As one of the others have said, a conference is what you make of it. If you go there with a goal to line up some deals, forge new relationships, set up meetings and treat it like a business, you are going to get something out of it. If you go in blind, and just looking to party, then you might get nothing beyond a hang over.
If you're based on the states, you're talking about $1000-15000.00 to go. One content, hosting, traffic deal could easily pay for that trip. You have to treat it like an investment IMHO. I find them rewarding, but I only go to a handful per year. There are way too many, and I do not need to see the same people 15 times per year a few weeks apart.
