[Caikirai]

Mcdonalds is the common place for lunch and/or dinner for most Acen goers....
It's a decent walk down towards it. [ if you ignore having to cross the busy roads, lol! ]

And everyone who has gone on that walk in cosplay knows what I'm talking about; the stares.
The stares of the..usually older folk who are probably from around the area and are not familiar with the Con....

They're somewhat amusing.
I'm sure most people are used to it. [ I know I am. ]


Got any stories about such things, though?

Last year, we got stopped by some older man, in a suit.
Asking why we were all dressed up.
We said it was cosplay for an anime convention, to which he replied. "What's anime?"
So we had to explain to him what it was.
It continued to say we were 'interesting' and something along the lines of ' crazy kids. '

[Prayer Police]

haha! good topic!

[LoveLetters]

Oh oh oh!! I got one (but its not all that great and not from acen..) xD Okay so for Kollision cons inagural year....I was cosplaying as Sebastian...and thus once I was getting hungry, there was an Ikea near by (No mcdonalds or any fast food place really :/) ......nothing much but i do admit going to Ikea out of all places would be weird to be in cosplay considering its not even a restaurant fully ^^. Plus the place was packed!!!! and I wanted icecream and had to wait in line....people were wondering and all that jazz, but since my cosplay was a butler uniform. I just looked formal so nothing really happened...but still... cosplaying in ikea guuys~! ^^ I was going to go to mcdonalds...way cheaper..

This post has been edited by SirArthurKirkland: 06 May 2011 - 07:33 PM

[Rukariou]

It's kinda funny... I don't notice the stares. I am sort of oblivious to begin with, but I'm blind in one of my eyes, so my peripheral vision is very limited. So I'm sure people stare, but I don't see it, lol. I don't even notice when people check me out, according to my husband.

[A True Elsewhere]

I've got a story, although it's not from Acen.

A couple of years ago I was walking through busy city streets trying to find a convention in downtown St. Louis. I was cosplaying a character from this anime Aria the Animation and basically I looked like a sailor girl in a long dress. Had the sailor hat complete with ribbon and everything. A sweet elderly lady stopped me on the street and asked what I was dressed as, whether it was a uniform of some kind. In a moment of panic, I ad-libbed, and blurted out: "Uh, yeah, it's a rowing company. You know. Like boats." And I made the rowing motion with my hands as I said it! She laughed and said it was cute. I don't know why I said what I did, it just came out, but it was pretty amusing that she bought it!

Another shorter story.. That same year I attended Anime St. Louis, and we were sharing the convention center with a NRA (National Rifle Association) event. Lots of old guys in camouflage, a pretty conservative crowd.. This old couple with them asked a girl what was going on and she told them about the convention, and then they were like: "Oh! We wondered! There're all these teeny boppers running around in skimpy bikinis!!" And I remember thinking to myself that, yeah, that's an anime convention all right.

Acen, though? I remember one year when we were walking back to the convention center from McDonalds this drunk group of party-goers tried to coax my friend and I into their bus. They were VERY drunk. Needless to say we did not get in!

[Scott]

No stories, but whenever I think of McDonalds now I think of this video:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=xA-ipIB7lcs



McDonalds is for everyone. Especially people in Cosplay.

[dorkatlarge]

I think the last time I went to Rosemont's McDonalds was 2006. Ever since then, I've bought most of my food much closer to the con site (Expoteria, the stations inside the Hyatt and con center, and occasionally hotel restaurants). Haven't been to Maria's Mexican Restaurant a little ways south of the con since 2009, don't remember if it's still open.

If you attend other fan conventions -- sci-fi, gaming, comics, furry, etc -- then you sometimes see fans in costumes unique to their interests. I've been to sports events where people wear team colors and gimmicky accessories, and I've been in neighborhoods where unusual fashion is encouraged. So nothing surprises me...

[KeySmash]

XDDD oh fun times. Had a chat with a lady and her children they were so funny.

Little girl: You Sasuke right?

Me: I'm actual-

Lady: She's Itachi! Remember from that episode when-

Little boy: Spoiler!!!!!!

Me: /casually walks away.

It's funny that I get more looks in cosplays from people at Subway more than McD's.

[Ranko]

Well.. I don't know about McDonalds, but the fine people at Panda Express had some funny looks and opinions to share with us as we ate there waiting to check into our hotel. No one really said anything mean, and one of them actually asked us what we were doing, and then ended up going to Acen himself lol.

