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Hmm.. well… off the top of my head.
1. Have fun.
2. Bring money. You will want to buy a lot of stuff.
3. Be prepared for Saturday to be crowded.
4. Bring a pen and paper. You never know when or why you might need it…
5. Make sure your cell phone is charged 100%.
6. Read the Program Books —- its fun to look in ‘em and see all the stuff you’re about to see over the weekend… and it helps you to make plans if you like to plan things out. HAVING SAID THAT —- at Dragon*Con I read the Program Book cover to cover the night before the con starts. At Comic-Con I do not.. Comic-Con is just too big and for me there’s just no point and seriously no time to read it. At MegaCon, I just kinda brush through it.. Either way… I ALWAYS get a Program and I always keep it as a token of the Convention…. So there ya go.
7. Having said all that…if you’re the type who’s not big on planning things out, good news — you don’t have to.. Comic-Cons are fool proof.. There is so much to do, and you’ll find most of it all on your own.. Just follow your feet…… like Bilbo Baggins..!!
8. Bring food with you if you can. The food in comicons usually costs a fortune and the lines are unbearable. They just suck the hope right out of you. Find a spot close to the convention before you go in (a supermarket or a Subway or whatever) and get something that will last a few hours in a bag or your back pack… Something to tide you over till lunch.. Something that’ll give you the energy boost you’ll need.. If you do that, you’ve just saved yourself a long time in a long line and lotsa’ $$$. Cool! :)
9. Try to be roughly aware what time it is. Is there a panel you wanted to see? An autograph you wanted to get? What time does the con close that particular day? Time has a way of getting away from you…. Poof. Gone.
10. Keep looking at the website for the con you’re goin’ to — updates and stuff.. Important things they want you to know… Is there someone really cool you wanna see? Get an autograph from? Did they add somebody cool? Will you now need to bring more $$$? Is there a banquet? A costume contest? A con suite (free food)? Rules? This stuff is in the program book, too, but I’m talking about plans you can make NOW, long before you leave for the convention, by reading their website.
11. Are you going with family or friends? or Alone? IF ALONE —- and your cosplaying (Harley Quinn!) well… you shouldn’t really go alone.. but, if anybody out there in particular is, well, your gonna get people wanting to take your pic. That’s part of the deal. Harley’s kinda popular…Cosplaying is kinda popular.. and if any cosplayer is all on his or her own… well. Ya’ gotta’ keep your wits about ya’. I mean, at times its gonna feel a little like you’re a movie star for the day. Comicon Paparazzi all over the place.. I hear its very fun and cool. So.. first of all.. Enjoy all that… It appears to be kinda neato. But remember you can and should always say No if you don’t want your picture taken for ANY REASON. To anybody. For any reason. At any time. YOU are the BOSS when it comes to YOUR Cosplay.
11.1 — Get cards or web addresses from the photographers so you can see some of the pics that they take of you…
11.2 — Make sure you’ve got how you’re gonna carry all your stuff all worked out.. Are you gonna put it all down when pics are taken of you? — if your gonna be alone (not the best idea) then putting your stuff down while pic is being taken might not be the smartest thing … but just figure out what’s best for you.. lots of people just keep their backpacks on. Its a problem photgraphers have too, when its time to take a pic! Go figure.
11.3 — Look out for the occasional jerk. Most people who you encounter will be very nice.. shy perhaps, or all excited about your cosplay costume… Very nice people. A very rewarding experience, I would think.. but its possible you will encounter the occasional rudeness from the occasional idiot… Just be ready for it. Steel yourself accordingly. React Resolutely. And don’t let it effect your trip. Its YOUR trip just as much as anybody else’s. And remember.. you’re not REALLY alone. You are surrounded by a few thousand people who are on your side, NOT the rude bastard’s.. :)
11.4 — Having said all that… if you can.. don’t go alone. Going with family or friends or BOTH is much more fun. Its cheaper. Its safer. Its smarter. And they can carry all your stuff for ya!! :)
12. KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU.
13. Are you new to the City the comic-book convention is in? I always believe that the City is as much a part as the Con as everything else.. If in San Diego, you walk the Gaslamp District.. take in all the food and the nite life — Its amazing!! If you’re at MegaCon, you walk International Drive and check out Universal Studios and Harry Potter way down the street.. Dragon*Con in Atlanta? Olympic Park. The new, HUGE Aquarium (that will take up half your day!)… WonderCon in Aneheim? Disneyland, of course! New York? wow. Times Square. A museum! The food… etc. Just try to take in the city — whatever city your in, if its new to you — make it a part of your trip. Make it a part of going to the con.
14. Are you or your “entourage” (ha) staying in a hotel? Ask the Front Desk or Concierge for Advice.. on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. They are your life savers while you are away from home and the hotel… If anything ever goes wrong, call them. You are paying a fortune to stay in their hotel.. Take advantage of it.
15. oh.. this is a good one… KEEP YOUR ROOM NUMBER AND HOTEL PHONE NUMBER IN YOUR CELL PHONE…. write it down, too, in case you loose your cell.
16. Try not to loose anything.. Keep a mental inventory of all the stuff you have on you.. You are surrounded by chaos. Don’t become a victim of it. Keep your wits about you. Am I being redundant? Good.
17. Eventually.. your feet will hurt.. Wear good shoes. You will be walking all day.. all night.. for several days… Plus, your not gonna wanna go to sleep.. Just waaay too much to do and see. Its like Vegas for geeks. So good shoes. Clean clothes. Deodorant. Shower.
17.1 — Beware crowded elevators cause many of your fellow con-keteers do not strictly follow the above stated bathing rule (p.u. stinky).
18. You are entering a mostly-friendly community of mostly-like-minded individuals. Say hi to someone famous if you see someone famous you wanna say hi to. Its usually the story you’ll tell everyone when you get home… :)
19. Bring a camera. A good one. Add as many pics as you can to your tumblr-blog-thingy… Put me out of business.. or at least make me sweat a little.. (ha)
20. On second thought… Forget number 19.
ok..well.. That’s it, off the top of my head.. the good news is that there is NO WRONG ANSWER.. Its your trip… Let it unfold as you would have it… If I’ve forgotten anything, which I know I have, I’m sure people will add stuff in the “notes”…
Just have fun.
mvp
