I and some of our geeky friends are going to Dragon*Con this year as usual, so if you take that option you will be among geek friends at least. :P I will be (hopefully) decked out in an amazing Skyrim costume. Dragon*Con isn't a game convention, but I love it for the amazing costumes and celebrities. There were 46,000 people last year, probably won't sell out though due to reasons already mentioned. You can pretty much spread people out between the locations infinitely.
Also poo on you guys that keep saying "I told you so" to people that didn't get PAX tickets in time. They are just bewildered with this unexpected unfortunate circumstance. They learned their lesson for next time, no reason to keep saying it over and over. Hmph.
Andrew and I and some of our geeky friends are going to Dragon*Con this year as usual, so if you take that option you will be among geek friends at least. :P I will be (hopefully) decked out in an amazing Skyrim costume. Dragon*Con isn't a game convention, but I love it for the amazing costumes and celebrities. There were 46,000 people last year, probably won't sell out though due to reasons already mentioned. You can pretty much spread people out between the locations infinitely.
Also poo on you guys that keep saying "I told you so" to people that didn't get PAX tickets in time. They are just bewildered with this unexpected unfortunate circumstance. They learned their lesson for next time, no reason to keep saying it over and over. Hmph.
It is not unexpected! We expected it and warned against this specific thing!
If I tell you 100 times don't touch the pan, it's hot, and then you touch the pan what do you expect to happen?
Comments
Maybe the faster sellout was also due to PAX perhaps DECREASING the number of three day badges and increasing the number of one day passes. They may have thought this might make it so at least more total people can see some PAX, as opposed to no PAX. Just guessing based on how I think they think.
Now, as two single-day badges cost more than one three-day badge, and most of the people buying them are the local type, I see many people buying just Saturday to get the most bang for their buck. Saturday thus sells out almost immediately, then Friday, then Sunday.
I see a lot of Friday-Sunday combos, and a lot of Saturday-only people. Almost no one with a single one-day badge I've ever talked to bought it on purpose: they were all forced to by the sellout of three-days.
EDIT: Not that most of my friends weren't bringing booze to PAX anyway. We can just be more open about it.
Dragoncon only doesn't sell out because they don't have a single venue with body limits. They SHOULD cap attendance. They did add a 4th hotel to help mitigate the crowding, but when all the main events are in one hotel, the fire marshal has to kick people out.
A small aside, Zenkaikon is now in Oaks PA which is like 10 minutes away from Valley forge where we were before and still along train and bus routes, but we had people at this festival we were advertising, saying that we are too far away from Philadelphia. (which if you know the area is like 15 minutes away by bus.)
Also poo on you guys that keep saying "I told you so" to people that didn't get PAX tickets in time. They are just bewildered with this unexpected unfortunate circumstance. They learned their lesson for next time, no reason to keep saying it over and over. Hmph.
If I tell you 100 times don't touch the pan, it's hot, and then you touch the pan what do you expect to happen?