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Not only do you bring something to do and show up EARLY if you did not prereg, but even if you did. Also make sure you and everyone you want to meet up with has some form of cell phone or pager on them with your contact numbers.

Don't forget to keep your fluid levels high by drinking alot of water. I hear some peopel were sent to the ER because of Dehydration.

Tips that have helped me in the past:
1. Always have a friend to verify your pre-reg. In '03 I pre-regged and they didn't have me down as pre-regged, I had to have my friend come over and help me, I think I still owe him money from that.

2. Don't be afraid to talk to new people, I've met a few good friends there and a few people who I see there every year.

3. Get involved but don't over involve yourself, if you try to do everything you'll die from over-exhaustion.

4. Think of anime related games to play in line(i.e. bring a ball and toss it around, whoever catches it has to say the name of an anime character, if you repeat you're out).

5. Pocky is always cheaper on sunday. I am serious about this, I found some pocky on sunday, $2 for a big box.

6. Bring plenty of money!

Friendly tips from the seasoned Otakon staffer:

Pre-reg line tips:
1. If you insist on waiting in line on Thursday before Otakon to get your membership, it's advisable that you don't wear your cosplay simply because of the heat and you can ruin it.

2. Make sure you have your pre-reg confirmation e-mail and a photo ID. I can't stress this fact enough..it helps the lines move faster if you have this readily available upon getting up to the booth.

3. Bring water..nothing carbonated to drink wihile waiting in line. Carbonated drinks will dehydrate you faster then you think.

Cosplay:

1. Otakon DOES have a policy about revealing cosplays. The city of Baltimore has a deceny law that we must follow. In other words, it would be best if you leave the overly-revealing cosplays at home because you WILL be asked to cover by Otakon staff. This also goes tp guys who wander around in their underwear too.

2. If your cosplay accessories include a weapon, keep your eyes open to the Otakon website: (www.otakon.com) for our weapons policy...and remember NO LIVE STEEL.


Signs

There may be a possiblity that Otakon maybe (note that I say MAYBE) instituting a sign policy due to last year's issues with signs.

Unacceptable signs for last year that were consficated by staff were ones soliciting sexual favours and/or money. Even if it was a joke, they were not allowed. Also, some people do not like to be aggressively stalked by "Hug Me" sign wearers.

General

1. Be polite to your fellow Otaku.
2. Shower....Otafunk is NOT pleasant.
3. Make sure you eat and drink plenty of water through out the weekend.
4. If you have any problems or lose things at the con, always stop by the Information Desk and a staffer will assist you.

Also, follow the rules on the site and in the program guide..if you need more information or want answers and tips in general, You can always vist the Otakon website (www.otakon.com) or the Otakon BBS (www.board.otakon.com) for more information.

Theres tons of tips to use for Otakon, but these have helped me the most

Money:

-Bring AT LEAST $100.00 a day to the BCC, if you're using a parking meter that can be around $15-$20 a day, and you want to have money for emergencies.
-If you're going to the dealer's room (which I assume you are...) try to budget your money as best you can. I know some people who have spent $100 in about 10 minutes.
-Look around before you buy something, you might find it for cheaper somewhere else. If you can buy it online, chances are that it might be cheaper there. Make sure that you REALLY want something before you go and buy it.
-If you want to buy something cheaper, wait until Sunday to buy it. Most dealers are wanting to bring back as little as possible, so they might take the prices down a bit, or even durastically reduce prices.

Cosplaying:

-If you're cosplaying...expect for some fans to come up to you and scream about how they love your character, ask for a picture of you, etc.
-Try not to wear a skimpy costume...it draws unwanted attention. If you really want to cosplay a character that has a skimpy outfit, bring something to cover up with, just in case.
-Wear comfortable shoes. You're going to be doing a lot of walking around, and if your feet aren't properly supported...well its not going to be fun.
-If you want to go up to someone who is cosplaying, PLEASE ask before giving them a running tackle glomp. Not all people like to be glomped, especially from behind or the side. If their costumes are delicate, you could break a part of their costume. If you ask and they say no, don't be offended, some people just don't like being touched by someone they don't know, or they might be afraid of getting their costume messed up.
-Also ask before taking pictures. Some people might not want pictures taken, or might want to get into a cool pose for your picture, so its better to ask. You don't want to get a picture of them moving around or picking their nose, do you?
-If you can, try to dress for con weather. You don't want to be waiting outside in the hot sun in Baltimore in the middle of August wearing a thick black costume. Even wearing a thin costume will still be pretty warm.
-The weapon policy states that your weapons must be under 8 feet tall and 250 lbs. That's not that hard to follow, and much more generous than some other cons. No live steel, and no look-alike guns. Also, you will obviously get into trouble if you're swinging your weapon around and whacking people with it.

