[pc1971]

Anime Con season is here again, with Anime Central(ACen) ahead of us, I decided to post my handy-dandy sexy sexy survival guide. And before someone says, "who the hell are you to tell us how to survive a con," well, let me tell you... I've staffed Acen a number of times (since 1998), as well as GenCon, Anime Expo, and a few other conventions, as well as being an attendee to many more. That said, this is basically what I've learned and found to be useful as a means of having fun and not losing my mind while at con. As always, your miles may vary.....

1. the program book is your friend. it's like that overly-large programming book you hate to lug around with you but it is inestimably useful so use it.

2. prior planning prevents piss-poor performance. even if you are only coming for one day, plan ahead what you are doing.

3. expect the unexpected, everything from event times being changed to potential cosplay malfunctions.

4. if an emergency does arise, don't freak out and ask for help.

5. come with friends. there are too many weirdos out there. this goes especially for girls. I’ve staffed at gencon for 15 years and cannot tell you the number of times I’ve had to alert event security over stalker-ish issues.

6. meet and make friends with some con staffers. as crazy as the con can get we're a good resource in case you need help... and most of us are pretty darn cute.

7. bring extra money. trust me, just TRUST ME.

8. never underestimate the power of sleep. sleep deprivation is NOT fun, contrary to what you may have heard.

9. bring your own food. this will save you money as hotel food is a ripoff and a lot of delivery places won't deliver to a hotel. plus it's safer than roaming the streets looking for a place to eat if you are from out of town like I was for AX2k.

10. don't bring anything you want stolen, broken, or otherwise abused, this includes children and younger brothers and sisters... and cameras, laptops, portable game systems. the hotel and con are not responsible if anything happens to them, you are.

11. don't engage in activity that could get you hurt or in serious legal trouble. not only is it bad for you it's bad for the con. it could also end up on YouTube as well.

12. con have rules to keep things running smoothly and to ensure everyone is safe and able to have fun, follow the rules. if you fail to follow the rules and get removed from the con, you don't get the right to complain in any open forum about how the con sucked.
13. if you are underage, no alcohol. period. too many bad things can happen to you, the people around you, and the con.

14. in addition to making friends with the con staff, be nice to the hotel staff. if you've got issues that the con staffers can't fix, maybe they can.

15. trashing your room or the hotel in general is not a good idea. you're not the who, led zeppelin or snoop doggy dogg, heck you aren't even deputy dog. so unless you can pay for the damages DON'T BREAK STUFF!

16. treat everyone, con-goers, con staff, and hotel staff with the same respect you'd expect.

17. lock your damn car, if you drive. also your car makes for nice place to store dealer room swag, but not a nice place to sleep, that's what your hotel room is for.

18. don't be afraid to ask for help. there is no shame in calling mom and dad if you need the help and it's beyond the scope of what the staff can do for you.

19. keep your money/id/etc in something more secure than a wallet.

20. try to avoid carrying cash if at all possible. if you can swing it with your parents (if you are minors or lack a credit card) have them get you traveler’s checks from the bank. if they can lost or stolen you can get them canceled and re-issued.

21. no freaking the normals. if the con has to share activity or hotel space with non-con goers, be respectful of them and do not freak them out in any manner. nothing makes life hell for a con staffer than getting chewed out by the hotel about how the attendees are scaring the other guests.

22. bring a camera, bring several, i learned that lesson the hard way in AC06 when we shared the hyatt with a high school prom...

23. if you meet one of the guests, please do not drool, remain calm and polite. and let the translators do the translating for you... unless you are a native speaker. chances are you'll only embarrass yourself and provide the guest with a good laugh or totally offend them.

24. for the love of whatever brand of god you worship, bring a sketch book, two words: fan artists. also if you're lucky some of the guests might sketch or autograph your book too.

25. keep all electronic devices, like cellphones, portable games, and laptops charged up. especially your cellphone.

26. in addition to eating something other than junk food, make sure to drink plenty of water. dehydration sucks. soda, junk food, and sugar in general dehydrates you faster than normal, keep that in mind.

27. for the sake of world peace and the good of the con: bathe.

28. get some exercise at the con, even if it's just walking around (which you'll probably do a lot, but i digress). it will help keep up your energy and help you sleep better. swimming is a good aerobic exercise for those of us that hate walking, and the hotel should have a pool.

[Washu Takahashi]

pc1971, on 22 April 2012 - 10:45 AM, said:

7. bring extra money. trust me, just TRUST ME.

20. try to avoid carrying cash if at all possible. if you can swing it with your parents (if you are minors or lack a credit card) have them get you traveler’s checks from the bank. if they can lost or stolen you can get them canceled and re-issued.

7. And make sure it isn't all on you! Put aside money for food/gas/whatever else you need to survive and get home somewhere else separated from your spending money, or you're more than likely to spend it.

20. I have to say I really disagree with this one. The majority of people in artist alley as well as a good chunk of the vendors in the Dealer's Room do not accept credit/debit. If you intend to be buying stuff from them, bring cash. BUT, make sure that cash is secured. Put it deep in your bag, ladies can stuff it in their bras if they lack pockets, or give it someone in your group you trust.

[JediNight]

This came up in another thread, but the Acen Guidebook App can also be accessed online here, even if you don't have a smartphone:

http://m.guidebook.com/429/

The Program book is, of course, the most comprehensive guide on what's going on at Anime Central. But the Guidebook app can be handy if you lose your program book, or just find it more handy to look up on your phone.
Probably the most useful part of the app -- you can add panels to a personal schedule, and the App will warn you if the schedule has changed at the con, and if it affects events you currently have in your personal schedule. (AKA "real-time" updates)

The event schedules are under the "Tracks" section. As you can see, this means the events are conveniently broken down into common themes, such as Main Events, Panel Programming, Guest Events, etc.

[Defyplums]

I completely agree with #6-I've staffed cons for three years and even if the volunteers/staff are super busy, they are also super friendly and helpful. Kinda in our nature

[Grand Master Brief]

24. for the love of whatever brand of god you worship, bring a sketch book, two words: fan artists. also if you're lucky some of the guests might sketch or autograph your book too.

fan artists? what is?

[Piccolo Sky]

Also, as far as your own food is concerned...NOT 2 family-sized bags of Doritos, a bag of candy bars, a twelve pack of Coca-Cola, and some Pocky for snacks. You'll just feel like crud if you do that. REAL food. Fruit, veggies, and non-sugar drinks in addition to the crap. Bring a cooler. You'll have plenty of time to unload and load it and hotels give you ice for free. If you're lucky enough to stay at one of the "lower end" hotels like the Hampton Inn, you can get a nice breakfast every morning for free that will keep you from piling on the junk food later.

[Fantasia]

^this all the way