Today’s question is…
I’m going to DragonCon for the first time this year! What do I need to know??
I actually answered this over here but it turned into more of a generic DragonCon tips rather than specifically for newbies, so here’s some thoughts geared more towards that!
1. Start Planning Early
If you decide to go to DragonCon in August, you could probably do it – but you’re not going to have as good a time as you could if you’d started planning months ahead.
The host hotels sell out very quickly, and the nearby hotels go soon after. I recently saw hotels offering DragonCon specials that were a 20-30 minute drive away – which is still do-able, but it’s going to much more of a headache than being within walking distance (or a much quicker shuttle ride).
If you’re making costumes, or commissioning costumes – you want to give yourself plenty of time for that, too, don’t cram it all into the week before or start ordering things that may not show up before you leave!
The price of the tickets go up every few months as you get closer to the con, so the earlier you can buy, the better!
2. Plan for Standing in Line
If your plane is landing in Atlanta at 10AM Friday morning and there’s a panel you want to go to at noon – you’re not going to make it. Because once you get to the hotel, you’ve got to stand in line to check in at your hotel, a line to get an elevator, a line to pick up your badge. And then there’s probably a line for the panel!
Lines are everywhere at any convention so it’s something to plan for. The bigger the convention, the more lines and the longer the lines. And at Dragoncon, where the spaces are typically hotel ballrooms, the lines can end up in odd places, cut off in points to make way for traffic – so make sure you ask volunteers or people in line where the end of the line is, and start asking around beforehand to figure out where the line-up for a specific panel/event is taking place. If the panel/event is going to be popular, make sure you show up extra early to get in line.
And if you are disabled and can’t stand in line that much, make sure you look into DragonCon’s Disability Services. They offer several options if you are unable to stand in a line or have any other needs.
3. Getting There
I have traveled to Dragoncon by both plane and car. I know other people who come by bus, or train, or carpool. There are a lot of options. First up, check out DragonCon’s Transportation Resources Page!
If you’re driving, and bringing a lot of costumes, make sure everything is packed up within boxes to make it easier to unload onto a bellcart and get into the room. If you’re got costume pieces strewn out everywhere in your car, it’s going to be much harder to get it all upstairs. (It will also protect your items from bellhops who don’t know you can’t grab that prop by that end! We once had a bellhop grab our Stitch head by the NOSE and pulled it right off.)
Parking at Dragoncon can be expensive, especially if you are using the hotel’s parking. There are other, cheaper alternatives around for parking all weekend, or for parking if you are driving in for the day. Google Dragoncon parking and you’ll find some discussions and ideas.
We generally use the hotel parking because we want to be able to go in and out as we need to – we like to go to Ikea on the first day and out to eat a few times. We just budget for the extra cost.
Make sure you tip your bellhops and valets (as well as roomservice)! They are working extra hard over Dragoncon weekend.
DragonCon typically partners up with an airline for a discounted rate! It’s usually Delta, so be sure you check that out! (Information is on the link above)
If you’re flying OR driving, here are my thoughts on traveling with costumes in either case. Don’t bring anything questionable in your carry-on, and a great tip I’ve seen for costumes in checked luggage is to print a photo of the finished costume and a note explaining that these pieces are costume pieces and props. In some cases, shipping your costume parts may be easier than bringing them on the airplane – and that’s something I talked about in my travel link above.
Coming from the airport either means an expensive taxi ride or taking the MARTA – so make sure you decide which you want to do!
4. Get Familiar with the Hotels/Layout
DragonCon is a MAZE. You have multiple host hotels and a dealer’s room spread out downtown Atlanta. Each hotel has multiple levels of rooms, ballrooms, etc. Give yourself time to just walk all over the hotels.
Their are maps in both the guide you can pick up at registration, and also in the app (make sure you download the app if you can!). Also just google “Dragoncon maps” and you will come up with all kinds of handy maps.
These maps will not only show you where the hotels are in relation to one another, but also maps of the various levels of the hotels.
If you get lost, don’t be afraid to ask someone if they know what you’re looking for. I don’t know how many times I’ve given people directions at DragonCon. It’s not like SDCC where you can say, “Oh yeah, just walk down this street and you’ll see a convention center, you can’t miss it.” There’s so many hotels and locations spread out on so many floors that it’s kinda crazy! That’s why I suggest getting familiar with your surroundings before you start trying to find something!
The Dealer’s Room is now over across from the food court next to the Westin, and no longer in the hotels. It’s kind-of a headache. Hopefully it will be better next year, but this is another reason to have a map so you know how to get over there.
5. Get your program and guide, and read the Daily Dragon
At badge pickup (in the Sheraton!), there will be massive tables of programs and guides. Make sure you grab these! The guide will have the entire schedule and things like maps you will need. All of this information is ALSO on your phone, but service can be dotty in some locations, so it’s best to have that physical copy as well.
