1st time attending Fanime. Any tips?

Started by airwickkim, March 07, 2015, 11:00:45 PM

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domofudge

1) Create a daily budget for yourself. That way you don't spend too much all at once. Also, artists alley tends to lower their prices on the last two days.

2) You'll probably meet a lot of great people. However, sometimes you'll get invites to drink and hang out in someones' hotel room. Never go alone. Those hangouts tend to have a lot of alcohol and even if you don't drink, things can escalate  into uncomfortable levels pretty fast.

3) Don't eat the food at Fanime. It's expensive as all hell.

4) Look at the event (gaming halls, cosplay gatherings, karaoke, panels, dances, etc) forums and make a schedule for yourself. Write down what you want to attend and organize it. Make sure you don't end up doing too much in one day.

5) Bring comfy shoes to change into if you're cosplaying or wearing fancy shoes. You will walk a LOT.

6) In your bag, carry some emergency supplies! (Cosplay fix it kits, deodorant, water, first aid, makeup, etc)

OtakuAngel87

everyone pretty much said what I'd suggest, most of all if you aren't sure check the schedule or ask the rovers that's what they are there for. I've been going since 2007 and its always been fun also you get to meet a lot of new people with similar interests
Fanime 2017 Cosplay Lineup(tentative):
Himouto Umaru
Mikuzukin
Hatsune Miku (original)
Sailor Moon

beastboytitans

Sup brotato
this will be my 2nd time at fanime but liike 6th or 7th con

Bring food, or make sure you eat,
that's I think the most important thing.
It's pretty easy to forget cause
you'll plan on walking to get food then all of a sudden
omfg datcosplay.jpg
yakkity yak yak
hey we're about to do this and that
wanna come?
then oh sht its 4 hours later

There's this uhhh oriental place (not sure what cuisine)
down the street from the con
If I remember right I got a bowl of rice and pork
that was too big for me to finish and it was like 7$
so there's affordable places pretty close by
dont ever buy food at the con unless youre dying
cause a tiny ass sandwhich is like 8-9$ and stuff lol

I don't think you'll have to worry about wandering alone
or anything like that.
just as long as youre not mega shy but
I was waiting for my homie outside the bathroom by myself
and this mob of like 10 ppl were like yoo why are you by yourself lol
On the other hand I tried to talk to ppl that were sitting alone or looked lost
cause homies MAKE con at least for me haha.

Honestly the panels and stuff were kind of meh last year
but the gatherings were epic
if theres a fandom youre hardcore into keep on top of when/where its going to be
seriously,
last year I walked where one gathering was and nobody was there
and I asked a staff memeber and he was like OH YEAH WE CHANGED THE TIME
LAST MINUTE LOL

if you have anything remotley resembling a prop
go get it checked inside the con right away.
some ppl have a 9 foot staff and don't get looked at the entire con
others have a dinky ass wand and get OMFG WTF WHY ISNT THAT CHECK ARE YOU TRYING TO GET KICKED OUT OF CON BLAH BLAH BLAHG BLAHSRTDJTR

I would reinforce the waiting till sun/mon for the dealers hall.
last con (not fanime) some of the tight ass no-bartering dealers
were pretty leniant. 30? hmmm I got 20$ is dat coo? yeah sure

the swap meet is really good for finding some stuff.
youll want to come a little later probably cause the first hour or two can be swamped

if you see beast boy, 2D, or invader zim das me!

SpiritOfKairi

I think just about everything's been covered at this point, but seriously, eating, keeping hydrated, getting sleep, and bathing are basic, but KEY.  As other have mentioned, try to stay away from food in the convention if you can.  It's really expensive, and you'll be able to find much better stuff within 3 blocks of the center.  Seriously, there are a TON of great, inexpensive restaurants around.  Lol a lot of people hit up the McDonald's since it's really inexpensive and familiar, but there are some more local favorites like La Victoria's (awesome burritos for about $6), Tandoori Oven (Indian place behind the Fairmont), Hoagie's (sandwhich shop), and Pizza My Heart (kind of self explanatory there lol).  There are tons of others, but those are the ones that come immediately to mind.

