Dragon*Con 2011
From left to right: Viet, Dorothy, Alex, Sami, Me and Richard
As we make our way back to Chucktown, I find myself reflecting on a most marvelous of weekends. Dorothy, Sami and Richard have been looking forward to this trip and the event for several months; Alex, Viet and I have been planning this journey since we departed this time last year. For half our troupe, this convention was the first, but the general opinion is that it will not be their last.
Sami meets Felicia Day!
Just like last year, the costumes were varied (both in quality and origin), but all were amazing: it was quite awesome hanging out with such a diverse group of individuals who we shared so many common interests with us, be it games, comics, movies, or TV. The goings on were a bit overwhelming, but we learned a thing or two from last year’s con. I spent a bit of time the week before heading down looking over the panels, taking note of the ones I had to attend, the ones I was interested in, and the ones I could do without. My schedule spreadsheet was the best bit of planning I did for the whole trip, as I found myself constantly referencing it to get my bearings straight and keep me from getting lost in the shuffle. It was certainly not a concrete set of plans, but it provided my with a solid foundation. The Dragon*Con app was incredibly useful, containing events, locations, maps and even a customizable schedule.
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, You're my only hope.
Leeloo Minai Lekarariba-Laminai-Tchai Ekbat De Sebat
Since I am by no means a seasoned con-goer, this jaunt into the realm of nerd-dom offered several new lessons of its own. The biggest thing we learned is that it is impossible to organize and mobilize six people with a diverse set of interests: by the last day of our attendance, we had mastered the buddy system. Viet, Richard and I headed out early for our respective 10am panels (Viet hung out with the cast of Walking Dead, while Richard and I visited Timothy Zahn and Gary Kurtz for a Star Wars discussion). We met up and split up several times throughout the day, but Sunday seemed to be our smoothest day. Upon comparing notes, we decided that the final day went as well as it did because the girls only saw two panels (they were not rushed and could figure things out at their own pace; their confidence was further boosted by the handy map I made for them) and Richard and I had our busiest day (again, we were moving at our own pace and we knew where we were and where we were going well in advance). This kind of encompasses another pointer: familiarize yourself with the lay of the land beforehand.
The mother of all corsets
The Con issued badges had to be visible at all times
Even though we didn’t exactly miss the Star Wars panel most of us were really interested in, we were most certainly unable to attend it, which brings me to lesson number two: if there is an event that you are passionate about, there are probably hundreds (if not thousands) of others interested in it too. Swing by the venue a few hours before it is scheduled to begin; if there is already a line (even if it’s only a short one) GET IN IT. All other priorities are rescinded. Since you already know to bring a book, PSP or phone & charger (or you can just pose for pictures, if you are appropriately costumed for this), your time will not pass slowly.
Next point: plan your days just as tight as you want, but account for flex blocks. You WILL NOT be able to make each event, so prioritize the ones you MUST attend and remember which ones are expendable (I color-coded the aforementioned spreadsheet entries). Plan to spend entire blocks in line for big events and plan some walking around time for costumes and shopping (we learned that food is not a deciding factor in a well planned day, as one can easily pick up a meal on the way to an event, and consume it during said panel). Another note-worthy point is that it seems like you might as well write off panels altogether if you are in costume (unless it’s not an especially good one) as you will constantly be getting stopped for pictures.
Young Indiana Jones
Kick-Ass
All in all, a grand time was had by all. We look forward to purchasing tickets and reserving rooms for next year’s festivities.
