The Intergalactic Highway

After being well and truly hyped up because of the Transformers: War for Cybertron preview (see my other post and marvel in its glory) and just seeing the news that TF3 is starting to film around March 2010, my brain is happily ticking away.

I have discussed this plan with a few people and there seems to be a reasonable amount of interest there, but now I think its time to push the envelope and expand the invitation range. Sooo, 2011 is primarily the 15th anniversary of Beast Wars. With any luck and some sufficient manipulation in the background, we may be able to get this acknowledged at Botcon meaning Beast Warsly goodness all round. Additionally, it will be the year of Transformers 3 so much awesomeness shall abound with that. Additionally, both Botcon and San Diego Comic Con are being held in July this year and last year TF2 was released around this time. If cards are played correctly, Botcon can be held somewhere in the San Diego/Californian region in the same month as Botcon.

Sooo, now to the real epicness. I intend to bring a mass horde of mad Australians along with me for convention and road trip shenanigans. My rough plan is to go out, hire a Mustang, Dodge Charger, Camaro and possibly a Hummer and make that our fleet for the duration. We use that to tear around the state(s) and get up to general mischief. Needless to say, it will be an adventure to last the ages

So, anyone interested in tagging along for road tripping, or going to Botcon/Comic Con in 2011?

Argh! If only I could! But uni is stretching my resources as it is right now, I can only just afford to visit family next week

It does sound epic though...

California, did you say? Or did I misread that...?

I'm all the way in minnesota, so I don' think you'd pass me. But I'd be game lol.

*is in North Carolina* It'd take 4ever to get to me ^^;;;

I'm not interested in Botcons really

*DUN DUN DAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH*

I much prefer Auto Assembly's appearance etc, plus I can always get the Botcon toys on ebay or from dealers at the UK conventions, without the scary lines full of angry american fanboys O__O

I'm all for BotCon, and I would LOVE to check out the San Diego Comic Con, but we'll see how much I can afford when the time is closer. I'm actually heading up to Vancouver for a day and then taking my first cruise all the way down to Hawaii this September. I'm psyched! But then I'll also be a little poor after that kind of vacation, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed this year for more bonuses from work and hopefully another raise. That way I can save a lot faster for any trips in 2011. Maybe I'll snag a second job sometime this year as well for extra monies.

In any case, that sounds awesome, Silver! It would most certainly be epic! I get the Camaro! XD

A little side note: while it would be awesome for me to finally visit California, I'm kind of hoping BotCon won't be that far away from Pennsylvania in 2011, and I also hope it will focus more on BW than anything else. But I guess we shall see, no? ^^

Botcon was last hosted in North Carolina in 2001 according to wikipedia. Many states haven't been represented, and some states *coughs* California.. *coughs* has been represented too often. To my surprise it was actually hosted near where we live once, way back in 1997. I'm just going to post the entire list below..

1994: Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana -- July 16 [1]
1995: Dayton Convention Center, Dayton, Ohio -- August 5-6 [2]
1996: Radisson Hotel Rosemont (formerly Clarion Resort Rosemont), Rosemont, Illinois -- July 12-14 [3]
1997: Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, New York -- July 18-20 [4]
BotCon Japan 1997: Science and Technology Hall, Tokyo, Japan -- June 8 [5]
1998: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California -- June 19-21 [6]
BotCon Japan 1998: Sevencity Hall, Tokyo, Japan—December 12-13 [7]
1999: Touchstone Energy Place (formerly RiverCentre), St. Paul, Minnesota -- July 16-18 [8]
BotCon Europe 1999: Barnabas Center, London, United Kingdom -- August 13-14 [9]
2000: Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana—July 28-30 [10]
BotCon Japan 2000: Trade and Industry Center, Tokyo, Japan—December 17 [11]
2001: Durham Marriott Civic Center, Durham, North Carolina -- July 13-15 [12]
2002: Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana—July 26-28 [13]
BotCon Europe 2002: Wolsey Hall, Cheshunt, United Kingdom—November 3 [14]
OTFCC 2003: Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois—July 25-27
OTFCC 2004: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois—July 31 - August 1
BotCon 2004: Pasadena Conference Center, Pasadena, California -- June 19-20 [15]
2005: Embassy Suites, Frisco, Texas -- September 22-25 [16]
2006: Lexington Convention Center, Lexington, Kentucky -- September 27 - October 1 [17]
2007: Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, Rhode Island, Hasbro's home state, the weekend before the live-action Transformers movie was released—June 28 - July 1 [18]
2008: Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati, Ohio -- April 24-27 [19]
2009: Pasadena Conference Center, Pasadena, California -- May 28-31 [20]
2010: Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Disney Dolphin and Fish Resort June 24-27.

I think you sent me this on FB too, didn't you? I think I lost it in the horde of unopened email o.0

2011 for sure! I seem to be having this every second year pattern anyways lol

I always thought they decided on the botcon location by pulling names out of a hat.. But looking at the uneven amount of locations (a majority have been in the southern parts of the US), I'm no longer so sure.. As much as I'd love to go to California, it's just way too far away and would make much too costly a trip for us to go. And maybe it's Canada's turn too? How about one in Toronto?

