WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…

With the giant Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas just a couple of months away, Dan and Bill talk about how to plan for #STLV if you’ve never been before. They also discuss Simon Pegg’s comments this week and play yet another round of Stump The Geek! Plus, Dan has a HUGE surprise that leaves Bill absolutely stunned and speechless.

All in Episode 15 of the Trek Geeks Podcast—join us, won’t you?

SHOW NOTES:

Simon Pegg’s comments on Star Trek Beyond: http://io9.com/simon-pegg-worries-the-love-of-science-fiction-is-makin-1705420424

Simon’s clarification on his own website: http://simonpegg.net/2015/05/19/big-mouth-strikes-again/

SPECIAL THANKS

The guys of Five Year Mission have just launched a Kickstarter to complete their Spock’s Brain album!

They’ve met the intial goal, but now they’ve got some fantastic stretch goals we can help them reach.  Please consider donating to their efforts–there are some great perks for contributors, too! Plus, check out their other albums at http://fiveyearmission.net!

SUPPORT THE FIVE YEAR MISSION KICKSTARTER!

5YM is looking to finish their forthcoming Spock’s Brain album and are asking all of us to help make it a reality! They’ve met their initial goal and some of their additional stretch goals–but let’s see if we can help push them over the top!  Check out their Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/687399845/the-spocks-brain-album/video_share?ref=video

DAN & BILL’S VEGAS Q&A:

• DAN: Should I stay at the Rio?
  • BILL: I don’t. The Rio is OK–but it’s not my favorite hotel. I’d also prefer to stay somewhere cheaper. The way I see it, I’m only going to be in my hotel room to sleep and that’s about it. So, I stay somewhere cheaper on The Strip, and I can either catch the free shuttle at Bally’s that runs to the Rio or take a short cab ride. This year, given all of that, I’ll probably save myself $300 just by staying somewhere else. It might not be as convenient as staying the same place as the convention, but that’s OK–because I just expanded my budget.
  • The other thing, too, is that there are a LOT of events and gatherings that go on after-hours at the convention–and many of them are a great time where you’ll meet a lot of great people. If you really want to immerse yourself in the Convention experience, then you may want to factor this in when making your lodging decision.
• DAN: Can I walk from The Strip to the Rio?
  • BILL: You could, but I don’t recommend it.
    • Everything in Vegas is further away than it looks.
    • It’s Vegas. In August. It’s 112 degrees.
    • Don’t be a hero. If you’re not staying at the Rio, get a ride.
• DAN: Which ticket package should I do?
  • BILL: I generally do other the more expensive ticket packages at other cons.
    • Smaller, more intimate
    • Vegas has about 10,000 people there
    • I default to General Admission because the section is huge and it allows me to have more money to spend on other things.
• DAN: Should I buy my tickets for the con now?
  • BILL: You CAN–the General Admisison package is pretty cheap, but there is almost always a Groupon or other discount site with half-price single day tickets for the entire weekend which will save you money.
• DAN: What about autograph and photo opportunity tickets?
  • BILL: I will from time to time, depending on who it is, because some opportunities can sell out. There’s no harm in that–the prices don’t go down at all and there are no discounts.
• DAN: OK, so what about the Dealer’s Room? Is it really that good–because the one in Boston last year was…small.
  • BILL: Vegas has the biggest Dealer’s Room I’ve ever seen with more tables and booths of stuff than probably any other Trek convention. Plus, there are tables with actors signing autographs in the Dealer’s Room–like just about ALL of the TNG cast (with the exception of Patrick Stewart).
  • Pace yourself in this Dealer’s Room. There’s a LOT to see.
• DAN: What should I budget for spending at the Convention?
  • BILL: that’s a tough one. The best thing to keep in mine when planning your Convention budget is EVERYTHING is more expensive in Las Vegas because it’s the BIGGEST convention of the year—snacks, drinks, merchandise in the dealer’s room, autographs, photos, EVERYTHING. Whatever you’d NORMALLY spend at a convention, I’d add at least 35% to it for Vegas and for a small buffer.
• DAN: When does the schedule come out?
  • BILL: As much as I enjoy Creation conventions, this is one area where they drive me a little crazy.  The schedule for the weekend comes out like 2 weeks before the con and not a lot before that. I generally like a little more time to plan, but that’s the way they do it. The best idea is to keep an eye on their website.
• DAN: What should I BRING to the convention?
  • BILL: I would bring the following…
    • Backpack—you’ll thank me later.
    • Padded envelope–for photos you may get autographed so they don’t get damaged.
    • Phone charger
    • Travel phone battery–the signal in the hall sucks sometimes and your phone may chew through battery looking for signal at times. Plus, if you’re like me, you’ll be taking a LOT of pics with your phone.
    • Snacks. Just remember to pack out your trash.
• DAN: Any other tips?
  • BILL: If you’re not engaging in cosplay, dress for Vegas. It’ll be HOT.
    • Comfortable shoes
    • Check social media! Twitter, FB, etc. You may find out about things going on at the con you had no idea about by looking at other people’s post.  A lot of folks use the hashtag #STLV.
    • The Rio is one of the Caesar’s properties, so go into the casino and get yourself one of the TotalRewards cards, even if you don’t gamble. ALL of the Caesar’s properties offer discounts on EVERYTHING from bottled water to dinner entrees at restaurants with the card and a few bucks here and there adds up.
    • Check the schedule and keep checking it. There’s a LOT going on at the con and you can easily lose track of what’s going on. Plus, some cast members are only signing on particular days.

If you have suggestions for Las Vegas, please feel welcome to include them in the comments below or email us at trekgeeks [at] starfleet [dot] com and we’ll include them in an upcoming episode!

LISTEN NOW

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