Age Restricted Activities

[LordDawn]

I know Fanime has a current (and in my opinion inefficient) method of enforcing 18+ events, but having seen how other events handle their enforcement, I think Fanime should adopt the Anime Expo model.

At anime expo people who want to attend 18+ (and for their event they also offer 21+ events) attendees line up at a particular booth with identification, and are given one of those concert wristbands, the different color denoting 18+ or 21+

To make this even more efficient, Fanime could offer the wristbands at Pre-registration/registration upon badge pickup, this way the only thing attendees need to show when entering an 18+/21+ event is to make sure their wristband is visible and untampered with.

I think this would work better than the previous method requiring to check badge and ID at EVERY age restricted event.

I also think its a nice identifier for people wishing to meet others of an at least similar age.

[LordDawn]

I also forgot to mention that I think it would be a good idea in regards to the dance that their be an all ages portion prior to the 18+/21+ dance. Again similar to how AX did it, with the wristbands in mind, they had an all ages portion, then by a certain time they asked all attendees to leave momentarily (at this point they switched out DJ's, adjusted the lighting, and made other preparations. They then asked everyone wishing to (re)enter to have their badges and identifying wristbands to have them visible.

If I remember correctly it was something like 6pm-10pm was all ages, then from then until closing it was 18+ (obviously these times would be adjusted to the Fanime schedule, but this is just to give you a general idea)

[Barnes]

Somebody once suggested 18+ badges, but a staffer said "attendees could simply swap badges."

Therefore, I don't think the wristband idea will work. Or am I missing something?

[iAteTheRamen]

Therefore, I don't think the wristband idea will work. Or am I missing something?

I think what LordDawn is talking about are those wristbands with the white sticker/adhesive parts that are hard to remove, like the ones at concerts and stuff.

[LordDawn]

Therefore, I don't think the wristband idea will work. Or am I missing something?

I think what LordDawn is talking about are those wristbands with the white sticker/adhesive parts that are hard to remove, like the ones at concerts and stuff.

Those would be the ones, its pretty easy to tell if those have been removed, and the staff could potentially put them on tight enough for someone to not just slip it off and give it to someone else.

[Admiral Donuts]

Then pick-up for group registrations couldn't happen, and you'd have to wear the same paper bracelet from Thursday to Sunday.

[Nina Star 9]

SacAnime uses plastic wristbands as their badges, and they're fairly durable, so they'll last a whole weekend.

I didn't bother doing any age-restricted events when I went to AX last year, so I don't know how their wristband system worked, and I don't usually attend age-restricted events at Fanime so I don't know how clogged the lines can get from ID checking.

But I can say, that as someone who attends SacAnime and has to deal with their wristband system, I don't like this idea, especially if it's pretty much expected that all 18+ attendees will wear a wristband. First and foremost, Fanime is a big con for cosplay, and having a wristband required makes that a lot more difficult for a lot of people, whether it's problems with the wristband being visible in photos or problems with physically wearing the wristband with a costume (especially things like bodysuits and armor). It's also not that effective of a system, since the wristbands are pretty easy to slip off. You can make them tight enough to not slip off, yes, but as someone with sensitive skin and poor circulation, I always request my wristbands at SA to be loose for comfort reasons. It would also make group reg difficult if the wristbands are handed out at registration, since reg wouldn't be able to simply hand someone a handful of loose wristbands and trust that they won't do anything illicit with them. I know that I wouldn't want to be expected to wear a wristband to prove I'm over 18 (probably not 21+ wristbands since this is technically a dry con...) or to advertise to others that I'm over 18 to other attendees.

I think that if something like this were to be implemented, it should be more like the AX system where getting a wristband is voluntary if you want to go to 18+ events. Even then...it seems really easy to just slip off the wristband and hand it to someone else, but then again, I didn't do any of this at AX so I'm not sure how secure it is.

[LordDawn]

SacAnime uses plastic wristbands as their badges, and they're fairly durable, so they'll last a whole weekend.

I didn't bother doing any age-restricted events when I went to AX last year, so I don't know how their wristband system worked, and I don't usually attend age-restricted events at Fanime so I don't know how clogged the lines can get from ID checking.

But I can say, that as someone who attends SacAnime and has to deal with their wristband system, I don't like this idea, especially if it's pretty much expected that all 18+ attendees will wear a wristband. First and foremost, Fanime is a big con for cosplay, and having a wristband required makes that a lot more difficult for a lot of people, whether it's problems with the wristband being visible in photos or problems with physically wearing the wristband with a costume (especially things like bodysuits and armor). It's also not that effective of a system, since the wristbands are pretty easy to slip off. You can make them tight enough to not slip off, yes, but as someone with sensitive skin and poor circulation, I always request my wristbands at SA to be loose for comfort reasons. It would also make group reg difficult if the wristbands are handed out at registration, since reg wouldn't be able to simply hand someone a handful of loose wristbands and trust that they won't do anything illicit with them. I know that I wouldn't want to be expected to wear a wristband to prove I'm over 18 (probably not 21+ wristbands since this is technically a dry con...) or to advertise to others that I'm over 18 to other attendees.

