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 Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:43 pm
Tips for preparing for Otakon, being at Otakon, your hotel, and leaving! Even travel and Money tips! blaugh
This is for any and all tips. Please try to keep the tips seprated. If you post tips in here, depending if its on the list or not already or there is something close to it I will post your tip and credit you. n___n; we don't need a million tip threads..<3<3
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Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:45 pm
Coming to Otakon?
here are some tips from someone who went!
Preperation for the Con..
-Find out the schedule a few weeks before you go to Otakon so you know what to do and where to do it!
-Bring enfough money for yourself. Food, transportation, and stuff. I'de say 75$ a day is the normal. n_n
-Set aside some for every day.
Traveling Information!
-Leave at night and arrive in the morning so you dont have to pay an extra day for a hotel room! You're only paying for th Hotel to go to the Con, ne? And if not that then just do a round trip--less expensive but you might have to spend it on hotel fees or just the rest of the time not at the hotel but at the con? blaugh
-Arrive a day early and leave a day late to avoid heavy traffic and the sress of traveling.
-DO NOT carry bags onto the bus and put them overhead. This happend at 3:00AM with a woman in the front. He bags spilled out and she was taking her sweet time putting everything back in. If you cant put it all in your luggage and/or in your lap then don't buy it. -_-;;
Tips on the Hotel, Ariving at your Hotel and what to do while there!
-Hotels for 2006 were already sold out the 3rd day after. gonk After the closing ceremonies I suggest you make a mad-dash to the hotel your want or have them on speedial and reserve that room asap!! scream
-Just look at the hotels near it, go to the Otakon website and check for updates about hotels and such (Usually the same for every year) but what you do it get a credit card and reseve a room. ;3 use your parents and pay them back ASAP.
-When you leave your hotel room..pack up the night before and leave the clothing that you want to wear on the end of your bead so you wont miss your bus/plane/whatever.
Tips for being at the Con!
-Don't line up untill about 5AM. Much earlier and you might run into a psychopath bum!
-Line up early! Bring videogames and such! Keep yourself amused..even a small board came to play with fellow cosplayers around you..keep yourselves amused! The line wont move for an hour or two if you go early!
-Hugging signs is OK. Just be aware that you are slowing people down and you have bad Otafunk. xd
-Eating at the con is a NONO! 20$=1 pizza, 1 order chiken tenders, 2 soda, 2 salad. o_o you can get all that for 10$ at McDonalds. And if you do it bring food with you. And if you bring food make sure it cant go bad because most of the time hotel rooms do not come with fridges. And feel free to SHARE, not sell. People can be very greatful. I usually carry a box of granola bars around with me and ask people i'm talking to if they would like one~
-Stalkers..er...if someone is following you or bothering you report it to a staff member ASAP. Stalkers may seem harmless but they tend to follow a person from con to con..So just watch yourself.
Next post for more Tips!
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Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:46 pm
More Otakon Tips and Ect..
Artist Ally Booth Information heart
Check the Artist Alley thread for more detaild information
-tables are 8 ft long.
-For half (4ft) of the table it is 20$ for 3 days.
-For the whole(8ft) table it's 40$ for 3 days.
-Electricty is an extra 70$ for the whole 3 days.
-Suggestion! Go with/beign someone/be next to someone/share a table with someone! One can stay while one wanders the Con and then it can be the other way around.. But don't be gone for hours and hours at a time.
-Bring a calculator and a lockable tin box for all your money. Bring lots of $1's and $5'1.
-Do all of your prints before you go.
-Grab cards from those whome you like. But don't grab them for the hell of it.
----
Costume Tips
-With Costumes done do anything too thick. It gets hot in the AC fast. And dont do anythhing that involves you haveing to carry something. Save that for a day when you arnt doing anything.
PM Me / Post Any Questions or Suggestions! wink
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:00 pm
Do bring money. For people that have never been to a convention you dont know how fast that money gets spent. Especially if it is your first con. sweatdrop I spent about $250 at Otakon 2004 which was my first con.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:07 pm
yesh yesh.. otakon 2004 was my first con. In 12 hours I spent over 500$.
mad so..come prepared because you never know what you're going to find.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:54 pm
Heh ^.^;; I was only going on what money i with drawed from friday. Right now my bank stuff is messed up so i cant take money out of atms. sweatdrop I couldint even get the OMG and AFK hats that i wanted. crying I had to order them off www.genkigang.com and they wont come in for about 6-9 weeks. Feh. Ah well. biggrin It was fun none the less.
Always bring more money then you think youll spend. Put some extra in a safe place for food and emergencies. You never know what will happen, especially if you dont have a hotel and are driving everyday. 3nodding
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:31 pm
Great tips guys. I guess I have a few, kinda lame though.
Always bring water and snacks with you. You usually have to spend a lot of time in lines and with the stricter rules they have for line saving now, scampering off for food may be a pipe dream.
Pick up a manga or bring a book with you in line. Last longer than batteries in the Gameboys.
Have a clear plan of what you want to do at the con. Be aware that you may not get to do everything you want to do, depending on the people you go with. Also, have a designated meeting spot if you get seperated, most places in the BCC have trully crappy cel reception and you may not be able to contact each other.
---Enjoy
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 10:03 pm
Lining up 2 hours early? bring a small borad game or soemthin! HELLO KITTY UNO! xd
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:47 am
Tamoko Lining up 2 hours early? bring a small borad game or soemthin! HELLO KITTY UNO! xd Agreed. A deck of cards can easily become your best friend when waiting in line for the dealer's room, or a concert.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:19 am
I did that with my friends this year. It was great!
