Forum - View topicFive Things They Never Tell You About Attending Conventions
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Barbobot
 Posts: 460 |
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This almost ruined my first anime con, Anime Boston 2007. I went primarily to go see The Pillows that were performing there and the 5 hour line to get my badge almost caused me to miss it, but I just managed to make it to the show in time to see it. Mailing out badges beforehand should be such a no-brainer to do though, even if it's an extra charge. Both PAX East and NY Comic-Con do this (only other conventions I've been to) and it makes getting into the convention a breeze. The 1 time I went to PAX East it was literally just walk right in the front and have 0 wait. NY Comic-Con had a bit of a wait, but that was more to get through security and do a quick scan of your badge. |
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Aynslesa
Posts: 199 |
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Otakon has begun to offer pre-registration badge mailing to its attendees, though this year they did it on a limited basis - you had to be among the first 5,000 or 10,000 registrations (I forget which), to qualify. I imagine this will change as they sort out the details on it. This was fantastic for me because last year we drove down on pre-reg day, got there at around 2 pm (major mistake, should have left the day before), and then stood in line for hours because their system crashed and badge pick-up slowed to an alarming crawl. I didn't care how much I had to pay to get my group's badges mailed, I was all over that.
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whiskeyii
 Posts: 2249 |
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I'll second the "camping trip" point. I often went with my college anime club members, but I never really knew the people we went with because they weren't regular attendees. That meant you got clusters of people who got along well within their own groups, but not necessarily with everyone else.
My advice is if it's your first time going, don't share a room. You'll probably be seriously overwhelmed (in a good way) and need some downtime. If you've been going for years and the veneer is starting to wear off, it's probably a safe bet to share. With who, and with how many, depends on the person. I'm outgoing, but I'm also an introvert who just needs some downtime to unwind. If you're a crazy party-person who just loves extra company, find other party people to shack up with. As for co-ed rooms, seems to be a mixed bag, but if you wouldn't be comfortable getting dressed in front of them, you might want to stick with whatever makes you feel most at ease. |
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Lactobacillus yogurti
 Posts: 846 Location: Latin America |
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This may seem as obvious, but if you care about your health, BRING YOUR OWN WATER. If you can't stand the taste of warm water, try freezing half a bottle and then fill the rest of it with room temperature water. Dehydration can be a problem, especially when a con is packed and the human heat is unbearable.
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redcar
 Posts: 172 Location: Texas |
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Nice article, was glad to see the SAO 2 bus from Anime Expo last year
My main piece of advice regarding cons would be this: try your best to avoid eating lots of con food by finding a local grocery store or pharmacy. Some of the most useful things to grab are: > Bread > Peanut butter > Fruit (fresh/dried) > Nuts > Dried meat All of these need zero refrigeration, and combined can provide most or all of your meals and snacks. You can still get con food and other goodies (melon bread :9 ) as needed, but you'll spend far less doing so. (If you have a nut allergy, consider instead canned tuna or sardines for your sandwiches. They're another source of protein that keeps well and can often be opened without a tool.) As for other advice, I'll throw something out there that seems to come up often and yet still causes problems: try not to take pictures in major passageways or in front of things. If you do want to take a picture in a hallway, please consider moving to the side and doing it parallel to the hallway. You'll get in the way of so many fewer people if you don't put yourself in the middle while framing the subject against the wall. Last edited by redcar on Thu May 28, 2015 2:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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SailorTralfamadore
 Posts: 499 Location: Keep Austin Weeb |
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I know the article is for general tips, but I figured I would offer some specific for Otakon:
I lived in Baltimore for four years. If you're just going between the convention center and the airport, forget taxis OR shuttles and take the Baltimore light rail. It's like two dollars and it goes right there from the convention center. If you want to go around the city, Baltimore also offers a free bus service called the Charm City Circulator that hits most of the tourist spots. It should also go by your hotel if you're in the city, but not right by the convention center. (P.S. I know "free bus in Baltimore" sounds sketchy, but the Circulator was quite clean and safe when I used it. At least, it's much more so than the fare-charging MTA buses.) Last edited by SailorTralfamadore on Sun Jul 26, 2015 9:20 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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This is a good tip, but I go a step further - if someone is blocking a hallway taking cosplay photos and you can't easily get around them, walk right through their photo. They're the ones being rude, not you. |
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amagee
 Posts: 333 Location: Orlando, FL |
