I want to go, but I won't be going. I also live in the SF Bay Area. The reason is that I don't think I'll be meeting anyone that I can interact with in the game.
I mean sure, we all play FFXI, we probably have some commmon interests. However, there is a high probability that in FFXI, "the reason I am going", everyone at the party will be on different servers.
I went to one of the CoP parties, and I think they need to do more to promote some sort of "server" gathering. Then we can meet/not meet/meet new people at our server, and gather online, say we had a great time, etc....
At the CoP party, the trivia and the in game race was fun. How about a Simon says emote contest, you have to do the emote from the particular race/gender, judging, on stage, it will be funny. I know it is hard to be social sometimes but, I think it is better than hearing about how much gil you have more than me, and how my equipment sucks compared to yours, and how you have +1 everything...
As a player, I really appreciated the CoP party. I hope SE does an even better job with this, since there is a $30 entrance fee. Maybe I'll change my mind and go :P
-Zappo