New to Fanime!

Started by melonflower, April 21, 2013, 08:04:58 PM

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melonflower

Hi everyone! I'm totally new to fanime and I would really appreciate any advice or suggestions!  ゚▽゚
This is my first year and I'm not quite sure about a few things. I would like other people's opinions

1) I'm planning to go on Friday and do At-Con Registration.
What time do you recommend I should go for at-con registration?
9am or 10am? Is that too late? What time is the line usually the longest at? And what is the usual wait time?

2) Is there a line for panels? Is it first come first serve type of thing? :o

3) Do you recommend bringing a lunch bag or going outside to eat lunch?

4) Will I need to bring alot of water? ×_×; is it best to carry a backpack or smaller bag?

5) Where do you think is the best place to park? (I'm fine with paying a fee if it's less distance walking from the con)

6) Do you think 1 day at fanime is enough to explore all around?

Sorry for all the questions. Thank you to anyone who reads it! ^▽^ if you have any other advice for a newcomer like me let me know! ∩_∩

MikanCos

i have been a congoer my whole life(technically):

1) at 9 am last year we still had to wait 2 hours in the at-con line (we were pre-regs but yeah, wrong line again whoopsies). so try 7 or 8 am. longest wait time then is at most 1 1/2 hours.

2) for panels? not really much of a line. first come/serve, rarely ever

3)food in convention is expensive. i recommend bringing lunch or headin out. if u want, you can join the lunch meetup[http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,18134.0.html]

4)san jose is a hot place, so of course. back pach with waterbottles in it, then you have room for other goods you may want to buy.^^

5)the center has a parking lot, but if u can street park.

hope i helped!!! ^u^
Fanime Mascot Candy (5 years)
Previously StageZero Performer (Now SZ Staff!)

otakuya

1) At-con registration is usually the shorter line. There is no bad time to get your badge, but people tend to want their badges early so they can enjoy the con more. They do have hours of operation, so make sure you get your badge anytime before they close. Some people camp out in line, but you don't have to do that. Average wait time is probably 1 hour.

2) It depends on the panel. If it's a high profile panel, then there might be a line forming outside the room usually 1/2 to 1 hour before. If it's the Cosplay Spectacular, the line forms around the theater and Tech Museum (and starts forming around 4-5 hours before the show). If you just want to show up right on time, you may find a seat near the back or wherever you can find one.

3) No matter where you get food is fine. Just be wary that convention center and hotel food are the most expensive. Recommendation: The Market Safeway on 2nd/3rd St.

4) To add with 01, inside the convention center itself WILL get hot with all of the people around. Outside may actually be cooler. Drinks are your friend.

5) Convention center, if you can afford it and find a spot. Recommendation: The Market Safeway on 2nd/3rd St. again. You can get 2 free hours parking with any purchase, but I'm not sure about overnight parking.

6) It depends. If you go only 1 day, most things happen on Saturday or Sunday, and 24 hours nonstop at Stage Zero.

GokuMew2

Friday is the first day of the con and it's not incredibly active since some people are still working that day. If you don't plan on going the full four days, I would recommend a weekend badge so you can enjoy both Saturday and Sunday when most of the events are. If you can only go one day then it may be better to get either Saturday or Sunday instead of Friday. If the schedule is put up before the con begins, you can check it out and decide which day has the most events you'd like to see.
< Mew >
FanimeCon Guest Relations (2009 - Present)
Person who gets Japanese guests

melonflower

Otakuya,

thank you so much! i'll definitely check out the market safeway. ¬‿¬  keke who doesn't love free parking.
im gonna bring a ton of water now. xD your advice is very helpful! i feel more confident going to fanime now ´∀`

melonflower

hi GokuMew2!

aahhh! i didn't realize most of the event are on sat and sun ;°Д° i definitely have to check out the schedule. thhankk yoouu! I didn't think about this before haha ≧∇≦ i should have done pre-reg but i didnt ◎_◎;

SpiritOfKairi

1) For at-con registration, I would really recommend getting there at 7 or 8.  The line gets fairly long after that, and you'll be waiting 2 hours easily.  If you get there early, though, you might be able to make it only an hour or so.

2) Panels are first-come first-serve, and like others have noted, whether they fill up or not depends on the popularity of the topic.  I would recommend getting to them 20 minutes early just to be on the safe side.  I have seen panels get so full that they had to turn people away.