Also, water cannot be stressed enough.  It's really easy to get dehydrated when you're out in the hot summer sun and walking constantly.  I think others have suggested bringing water bottles, and this is definitely a good idea.  I myself being a case of water to the room, and by the end of the con, my roommate and I have gone through almost all.  Also I'm a bit paranoid about dehydration since a few years back I got a minor case of it at Fanime.

When it comes to buying stuff, try to not impulse buy.  If you see something you like, hold off for a day or so and see if it's still as awesome as you thought it was before.  If you're not careful with your money it can go quick, and you need to show some restraint.  Lol you'll probably want to buy all the things when you get into the Artist Alley and Dealer's Hall, but resist!

I think someone else mentioned comfortable shoes, and this is also a MUST.  When you're walking for 14+ hours a day, unless you're careful with footwear, your feet could easily be screaming in agony with every step you take Monday.  Just take the comfiest pair you have and you should be okay.

svatoid

At certain times of the day the bathrooms at the convention center are in terrible shape. Most important is a lack of toilet paper. I always put a roll in my backpack, just in case

Sunara Ishi

If you're staying in a hotel room, go shopping at someplace, like Costco, beforehand to buy snacks & drinks. You can also buy things that last like Ramen noodle cups. Fans have a tendency to overspend and leave very little money for food so buying food beforehand is a good idea.

Set aside as much money as you can/can afford. There is a lot to buy and you'll find that you run through cash quickly. Also, space your spending; only bring so much cash with you at one time. For safety reasons and also to keep from splurging it all on one day. Having to go get money, from an atm/bank makes you consider if you really want to buy "x" item.

Bring a bottle of water with you & save the bottle to refill at water fountains. It will get hot & sweaty inside with all the people (even if it is 60 degrees outside.) It'll become very easy to get dehydrated; especially if you're stuck in a line or wearing a hot cosplay (even something light weight with long sleeves.) Also, bring a change of clothes for when you want to get out of your cosplay. Also, cosplay gatherings happen on time and usually don't go past 30 minutes; so, if you want to see "x" cosplay or participate, be there on time.

Line up early as lines get long fast for certain events. Make sure you get food before lining up for late night events (masquerade, musicfest, etc.) as most restaurants will be closed after those events get out. Also common sense but... don't go anywhere online with someone you aren't comfortable with & report any suspicious people (people that look like they shouldn't be on con premised, people following you, etc.) to rovers. And don't go exploring downtown alone, especially late at night.

Otherwise, have fun.
るう~
o(≧∀≦)O
"Doesn't break even when run over by a tank! The most durable ballpoint pen in world!"-Nebula

ZeroBudgetGamer

I know a lot of people are repeating the "Wait till Monday" rule for the Gathering Hall, but that's a double-edged sword.  My first Fanime was back in 2013, which was also when I got hardcore into Monster Hunter.  They had a meetup that year and a few of the con-goers managed to snag some sweet MonHun Plushies from the Hall, so I became driven to find the stall that had them.  I checked everywhere in that Hall Sunday, no luck. Asked around and got the specific spot, went back on Monday, and sure enough, they had sold out of them all on Saturday, probably before the meetup.  I also like getting shirts from the SharkRobot stall at every con I go to, but a couple times when I've waited too long, they've ended up out of my size for the shirt(s) I wanted.

Long story short, even if you don't BUY anything, go into the Dealer's Hall and examine EVERY stall at least once on Friday.  Some stalls will have impressive amounts of stock handy, but others are limited to what you see on their tables.  Getting a deal is great, but waiting for that deal to come and losing out on something you really wanted in the process can put a damper on the good times.

