DragonCon newbie

[fiduch.livejournal.com]

Hi folks,

I'm a long time nerd (I have a huge comic collection), but I've never been to a Con. I'm thinking of making DragonCon this year my first. I'm actually getting married on labor day, so there will be a bunch of people in town visiting, and I was thinking of having some people accompany me to DragonCon on Saturday afternoon/evening. However, I'm having a really hard time figuring what's actually going on at any given time. Is there a comprehensive schedule of the events going on each day and at what times?

Basically what I'm trying to figure out is if it'd really be worth it for us to go at around 5pm just for the evening. Does the Con pick up or die down in the evening? What sorts of things would be going on? Is it worth the $50 if i'm not getting there until late in the day?

Any advice/information would be greatly appreciated! :)

Comments

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

Hey there :)

As for the schedule, that should be getting released any day now. There is something like over 3000 hours of total programming, so it takes an awful long time to get everything coordinated...hence how late the compreh3ensive schedule gets posted. In the meantime, though, you can check out some of the individual programming track schedules (the tracks are separate departments of programming, each based around a different theme, such as scifi literature, or scifi tv, or star wars, etc). A good list of the track websites can be found at the following site (on the left sidebar):
http://dailydragon.dragoncon.org/

I think it really depends on how late you'd be staying, and what you'd want to see, that should influence your decision to buy a badge or not. Many things, such as fan panels, you can often walk right into without anyone checking for badges. If you want to go to a large celebrity Q & A (there might be some going on around 5pm, but probably not much later than that, they're usually earlier in the day), you will definitely need a badge. You'll also need a badge to get into the dealers rooms, though those might be closing around that time of the evening.

Though I think it would be completely worth it JUST to go hang out at the convention and walk around looking at all the costumers and other things that go on in the halls, where anyone is welcome, badge or not. Those areas are often times the most energetic, and I have a ton of fun just people-watching and hanging out in the hotel lobbies looking at everything :)

In conclusion, I'd say its definitely worth going to hang out there for a few hours, even if you don't have a badge! Since you're in the area, I think you should most definitely do it :)

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

Oh, and it DEFINITELY picks up in the evening. Evenings at Dragon*Con are the BEST.

[scottopic.livejournal.com]

Oh, good god. I was going to say Con explodes in the nighttime.

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeah, that's pretty much the best word you could use that describes what happens at night =P

[fiduch.livejournal.com]

thanks for the advice! :) it's definitely sounding like it'd be worth it. so when you say there are areas you can only get into with a badge (panels and such), do you mean that i could just walk around the floor with the vendors and stuff for free? without having to buy a "membership" or whatever they call it?

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

The vendors are all going to be in the dealers rooms, so you'd need a badge to get into those :( And I just looked it up on the site: the dealers/vendors rooms close at 7pm, so you would still have time in the evening to check them out if you wanted to pay for a badge.

[fiduch.livejournal.com]

hmmm, so what sorts of areas could i get into without paying? :p just out of curiosity.

[blood-sorbet.livejournal.com]

The con is in 4 different hotels, so the events all take place in the various ballrooms and meeting rooms of the hotels. You won't be able to get into any of the "big" events that take place in the ballrooms (these would be the aforementioned celebrity panels, and also dances and concerts), and you couldn't get into the vendor rooms.

You might be able to get into some small panels taking place in meeting rooms, but you can definitely check out the artist alley, the band table sections, and anywhere in the lobbies/public areas of the hotels (the main space of the hotels). So basically anywhere that isn't its own separate room off of the main hotel floor :) In these public areas there will be literally thousands and thousands of people, many in costume, just simply hanging out. I know dozens of people that go to this con JUST for the atmosphere, and they never set foot in any of the panels or events that require a membership!! It's seriously SO worth it just to go hang out. It's literally like a giant party, especially in the Hyatt and Marriott. It's a fantastically fun atmosphere, and I guarantee you'll meet some awesome new people, wherever you choose to settle down and observe everything :)

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

I'm not 100% positive, but I think they checked my badge at the entrance to Artist Alley last year too, fwiw.

[westonwyse.livejournal.com]

If you enjoy people watching, you should come with or without a badge. Half the fun for me is just seeing the costumes in the hotel lobbies.

And for the last two years, another large chunk of the fun is watching the unsuspecting football fans stuck at a hotel bar with the Avengers, GI Joe, and assorted escapees from the netherworlds.

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

No you can't get into the dealers room without a badge

DCon 2010 Schedule

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

Final schedule for all the tracks haven't been published yet. So things could still change. That being said.

DCon picks up major in the evening hours.

If all you and your friends want to do is see some great costumes(can rival if not beat Hollywood), then I suggest you just come on down to any of the host hotels (Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton or Sheraton) and hang around their lobbies and people watch (and get some great photo pixs). No badge is required to do that. Badges are only required to get into venues (tracks), if you will.

You say you're really into Comics, so if you're into anything by Stan Lee you might want to consider getting a badge if you'd like to talk to him in person or maybe snap a candid shot with him (this would be at the Walk of Fame)

And finally, congrats on your upcoming wedding.

