As one of those half-interested (but not really long running) con-goers, I have to say that if it weren't for the cheap day, I wouldn't have gone at all. It was my excuse to come, rather than to stay away, because there was very litle in the convention programming that interested me, and I had to work on one of the days of the con. I suspect there are quite a few others out there like me.

The real problem with the con pricing this year was that it was cheaper, providing you didn't want to go to the last half-day, to buy membership on a daily basis than it was to buy a full membership at the door. Going for the whole con should entail a discount, even buying tickets at the door.