Attendee Membership & Pass Details
Anime Central memberships can either be purchased before the convention or at the convention; however, only Full Weekend access memberships are sold before the convention. Single day memberships will be available, but can only be purchased at the convention.
When you purchase a membership (full weekend access) or a membership pass (single day access), you are purchasing a non-refundable, non-transferable membership for the Midwest Animation Promotion Society (MAPS) that allows you to attend Anime Central. Membership is required for all ages. A photo ID is REQUIRED for At-Convention membership/pass purchases for attendees age 16 and older.
Membership Rollovers from Anime Central 2020 & 2021
Attendees who purchased a membership for Anime Central 2020 & 2021 and decided not to have their membership refunded due to the cancellation, will automatically have their membership rolled over to the 2022 event. These attendees will receive information about how to update their membership information.
Membership Badge Mailing
Attendee memberships that are fully paid by April 1 are eligible for badge mailing at an additional $2 per membership badge. Mailing is only available for purchase until April 1. After that, all other membership purchases will be available for pickup with photo ID during the convention at a Will Call station in the Registration Hall. Membership badges will be mailed in early April, so keep an eye on the website for announcements.
Single Day Passes
Single day passes are only sold at the convention. Friday and Saturday Passes can be purchased the day of their use or after 4pm the day before their use. Sunday Passes can only be purchased on Sunday. Passes are valid on the day of stated use until the following day at 8am (e.g. A Friday Pass can be purchased after 4pm on Thursday and stays valid until 8am on Saturday).
Road Show Discount
Road Show is our term for an ACen registration team appearance at another convention, where memberships can be purchased at a special rate. We run games and contests, recruit staff, answer questions, and have a great time doing our very best to get the word out about our show.
The Road Show pre-registration rate is $53 for an Adult Full Weekend Access membership, whenever we appear—that’s the best rate you’ll find anywhere, lower than the earliest early-bird price. To qualify for the special rate you must be in attendance at the convention we are roadshowing at and must have a badge to that event.
- Currently there are no road shows planned.
Group Discount
A group discount applies to online purchases of Full Weekend Adult Memberships only. There is no group discount offered at the convention and it does not apply on top of any other discounts. Complimentary memberships cannot be part of a group.
| Group Size | Discount |
| 10-19 People | $2 Discount per Member |
| 20+ | $5 Discount per Member |
If you are purchasing memberships as a group, make sure that ALL of your group members are added before checking out. Additional group members cannot be added after the group has checked out. Any additional memberships needed will need to be purchased separately from the main group and at the normal rate.
Professional Discount
Anime Central is pleased to offer professional discounts on memberships for those who fall under one or more of the following categories:
- Librarian
- Teacher or School Club Sponsor
- Convention Runner
The application form, as well as the policies for professional memberships, will be available September 1, 2021.
Children’s Day
This year we are pleased to announce Children’s Day is returning to ACen. On Sunday May 22, all children 12 & under accompanied by an adult are FREE!!! Maximum of 2 children per paying adult. All children must be registered.
Payment Details
Pre-Convention payment types:
- Credit – Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card
- Debit – With a Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card logo on the card
- Cash – US currency only, and ONLY at our ROADSHOW LOCATIONS (Repeat – We do not accept paper or coin money in the mail!)
At-Convention payment types:
- Cash – US currency only. We do not accept coins.
- Credit – Visa, MasterCard, Discover card
- Debit – Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card logo
- Business Check (we do not accept personal checks)
- Money Order
FAQ’s
A membership badge is your ticket into Anime Central. It is normally held on a lanyard which is supplied by the convention. Your membership badge must be visible to staff while inside of convention grounds at all times. You may remove your membership badge from view only during photographs.
The price is the same as above. By purchasing a badge, you are purchasing a membership to the Midwest Animation Promotion Society, the parent organization that runs Anime Central. Your membership allows you entrance into the convention.
Will-call is the term we use for people that have already paid for their membership and just need to pick up the membership badge at the convention. To register for ACen you have to go through the online registration process, pre-register at a road show event, or through registration at the convention. The registration process cannot be completed over the phone.
You need:
- Photo ID if you are 16 or older
- Confirmation email
For Registration, a photo ID is required. This can be government-issued, school-issued, from another country, etc. NOTE: This only applies to Registration. Please refer to other departments for their ID policies.
We require the membership/pass holder to be present when their membership/pass is being purchased or picked up. You will not be able to purchase a membership/pass for someone not present.
You can get one replacement from the Service Desk booth (Help Desk) for a $30 fee. Any additional replacements will be at full membership price.
Print out a copy of your confirmation email, confirm that it has membership badge mailing listed as purchased on it (it will be listed with a $2 fee) and go to the Membership Services Desk in Registration.
2021 Cancellation Registration FAQ’s
Please contact the Registration team at registration@acen.org. Attendee refund requests should only be submitted by the person who purchased the membership(s) and need to include the following information:
- Attendee Name (include additional names if more than one membership was purchased).
- Order Number (include additional order numbers if applicable).
- Current Mailing Address.
First, thank you for rolling over your registration! Your 2020/2021 registration will automatically be processed in the 2022 registration system by March 15, 2021. You will receive an email with how to review and update your registration information.
Please contact us at registration@acen.org.
Please contact us at registration@acen.org. Any check not received will only be resent ONCE. Any refund that is bounced back by USPS or does not reach its destination a second time will be rolled over to ACen 2022.
Even if the event is canceled, there are still expenses that the event is charged. As much as we are doing our best to wait to spend money until we know that the in-person event is happening, if there is work completed (printing badges/letters, making merchandise, down payments, etc.), those fees still have to be paid. Rolling over registrations lets the event keep the money and have the funds to make those payments.
Questions about attendee registration? Contact us at registration@acen.org.