Edit: and the people at GameStop didn't recognize the Snow or Sazh I had walking around with me... lol

This post has been edited by Ranko: 06 May 2011 - 07:58 PM

[LoveLetters]

Okay so this is another thing we should put on our to do list for acen then~! We shall keep a watchful eye out for eveyone who looks at us when we go out for a bite~! Im hoping for a response from at least one person so I can tell this to my kidsand they can tell their kids kids ^^

This post has been edited by SirArthurKirkland: 06 May 2011 - 08:12 PM

[Trini]

Last time I went to MCD's next to ACen, everyone was too busy staring at the people in line with polearms. XP I went to a Starbucks once though wearing a bunny hat I bought at the con. After I ordered, I chilled at the counter and looked up to find one of the baristas staring at me. I'm like ? and she came over and asked where I got that hat. I told her about ACen and she disappeared behind the counter. I'm still a little confused, but when she popped up, she was holding a cat hat by the same people. She got hers from a different con, but it's funny. We chatted for a while until her coworkers made her get back to work.

[The Fujoshi]

I cosplay America....image the lols.

Especially last year at Acen when I did go to Mcdonalds as America; people were like 'wtf.' And I ordered like a nut job:

"I want a big and Xtra I mean big and tasty with no onions, extra tomatoes, those buns you serve on the chicken sandwhiches, the mushrooms you have on the Angus sandwhich, bacon, swiss cheese, and BBQ sauce for my fries. Oh and I want my freedom fries fresh."

I kid you not. Funny thing is I normally order like this at Mcds. I sub like mad. I rather go to BK so I don't pay fees out the wazoo but there are almost no BKs in my area.

I came back and people were STILL LAUGHING THEIR BUTTS OFF as I ran back to my hotel room.

I am so going to do that again.

This post has been edited by The Fujoshi: 06 May 2011 - 09:23 PM

[Darko]

Not a Micky'ds but here goes

2 in the morning and me and my freind want to walk to 711 wich is about 3 miles away, so I decide to wear my Deadmau5 helmet. well we get a ton of car honks wich is pretty awesome.
but once we get to 711 theres 2 cops in there talkin to the manager. and they look at me like "oh lord what is goin on"
we start talkin to the cops and explaining what it is and what its for and they pull out their phones and ask to take pictures. of course i said yes
when we were about to leave they go and radio to the rest of the squad to look out for a mouse head with bright eyes and to not be suspicious.


on the walk back my freind said we shoulda got a pic of me being dragged outta 711 by cops in it

/endrant

[Pashy-chan]

Heh! More than the trips to Mickey D's, I like seeing all the highschool kids on prom near the convention center.. xD No kidding, my prom was held the week before ACen, EXACTLY where Hardcore Synergy is.. it was so neat seeing it the week after all raved up.. I'm going on a tangent now, but yeah!! Heh, it just amuses me so much as you see them on the buses and in their suits and gowns, looking either confused, awestruck, judgingly...and those few who get excited and shout out all the characters.. XD It just amuses me so!

[DarkMimi]

What awesome stories. I only have one, and it's a "LOL" moment more than anything. Last year, dressed as Integra, me and my BF drove to the grocery a few miles from the con to stock up on some last minute supplies. I got the WEIRDEST looks from people and one woman actually did come up to me and ask about it.

Woman: Is there some kind of early Halloween party going on?
Me: No. I'm cosplaying for the anime convention nearby.
Woman: -Confused even more- Oooooh... okay... -Walks away... more like making a break for it-
Me and BF: XDDD

This year I hope to get some GOOD stares and maybe even someone asking for my pic in one of my cosplays.

[Foolish Humon]

Something fun to do: slowly and subtly act like you are going to bite the neck of another restaurant patron's neck. Woot empty table!

[Yumei]

I love the long walks to McDonalds! I usually wear a comfy costume which has always been my Edward from FMA. Usually I don't get any stares but I always seem to run into awesome cosplayers and taking pics of them as they get stares!
This one year..I think it was my first Acen ... I was at McDonalds while I was getting my food I kept hearing someone yelling Ed...Ed....Ed...Edward....Ed Edward!...and I didn't realize she was talking to me until she yelled HEY SHRIMP! As soon as I turn to them the whole table started laughing so I played along and said yelled something like.."Who you calling so small you can fit in a Happy Meal!!!" Then she call me a small fry and I replied with "Don't call me small...I'll give you a super-size shake up!"....something lame like that...and shook my automail fist at her. It was a funny little thing that just happened but her and her friends enjoyed it and we all laughed. I went outside to eat with my friends and as we were eating someone(I think they worked there)ask me was everything alright cause he seen what happened and was a little worried I told him I was fine and that its what the character I was dressed as would have done. Told him about FMA,anime,and Acen. Afterwards I seen the girl(can't remember her name)she complimented me and said I was one of the few Eds to respond to her shot name calling and I told her about the guy who thought we were fighting!