Torai

Quote from: ZeroBudgetGamer on May 14, 2015, 10:13:28 AM
I know a lot of people are repeating the "Wait till Monday" rule for the Gathering Hall, but that's a double-edged sword.  My first Fanime was back in 2013, which was also when I got hardcore into Monster Hunter.  They had a meetup that year and a few of the con-goers managed to snag some sweet MonHun Plushies from the Hall, so I became driven to find the stall that had them.  I checked everywhere in that Hall Sunday, no luck. Asked around and got the specific spot, went back on Monday, and sure enough, they had sold out of them all on Saturday, probably before the meetup.  I also like getting shirts from the SharkRobot stall at every con I go to, but a couple times when I've waited too long, they've ended up out of my size for the shirt(s) I wanted.

Long story short, even if you don't BUY anything, go into the Dealer's Hall and examine EVERY stall at least once on Friday.  Some stalls will have impressive amounts of stock handy, but others are limited to what you see on their tables.  Getting a deal is great, but waiting for that deal to come and losing out on something you really wanted in the process can put a damper on the good times.

I kinda just wanna reaffirm this! The best time to buy would be Friday or Monday, because many many times I've noticed that something I bought on Friday went up by like five or even ten bucks the very next day. (Also once a dealer gave me a small discount on some small things because it was near closing time on Friday and the crowd was super light.) I tend to do shopping on Friday myself because I know things will be at least a little cheaper and it's kinda like early dibs on things in stock that would totally be gone by Monday otherwise. I've heard things about manga sellers giving bigger discounts on Monday, though, so that's something to try to hold out on if there aren't any Must Haves.

airwickkim

Thanks for the tips for buying merchandise! Definitely will pick up some stuff though :)

As for carrying water and snacks, do you guys just bring a backpack or something to put them in while you're perusing the con? For those in cosplay, does carrying one bother you? I have a backpack, but I feel like it could get kind of uncomfortable while in cosplay and walking around in the heat.

Kumoshi

I personally do bring a backpack because I need to carry my camera, snacks, water bottle, wallet, and various other miscellaneous items around. I do find it to be a bit of hassle of carry around especially when I'm cosplaying since I already sweat easilyand I have to take off the backpack for pictures, so a bag that would be light and comfortable to carry around a long time would probably be good, whether that is a backpack or something else c:

Sunara Ishi

Quote from: Torai on May 14, 2015, 03:02:34 PM
Quote from: ZeroBudgetGamer on May 14, 2015, 10:13:28 AM
I know a lot of people are repeating the "Wait till Monday" rule for the Gathering Hall, but that's a double-edged sword.  My first Fanime was back in 2013, which was also when I got hardcore into Monster Hunter.  They had a meetup that year and a few of the con-goers managed to snag some sweet MonHun Plushies from the Hall, so I became driven to find the stall that had them.  I checked everywhere in that Hall Sunday, no luck. Asked around and got the specific spot, went back on Monday, and sure enough, they had sold out of them all on Saturday, probably before the meetup.  I also like getting shirts from the SharkRobot stall at every con I go to, but a couple times when I've waited too long, they've ended up out of my size for the shirt(s) I wanted.

Long story short, even if you don't BUY anything, go into the Dealer's Hall and examine EVERY stall at least once on Friday.  Some stalls will have impressive amounts of stock handy, but others are limited to what you see on their tables.  Getting a deal is great, but waiting for that deal to come and losing out on something you really wanted in the process can put a damper on the good times.

I kinda just wanna reaffirm this! The best time to buy would be Friday or Monday, because many many times I've noticed that something I bought on Friday went up by like five or even ten bucks the very next day. (Also once a dealer gave me a small discount on some small things because it was near closing time on Friday and the crowd was super light.) I tend to do shopping on Friday myself because I know things will be at least a little cheaper and it's kinda like early dibs on things in stock that would totally be gone by Monday otherwise. I've heard things about manga sellers giving bigger discounts on Monday, though, so that's something to try to hold out on if there aren't any Must Haves.
I want to add a couple things to this:

1) Buy the things you really want early and wait for the "I kinda like this" items & impulse buys for later during the con. Chances are that, the item you really want, will be sell out fast. More so if it is rare.