London needs something....anything! You yanks keep forgetting about us poor pommies! XD

I'm sorry. I've been watching Blackadder

Seriously though, the last time London had anything vaguely interesting was the Tour De France, and my dad asked why I wasn't participating O_o (I had only been cycling for a week!) and the Star Wars anniversary convention in the ExCel...give us even just a bogstandard side show! I wouldn't mind!

I'll shut up now...I need to pack. Speaking of which! OOP: *jealous!* But have fun anyway!

No Jagna, you didn't misread. I have put California forward as it may make life a little easier for the horde of Australians I intend to bring along. If we are kept within one state, it will be easier to manage going to both Botcon and Comic Con (and reduce collateral damage to the country in general )

#jumps on Goggle Maps# Hmmm... Minnesota, North Corlina.... yeah... that is pretty far.... however... compare it to Australia

I can't officially speak, or speculate on behalf of the organisers, as I have no idea what they will choose in the end, however I will admit that it would work better in my interests to keep things in roughly the same area/state. This is partially why I am starting to generate interest for this plan so early on, as it should hopefully give people the opportunity to plan and save for it

On the money side, I have known people to get the Primus Package and sell their figures a year or two after the convention at a largely inflated price. If you are lucky to get this, then you could potentially pay for the flight by doing this. Sometimes the Botcon exclusives can get over $200 for a single figure so thats almost enough for a return flight from one side of the states to the other. I am thinking about purchasing a non-attending box for this year and potentially sell it next year. We'll see how it goes

I'm not interested in Botcons really

..... get out of my house!

Aesir, I should be out at this year's Auto Assembly and I really look forward to checking it out. From Sapphire's description of it, it appears to have a very different "feel" to Botcon, however it will be no less awesome. Much fun indeed

without the scary lines full of angry american fanboys

They're not scary... some of them are weird.... and some of them you really have to resist the urge to punch in the face, but scary? Naah. What I am hoping for this next Botcon is to coincide with the new movie. The only real disappointment for Botcon 2009 was that we didn't get the same movie screening as in 2007. whether you loved the movie or despised it, if you were at 2007 it was such an awesome atmosphere to be sitting in a theatre filled with screaming and cheering transformers fans. Needless to say... awesomeness

OOP, the Vancouver/Hawaii cruise sounds groovy. Will you be travelling/visiting a certain transforming gorilla along the way? If so, be sure to give him a hug on my behalf Yeah, extra job may be the way to go, provided that it doesn't exhaust you or drive you insane. You and your Chevs A slightly insane tangent I have started to take is to pick up some 60's cars from a second hand dealer somewhere and cruising around with them, however I'll need a bit more research before making that call. Also, if this is the case, I may just take a Mustang home with me

Yep Nurann, FB Grog Fests make organisation so much easier

I know what you mean about the 2 year pattern. High five for the proud few

For the San Diego Comic Con side of things, I have a fairly whacky idea that I believe some people may approve of. I have this image:

Silver walks in to Comic Con/a bar/the hotel/or some other such venue.... dressed as Captain America. Look around, raises his shield in the air and calls out "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!" and the rest of the group enters the building dressed as various Marvel characters.

It would look/be awesome

Alternatively, people could create their own comic-esque avatars (whereby I would have no qualms dressing up like my Champions Online character) [/url]

Speaking of which! OOP: *jealous!* But have fun anyway!

Thank you, Jagna. To be honest, I think I'd rather want to travel to England for Auto Assembly, but since Hawaii is already in place financially, I must go there. It should be fun. I've never been on a big cruise ship before and sailed.

2001: Durham Marriott Civic Center, Durham, North Carolina -- July 13-15 [12]

Awe, that was my first BotCon, but I was only there for one day. XD

OOP, the Vancouver/Hawaii cruise sounds groovy. Will you be travelling/visiting a certain transforming gorilla along the way? If so, be sure to give him a hug on my behalf

If Garry's available, I most certainly will visit him. I'll give him a big bear hug for ya, Silver. But if you're going to AA this summer, then you'll see him before me.

You and your Chevs A slightly insane tangent I have started to take is to pick up some 60's cars from a second hand dealer somewhere and cruising around with them, however I'll need a bit more research before making that call. Also, if this is the case, I may just take a Mustang home with me

All of the vehicles you listed are epic. Except for maybe the Hummer, only because it's a gas guzzler. But I'd still like to ride in one of them some day. And definitely the Charger. No! Go for the Challenger! ^^

I can't imagine me NOT being at Botcon 2011 circumstances being what they are, though who knows what could happen.

This is partially why I am starting to generate interest for this plan so early on, as it should hopefully give people the opportunity to plan and save for it

Sadly California is about as far from us as we can get without going to another continent.. and money wise it just isn't happening. We didn't even have a honeymoon yet (and we got married 4 1/2 months ago now) and sorry but.. going to a chaotic botcon in California doesn't exactly have romance written all over it. :p

I'm really hoping for a location closer to NY. NC is probably the furthest I'd be willing to consider for going to any botcon. Although it would be fun to get to see a single botcon in my lifetime before we have kids and it'd be all about Disney World/land.