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I was going to joke about implementing a fastpass system a la disney but something similar might be beneficial - giving out times to return to the line to stagger the wait times and allow attendees to experience day zero events.

Both my friend and I commute to Fanime so we experimented with parking at another lightrail stop (one with a lot of free parking spaces - vta has a park & ride program) and taking the lightrail from there and it was really great!!
There was far less walking to get there than most other lots, the lightrail ran until nearly 2am most nights (nearly 1am on sunday) so there wasn't much of an issue securing transportation back, the ride back was fast, and it only cost the lightrail fare where we parked.

All of this has actually really convinced me to volunteer for registration, hey!

I'd staff but I don't think I can commit the full 24 hours but I'd love to do day zero for sure!

I already filled out the form with everything I think is relevant but I'd like to make a few of the same points here.

The biggest WTF came from the panels staff not being up to date...
My friend and I were hosting a panel that got taken from the waitlist and in both the panelist lounge and on the sandwich board outside our panel it listed the cancelled panel that ours was replacing.
I'm not sure if this was an issue with other departments but it just seems really weird that they weren't using information from the most current schedule.
In the end it wasn't a huge issue; we still had a fun panel with decent attendance but I feel like more people would've been on board had the information been correct.

I really like the use of South Hall!! I really hope it's used again in some way but I totally agree with the whole bad lighting thing aaa

I also really liked the food court since it allowed for more hallway space, plus it was a nice area to escape from the crowds.
The hall was definitely very empty but I kind of liked that?

I thought i saw that some event was taking place in Parkside Hall but I forget what

I think it's a really nice day for doing things last-minute or simply prolonging the con experience!!
I usually only go for a couple hours and spend it in the dealer's hall and then meet up with friends for lunch after.

Well they have a feedback form so it's not that they're refusing to listen to criticism.

Rather I think it might be to make sure they're getting more honest feedback than when they've asked for feedback in earlier years.

It would be nice if there was some clarification on why this is being done, though.

So, like Final Fantasy, Naruto, Bleach, Hetalia, Battle Royale, etc., do you see this as a trend for FanimeCon? or a long-term thing here to stay?

Of course, cosplay-wise, we still get the classic Eva plug-suits, super saiyans, etc...

I think it's more of a trend to be honest, but I'm not entirely sure.
I've definitely heard a number of people express interest in continuing to do Homestuck stuff after the comic ends, but there's no saying how long it'll take before there's a significant decrease.
Certainly the popularity will drop off but I'm assuming there will still be people cosplaying from it (similar to how there are still people cosplaying from the series listed above).

[Relatable Characters]

It's a webcomic which can be read on this site: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/
The rough story is about one kid named John Egbert who has a group of friends who all play a video game that brings about the destruction of Earth. Along the way they encounter aliens called trolls and cooperate to find a way to get a "good end" to the game.

I've been a fan of Homestuck since late 2010 and a Homestuck cosplayer since early 2011 so I've seen the fandom develop quite a bit and I honestly don't understand exactly why it's so popular (I think a lot of the humor in it speaks to a specific niche) but there are a few things that definitely contribute to its popularity:

• Relatable Characters
  There are a ton of characters (I don't have a specific number of how many but there are over 60 characters easily) that have individual personalities and are well-rounded and as a result it's really easy to find someone you can identify with.
• Flash Animations
  One thing that really sets Homestuck apart from the majority of other (web)comics out there is its use of Flash and HTML5 animations and minigames to supplement the story (the longest animation clocking in at over 13 minutes!), adding a very dynamic element to the storytelling.
• Fandom Feedback
  The webcomic itself started by taking prompts from forum members, adding an element of fan-to-creator relation that isn't present in a lot of media. While the fandom is too unwieldily to solicit direct prompts from, the author sometimes inserts references to fan creations into the comic, which is definitely a source of validation for fans.

It definitely starts off slow! It took me a couple tries to get into it honestly and that seems to be a common thing that most people getting into it face.
If you want to check this sort of thing out, I'd highly recommend reading the previous adventure, Problem Sleuth, which is about 6x shorter than Homestuck but has a great story and serves as a good introduction to what this is about. (I actually like Problem Sleuth WAY more than Homestuck to be honest)
It does tend to be convoluted, especially lately, but overall it's something I've enjoyed.

