So is anyone going this year? Brigitte and I just booked our hotel and flights.

Also how did people here pay for it? It says US funds from US Banks so does that mean a money order from a post office or something?

thanks

Hi Jokker,

I always paid at the door. Last here was disappointing, so not sure if I'll go again (with the boys) this year.

Have fun!

tartagliag

Gio,

I'm not thinking of going this year as well...

IMHO, anyone SHOULD go at least once...

Since, I've been attending for the last 4 years, I was disappointed by the new 'venue' and the 'glitter feeling' has dissipated...

However, the part I'll miss is the "all-nighter"...

My wife kind of shocked me last night..

She said she wanted to go visit Chicago and meet up with her sister.

She then added, maybe we could go during "that pinball thing you went to last year" ..!

So although this is still very tentative,
it "might" end-up as a family day-trip....

Who knows... ?

Steph

Yeah I figured since Brigitte and I had so much fun at Allentown we figured we check out the expo.  As I have heard you guys say before everyone should go at least once.

Certainly hope a few MAACA folks can make it as it's always nice to see familiar faces abroad.

Can somebody enlighten me on the differences between Allentown and the Expo in Chicago - other than geography.

Greg

Quoted from Grego

Can somebody enlighten me on the differences between Allentown and the Expo in Chicago - other than geography.

Greg

I'm sure there is a thread on this somewhere.
(search for Allentown or Chicago )

But in brief...

A-Town:
A little smaller in scope (200 or so machines ? )
Great Flea Market; lots of deals to be had


Chicago :
Bigger Bang ( 250+ machines )
Lots of seminars and guest speakers.
More "rare" machines ( BBB, Williams Circus, etc... )
Big, 3-day PinBrawl tournament
Open all-night (...kinda cool to walk down to the hotel lobby at 3:00am to play pin ! )


So it depends on what you like.

I like to play and shop for deals, as such, I prefer A-town.

I went to Chicago last year and was a bit disappointed.
I wasn't there for the seminars or pinball tourney,
so I was actually a bit bored after the first day.

The Chicago show the year before [2004] (which I missed) was apparently Awesome.
It was their 20th year show, and they had all the big names there
signing autographes ( Steve Ritchie, Pat Lawlor, Python Angelo, etc... )
That was the one the be at...

For now, unless my wife decides to visit her sister in Chicago,
I'll probably pass, and stick with A-town

Cheers.
Steph

Chicago is a financially motivated venture - the organisers are in it for the money.  Allentown is for collectors and enthusiasts and isn't based on profit.

Mike

Nicely said Mike...

A-Town show will cost you...hmmm...$45 I think ($15/day)

The Chicago Expo is more expensive:

Quoted Text

ADVANCED ADMISSION PACKAGE (Without Banquet)@$110 each
All seminars, exhibit hall admission, Stern factory tour, 2 entries in Flip Out tournament. Banquet Not Included. (Advanced registration only.)

ADVANCED ADMISSION PACKAGE (With Banquet)@$125 each
All seminars, exhibit hall admission, Stern factory tour, 2 entries in Flip Out tournament. (Advanced registration only.)

POST REGISTRATION PACKAGE (Without Banquet)@$120 each
All seminars, exhibit hall admission, Stern factory tour, 2 entries in Flip Out. Banquet Not Included. (After October 18 or at door)

POST REGISTRATION PACKAGE (With Banquet)@$135 each
All seminars, exhibit hall admission, Stern factory tour, 2 entries in Flip Out. Banquet included. (After October 18 or at door)

EXHIBIT HALL ADMISSION ONLY (4 DAY PASS)@$55 each
EXHIBIT HALL ADMISSION ONLY (1 DAY PASS)@$15 each
SEMINARS ONLY @$40.00
FACTORY TOUR ONLY @$35 each
BANQUET TICKETS ONLY @$65 each

The Chicago seminars are better than the Allentown ones...but then again, not ALL of them are 'interesting'...

The big thing with the Chicago one is that if you don't take the 'FULL PACKAGE' (with crappy banquet), you stuck finding something else to do as the expo hall is CLOSED during the seminars, factory tour and banquet.

If you don't want to do the banquet, there might be an AHL hockey game right next door (Chicago Wolves)...then again, the game was BOOOORING last year (ask Mike and Marty)

Also note of importance: Althought there are usually more machines in Chicago, last year the selection sucked, as about half of them were CRAPPY and/or unplayable...I think that's why we (the Maaca-Ottawa chapter) decided that it would be our 'last Expo' for a while.


If you've never been there, then the factory tour, seminars, multiple vendors and meeting many pinball designers/artists is well worth it!  

My $0.02

Quoted from frosken

If you've never been there, then the factory tour, seminars, multiple vendors and meeting many pinball designers/artists is well worth it!  

The factory tour is a good example of how the organizers are GREEEEEDY.  Stern tours are normally free..  You can tour Stern pretty much anytime you want.  The organized tour is RUSHED.  They push you through quickly to get everybody through as quickly as possible.  AND they charge you 35$ !!??!!

I'm sure Stern gets compensated for having to deal with 200 people going through the factory but I think most of the 35$ goes to the organizers..

Mike

gl all.  hope to make it some year.

Well....after all these 'fairly negative Expo comments'...it shows you that sometime plans can change...

The 'Maaca trio', while returning from PAPA had a lenghty discussion about the Expo and we decided that we're going to Chicago this November after all...

It's the 24-hr non-stop playing and Pinbrawl that makes it all that fun...plus all the vendors that saves you all that 'shipping/duty extras' that changed our minds. We won't be doing the factory tour nor the banquet and moslikely no seminars...we're going for the games!

We even entered in the Pinbrawl again this year, but we'll be all playing together...check the pinbrawl site for the team members and team name...

Hotel is booked too!!!

Now the big decision: Fly or drive?

frosken