A-Kon® 20! Dallas, Texas

I occasionally, well, frequently, get a lot of questions about what to bring, what can I do, etc....

So with that in mind, it's time to:

Ask the Webmaster!

Q.  Me and my friend just graduated and are going to A-kon because it's on the list of things we must do together before we die. We are Anime Convention virgins and would like any and all tips to help ease the process on our first time. Thanks for your help.

By the way, what kind of free stuff is available there(i've heard stories!)

Marilyn

A.  Thanks for the question. There are a lot of answers to this, so I asked the Staff to give their answers. Their long time of experience and wisdom shall help even the newest of travelers.

• Have fun and don't forget to bring a towel.
• When you get to the convention, the first ride you will get to go on will be the Line Ride. Enjoy the Line Ride! Make peace with the fact that you will have to stand in line for quite a while to pick up or buy your badge. Chat with the people around you. You might make some friends! If not, you might end up with some interesting stories to tell later.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Drink lots of water. The importance of staying hydrated can't be overestimated. (Neither can the importance of wearing comfortable shoes, come to think of it.)
• Try to eat at least one good, non-Pocky-centric meal per day. If your budget is limited, the Kon Suite may be able to supplement with some sandwiches.
• Take lots of pictures, but don't stop people in the middle of walkways to pose for you. Security will be most unhappy with you.
• Bathe every day. Your fellow con-goers will thank you for it (and so will the staff).
• If you pre-registered, you will get a goody bag with random freebies in it. If not, you'll just have to look around to see what you can find.
• Always make sure your sailor moons don't have an adams apples.
• Don't ask Konsuite where the oven is for your pizza.
  Someone will probably just look at you for a few
  seconds and hand you another sandwich.
• Please bathe. Please. PLEASE.
• You will see many, many shiny things at the con, many
  you can't get elsewhere. Budget accordingly.
• If you play DDR in a schoolgirl outfit, you will
  probably get an audience.

Well, there you have it. I hope that this will help you on your journey.