Survival Tips

Due to the sheer immenseness of the behemoth known as Dragon Con we found it useful to publish a few survival tips.

Map
Someone, very nicely, drew up a Dragon Con map complete with the parade route as of 2013. It also includes the AmericasMart which was added as the new vendor location for 2013 as well.

Registration
Lets say you've pre-registered and paid for all four days. You might think....hey badge pickup should go quickly. 2010 was the first year we went to all 4 days and realized how wrong we were. I won't go into "how" they decided to manage badge pickup that year, but as of 2011 it's been streamlined considerably with the use of the blue postcards and qwerty codes. I do have a couple of suggestions.

1.  Sign up for every notification Dragon Con offers. Newlestters, Facebook, Twitter....whatever else. I made the mistake of checking the website to verify badge pickup times on Thursday and it said 5pm but they had changed it to 10am and didn't update the website. Someone told me they sent it out via Twitter. You want to be there as early as possible. We waited 4 1/2 hours in 2010. 2011 it was two hours with one hour due to the computers being down. Update As of 2012 it was actually better we went at noon. Since so many people arrived before it was open it took an hour to thin out the line. Once that initial swamp was over there was never a line throughout the day. 
2. Since there is the potential to be in line for a loooong time you might want to bring something to eat and drink and maybe a book. In the newsletter it says they serve adult beverages but that's only when you get inside the hotel. Outside they did until Atlanta police notified them of the no open container law. So if you want an adult beverage I suggest you bring it yourself in something discreet. Update Again, as of 2012 this suggestion appears to no longer be necessary.

For daily registration the only suggestion is early early early, especially if you go Saturday. As of 2011 they now have a pre-registration form you can fill out and print so they don't have to do this on site. I would do that. Also the cash lines always go 20 times faster than the credit card lines so bring cash. As of 2012 they now allow a limited number of Saturday only passes that can be purchased online but this ends about two weeks before the start of the convention.

Plans & Schedules:
I personally believe this is the most important but then I plan bathroom breaks. As soon as you get the schedule of events mark out everything you would like to see, even if it overlaps. If you and your friends have Gmail set up a Dragon Con calendar and share it between yourselves. The booklets have gotten very large over the years so fumbling between events can take a long time. If you map overlapping events it allows you to change plans easily if the event is already full or you don't want to walk that far.

On the day of Con:

1. Synchronize your timepieces, so that you can agree on the time for events or meet-ups.
2. Read your schedule/catalog/calender of events VERY carefully and check the Dragon Con App for changes or cancellations.
3. Be prepared to WAIT, and WAIT, and oh yes, WAIT......
4. Leave plenty of time to get between events,  they may be at very separated buildings, or hard to find.
5. Make sure that you understand your maps, and how to get between buildings although during really crowded times (like Saturday and Sunday afternoons) going outside is actually faster.
6. Have a designated meet-up place for when you are attending separate events.
7. Have a designated "break" place for when you need a moment to "chill out".

As of 2011 there is now a mobile app (see my review here) that can be downloaded for free. It seems to run on all your basic devices including iPads and Kindles. If there are schedule changes then this app receives updates quickly. It manages your schedule, has a twitter feed for Dragon Con and allows you to message friends. I already have apps to do all that so it's only use to me is for updates but it's generally well liked.

Shopping
Most vendors do not take Amex including Dragon Con itself. I know most people know this due to Amex high fees, this is just a reminder. Plan your shopping so that you are not carrying too much stuff all day.  But also keep in mind that vendors do run out of things so earlier in the day and earlier in the Con can be beneficial.
Options can be:

• See if the vendor will hold it for you,.
• Plan trips to your transport or hotel room.
• Shop only at the END of your day
• Remember that whatever you bring to CON you will be carrying all day, so pack ONLY what you need.

Also if there is a vendor you wish to purchase from in which you may want to talk specifically with the vendor, it may require trying on stuff or requires an appointment like getting fitted for vampire teeth (We highly recommend this one). Go early, go early, go early.

Hygiene
Ok this is more for us than you.  Pleeeease shower at least every other day. It's very crowded and Atlanta is very hot this time of year. This does not mean getting a drink thrown in you face from the stupid pickup line you used, stopping by a bathroom and splashing water on you from the sink, or standing outside in the rain. I can not repeat enough ( and neither can the Dragon Con staff), go home or to your hotel room and shower at least every other day.

Food
You need to eat at least twice a day so you don't pass out. This is not including any snacks you carry with you and Vodka and Red Bull is not a food group. Our suggestion is always keep your eye out for some of the hidden food courts in the hotels as you walk through the covered walkways  Between events is a great time to grab something to go. You can usually eat in line. If you have some time remember people tend to not stray from the beaten path. Go outside into the big blue room and use Yelp to find something that may not be but a block away. As of 2012 there is now a rather large food court that has opened up (located on above map). Good in that "Hey, cheap food all in one place" bad in that "Hey 40k people are all trying to get cheap food in one place at the same time". Also it's been pointed out that the ATMs run out of money so be prepared.

It's called HOTlanta for a reason.
You can move between probably 70% of the event without ever going outside. Before it gets too crowded you may want to scope out all the covered walkways. This will not work when waiting in line for some of the bigger events. Some of these ballrooms hold over a thousand people so these lines will wrap outside and around the building. Plan accordingly, especially if you intend to wear a costume a little more substantial than a chain-mail bikini.


Remember that almost everyone is here to have fun so, some do's and don'ts:

• No Killing, unless absolutely necessary (the paperwork at CON is terrible)
• Small children are NOT, I repeat NOT for snacking on,  even if covered in BBQ sauce.
• Try to ignore simple rude behavior,  most sheep don't have manners.
• Repeated rude behavior CAN, however be corrected, as appropriate.
• ASK if you can take a picture, and remember NOT to interrupt to do so.
• Some guests/artists have rules about pictures, please respect them.
• Don't GUSH,  every question for a panel member / Actor / Artist  doesn't need to start with "I love you......"
• Remember the guests/artists are people, too, and may have schedules to meet.
• Don't piss off the Klingon Security at CON,  they can make your life even MORE miserable.
• Help people out where possible,  it gets you good kharma.
• Do not STARE into the chain-mail bikini's,  you WILL go blind.