We go every year. We actually have done VIP every year, but aren't getting it this year. It's worth it if you do a lot of autographs, and want first entry into the big panels. The swag bag is mostly art from the artists attending. We mostly go to the smaller panels, and don't really care about getting on the floor thirty minutes earlier anymore.
There are a lot of panels, and some really different ones. NASA has a big presence, too, which is nice. Our favorites are the FBI panels. They usually have decent comic book representation and a pretty diverse guest list, as far as television guests.
The area around the con is nice. We stay at the Hilton, which is attached, so that's convenient.