[nightwing22dg.livejournal.com]

Hello there,
I too have a huge, huge comic book collection. I keep wondering what I'm going to do with them all. They seem to be everywhere. I suppose, as a comic fan, I can offer a little different perspective.
This is without a doubt the best lineup of comic book creators ever in one place in Atlanta in the last 13 years I've been here.
Now, since your time is limited, that will complicate things. Though, congratulations on your upcoming marriage.
Since your time is limited, I guess the question is what you're looking to get out of going. What they said is true, there will be some panels going on around 5PM and lots of things going on at night. However, if you're looking to meet comic book creators, get comics signed, go to a comic book panel, have a chance to meet Stan Lee or even look at him at the other end of the room: Well, those things would all be difficult to do at that time. The early hours of 10AM - 5PM would be the prime hours to meet comic creators. I would think that there may still be some at their booths at that time. But others will be gone for the day. You probably stand a 50/50 chance of meeting certain creators that late in the day. I'm sure you'd meet some, but there would be no way of knowing which ones would still be there.
Same thing with the Walk of Fame. If you were hoping to meet some of the actors, some will still be there and others won't be. There would be no way of knowing who would be there.
As for the dealer room, they will stay open a few hours, so you can find cool things to buy there.
As far as panels go, there is probably a 5:30PM panel scheduled for each track when the schedule comes out. Some tracks may squeeze in a 7PM panel, but most probably won't. Come about 7:30PM and after, DragonCon becomes all about costumes, costumes, costumes! The costumes are incredible! The entire night is generally for people to show of their costumes and others to take pictures. You'll also encounter the Dawn Look Alike contest on Saturday night as well as bands playing and movies shown.
I really don't know anything about what days you have free since you're getting married, but if you were able to attend in the morning and afternoon hours of Fri, Sat., or Sun, you'd experience a lot more interaction with the guests and panels. Saturday costs more for some strange reason, but Friday and Sunday are really just as great. Monday is really not so great.
I couldn't imagine going to DragonCon and giving up either the daytime interaction with the guests or looking at costumes at night.

[twinklebat.livejournal.com]

Coming that late in the day just for Saturday I'd suggest just hanging out in the public areas of the hotels. I don't know what line(s) for badges are like that time of day, but I've had friends come down just for a day before and end up spending way too much of it just in line to get a badge. The Pulse bar in the Marriott is pretty much the hang out spot. You can see all sorts of costumes and such just hanging out there. Sometimes bands will have small shows in one of the lobbies of the Hyatt too. And if you have any friends staying in a host hotel then if they're agreeable about it you can watch main events in the hotel rooms via DCTV.

[glasscannon.livejournal.com]

Seconding this. Being that it's your first time at DragonCon, you only have the one evening, and you'll have additional people in tow, I would vote for just going to the Marriott and hanging out in the Atrium lobby and attached bars. You won't be able to get into any of the panels, late night parties, or the dealers' rooms, but you can't ask for better people-watching than the Marriott Saturday evening (seriously, it's *packed*), and spend some time talking with DragonCon attendees about the show, etc. (Oh, and drinking, if that's your thing -- tons of that going on!)

Maybe, once the schedule is released, if there is something specific that catches your eye, then maybe you could consider buying a badge. But otherwise I'd start at the shallow end with just people watching and chatting it up. ;)

[ubiquitous-a.livejournal.com]

Thirding this. Just doing the people watching in the Marriott Atrium alone is worth it!

[trybutez.livejournal.com]

You could do worse than to have a bachelor party at D*Con... heck, tell a few of the people you're tying the knot on Laborday and you may just get yourself a free drink... (and more)

[eidolon-bird.livejournal.com]

Things you need a badge for:
- The last few panels still going on
- Themed parties being held in the ballrooms (Firefly Shindig, BSG Colonial Party, Pirate Party, Mad Scientist's Ball, just to name a tiny handful of the many things going on)
- Concerts (Voltaire and Crüxshadows are fan favorites and I believe they both played Saturday night last year)
- Dances/Raves/Drum Circle
- Autographs in The Walk of Fame (this might close before 5pm, I can't remember)
- Dealer's Room/Exhibition Halls/Art Alley/Comic tables
- In the past, some of the hotels (notably the Hyatt) have restricted access to only those with a con badge or roomkey for their hotel.
- Costume contests (I believe the Dawn contest is Saturday night, as well as a few other things)

Things you don't need a badge for:
- Hanging around hotel lobbies and:
   •Buying drinks from the bar (expensive, but usually strong)
   •Chatting with other con-goers
   •Watching all the people in costume
- Perusing the band tables downstairs at the Marriott (unless they move them again)
- Attending private room parties, if you are invited to one

In short, if you are fine with sitting around and chatting with fans, you don't need to spend any money. If you actually want in on any of the panels, official parties, concerts, dances, costume contests and so on, that's when you have to shell out for a badge.

[tenshihitomi.livejournal.com]

Will you be bringing fuzzdecay? :)

[fiduch.livejournal.com]

hi wendy! she won't be coming, no. it's a level of geekery that she's simply not ready for. :p

[tenshihitomi.livejournal.com]

It is rather overwhelming your first year... but after you get the lay of the land so to speak (read: learn how to navigate the hotels), everything falls into place.

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

from what i've heard the costumes get skimpy & more outrageous after dark. so if you or any of the people who are going with you are easily offended, beware!

[fiduch.livejournal.com]

actually, that's one of the major reasons we're planning on going, so that's good to hear! :p

[http://users.livejournal.com/_ladyvader_/]

Best Bachelor Party Setting EVAR. Of course I'm biased. ^^ And yes lots of nakedness goes on at DragonCon, especially at night and especially on Saturday night.