Each morning of the con the Information booths will have the Daily Dragon. It’s a little newsletter that includes any schedule changes and cancellations, as well as contest winners and panel recaps. It’s extremely handy.
6. Guard your badge with your life
There are a lot of cons that the ONLY place they ask to see your badge is when going in the dealer’s room. That’s not the case at DragonCon.
Especially at night, the only way to get into the hotels is to show a hotel key card, or your badge. The hotels will be closed to outsiders, so we won’t have any “party crashers” sneaking in to see the “show” and ruining everybody’s fun. You will need your badge to get into the hotels, and sometimes they even have badge checkers positioned at the stairwells. They’ll often be stationed outside of the autograph room, the art room, and other panels.
Also, there have been numerous cases in the past of people STEALING badges. These were generally those “outsiders” I mentioned before who would try to snatch people’s badges so they could get into the parties. My own cousin had hers unclipped from her purse and taken. I recommend keeping your badge on a lanyard, and keep it tucked in somewhere safe where it’s not dangling or hanging out in easy reach of some nefarious person. Keep it in a pocket, purse, or tucked into the waistband of your costume or boot until it’s needed.
Do I need a stinkin’ badge?
Yes you need a stinkin’ badge!!!
7. Ask Questions
As I said before do NOT be afraid to ask questions. Each hotel has an info booth that can help you if you’re lost or have a question. Attendees are also generally glad to help if at all possible.
Ask questions beforehand, too. If you have any kind of question, hop onto somewhere like the Dragoncon FB group and ask. More often than not, someone else has had your exact question or been in your situation and can help.
8. Elevator Madness
If you are staying at a host hotel, or trying to get somewhere within a host hotel, ESPECIALLY the Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt – I can guarantee you are going to have a wait on an elevator. If you can take the stairs to where you are going – do it, it will probably be faster for you.
Please do not overcrowd the elevators – they WILL malfunction and trap everyone in them until maintenance comes to the rescue. Nobody wants to be in that situation.
Please let anyone in a wheelchair or with a cane have first stab at an elevator with room, even if they weren’t there first. They do not have the option of taking the stairs – and remember that there are people whose disabilities may not be visible, so — really, just don’t act like a selfish animal with the elevators. Let people who were there first get on. Let people getting out get out before you cram in, and try to be thoughtful of those around you.
9. Crowds
It’s going to be crowded. You’re going to have to push through crowds of people to get places, and shuffle along in a crowd along skywalks and in the dealer’s room – it’s just the way it is now.
Be mindful of your costume if you’re in a crowd, both for the sake of your costume and the safety of those around you. Do not stop in the middle of thoroughfare for any reason, least of all to take a photo. Pull over to the side and get out of the way. If staff/volunteers ask you to move, do it. They are trying to control the crowd so the fire marshall doesn’t pitch a fit. (Twice I’ve had volunteers completely clear a path through crowds for me when I told them I was just trying to get to the stairs/elevator. That was awesome.)
The Marriott is where the bulk of the crowd is going to be now. The “AL” level is almost always going to be full, and the escalators/skywalk entrances will always be bottlenecked. Try to take alternate paths if possible.
It used to be the crowd was pretty even between the Marriott and the Hyatt – but ever since the Hyatt instituted “No Photo” zones during peak times, the crowd has drifted more and more towards the Marriott, which is sad. I really like wandering through the Hyatt at night, but now there’s hardly anyone over there. (Honestly, I don’t think the Hyatt much cares for DragonCon. Sad.)
If you want to avoid the crowds especially in the evening when there is a lot of drinking going on, avoid the Marriott, or at least the AL level. The lower levels of the Marriott aren’t as bad, and you can usually find some neat costumes wandering around without a giant crowd. The Hilton is not near as crowded, and the Sheraton and Westin are generally pretty quiet, from what I understand, at night (I’ve actually never been over to either of them at night…. I’ve been to the Sheraton once outside of badge pick-up, and the Westin never.)
If you are INTO the crowds and partying and drinking, then have fun and be safe! I don’t know a lot about the parties and dances because even though we usually have big plans, they usually fall apart in favor of just wandering around.
Even though Dragoncon does feel fairly safe, you still need to keep yourself safe if you’re drinking, especially if you’re having to walk back to a different hotel or parking garage. Don’t walk around alone – have a “fly buddy”.
10. You Can’t Do Everything You Wanted to Do and Things Go Wrong
Be prepared to not be able to do something you wanted to – either because of time, lines, money or just bad luck. There’s a LOT going on at DragonCon and you will more than likely have to decide between two things – or decide between having money for dinner and paying for an autograph.
Sometimes planning ahead and can make things like that unavoidable – but sometimes it’s just the way things work out. Sometimes it CAN BE the con’s fault, but more often than not, it’s nobody’s fault. There are instances where the line is too long and the panel room fills up before you get in the room. An actor doesn’t show up for their panel. The ATM isn’t working. The hotel charges you more than you planned, etc.
