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Takara_Soong

General Questions/Comments Regarding Conventions

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If you have any general questions or comments regarding conventions, this is the thread to use. By general questions and comments, I mean asking if anyone knows if there are conventions in your area, where to get supplies for conventions, discussing conventions in general, etc.

Edited by Takara_Soong

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there is a good chance that I may go to Dragon Con next month. I have never been to a convention, and this will be my first. What should I know? How much money should I bring? Should I reserve a hotel room before the day of the convention or can I wait? Please help

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there is a good chance that I may go to Dragon Con next month. I have never been to a convention, and this will be my first. What should I know? How much money should I bring? Should I reserve a hotel room before the day of the convention or can I wait? Please help

I've never been to a convention either but I can tell you that you should reserve your room well in advance. I'd do it as soon as possible, if it's only a month away then it's possible that a lot (if not all) of the nearby hotels will already be booked up. So if I were you I'd call today and reserve your room now.

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If I go, I'll probably just drive there and only go every other day. Hotels are too expensive, and I only live an hour away. I just thought it'd be easier to get a hotel.

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I've gone to many conventions over the years, and I've got a lot of tips for first timers

 

~ Wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking and you don't want to miserable all day with sore feet

 

~ If you're bringing a camera with you bring LOTS of batteries and spare memory cards. If you have a laptop I recomment uploading your pictures daily.

 

~ Bring snacks and bottled water with you. Granola bars are the easiest since they are very portable. The snack stands are usualy very expensive if they even have them

 

~ Most fans in costume have no problem posing for pictures, but it's polite to ask first

 

~ There is usualy a descent chance that you might run into a celeb in the hallway....don't go crazy. Most of them are realy nice and it's been my experience that they don't mind shaking your hand. Some of them have offered to pose for a picture, but you shouldn't badger them for one. Imagine it from their side, if everyone they bumped into begged to take a picture they'd never be able to get out of their room

 

~ Bring a large backpack or messenger bag or purse or something to carry things in. Not every vendor has bags with handles and it will make your life a lot easier if you can put all your smaller items into one bag

 

~ If you're planning on getting a lot of autographs you might want to get a three ring binder and a bunch of sheet protectors to fill it. It makes organizing your photos and autographs a lot easier, you can see all of them quick to find the one you need, it's easier to carry them, and it's easier to show them off.

 

~ They will remind you a bunch of times but people still don't do this...When you get on line for an autograph PLEASE have your items out and ready. It realy holds up the line when people have to wait for someone fumbling through their things

 

~ Keep an eye on your wallet, purse, money, cell phone, camera, etc. It's nice to think that at cons we're all friends, but the real world reality is that not everyone is so nice and there might be someone there who would take advantage of someone who is not paying attention to their belongings

 

~ It's been helpful to me to have a small notebook and jot down every purchase I make when I make it including meals. A the end of the day it helps with your budgeting if you can see exactly what you spent and where and exactly how much you have left to spend

 

~ If you can wait, sometimes vendors have good deals on the last day of the con. Whatever they don't sell they have to pack up and ship home, so many of them offer good deals to get rid of their stock.

 

~ If you get up to ask a celeb a question, please try to be respectful of the people in line and the actors time. It's great to thank them and tell them how much you love them, but it wastes a lot of time when everyone does it. Also pay attention to the questions that came before you so you don't repeat any

 

~ If you're going in costume try it all on completely including any accessories, shoes, makeup, everything a few days before the con and walk around in it for a little while. This will give you an idea of how much time you will need to give yourself to get ready in the morning, any adjustments that need to be made to the custume, or any last minute repairs, as well as if you will be able to walk all day in your shoes. I handmake my costumes and I found out once that my husband's jacket while great and comfortable on him while standing was unbearably uncomfortable while sitting so I had to make some quick adjustments

 

~ If you're going in costume bring a sewing kit, and extra fabric ribbons, whatever you need to make emergency repairs to your costume

 

~ this one seems like common sense, but some people forget about it. PERSONAL HYGENE is important. The seats are very close together and you will be together for a long time. Also try to go easy on the perfume/cologne, again you are sitting very close together and if it's too strong it can bother people. It's also a good idea to have deoderant in your bag with you

 

~ If you're not in costume, try to wear a t shirt and have a hoodie or something with you. If it's the summer the AC could be cranked up and you could get cold, or if it's the winter the heat could be turned up and you could get hot

 

~ Taking pictures is great and fun, but please be respectuful of the people who payed for the close seats and the people behind you who can't see or get their own pictures with you standing in front of them

 

~budget some extra money in case of an emergency (or awesome collectible) and extra hundred dollars or so might realy come in handy in an emergency

 

~bring a bottle of febreeze and wrinkle release spray. both will come in handy

 

~ A convention is an amazing way to meet new people. Be careful of who you give your info to though. Something very helpful would be to create some "business cards" with your name and email address and perhaps the name of the character you are portraying. There are websites that you can print them up for free like vistaprint.com.

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Wow! Vgrbabe certainly seems to be a professional convention goer. I've been going to cons for over 30 years and I would never have come up with so many great tips!..... :vbg:

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Hi1 If anyone hears of a trek con coming to North Carolina in the coming months, please give me a yell.or if there is some other with a trek actor appearing, same parameters..or South Carolina. Thanks, gang.

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Wow! Vgrbabe certainly seems to be a professional convention goer. I've been going to cons for over 30 years and I would never have come up with so many great tips!..... :P

 

LOL, thanks!

I have a lot of tips because I've had a lot of experiences. For example with the costumes. I recommend trying everything on and sitting and walking in the costume at home because I had an incident. I make costumes for my husband and myself to wear. I made his well ahead of time but was finishing my own the day before the con. At the con I was wearing the costume and the shoes were killing me, I was miserable walking around. And then when it came time to sit what I hadn't realized was that the neck was a little too tight and sitting pulled on it even more and was cutting into my throat. It was quite uncomfortable. Had I tried it all on before hand I would have seen that problem and would have had time to fix it and would have had a more enjoyable experience.

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If you don't have any pictures or posters, etc, is it acceptable to get them to sign just regular paper?

 

I was thinking of a bound blank journal with heavy paper but since I've never gotten an autograph before, I have no idea what is really appropriate or expected.

 

Thanks!

My Twitter

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If you don't have any pictures or posters, etc, is it acceptable to get them to sign just regular paper?

 

I was thinking of a bound blank journal with heavy paper but since I've never gotten an autograph before, I have no idea what is really appropriate or expected.

 

Thanks!

My Twitter

That's a good question, SpaceTigger might be able to answer that question.

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If you don't have any pictures or posters, etc, is it acceptable to get them to sign just regular paper?

 

I was thinking of a bound blank journal with heavy paper but since I've never gotten an autograph before, I have no idea what is really appropriate or expected.

 

Thanks!

My Twitter

That's a good question, SpaceTigger might be able to answer that question.

I've always had photos autographed..But I'm 100% sure that they will sign anything you give them..After all you purchased the autograph ticket, it's up to you what you have signed..Actually an autographed journal sounds pretty good..

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