I think that if something like this were to be implemented, it should be more like the AX system where getting a wristband is voluntary if you want to go to 18+ events. Even then...it seems really easy to just slip off the wristband and hand it to someone else, but then again, I didn't do any of this at AX so I'm not sure how secure it is.

I was implying that it would be like the AX system, I only suggested that they could hand them out at the badge pick up so that they wouldn't have to make a separate booth for the 18+ wristbands like the do at AX (which was annoying, they put the booth for it on the opposite side of the convention hall) for the staff's convenience.

As for the cosplay concern, as someone who cosplays and primarily hangs out at cons with fellow cosplayers, I haven't had an issue or known someone to have an issue with wristbands while cosplaying (both at AX and SacAnime). I get that it might be annoying to some people, but based on inefficiency of the 18+ events (where you had to have your ID on you which is more stressful than a wristband while your cosplaying) I think a minor inconvenience to some people would be ok.

I know a decent amount of people who didn't attend the various 18+ events at Fanime last year (primarily the dance) due to the extended process it took to get in.

[WorldDominationStudios]

Making the wristbands optional seems to be the best idea. It would improve efficiency without impairing anyone's cosplay.

There are wristbands that cannot simply be "slipped off". I wore one earlier today during a hospital visit.

[eHash]

I also forgot to mention that I think it would be a good idea in regards to the dance that their be an all ages portion prior to the 18+/21+ dance. Again similar to how AX did it, with the wristbands in mind, they had an all ages portion, then by a certain time they asked all attendees to leave momentarily (at this point they switched out DJ's, adjusted the lighting, and made other preparations. They then asked everyone wishing to (re)enter to have their badges and identifying wristbands to have them visible.

If I remember correctly it was something like 6pm-10pm was all ages, then from then until closing it was 18+ (obviously these times would be adjusted to the Fanime schedule, but this is just to give you a general idea)

last year, the ax dance has an occupancy limit of <400 (four hundred) with a second 21+ room of ~300.  I don't remember them closing to kick anyone out at 10, they just didn't let anyone under 18 in after 10.  the fanime dance on sat. had >4000 (four thousand), it takes 30 minutes to clear the room and asking everyone to exit and WAIT IN LINE again is a bad use of resources (and it won't make a lot of people happy).  Besides, the dance is not a dating service and please state the benefit for having age restrictions on the dance after a certain time and how wristbands could be financially feasible and justifiable.  as someone that works with tyvek wristbands every weekend, there are ways to easily take them off and besides, if you put it on too tight, they sue you.  as for the plastic ones at a hospital (since i used to work at one) you only need a pair of needle nose pliers or a quality hole puncher.

[MyAlterEg0]

It bothers me that more age exclusive programming would even be considered...It's supposed to be family friendly, and I hate to burst someone's bubble, but if it's an age restricted event for legal reasons, you need to have your id.

I don't see the reason for an age restricted dance...is it because you want to hook up with people your own age? go to a bar or nightclub....
worried the minors are going to hook up with someone older? i don't see how you could keep the predators out....
I told my friends that run the dance, it's not interesting to me since there's no bar....so i go to a bar instead....fanime is a dry con afterall.

[Abyss1]

It bothers me that more age exclusive programming would even be considered...It's supposed to be family friendly, and I hate to burst someone's bubble, but if it's an age restricted event for legal reasons, you need to have your id.

I don't see the reason for an age restricted dance...is it because you want to hook up with people your own age? go to a bar or nightclub....
worried the minors are going to hook up with someone older? i don't see how you could keep the predators out....
I told my friends that run the dance, it's not interesting to me since there's no bar....so i go to a bar instead....fanime is a dry con afterall.

you do realize most of the age restricted events are later in the day --> Evenings,  most families don't do late night or over nighters at cons...

[DankLordPopo]

Oh I also have a question, I know there is a lot of people who are either over 17 or 18 and do not have their license yet, for they either haven't taken their test or gotten their license yet, and cannot use the license as proof of their age. What should we do about that if they are trying to prove that they are their age, i've seen many people at the con over the years who had a problem with this

[InsaneDavid]

Oh I also have a question, I know there is a lot of people who are either over 17 or 18 and do not have their license yet, for they either haven't taken their test or gotten their license yet, and cannot use the license as proof of their age. What should we do about that if they are trying to prove that they are their age, i've seen many people at the con over the years who had a problem with this

Then they should adult over to the DMV and get a state ID card.

[DankLordPopo]

Oh I also have a question, I know there is a lot of people who are either over 17 or 18 and do not have their license yet, for they either haven't taken their test or gotten their license yet, and cannot use the license as proof of their age. What should we do about that if they are trying to prove that they are their age, i've seen many people at the con over the years who had a problem with this

Then they should adult over to the DMV and get a state ID card.

lol xD

[JossAlias]

Oh I also have a question, I know there is a lot of people who are either over 17 or 18 and do not have their license yet, for they either haven't taken their test or gotten their license yet, and cannot use the license as proof of their age. What should we do about that if they are trying to prove that they are their age, i've seen many people at the con over the years who had a problem with this

Then they should adult over to the DMV and get a state ID card.

passports and state IDs count too