"Characterfan" said:
I'm hoping to make it. I've got to convince both DFi and my DDad that I can make the trip solo and that it won't cost a ton of money.
And then I have to gain the nerve to actually show up to the meet. I've signed up and been to 2 meets, but never been brave enough to show up to the actually meet and talk to people. I've a very shy, quiet person.
Characterfan,
I too am very shy. ; Typically, I can alleviate some of my shyness by having my wife with me because she's an extreme extrovert. ; But, for some reason, when I'm at a Disney Theme Park my shyness is diminished. ; But, one can not really compare one person's shyness to another's because it's all relative.
But, I can say from personal experience that the TMIP meets are not like any other fan gathering you'd ever experience at MouseFest. ;
I'd characterize his meets as more instructional and symposium like. ; But, that doesn't mean there isn't a fan gathering component to them, but it isn't built-in as the end-all/be-all of the purpose of coming together. ; In other words, you can show up, hear what's being said, absorb the information and leave without talking to a soul and not feel like you've wasted a trip.
In fact, at Tim's MouseFest meets there were often people who were just there in the group and never interacted with anyone and they stayed the whole time with their camera in hand listening intently.
If you really want to dip your foot in the waters of fan gatherings, I think PixelMania! would be a good first choice