What it's like to attend the TED conference where attendees pay $10,000 to learn the next big ideas

In some ways, attending the TED conference in person is exactly what you'd expect from watching TED talks online. It's an overwhelming experience, jam-packed with scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and CEOs who all have their One Big Idea to share.

Many of the big-name speakers - in 2017, they include Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn, Serena Williams, and Elon Musk - stick around for the whole event, and it's not unusual to see them roaming the halls. There are also lots of well-known attendees who never hit the stage (the press isn't allowed to name names, but you can figure it out with a little Twitter digging). 

The conference costs $10,000 to attend, and in addition to the talks there are all sorts of indulgent experiences, buffets, and workshops to keep attendees occupied. I showed up at the 2017 TED conference to check it all out.  Here's what it's like.