Anime Expo (or any large Convention) Survival Guide
If you are new to Anime Expo, or just heading to your first large convention in general, it’s very easy to forget to do/bring something and results in a miserable experience there, here are some tips to help you better prepared for a con.
What to bring with you
Make sure some change of clothes is available in the car (or just somewhere you can reasonably get to) in case you got unlucky and sweat excessively. A fresh shirt will make you, and everyone around you, a lot more comfortable. (baby/body wipes in traveling pack also works well)
Make sure you stay hydrated. Bring bottled water/water bottle. In some extreme cases, large quantity of liquid may not be allowed in convention center. You can just empty out the plastic bottle and bring them instead. there are water fountain inside convention center for refill, so even when carrying liquid into the convention center is not allowed, you can still refill the water bottle after. Remember that smoothie, soda, beer, are often not the best source of hydration, just make sure you are consistently topped off to avoid heat stroke when the waiting line gets shuffled under the sun, or the crowd gets too hot.
Bring some cash, some merchant still wishes to do things the old fashion way, or the convention center’s internet is just too shitty or too expensive). Make sure you have some cash on you in case you spotted something you REALLY wanted to get, but cash transaction only, also, you got more haggling power with cash in most cases.
Bring a hat, an umbrella, or at least have a small tube of sun screen with you. You never know where the waiting line will lead you. Sometimes it’s to a nice, cool, ACed room, hallway, open unused convention space. Yet, sometimes they will lead you standing under the blazing sun for the next couple hours. Make sure you are prepared for the environment.
If you are sensitive to temperature change, bring a light jacket with you. Yet, wear more breathable/layered clothes. The body heat of a live crowd can easily make the convention floor feeling like the ambient temperature is in the 90 degree F, however, the instant you enter a panel or screening room, the number of people in the same space goes down, with AC blasting above your, one of the easiest way to get sick during a convention.
Needless to say, make sure you pack your prescribed meds. but also taking a few pain killer and/or allergy medicine in manufacture labeled travel bags (so it won’t cause at security) Is recommended.
Make sure your phone is charged before the convention, and even better, bring a light weight battery pack with you. Large, excessive battery pack will add on extra weight, and you will definitely feel them on your shoulder and feet at the end of the day.
While free tote bags are commonly handed out by advertisers and conventions, I’d recommend to bring your own backpack/messenger bag as well. . (unless you really have some ways to free hand carry most of the things suggested so far.
Pack some emergency snack or breakfast bar. Sometimes schedules change, and sometimes certain special event happens and you just have to attend instead of eating regularly. Some sort of breakfast/lunch/energy bar will fuel your body till later times.
What to do:
Hygiene. Please, for the love of god, shower before you attend the convention every day. Put on deodorant while you are at it.
Food safety. While you have to keep yourself fueled, be careful with what you consume. Seeing food that has food with fancy spices in them? Better avoid it, because your stomach may not be able to handle new spice. See table/side basket of condiments that’s exposed under the sun? Better avoid things like ranch, mayo, because they tend to go bad pretty fast under heat, and the last thing you want is a running stomach in a convention.
Have common decency, try not to block the flow of traffic even when you just saw some friends when randomly walking about. Try not to generate excessive noise, especially screaming or yelling when you are just walking about general convention space, reserve them for events or panels or special guest signatures, places where large screaming, yelling is expected.
Be polite, ask for permission before taking photos of/with cos players and avoid all unauthorized physical contact with cosplayers or their props. Also, remember, they are people too, there will be times that cosplayers wish to be left alone, has something to do or somewhere to go. If they denied the initial request of photograph, do not pasture them about it.
Use your best judgment when talking with staff. Remember that a lot of staffs are volunteers, so try to be patient with them, and most important of all, venting your own frustration on them generally doesn’t solve anything. However, there will also be times that that the instruction given by some clueless staff absolutely doesn’t make much common sense, against conventional wisdom, or against convention’s own guide book/guide line, when things like this happened, it’s best if you get a second opinion from some other staff, or frankly, some long term con going may give you better direction than first or second year volunteers.
Study the event schedule and map so you know where to go, if the convention has an app, or some sort of live event planner, download it, because schedules are subject to change. Do note that if the convention is large, it may take up to half an hour just to travel to the opposite side of the convention due to slow foot traffic caused by the crowd. So plan out all your events accordingly.
Check the Anime Expo App and major company/vendor twitter for changes. Last years, there has been some unannounced changes of schedule for vendor sponsored events that was never announced by AX website or app. So make sure you check major vendor/sponsor’s twitter’s to ensure nothing skipped the normal news feed cycle of AX.
Do you have a specific event/panel you wish to attend? First, find out if they are ticketed events, then make sure you line up for the said event a head of time. For most events/panel, you need to be there at least an hour early. For popular ones….. prepare to wait in line for a minimum of 2 hours just to have a chance of getting in.
Manage your money wisely, there will always be impulses to buy something at the con. But just make sure you are spending within reason.
Watch out for theft. It’s shitty I have to say this, since we are there to enjoy our self, but watch out for your wallet, bags, and purchases. Do not ever leave your belonging unattended. Do not leave things exposed in your car in the parking lot. Break in does happens at conventions.
Lastly, budget yourself, food and liquid are basically the hidden cost of a convention. Most new con goers does not put them in the total con cost. Make sure they are factored in and/or bring some extra food to the hotel or from home to off set the cost.