Some con manners:
ALWAYS ask for permission when taking pictures. You could blind someone.
If someone doesn't want to be hugged,they don't want to be hugged. Let them be.
Pushing is not neccessary. Especially when trying to get in the dealer's room or in line for the masquerade. Most people are either distracted or have no space to move to. If you must get that perfect con item, try saying "excuse me or pardon me", most people will gladly oblige.
Meet someone you really want to give contact info to but don't have a pencil? Make business cards with you AIM screenname, e-mail or whatever you want. I did and I made some new friends as well as some nice compliments.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 7:19 am
i have a tip. keep track of how much money your spending. especially if you're buying a lot of mangas or dvds. if you blow all of your cash on the first day, then you won't be able to buy things that you want even more later.
ninja *hugs her AFK* ninja
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 12:36 pm
stafffighter Meet someone you really want to give contact info to but don't have a pencil? Make business cards with you AIM screenname, e-mail or whatever you want. I did and I made some new friends as well as some nice compliments. Never thought of that. It's a good idea to have pencil/pen and paper with you at all times. You never know when you're going to need to write something down. Plus, you can draw if you get bored.
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 11:24 pm
Did this up a while ago.
Eltists and how to deal with them
No matter what con you go to there will be Elitists. Elitists are people who act like they OWN something just because they know more about it. Your most common examples would probobly be J-rock and Final Fantasy elitists. I'm not saying it's limited to those groups but in my experience those are the most prevelant groups. The following is my advice on how to deal with them.
1. Never argue back. Their heads are probobly so far up their a** they can't here you anyway. It's pointless since they "know everything" already.
2. Take their "advice" with good stride. It might seem like mindless bashing, in fact it probobly is, but it's meant to help you. A lot of times while their approach is bitchy and snobbish they mean well.
3. Act mature. While you may want to show them you don't care about what they may or moay not know try and use good taste. Acting bitchy and snobish back only makes you look worse.
4. Honesty. Telling them they aren't the God(dess) of the (insert item here) most likely will get you weird stares and a new enemy but it can be the wake-up call they need. Just remember taste is the key. If you say it in the middle of a heated "dicussion" it reflects poorly on you. Timing could make or break you here. In fact I don't really recommend this approac but my friends do.
I personally have never had a bad experience with elitists but I've heard some horror stories. They may look like nice people but one simple sentence can change their demeanor.
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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 10:38 am
gothicneogeisha Did this up a while ago. Eltists and how to deal with them No matter what con you go to there will be Elitists. Elitists are people who act like they OWN something just because they know more about it. Your most common examples would probobly be J-rock and Final Fantasy elitists. I'm not saying it's limited to those groups but in my experience those are the most prevelant groups. The following is my advice on how to deal with them. 1. Never argue back. Their heads are probobly so far up their a** they can't here you anyway. It's pointless since they "know everything" already. 2. Take their "advice" with good stride. It might seem like mindless bashing, in fact it probobly is, but it's meant to help you. A lot of times while their approach is bitchy and snobbish they mean well. 3. Act mature. While you may want to show them you don't care about what they may or moay not know try and use good taste. Acting bitchy and snobish back only makes you look worse. 4. Honesty. Telling them they aren't the God(dess) of the (insert item here) most likely will get you weird stares and a new enemy but it can be the wake-up call they need. Just remember taste is the key. If you say it in the middle of a heated "dicussion" it reflects poorly on you. Timing could make or break you here. In fact I don't really recommend this approac but my friends do. I personally have never had a bad experience with elitists but I've heard some horror stories. They may look like nice people but one simple sentence can change their demeanor. I've never had a problem with elitists but I have heard some of their shrewd comments. They irritate me. Noobs are a different story. Tips: Take them in stride. Many are going on borrowed or second hand information. Feel free to correct them, but try to do it in a respectful manner. Encourage them to ask questions. They are there to learn more about anime and its fun to pass along that knowledge to them. Maintain a cool head. Some of the noobs I have had to deal with were easily excitable and somewhat irritating. Nothing agitates the situation than losing your temper.
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Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:13 pm
Basic Tips from a Semi-Veteran:
#1. Don't make too many plans, keep in mind that if you want to see this, go do that, and hang out with these people... you probably will end up doing 1/4 of that.
#2. Try not to attack cosplayers with glomps, sometimes they can be irritable, especially if they have a really heavy or extravagant costume, they might be all sweaty and pissed off and grumpy, trust me... I cosplay, and I know there's times when I want to take someone's head off, HOWEVER... Cosplayers should also keep in mind that the other person just likes your costume and you should politely 'deal with it' by not punching them in the face.
#3. Try to make friends, nobody is going to kill you, don't depend too heavily on your group, it's always fun to make friends with strangers, and it provides you with a broader convention experience.
#4. Always have cash on you, disposable cameras, and try to carry some form of business card around or a note book, just in case you make some friends and want to give them some contact information.
#5. Always keep your batteries charged, and have back-up batteries. For everything from a Gameboy to a Digital Camera, make sure you have batteries... and don't forget to keep Cell Phones charged.
#6. If not everyone in your group has a Cell Phone, always try to pair someone who doesn't have one, up with someone who does. Also, try not to have your Cell phone on in panels or video booths, the best recomendation is to put it on VIBRATE!
That's all I can come up with for now...
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