3) The food in the convention center is fairly expensive, so I wouldn't recommend going there.  Instead, there are plenty of inexpensive eateries around, like McDonald's (only 2 blocks away from the Marriott side of the center), Subway, Hoagie Steak Out (a cheese steak place about a block closer to the center than McD's), La Victoria Taqueria (right next to Hoagie), etc.  True the lines will likely be really long, but the food's good, and you'll be paying about half of what you would be at the center for more food.

4) I would definitely recommend bringing some water.  San Jose gets really hot, and when you factor in how much walking you'll likely be doing, it's a good idea to keep hydrated.  Believe me, you DON'T want to get cornered into buying a bottled water from a center vending machine for $4 (complete robbery).

5) Unfortunately I'm not familiar with a lot of parking since my roommate and I stick to what we know.  If you don't mind shelling out $20/day there's the convention center's parking, though they fill up quickly.  Like, I think if you try to get in there after 10/10:30 you likely won't find a spot.  I know there's also parking right next to the Fairmont (they charge quite a bit though, last time I checked), and I believe there's also one by Psycho Donuts, but I don't know what their rates are.

6) Personally, unless you are able to cover a lot of ground, I don't think one day is enough to experience the entirety of Fanime.  There's simply too much going on.  There's 24 hour gaming (with tournaments), 24 hour anime screenings, cosplay gatherings for different games/series/movies every day, musical acts from morning to night at Stage Zero, panels that change daily, the Maid Cafe (which I believe is only open Sat/Sun), and day-specific activities like the Masquerade, Music Fest, and Black and White Ball.  Going one day is sufficient to give you a taste and introduction to the con if you haven't been before, but it's not enough to see the whole thing.  To do that, you really need a weekend badge, but that also comes with needing a room, and unless you're willing to book somewhere 2.5 miles away, that isn't really possible this close to it.

Gabbyeva54

Hello people! This is going to be my first year at a con I am 14, for starters I honestly don't know what goes on at them. I was just wondering if anyone could answer my questions, thanks! ((Sorry if there are to many! >.< ))
1. What time should I arrive at Friday?(I have already pre-registered but I live in Santa Cruz so I don't know if I can pick up my badge Thursday or Friday..)
2. For panels how do you get into them and is it extra?
3. I heard this is a four day event, does my badge cover everyday?
4. How hot does it get in the convention hall?
5. My parents are wondering what time is drop off and pickup? ((I know this is almost the same as question one, I don't think there is a certain time but yeah..))
Thanks everyone for taking their time if you have anything else you would like to share, that will be greatly appreciated!  :)
~Bow ties are cool~

SkylerKarashi

1. you can pick up your badge on thursday, but im still not sure on times yet.
2. i dont know myself.
3. as long as you pre registered, your badge will last all four days.
4. again, not exactly sure.
5. you are correct, there is no specific times for drop off or pickup.
My Cosplay For Fanime 2024:
Thursday: Closet Kaminari/Yuri (BNHA/Yuri On Ice)
Friday: Goth (Boyfriends)
Saturday: Red (Pokemon & Smash Bros)
Sunday: Casual Kaminari (BNHA)
Monday: Goth (Boyfriends)

Nina Star 9

Welcome to Fanime! With a bit of planning, you'll have a great time. :)

1. Try to get there as early as possible. While pre-reg lines aren't typically terrible on Fridays (unless something goes wrong, like last year's Thursday power outage, forcing a lot of people to pick up their badges on Friday instead), the lines are typically shorter in the mornings, and you'll have more time to enjoy the con.

2. Panels are included in the price of the badge, and you can go to as many as you like. :) The badge price covers every Fanime-sanctioned event at the con, and as far as I know, there is nothing that costs extra to get into (if this changes/if there's something I'm unaware of, please let me know!). This includes, but is not limited to: panels, workshops, video rooms, karaoke, Dealer's Hall, Artist's Alley, Swap Meet, Masquerade, Music Fest, E-Gaming/PC Gaming/arcade, Black and White Ball, dance, etc. You can go to as many or as few of these as you like (as long as you are of the correct age, etc.) with your badge, and there is no limit/separate ticket system/etc. that would prevent you from going to more than one event or would only allow you to attend certain events and not others. These things are instead on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to plan ahead, get in the proper lines, etc.
(the only thing I can think of that would cost extra is the Maid Cafe, but last time I attended, there was no admission charge on top of the cost of food, just the cost of your food...it might be a fun place to go for lunch one day, though it is a bit pricier than some away-from-con options [but somewhat higher quality and more entertaining than most at-con options?], so keep that in mind...it's not exorbitant, though)
I'd advise looking at the schedule ahead of time (as soon as they post it), printing a copy, and highlighting the events that you wish to attend, so you can have an easy guide to what is going on at any given time and what you think you want to do.