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I went to Otakon on a whim and used the light rail. It was wonderful! I also stayed in the one hostel in Baltimore just up the road which was fine; it was like any hostel you go to in Europe. Something I've learned over time as well would be not to wait in those badge pick-up lines if you can manage it. At Otakon in 2012, I was coming into town on the light rail watching people outside the con who had been waiting there for hours; sometimes even in the summer sun (some as much as 7 hours I was told). I had waited in these lines when I was younger and it wasn't pleasant so I went to the National Aquarium for a few hours and then just walked in at 6:00 p.m. and grabbed my ticket once the pick-up line had dissipated. It took me a whopping 4 minutes on my watch. Those pre-regestration pick-ups are hours long, let the other folks take the first few and just slip in at the end. Another thing I've done somewhat mirrors what I've read here. I will bake very dense, calorie-packed desert-ish breads (pumpkin-pecan, cinnamon-peach, etc.) that have been fortified with little vitamin packets and bring them with me. They take up the space of a large thermos in your bag and you just eat that through the day as you need food. They taste great, give you everything you need, and it allows me extra money for the dealers room or, more importantly, letting you treat yourself after the convention hours to an extra nice dinner somewhere else. |
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whiskeyii
Posts: 2249 |
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Ooh, I like this idea (though I'm guessing you meant "dessert"?  ). I'd always gone with non-perishables like tuna packets, fruit, jerky and what not, but I like the idea of packing lighter with breads or quickbreads. Easier to eat without making a mess. ^^;
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Saffire
 Posts: 1256 Location: Iowa, USA |
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Greed1914
 Posts: 4449 |
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Agreed. People don't learn if everybody accommodates their rude behavior. The con I go to has corners of the hallways marked off specifically for photos, which has helped immensely since they have a quick spot for photos and everyone else can get by. |
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Tempest_Wing
Posts: 305 |
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I think it'd be better for everyone if somebody decided to build a bigger convention center, able to accomodate hundreds of thousands.
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DenyingSquid
Posts: 2 |
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The nice thing about the hotel tip is that it can save a trip if the con is a bust. With only one roommate it’s easy to transition from anime con into something else by going bar hopping, clubbing, sights or whatever.
When you’re stuck in a room with 4ish con goers you’re kind of stuck in con mode no matter what you do. |
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Videogamep
 Posts: 564 Location: CA |
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Thanks for he tip about the shuttles. I was planning to use them at AX, but I think I'll use an Uber or something instead. I had no idea they got that crowded.
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leafy sea dragon
 Posts: 7163 Location: Another Kingdom |
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At Anime Expo, badges have similar anti-counterfeit features you'd see on money (watermarks, holographic stickers), so I'd bet it used to be a huge problem.
Some people don't really understand the concept of a non-disclosure agreement and think that industry guests withholding information is just them being stuck-up or trying to make something a surprise, or denying a fan the glory of being the first to prod a company and get information out of it. Some people feel incredibly entitled and don't understand that a company might function differently than they imagine it or to suit their personal tastes, which goes hand-in-hand with the people who don't understand the legal functionings of a company. (I remember a Viz Media panel where some guy questioned a translation choice for an obscure series, and when the panelist didn't understand what he meant, the fan called the panelists "all a bunch of schmucks" and goose-stomped out of the room.) And some people are just idiots. I remember the Juju incident with Skullgirls for instance. Juju was a character designed by a fan, but this was one of those "loony fans" who kept violating the non-disclosure agreement and thus had to be removed from the game and the fan banned. Since he kept spilling company secrets everywhere he went, even after he was banned, I'd imagine he would've been one of those fans to ask questions about licenses or the company's inner workings and getting upset that they won't say anything.
The LAFD has a hard cap of 80,000 people at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Not everyone shows up for every day of the convention though, so perhaps there can be a way of counting the exact number of people in the building at a time to accomodate more people, especially based on who purchases one-day or two-day passes and for which days. I do wonder what the attendance cap is at places like the San Diego Convention Center and whatever that building is that hosts Comiket, and how strictly those are enforced.
Yeah, Anime Expo used the same company for 2014, and it crashed too, from what I heard when I got my badge. That's why the badge line was so ridiculously long. Whatever that company is, it's not to be trusted.
Admittedly, I am way too polite regarding that. I always stopped if I saw it happening, though it does get annoying if I have to be somewhere very soon or they just WON'T STOP. I should stop being so polite to them. |
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