I'm tired so I can't think of anything else but I'd be happy to answer any more questions.

I'm a mod for a Bay Area Homestuck group and I can tell you that even if there were a Homestuck convention that occurred in the same month as Fanime it probably wouldn't make a huge impact because people in general like to represent media they enjoy and find like-minded people and Fanime allows for a lot of people with similar interests to be in one place at one time. There are frequent Homestuck meetups that take place but the scale of things is very different compared to Fanime.
I've considered starting some sort of Homestuck convention in the area to provide a similar experience (of being at a large convention) but at the moment I don't have the resources to do so.

That said, I definitely understand how the prevalence of events and cosplays dedicated to western media detract from the vibe of Fanime. I'm not going to shit talk any particular fandom, but there are definitely ones that bother me as well.
I personally know that Homestuck can be obnoxious for a number of attendees so I try to balance what I present - be it cosplay or events.

I feel like the increasing number of fandom-centric panels (not just Homestuck but also Superwholock, Hetalia, etc.) divide con attendees into sections, causing things to be more segregated and people to get more defensive.
I'm really proud of the anime mad libs panels my friend and I have put on since 2012 because they bring things back to a feel of a more united general anime fan collective, which is something I really like about Fanime!
I make a point to cosplay from anime more often than that of Homestuck for this reason as well, and probably spent about 15% of my convention time in Homestuck cosplay this year.

What I'm saying is I completely understand what the issue is, but even as a respected authority in the Homestuck fandom there's not much I can really do aside from what I'm currently doing.

http://www.fanime.com/pocket-schedule-program-guide/

\o/

Does anyone know what day/time MusicFest is?

It's on Saturday as stated here!

As for time it's generally in the evening but I haven't seen anything concrete pop up.

EDIT: It's listed as being from 8-11pm on the Fanime Android app.

Ooh thank you!!

With either badge you get entry to events at both Fanime and Clockwork, but the badge might have a different appearance!

It'll behave the same way, just with a different event name on it.

im hearing from a guy i know complaining about the hallways being too thin and alot of back up, any details guys?

I haven't been to the convention center in about a month but there's definitely points where the hallways get really thin.
I've particularly noticed it affecting the ground floor more than the second floor so at least that's a plus.

I can't really provide concrete details since it's been a while but I'd estimate it cuts down to two people wide at the smallest parts (which are fairly brief sections).

It's a bit less conveniently located than some other options, but the San Pedro Square Market is wonderful and provides a food court style environment in an upscale way, which is perfect for a group that wants to eat together but is having a conflict of tastes.
The prices are comprable to most sit-down restaurants in the area, sometimes a bit cheaper.
As far as distance goes it's about 5 blocks away from the convention center.

My favorite places in the market are the Little Chef Counter and TreatBot! Everything I've had so far has been delicious.

I really like Fresh & Easy since they have a lot of prepared meals and there's a good chance you'll be able to get something on clearance! There's one about 10 minutes away (driving) from the convention center.

In general if you want to stave off feeling hungry, go for foods that are higher in protein! They'll leave you feeling fuller longer.

Grocery Outlet is also a really great place to get discounted food, especially if you want to stock up prior to checking in. I'd recommend bringing small snacks (like protein bars, granola bars, fruit snacks even) that you can stick in your bag in case you're hungry but busy. These also make decent breakfast items (which will also keep you fuller longer).
There is a location in downtown San Jose, about 5 minutes away (driving).

Lastly if you want to dine out, do some research! A number of places will provide coupons online or have happy hour specials which you can use to your advantage to maximize your savings.

If the answer is a no (and you're in the Bay Area), a good resource for finding volunteer opportunities is http://www.handsonbayarea.org/!

Depending on the day/location I might come! All my friends who normally go to Fanime are still under 21 so I'd love to be with a group.

Hey I went past South Hall today and I didn't get a thorough look but there are no port a potties outside! However there are modular portable buildings (like the ones used on construction sites and as portable classrooms) outside so I assume those are the bathroom facilities?

Apparently http://southhall.sanjose.com is its website but it's not working so :/

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can answer this.