Reef-A-Palooza - Who's Going?

I'm still a bit furious on the ticket situation. There were some deals. I'm very satisfied with what I got. The real good deals were gone in the first hour (not to mention any vendors who shopped before doors opened). I had only a few things I was looking for, but those were overpriced. But shop around vendor to vendor. One vendor might be selling one mushroom for $140 and 3 vendors down, it'll be $40.

The speaker list is definitely an A+. I still think $15 is a bit steep & certainly not cheap. There should have been club discounts or something.

Sirrealism, I'm not cheap by any means. But I'm for sure smart with my money.

I'm just glad I didn't waste my money on making a weekend out of it. I'll stand firm on that thought. Nothing more than a day event to enjoy.
 
pugcrush said:
I'm still a bit furious on the ticket situation. There were some deals. I'm very satisfied with what I got. The real good deals were gone in the first hour (not to mention any vendors who shopped before doors opened). I had only a few things I was looking for, but those were overpriced. But shop around vendor to vendor. One vendor might be selling one mushroom for $140 and 3 vendors down, it'll be $40.

The speaker list is definitely an A+. I still think $15 is a bit steep & certainly not cheap. There should have been club discounts or something.

Sirrealism, I'm not cheap by any means. But I'm for sure smart with my money.

I'm just glad I didn't waste my money on making a weekend out of it. I'll stand firm on that thought. Nothing more than a day event to enjoy.
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Thanks for the insight. Is this the only big reef event in Florida?
 
Pugcrush. I agree with your second post all the way. I also understand your frustration. As Koddyvt said its what you make of it. Dont have your hopes high and you wont be disapointed. Now I agree I would not make a weekend of it. Not unless I just wanted to hear the speakers. I wasnt meaning just you about being cheap. Seems there were some others saying it cost to much. Think of it as just a day out. If you go to the fl aquarium it cost what now 20+$ for a ticket and then I am sure they charge for parking. Plus here if there is something you like you can buy it. if not you dont have to. So lets see for a couple it costs 38$ for A day of entertainment. Try somewhere else in FL for that price!!! I cant see why anyone is complaining about the cost to get in or parking.
 
+1 on everything you stated.. Plus it was very hot inside.. Had kids with me and they heat and crowd just made them irritated ..
 
sirrealism, I was just saying for all the money i spent driving up there, fighting traffic, and then getting nothing for the 40 i spent. Yeah it stunk. The money could of been spent locally here in any LFS store and they would of benefited for it.

i am going to BOK towers gardens for less than that and i will probably enjoy it more.

I don't see how looking at frags is entertaining but if you went to the speakers and listened to them, then it would of been worth it. Who has time to sit around all day and sit there and look at the same corals all day until your speaker comes up. I saw the whole thing in less an hour. You can spend all day at the aquarium of at least 2 to 3 hours.

I went, i paid, and i won't do it next time. Lesson learned. Only thing i got out of it was a nice plate you don't see around her much.
 
Nest time if there is one which i am sure there will be, they need a bigger place. Too many people packed into a small area to walk. Or at least have a better layout.
 
i agree with pugcrush and Tahiti yes this is it for this year. not any frags events in Florida unless you belong to a local reef club and they frag swap.
 
Ok couple of pics and like I said. I turned the lights on took pics and turned them off. They wont come on till noon. I did not pay more then 20$ for anything but the gold ausie torch for which I paid 50$ Its just one head but that head is really big

Some of the pics sux. I will take better ones later
 
Nice pick ups surrealism :thumbsup:

All I got to say is that I got to pick up the one coral that I wanted and no one locally has, to me that's worth the drive, dealing with stinky rude crowds, overpriced vendors and traffic/parking. This coral is awesome. I will try and post pics later in the day.
 
lgull1 said:
Nest time if there is one which i am sure there will be, they need a bigger place. Too many people packed into a small area to walk. Or at least have a better layout.
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How would you change the layout? I am sure they will be open to all CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I agree a bigger venue for sure but being the first show of its kind over here I am not sure what their expectations were as far as turnout.

You mentioned there were too many people packed into a small area yet you were able to see everything in one hour. Contradictory? Or were you selective in what you wanted to see and you covered it quickly? Did you spend any time talking with the vendors? Chatting with the vendors was my favorite part of the day.
 
lgull1 said:
i agree with pugcrush and Tahiti yes this is it for this year. not any frags events in Florida unless you belong to a local reef club and they frag swap.
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There is going to be another big event in Orlando in October called Frights and Frags. This is being put on by the CoralCon people from last year. I don't think they run as nice of a show as RAP but there will once again be plenty of vendors selling their corals.
 
Yes i did eg, I did not know about the frights and frags thing. It might be in Orlando and locally talked about. Yes there were lots of people and I said I walked it in less than an hour. There were so many people in front of the frag tanks and a lot of it was the same. Tons of zoas for those who like different ones.


Most were not that chatty with me but i did talk to the Neptune systems people, the instant ocean guy, another female vendor, don't remember her name.

You enjoyed yourself so that is all that matters.

We all have opinions about the event, that was mine.

It seems that you are from the Orlando area so you did not have to drive 200 miles round trip to get there.

I also heard that people found free parking so that was a let down. Wish i knew about it.
 
I got there about 11:30AM yesterday. Waited 2 minutes for tickets, walked straight in. Booths/Lines were packed before 3PM. After Julian Sprung finished around 4:15PM, you could walk straight up to every booth without waiting.
 
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Not sure how anyone could see it all in an hour or even 2. I got there at 12 no line to speak of. Yes it was crowded but that was kind of expected. I didnt get to hear any speakers but I wanted to. I was looking for coral. I spoke to lots of venders and I am happy with the show and what I bought. I really could care less about 8$ to park. I left when I had seen every both and that was at 530 With the amount of venders and coral it would have been hard to even glance at coral in an hour. Like everyone is saying the frags were pretty small so if you didnt look close there is no way you could see what they had.
Thanks Pedro. Glad you found what you wanted. For me I wanted things I did have. Which is what I got. I really wanted the gold ausi torch. I saw lots of them there but prices were 60 and up per head. So I asked every time I saw some untill I got what I wanted. To me thats what made the hole thing worth it. I will say there is no way I would have taken kids there. Not saying anyones kids are not well behaved but they would get board quick I am sure
 
sirrealism said:
Few more
A little later I will take one of the torch
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Deff got some nice size frags. I've bought corals online & they usually aren't that big. Plus you've got shipping prices. And u hand picked them. Deff nice score & worth your while:)
 
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I was planning on going today, but considering what I spent on the tang and corals already this week I figured I better not lol. Ended up taking the wife and kids to the Dali museum yesterday instead. It was crowded too and cost more to get in as well but only $5 to park haha. Was a fun day until I made the mistake of stopping at a pet store in StPete on the way back and the wife talked me into letting her buy a Chihuahua puppy. It would have been cheaper to go to reefapalooza.:crazy1:
 
Well I went over and enjoyed it. I only picked up one Gold Eyed Chalice for $50. It has over 6 eyes...To me its well worth the drive...I even stayed overnight and had some one on one time with the wife...lolol. Also enjoyed the company of Postal and Mrs Postal, AKA Lee and Michelle Davis.
 

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Very cool matt. When that chalice is ready to frag put me down for one. Glad you had a good time. It was nice just to get away for the day.
 
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