Just don’t wrap your hopes and dreams up around one thing at a con. You missed out on autograph – that sucks, but there is plenty of other things to enjoy. I am a firm believer in “the con is what you make it.” If you allow a bad/disappointing experience to ruin the whole trip, the whole trip will be ruined. Or you can push that bad experience behind you and enjoy the rest of your time there. It is what you make it.
11. Eat/Drink
Please be sure to eat and drink! I know I’ve said this multiple times in my FAQ Fridays. But every year at Dragoncon it gets harder and harder to get a proper meal, and that’s because the crowds get bigger and bigger. There are lots of places to eat but they are often completely slammed with people, and you’ll probably end up eating a crummy $10 slice of pizza in the corner of the hotel. But eat SOMETHING. And drink water – it helps with overheating in a hot hotel crowded with people.
There is a food court between the Marriott and the Hyatt that has all kinds of fast food – but good luck finding a table. If you eat here and are done but still taking up a table – please go ahead and move along somewhere else so other people can sit down to eat!
There are restaurants at each hotel but be prepared to pay for it.
Bring some snacky stuff in your bag/keep it in your hotel room just in case you need something between meals!
12. Have Your Camera Ready
If you like costumes, you will see a TON of amazing costumes you will want pictures of. Know how to use your camera and have it ready so you’re not fumbling with the settings and miss a moment.
Speaking of camera, some celebs do not allow photos WITH them at their autograph table, or will charge for it. You will have to go through Froggy’s Photos for a photo with the celeb. Some do not go through Froggys and are fine with pictures at the table – and some celebs will just wander around the floor sight-seeing. I nearly ran face-to-face into Stan Lee after the parade one year because he was just wandering around admiring the costumes and grinning ear to ear.
(and I did NOT get a picture because I did NOT have my camera!)
13. Bring Extra Cash
Bring more money than you think you will need. You never know what charges the hotel will want to tack on, or when you need to take a cab, or when a dealer doesn’t accept cards, or when the ATM will run out of cash, or… you get the picture. The ATMS ALWAYS run out of cash/stop working at some point during DragonCon.
14. Prepare for all Weather
It is HOT at DragonCon. Drink plenty of water and give yourself breaks if you’re in a hot costume.
The hotels will also be hot inside. There are a ton of people crowded in there and they just can’t keep it cool. Make sure you bring your deodorant and put sweat-guards in your costume if need be.
It may also rain. Bring ponchos and umbrellas if you’re going to need to walk outside.
15. The Parade
The parade is a LOT of fun. I recommend just watching it the first year you go – but you’ll want to stake out a spot extra early. Try to find a spot in the shade if you can, too.
It’s an amazing thing to participate in, of course. This year registration is already closed! It is full. You can still “join” through various groups who sign up en masse.
Going back to #14, it will be HOT during the parade. If you’re wearing something hot, prepare yourself. They usually give out cold bottles of water to the parade participants at the end, but look into carrying your own water or a fan if you feel like you might need it. Nobody wants heat exhaustion at Dragoncon!
16. If You’re Cosplaying, give yourself some non-costume time
Even though I wear a ton of costumes Thursday-Monday at DragonCon, I still find time to put on “normal” clothes and go do a few things – either just people-watching, or shopping, or getting autographs, etc. If you’re in costume, you are constantly getting stopped for photos, you’re hot and sweaty, you have trouble getting through crowds, and it’s just not as comfortable, generally speaking. So make sure you give yourself that downtime.
15. Dragoncon Resources
This is far from a comprehensive list, but these are the places that I regularly go to or recommend.
Dragoncon.org – of course. – and also their facebook and twitter. There are a gazillion other sites/facebooks/twitters for the various tracks and events, but I won’t get into all of those!
DragonCon Wiki – LOTS of great info.
DragonCon Livejournal – pre-facebook this was the place to go – still a lot of info.
DragonCon Hotel Room Livejournal and DragonCon Hotel Connection – exchanges, transfers, roomshares etc.
DragonCon Photoshoot Locations – amazing, comprehensive list of places to take photos at the con.
Two generic Facebook groups – Dragon*Con and Official Dragon*Con Facebook – both very active.
DragonCon Photoshoots – Facebook page for group photoshoots.
DragonCon Parade – Official fb group for the parade.
The SCF’s DragonCon forum – superhero costuming at DragonCon.
Prydon Academy – Doctor Who costuming with a large percentage of Dragoncon attendees.
Cosplay.com’s DragonCon Forum – seems much slower this year than previous years.
DragonCon TV’s FB Page
That’s all I can think of for now — if I think of more I’ll come back and add them! (Or if you know of any, add them in the comments!)