Tips for Dragon Con
This post can be subtitled, “Why I’m Not Going to Dragon Con This Year.”
It didn’t even take 24 hours for me to get the question. “The doctor released you from all activity restrictions,” someone said to me. “So why can’t you go to Dragon Con?”
I had actually suspected I might be released from restrictions before the convention. The problem is that I wasn’t released soon enough to start preparing. It’s not enough to not have any restrictions; you also need to be ready - and I’m not.
That ties in neatly with a call that came out today on the official Dragon Con Twitter account to help someone asking for tips for surviving the Con. Here, in no particular order, are mine. As you read through them, you’ll get an idea of why I decided it’s a bad idea to go even if I don’t have any restrictions anymore. This is by no means an exhaustive list; it’s just a few that I think might be a little less frequently repeated.
- If you’re staying outside of the con area and taking the MARTA train in each day, go out the Fulton Street (southernmost) entrance of Peachtree Center station on Saturday morning. That lesser-used entrance is right next to the beginning of the parade route and the crowds are thinner there - although you still need to stake your spot by 8:00 a.m. if you want good pictures.
- Georgia borders the Atlantic Ocean, but don’t be fooled! Atlanta is a three-hour drive from the coast at Interstate speeds, and it is not flat here. In fact, we’re at the edge of the Appalachian foothills. There are a couple of significant inclines in the convention area.
- Believe every word you hear about just how nastily hot and humid it can be here. Because every word is true; and the Con area is in the middle of an urban heat island. In addition, it will rain at least once over the weekend. Be prepared for this.
- If you can’t stay on your feet for an hour-plus, several times a day, you will either wipe out completely or be close to it. Plan accordingly.
- This is the main reason I’m not going. Right now I can’t stay on my feet for more than 10-15 minutes at a stretch and I need at least two hours in between. Most years, I start training to handle the Con around Memorial Day. It makes a difference.
- In a similar vein, don’t assume escalators and elevators will be available. They usually aren’t, and when they are, it’s a fight for space and disabled people need priority.
- When I went to Dragon Con in 2012, the only time I used any escalators was going in and out of Peachtree Center station, and I never used the elevators. And I’m just now getting to the point where I can handle a single flight of stairs at home; there’s no way I can handle all the stair-climbing needed for the Con.
- And in that same vein, a good-fitting pair of regular shoes with thick soles will often hold up better than a pair of sneakers, no matter how well broken in. Sandals and flip-flops aren’t always the best idea as they may not hold up to the usage or give your feet enough protection in the crowds. And if you lose your feet, you’re done.
- Yes, there are six venues now. Yes, there is crowd control. But when you try to jam 55,000-plus people into six city blocks, there’s no way it can be anything other than cheek-to-jowl at some point or another. You will have to deal with crowds. Be ready.
- This is one more reason I’m not going. My ankle is healed, but it’s still fragile. A single hard stumble or unintentional kick could easily re-injure it, and pretty badly. And both of those can happen in crowds.
- Observe the 5/2/1 rule or a close variant.
- If you’re not familiar with this: it means that within every 24 hours you need to have 5 hours of sleep, 2 meals, and 1 shower.
- I personally handle this by carrying diet/meal bars in my bag. I find myself expending enough energy to justify eating a “4-hour” bar every 2-3 hours and still end up losing a few pounds by the end of the weekend.
- Remember, too, that caffeine is a diuretic and it’s hot here. Water is better for you, and it’s available for free all over the Con.
- Do you really want to impress a local? Remember that it isn’t Dragon*Con anymore. It’s Dragon Con. There was a good reason for the change.
- Locals love Dragon Con, by the way! It took a while to take off, but people have in fact figured out that it does a lot of good for the economy and that there’s a lot of good, family-friendly fun involved (and the locals very much appreciate and will respect the after-8:00 rule; they’ll take the kids home). You might get some weird looks or comments if you are out in costume, but most of them will be appreciative.
- Like books and want a breather? There’s a book festival right on top of the Decatur MARTA station over the same weekend. Like museums? Take the 110 MARTA bus to the High Museum of Art; it runs right down Peachtree Street and you can pick it up in the Con area. Need some nature? Grab the MARTA train to Midtown station and then walk east down 10th Street. In ten minutes you’ll be at Piedmont Park, and you won’t be disappointed. Want more ideas? Ask a local. The Con area is smack dab in the middle of some of Atlanta’s most touristy attractions.
- This being said, you’re in the middle of a major regional city. There are sketchy elements around. If you use some common sense and take precautions, you’ll be fine, but the unsavory elements know full well that Dragon Con visitors travel with money and expensive items. Use the safe in your hotel room, zip your bags closed when you’re not actually putting something in and out, hook things to yourself whenever you can (this includes badges as they can be stolen and re-sold), and put your wallet in an inside or front pocket.
I’m mourning the loss of Dragon Con this year, and I’ll go ahead and acknowledge publicly what I’ve already said to a few people privately: I won’t be surprised if my resolve doesn’t break down and I don’t end up going at least for a few hours on Monday despite it being a bad idea.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t want everyone else to have a good time there. If any of these tips help toward that end, then this post will have served its purpose. Good luck and happy Dragon Con to everyone!
Original Post: http://sonria.org/blog/2014/tips-for-dragon-con/. You can comment here or there.