2) I've noticed that the Dealers don't quite give as deep discounts as they used to. And many places, you'll be lucky to get $5 off... It used to be that they wanted to get rid of their stock before the con's end but now more and more Dealers hold onto their stock to sell at future cons/events. I could see waiting til the end of con if the discount was still great things like 50% but $5 off just isn't worth waiting.
るう~
o(≧∀≦)O
"Doesn't break even when run over by a tank! The most durable ballpoint pen in world!"-Nebula

OtakuAngel87

Quote from: Sunara Ishi on May 18, 2015, 03:39:09 AM
Quote from: Torai on May 14, 2015, 03:02:34 PM
Quote from: ZeroBudgetGamer on May 14, 2015, 10:13:28 AM
I know a lot of people are repeating the "Wait till Monday" rule for the Gathering Hall, but that's a double-edged sword.  My first Fanime was back in 2013, which was also when I got hardcore into Monster Hunter.  They had a meetup that year and a few of the con-goers managed to snag some sweet MonHun Plushies from the Hall, so I became driven to find the stall that had them.  I checked everywhere in that Hall Sunday, no luck. Asked around and got the specific spot, went back on Monday, and sure enough, they had sold out of them all on Saturday, probably before the meetup.  I also like getting shirts from the SharkRobot stall at every con I go to, but a couple times when I've waited too long, they've ended up out of my size for the shirt(s) I wanted.

Long story short, even if you don't BUY anything, go into the Dealer's Hall and examine EVERY stall at least once on Friday.  Some stalls will have impressive amounts of stock handy, but others are limited to what you see on their tables.  Getting a deal is great, but waiting for that deal to come and losing out on something you really wanted in the process can put a damper on the good times.

I kinda just wanna reaffirm this! The best time to buy would be Friday or Monday, because many many times I've noticed that something I bought on Friday went up by like five or even ten bucks the very next day. (Also once a dealer gave me a small discount on some small things because it was near closing time on Friday and the crowd was super light.) I tend to do shopping on Friday myself because I know things will be at least a little cheaper and it's kinda like early dibs on things in stock that would totally be gone by Monday otherwise. I've heard things about manga sellers giving bigger discounts on Monday, though, so that's something to try to hold out on if there aren't any Must Haves.
I want to add a couple things to this:

1) Buy the things you really want early and wait for the "I kinda like this" items & impulse buys for later during the con. Chances are that, the item you really want, will be sell out fast. More so if it is rare.

2) I've noticed that the Dealers don't quite give as deep discounts as they used to. And many places, you'll be lucky to get $5 off... It used to be that they wanted to get rid of their stock before the con's end but now more and more Dealers hold onto their stock to sell at future cons/events. I could see waiting til the end of con if the discount was still great things like 50% but $5 off just isn't worth waiting.

To add on to all these points which I've also come across as well. Although it might seem like a drag or not worth your time, do a little research on what it is you're looking for. Check the prices online for rough idea of what an item costs so you can see if it is something you're willing to pay a little more for if it's something that's rare and it's extremely high online or if it's cheaper online you could possibly hold back until closer to the end of the con. This way while browsing through the dealers room on friday you can get idea of whether each seller prices items reasonably or not. Also this is a good tactic for the swap meet at night as well. But like ZeroBudgetGamer said, it could become a double edge sword if you're not careful. and Sunara Ishi made a good point, even if you see an item rare, if it's not something that you truly want, any kind of unsure thought, I wouldn't spend money on it that early in case you find a better item that you do want.
Fanime 2017 Cosplay Lineup(tentative):
Himouto Umaru
Mikuzukin
Hatsune Miku (original)
Sailor Moon

airwickkim

Thank you so much, everyone! I wish I could meet all of you and thank you in person! All your input has been greatly appreciated for a con noob like me.

I feel at least a bit more prepared for Fanime, though I think it'll still be a bit overwhelming haha. Hopefully I'll be able to meet some of you, but if not, have a wonderful time!