3. Pre-reg badges are for all four days, yes. Though, not much happens on Mondays, since the con ends earlier in the day and most people are packing up to go home, so unless you are interested in a particular panel/anime showing/cosplay gathering/other event or in watching the closing ceremonies, if you are going to be dropped off each day, it may or may not be worth it to attend on Monday. you'd have to decide that yourself. (I personally spend the morning packing up and loading the car before the big elevator rush, then spend the late morning and early afternoon taking a last sweep of the Dealer's Hall and Artist's alley before eating lunch and heading out, but your experience may differ)

4. It can get fairly warm. When there are so many bodies packed into an area, heat can be an issue, especially at events where the area is densely packed and/or there is movement involved (certain panel rooms, but mostly dances and such). It can be fairly warm outside, especially if you are from a cooler area like Santa Cruz (I laugh at the "heat" in San Jose because it can be 20 degrees cooler than my naive Sacramento, but people do complain at the outdoor heat), so bring sunglasses and sunscreen if you are planning on spending much time outdoors. Bring at least one water bottle, probably a couple, each day, as well, since it is easy to get dehydrated. However, it can also get chilly -- evenings can get fairly cool, and some air-conditioned rooms can be quite chilly, especially if you sit in them for a while and/or get cold easily, so dress in layers or bring a sweater, or plan cosplay accordingly, since you won't be able to easily go and grab something warmer to wear or change into something cooler.

5. That's really up to you and your parents, and how late they are willing to have a 14-year-old out on her(?) own at the con. I'd say that most events start in the late morning or around noon, and most things that aren't karaoke/video rooms/gaming/other late-night or 24-hour activities tend to wrap up around 10ish? I'd say that unless you wanted to attend an evening event (MusicFest, Masquerade, etc.), 8 or 9 would be fine? Once you get past 10, late-night events start, which are more adult-oriented, and I'd be worried about your safety. Once the schedule is released, you'll have to see which events you want to attend and see about when those would be wrapping up to decide, and, of course, have your parents decide how late they want you out for safety reasons. It's a relatively safe place, especially if you don't wander too far away from the con or wander outside alone at night (even then, it's not terrible), but sometimes it can be a bit sketchy, so just keep that in mind.

Other than that, mostly what people do at cons is go to events, participate in events (like gaming, dances, cosplay gatherings, Masquerade), do hall cosplay, simply hang out and meet people...there's a lot to do, so just have at it! (I personally mostly participate in karaoke open mic and certain events, and do hall cosplay, though I also like to shop the artist's alley a lot, and I go to some cosplay gatherings, as well as the B&W Ball...I don't actually do a lot at cons, though) This sounds like your first con, so you'll get the hang of it and understand what is going on once you get there, I'm sure. :) Enjoy yourself!

ewu

Quote from: Gabbyeva54 on April 23, 2013, 07:48:48 PM
1. What time should I arrive at Friday?(I have already pre-registered but I live in Santa Cruz so I don't know if I can pick up my badge Thursday or Friday..)
2. For panels how do you get into them and is it extra?
3. I heard this is a four day event, does my badge cover everyday?
4. How hot does it get in the convention hall?
5. My parents are wondering what time is drop off and pickup? ((I know this is almost the same as question one, I don't think there is a certain time but yeah..))

Staffer answer:
1.  You can pick up on Thursday. For Friday, depends on how early you can. As early as possible. Those that have school tend to rush the con at 3-5pm and so the lines get long and the wait can be up to 2-3 hrs. Best time would be around 10 or 11am. The morning rush has been processed and you can expect a wait of half an hour to an hour. You can come on Thursday, but the line is usually very long, 2-3 hour wait. Last year most events were free/unbadged until midnight or 8AM Friday morning, so a badge on Thursday does not really matter.

