My experience at shows has been this;

If you want selection, go early.
If you want good deals, be there for the closing hours of the show.

At least around here, in the closing hours of the shows the majority of the dealers begin really slashing the prices to dump stuff before they have to pack it all back up again. We got Mr Biggles that way. He was $145. marked down to $50. during the last hour of the reptile show. He's a 6 foot Colombian male boa. That goes for all the bells and whistles that go along with herping too for the most part.

Hope that helps. Oh yeah, Mr. Biggles hisses "good luck".