General stuff:

-Drink a lot of water. Ramune soda isn't gonna help your dehydration, and with the weather, you definitely need water.
-Make sure you eat healthy foods to give you energy. Just eating pocky isn't going to cut it, and you probably won't feel very good afterwards.
-Use your common sense. Try to stick with a group, or at least one or two more people. You're more likely to be a target if you're walking by yourself. Also, try not to wander around outside at night.
-For the love of God, SHOWER. That is one of the most important things you can do. Every day, take a shower. It IS summer, you sweat more, and get stinky. If you're going to wear your costume more than one day, wash it if possible. There's nothing like Otafunk to scare people away from you.
-Just use common courtesy. If you step on someone's shoe/cape, apologize. Say excuse me if you bump into someone.
-Have a pad of paper so you can write down the screen names of people to keep in touch.
-Bring a camera and tons of film to catch all the great cosplays mrgreen
-Put cell phone on vibrate. No one wants to hear the mexican hat dance in the middle of a skit.
-If anything happens to you that makes you feel uncomfortable, tell one of the staffers.
Registration:

-Pre Register. The prereg line is often shorter than the regular line, and it takes much less time since the people are already in the database. You can also go pick up your badge on thursday night, which is very convenient if you're wearing a costume. You won't have to wait in line with a costume on if you go get it on thursday.
-Have a photo ID ready. There's no way to prove that you are who you say you are without ID.

Also, check the Otakon website for updates every few days. When they put up the con schedule, plan out what you're doing so you have time to do as many of the things that you want to do.

Tips for costumes,

Make sure it fits and does not come off easily. And secure it easily.

Make sure you can wear the costume for quite some time.

Make sure that nothing you dont want shown in pictures is shown or can be shown easily.

Dont get too far into character, it might get you thrown out. I remember this one dominatrix girl started whipping his a** on the skywalk way at all the people still standing in line, some were not amused, unlike me, I was. ^.^



Tips when in crowds,

Watch your a** if your a girl. Girls in skimp costumes can get them grabbed, I did several times when in crowds or fighting to get to someplce. Not too much fun.


Tips when taking pictures,

Pose for the picture, dont just stand there and look like a dofus in a costume, look like a dofus in a costume that is having FUN!

When taking pictures with other people, have fun too but not too much. Dont hurt the person.

since 99% of what I could say has been covered i'll just add that some rules have changed got to www.otakon.com and read all the news and information that is there. if your questio isn't answered signing up fo the the forums ther and asking will be the fastest way to get an answer straight from the people who run the con.

Tip for the dealers room. A lot of times if you wait till Sunday the dealers put a lot of stuff on sale so you they can get rid of it, and don't have to haul it back with them. So if you see something you like, and don't think it will sell quickly then wait till Sunday.

If you see something you like that is popular, but it first. Popular things, like the L'arc en ciel CD last year, and the grab bags Anima pavilion had sold out fast! They were gone half way thru Saturday.

When in pre-reg line, or to get ticket at the door, have plenty of water. In Baltimore it get HOT! Very hot! Last year it felt like it was 100 degrees out. This year it might rain...So bring an umbrella. Bring and Umbrella anyway, it creates the perfect shade.

Wear light color clothing, like pink, light blue, Etc. Do not wear black!! If its hot, your only going to be hotter standing in line for pre-reg. I made the mistake of wearing long black pants last year and I sweated by butt off. Also wear shorts, unless your one of those people who hates shorts. Then wear light pants.

Cards serve as a perfect way to entertain yourself. Last year we played poker, and we bet candy bars and stuff.