2. All panels are included in the membership. We discourage events costing extra on top of the membership cost, so you are almost guaranteed to be admitted to any Fanime event except 1) skipping the line, 2) the room hitting capacity, or 3) the event is invite only.

3. If you purchase a single day badge, you can be admitted from 8am that day till 8am the next morning. Because you have a per-registered membership for the full weekend, you can attend any event from opening on Thursday up till the last event on Monday.

4. The convention center is usually pretty cool even on a hot day. The places it does get hot it in lines. Otherwise, its comfortable and occasionally warm.

5. The convention runs 24/5, 24 hours Thurs - Monday. Not sure what you are asking.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me at my addy below or registration at registrationATfanimeDOTcom.

*wipes brow* and thanks those that answered before me, or as I was typing *nudge nudge*
Eric Wu
FanimeCon Chairman
FanimeCon Forums Moderator

ericATfanimeDOTcom

Spark Miko Miko

umm, I would recommend that you bring water and headache medicine to this event... It gets so hot in those rooms

Gabbyeva54

Okay, thanks everyone I feel more informed about this. I can't wait! >w<
~Bow ties are cool~

Technochocolate

I'm 14 and I already pre registered to Fanime, but I was wondering if i need some sort of permission slip thingamajig
   :-\

Torai

I'm 98% positive that you don't.

The only instance in which you would need a parent/guardian involved registration wise if you don't have the proper identification to pick up your badge. (So, if you don't have a state issued ID or a school ID... etc.) In that case, you'd need to have your parent/guardian with you to show the registration staffer their ID so you can get your badge. Otherwise, being 14 doesn't mean much so long as you aren't trying to get into an 18+ event, and what not!

DangerHeart

Quote from: Technochocolate on April 25, 2013, 07:20:10 PM
I'm 14 and I already pre registered to Fanime, but I was wondering if i need some sort of permission slip thingamajig
   :-\

Taken from the Registration FAQ page:

Q: I am under 18 and do not have a driver's license or passport – what do I do?
A: All FanimeCon members must have either a student ID or a valid government-issued photo ID. If an attendee is under 18 and does not have either a government-issued photo ID or student ID, they can still pick up their badge if their parent or legal guardian accompanies them to Registration. The parent or legal guardian must have a valid government-issued photo ID that is consistent with the information listed on the attendee's registration. The parent or legal guardian is not required to purchase a badge and does not need to accompany the attendee at all times, but will still be responsible for the attendee's behavior and actions.

Technochocolate

Thanks , phew .. I remember seeing something about a permission slip on the website but I went back and couldnt find it later so I wasn't sure if i needed one or not , Thanks  :D

Amanojaku

#17
I've never needed water at Fanime Con.  I'm a soda drinker!  But anyhow, unless you plan to dance like a maniac at the dance, or sprint to everything you want to see, you probably won't need water either.

Med edit: its called a dance:)
FanimeCon attended: 17 times
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Tetsuo

Quick questions:

1) When do lines usually open on Day 0?

2) Are we gonna have more "technical difficulties" like last year? Are the people who couldnt get their badges gonna have to go home if that happens or what?

Nina Star 9

Quote from: Amanojaku on April 26, 2013, 06:00:22 PM
But anyhow, unless you plan to dance like a maniac at the dance, or sprint to everything you want to see, you probably won't need water either.
Seriously bad advice, here.

Yes, there are drinking fountains throughout the con. Yes, there are often jugs of water with cups throughout the con. Make use of these if you don't have a bottle of water, or if you run out. but you -will- need water, whether you do heavy physical activities/sweat a lot or not. you'll be walking around quite a bit, and you DO NOT want to be dehydrated. Don't take a chance on that. You'll be miserable, run the risk of passing out, etc. You need water. Drink it. Actually, probably my #1 tip for surviving an anime con is to drink plenty of water (and, along with that, make sure to eat at the bare minimum one proper meal a day, preferably at least two), because you WILL be sorry if you don't. It's your health. Be sure to take care of it.



Quote from: Tetsuo on April 26, 2013, 07:53:49 PM
2) Are we gonna have more "technical difficulties" like last year? Are the people who couldnt get their badges gonna have to go home if that happens or what?
I don't think anyone can predict if the power will accidentally go out again...