Annie and I have been going back and forth on if we should attend Fan Expo Toronto 2013 or not. We have more than a few people in our lives that are interested in going, but they’ve done some things that I’m not so excited about.

The reason we are looking at deciding now is because hotel room bookings are filling up fast, and we also need to figure out if we are going to set aside funds to go, or use that money for other things. I’m currently evenly split between going and not.

Tom, and my friends from Ottawa, aren’t planning on going this year, as they (as well as myself) didn’t feel like they were treated well, and add to that their choice to add sports related stuff to the event, and you have a non-starter for them.

The issue with planning so far in advance is that we don’t really know which celebrities are going to come. So far, there are only four science fiction/fantasy/horror celebrities announced: Norman Reedus, Lena Headley, George Takei, and Richard Dean Anderson. Out of them, I only really want to see Richard Dean Anderson. Don’t get me wrong, the rest are great, but they aren’t people I’d spend money to see like RDA.

The total cost to attend Fan Expo is easily around five or six hundred dollars when all is said and done. There is the ticket to get in for the four days ($50ish), the transportation two and from ($50ish if Annie drives), food for four days ($100), and the hotel stay ($400).

If expenses are split and money is well managed, it could be as low as $300 per person, but that doesn’t include any spending money, parking expenses, drinks at the convention centre, and other potential costs that might come up.

To have Annie and I put $600 towards a four day event that might be more packed and hectic than last year, with a diluted pool of guests due to the sports celebrities, add in my current financial state, and I’m super hesitant to go.

My experience at Fan Expo last year was great. It was great because I had a nice digital camera that I was able to shoot cosplay fans, I went with my cousins, got to hang out with some of my friends, saw some great celebrity sessions and most importantly met Annie.

This year I if I went, I doubt I would have my cousins with me, as they are as financially strapped as I am. Annie and I would be together and have some of her family and friends with us, which would be nice, but my friends from Ottawa aren’t planning to come. I also, no longer have a camera suitable to do decent shots of cosplay with my photography skills.

I need to discuss this all further with Annie, but working through it all, I am just unsure if I can justify going this year, despite the enjoyment I had last year, and the potential to meet Richard Dean Anderson and hear him speak (something I’ve wanted to do since about the third season of Stargate: SG-1 was on the air).

If they were too add a few more guests like RDA, the decision would be much harder. Also, we haven’t really taken a good poll on who would be coming in Annie’s circle of friends and family as going as a group might sway us one way or another. There is also the thought that we could go for one or two days rather than the full four days of the event.

No matter what though, it has to be planned out well in advance or it won’t happen, and I am not good at planning things far in advance.