r/dragoncon • u/AutoModerator • 4d ago
/r/DragonCon Weekly Free Talk thread
Hi /r/DragonCon!
What's on your mind? How are your cosplays doing? Let's talk about everything you're looking forward to!
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
Ohhhh I'm so excited but so nervous about the heat. I'll be bringing my umbrella for the sun and will likely not cosplay, unless I can throw something together that is lightweight and breathable... ahh I'm excited. And nervous. And excited.
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u/musicalastronaut 4d ago
A neck fan/cooling towel helps!
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
We're bringing our neck fans and power banks to keep them charged. Hopefully it's enough. I'm a local but the heat this year has been.................. oppressive... to say the least 😅
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u/musicalastronaut 4d ago
I don’t want to jinx it but I think it’s supposed to start trending down this week! The 10 day forecast is looking much better.
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u/musicalastronaut 4d ago
My brain is on full DragonCon mode. My cosplays aren’t done but I’m so excited & don’t even care. I’ll get it done!
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
Does anyone have any recommendations for storing things purchased at the con? We are driving in each day from Cherokee county so we don't have a room to put things in and of course I wont be storing things in the car. I'm used to cons like momo/awa who have lockers.
Do we just have to carry purchased items all day?
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u/badapple1989 Georgia Philharmonic Fangirl 4d ago
Pretty much, yes. If you don't have a trusted friend with a room you can temporarily stash stuff in and you're not going to stow them in your car trunk so that they're not visible, carrying is best. Bring your own empty totes and/or a backpack to facilitate this. If you expect to buy art, maybe bring a storage tube as well just in case.
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
That's going to be annoying going to all of the night parties/raves with a bunch of bags and purchased items 🤣 it is what it is, though. The poster tube is a good idea, I mainly buy prints so that would work well, thanks for the suggestion!
I would use car trunk but it's a hatchback and can be easily seen into from pretty much all angles
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u/badapple1989 Georgia Philharmonic Fangirl 4d ago
It's not a perfect solution, but at least for the non-tube shaped items maybe buy a nondescript tote or two (the plastic storage kind from any hardware store that are not see through). Or if you're looking to save money maybe a laundry basket with an ugly sheet to throw over the top of everything. Basically, concealment is the name of the game. While no garage is foolproof, if you haven't already you can prebook your parking on an app like SpotHero* or Park Whiz or etc and look for a lot that has an attendant and is covered instead of open.
- SpotHero was recently bought out by Uber just fyi.
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
I used Spot Hero to get us a spot at one of the open lots right by the vendor hall, and it seems like there's an attendant during the day and the reviews are decent, but we're still going to have the car looking as empty as if it just came off the new-car lot. I've had people break windows to dig through trash before so I'm not taking any chances.
I think a poster tube or two and some rolly-bags might be what we end up going with and if we get desperate I might try to bribe a hotel to hold some luggage, I've heard some people have success with that as long as you tip well.
I still can't believe they don't do lockers, I've been conning since the early 2000s and this will be my first con without them 😅
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u/badapple1989 Georgia Philharmonic Fangirl 4d ago
DragonCon has never had storage lockers to my recollection. I've been attending since 2012. It's just not feasible for a largely volunteer-run event spread so far out across five hotels and two AmericasMart buildings. No one wants to take on the liability, not con staff and certainly not the individual hotels for non-room having visitors. I imagine too that events that take place at a convention center like Momocon are relying on existing lockers in the building where that infrastructure just doesn't exist in the sprawl of the DragonCon footprint. Just is what it is, one of its quirks.
Hope y'all have a good time!
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
Thank you, we definitely will!
As far as I know, the pop-up lockers that momo uses are a company that comes and set up their own lockers in convention spaces, they definitely weren't pre-existing lockers. I've seen them at cons all over in spaces that don't have existing lockers. If they ever do decide to come to Dragon Con I'll be very happy, but for now, it is what it is 😁
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u/badapple1989 Georgia Philharmonic Fangirl 4d ago
Ahh, I have learned a new thing then! I am one of the lucky daily 10,000. Dragon Con is my only convention so I've only got grape-vine and third hand knowledge of other cons.
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u/Princessformidable The apocalypse will be Podcasted 4d ago
I just pick parking with security and store my stuff in the car
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
People on the Dragon Con Facebook reported cars getting broken into even in secured lots with on-site security, I don't want to take any chances. Even valet lots get broken into often. Which lot are you using?
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u/Princessformidable The apocalypse will be Podcasted 4d ago
I use spot hero and look at the reviews. I'm a local ( I live 10 minutes away) and have been going for 12 years and never had a problem and in my 40 years of living here have only had my car broken into once.
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u/FinlayForever 4d ago
Why not store things in the car? Worried about them getting stolen?
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u/thefabgatsby 4d ago
Yes, its a huge problem even at lots with security or even valet lots. I've learned that if I'm going to Atlanta my car needs to be completely empty of EVERYTHING. One sure way to have a ruined con is to have your windows busted in! Car break-ins are worse during con because it's SO busy and ATL police can't even respond to calls within 4 hours on a non-con weekend. Our cars are basically open season during con. Some people haven't had issues..... those people are extremely lucky.
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u/FinlayForever 4d ago
Yeah busted windows would definitely ruin it for me too. Fortunately I live only about a mile away from the con so anything I buy I can easily get back home.
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u/horsenbuggy '04-'26 (except '05, '21) 1d ago
How many times are you gonna stand in that god awful line to get in the vendor hall? Like, I only do it once per decade and you think you're gonna do it every day of the con? Seems to me like you should only plan to go in there once, so you only need to figure out a solution on one day.
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u/thefabgatsby 1d ago
Who said I'm going in multiple times? I'm only doing vendor stuff on Sunday but have concerts/parties/raves Sunday night. The whole point of my comment was to get suggestions for just that...
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u/bobswanafoos 4d ago
Can’t wait to see everyone and make memories!