I like the stares everyone gets while standing on the corner waiting to cross the streets. I love the cars passing by and the heads of the passenger turning around! The reaction of the people at the red light as they stare and point at the different cosplayers crossing the street

[Mock-Kappa]

I wonder how long until Oreo posts his story from a few years ago. I still wish I'd been there to take reaction photos.

This post has been edited by Mock-Kappa: 07 May 2011 - 09:03 AM

[Ashori]

This is my brother's story, but still makes me laugh. XD

I think it was two years ago, he and a bunch of his friends were staying at A-Cen and decided to go to McDonald's one of the nights (I believe he said it was around 10pm). They decided to go through the drive-thru, despite not having a car, and acted like they were driving a car. Made all the noises, pretending to steer, etc. - the guy at the drive-thru window had the WTF? expression on their face as gave them their food and such. XD Still cracks me up that they actually ordered, got their food, and then went back to their room that way.

[Demon Slayer]

My best memory was about 2 years ago, when my cousins and I were walking down to McDonalds as Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon. We were walking along until we heard someone scream, from a passing car, "I'LL GET YOU LUPAAAAAAAAWN!!!" and turned to see some man shaking his fist at us out of the car. It was really great! Then, while we were eating there, a Zenigata walked in! It was meant to be.

I love going to McDonalds in Cosplay, it's always so much fun.

[cloudacmaster]

I've gotten plenty of stares, questions and comments yelled from cars while walking to that McDonald's.

Good times...good times...

[obakasan]

The passerbys and others are just staring in awe and wonder at your fantastic cosplay work and craftsmanship.

Jealous no doubt.

[Vinja Ryou]

ACen '08. A few of us went to a sushi restaurant for an early dinner, and all of us except one person were in cosplay. The restaurant gave us some stares, but the best reaction was outside. When we were walking back to my friend's car, another car drove by us, SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, and sped back in reverse to catch up with us, look us over, and ask "You guys look awesome - what the hell is going on?"

Laughing, we pointed them in the direction of the con.

[Caikirai]

Pashy-chan, on 06 May 2011 - 11:57 PM, said:

Heh! More than the trips to Mickey D's, I like seeing all the highschool kids on prom near the convention center.. xD No kidding, my prom was held the week before ACen, EXACTLY where Hardcore Synergy is.. it was so neat seeing it the week after all raved up.. I'm going on a tangent now, but yeah!! Heh, it just amuses me so much as you see them on the buses and in their suits and gowns, looking either confused, awestruck, judgingly...and those few who get excited and shout out all the characters.. XD It just amuses me so!

Omg I love seeing the prom kids. xD
This year by time they would get there, my friend and I are gonna be in our rave outfits. Surgical masks and yarn dreads and all. I can't wait to....Stare back. xD
Ya know, the wide eyed, slight head tilt stare.

[Alkaren Hyralt]

Wearing a cowboy hat so far north, I tend to get a lot of stares.

[Steam_Loli216]

I'll have to try this!
Last year after homecoming we went to McDonalds (I was in a suit!) and we ordered McFlurries, hold the lettuce.

I miss those days. *sigh*

[excel excel]

This isnt McDonalds related but it was fun! I was dressed up as Mike Nelson from MST3k and me and my friends were waiting for the special shuttle bus to take us to the McCormick place. I had my Tom Servo with me while I was waiting. A couple of cars were waiting for the light to change and they took out their cell phones and took pics XD Some tourists cfrom the UK came up to me and asked what it is and what is it from. I explained to them what the show is and they smiled and laughed. I kinda like it when people look. I love seeing their reactions

[Gabichox]

During the first time I cosplayed at acen, I ran into a few cops at Mcdonalds. It was late at night and there was hardly anyone there. I was in my Sae cosplay [blood splattered kimono <3] and they just smiled like they were used to it. XD More than the "wow what" stares, I love the "I know how it is" stares.

[Pashy-chan]

Caikirai, on 08 May 2011 - 10:48 AM, said:

Omg I love seeing the prom kids. xD
This year by time they would get there, my friend and I are gonna be in our rave outfits. Surgical masks and yarn dreads and all. I can't wait to....Stare back. xD
Ya know, the wide eyed, slight head tilt stare.

Gwaaah!! Do eet!! You must!! XD It'll totally freak them out! Heh!! I wish I had a wild enough cosplay this year for that purpose alone.. XD

[Fullmetalcrusade]

*Eats Mcdonalds at work as he reads this thread*