-learn how to get around. I didn't know our hotel had a shuttle until we were there, and that it went right next to the convention center. We almost missed that. Also, since it went next to the sharaton, we could gone to the pre-pax board game night. oops.
-figure out the map and where every thing was. The place was HUGE! I didn't figure out where HaloFest was until almost the end of the first day, missed all the good stuff. Didn't know where the Band Section was till the third day. Didn't know that there was a bridge over the street that lead to most of the important stuff. I thought I understood the map on the app pretty well until I got there. Since I didn't know about the place across the bridge, never got my Onlive console
- always go with a friend if you can't make friends fast. I did this year, but maybe thinking of going on my own next time until we actually were there. I am not great at socializing, so when we went our separate ways for some, I always ended up silently waiting in line, not talking to anyone.
-read the Twitters. I was following all of the people on Twitter, but never actually read any while I was there. It would have been a HUGE help. Especially the lines and celebrates that I was following that were there.
-screw sleep. I stayed up pretty late on the first day, but not the rest of the time. I really wish I had. a few nights with little sleep would have been well worth all of the stuff I missed.
Hotel within 1 block = good.
Bring food/drinks with you, you are not always going to be able to get food between panels(especially when you have to wait in line 2+ hours early).
Exercise before PAX, and I'm not talking about the week before... I started walking 5-10miles a day 3-4 days a week all summer long and I was fine at PAX(I was expecting to be tired and hurting... but I wasn't!)
Invest in some good shoes AND inserts and break them in before going.
Bring stuff to keep you occupied while waiting, cuz your going to wait... A LOT.
A backpack > all other types of bags. I hardly noticed mine and it had swag, food, drinks, multiple card games, and handheld games.
Cosplaying will get you more swag! ...and ppl will take pictures of you (beware!)
Last but not least(actually it is #1 most important thing): DON'T BE A DICK!
...Also most buses (especially ones in the transit tunnel) are free if you get off and on within city limits, so you can park even further for cheaper...
Don't count on it next year. Supposedly the Free Ride Area may be eliminated in October this year.
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mrt144King of the NumbernamesRegistered Userregular
I am the food police. Sorry. One of my life's goals is to make sure PAX atendees have a plethora of good options when they visit. Healthy or not, I don't care, rather I just don't want people settling for Cheesecake Factory or PF Chang's when there are so many great places here in Seattle.
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zepherinRussian warship, go fuck yourselfRegistered Userregular
Don't get hammered and decide to go shopping for merch. That was a 100 dollar mistake. Booze and shopping are to be kept seperate.
Coming from Vancouver, BC, some things we (my hubby and I) learned about this year's PAX:
-Must. Jump. On. Hotel. Booking. like right away. We always stayed at Sheraton, and it was absolute bliss. But then this year we missed out, and settled for Roosevelt. Was ok, but wasn't the Sheraton... fortunately the center was just as far away from there as was from Sheraton. So it wasn't the major suck.
-Going grocery shopping beforehand within the States (since we cannot bring fresh foods with us over border)... we tried this the year before and it worked well, though for some reason we ended up at some ghetto supermarket making it hard to find stuff we wanted. This year we looked up a Safeway, and it was miles above that other place we somehow wandered into. Must remember that Safeway for next year... We bought things like a veggie platter, milk, salad, pre-made foods, fruits - really helped prevent us from eating out a ton, and relying on restaurants for food.
-Make sure hotel room has fridge included! Sheraton always had one, so we sort of took it for granted...imagine our dismay when we found our Roosevelt room lacked one. We managed to score one tho when we requested it.
-Breaks throughout the day to go back to hotel room to drop off goodies, eat, and rest when needed - I mean yea you could rest I guess in a beanie chair at the con, but it just doesn't compare to taking a short nap in a comfy bed with quiet atmospere and having access to a fridge with food and water whenever you like, as well as a bathroom right there. I felt much more refreshed this year from the frequent breaks.
-Train to walk - I didn't feel like I did enough training, but I don't think I was too bad off this year when it came to getting around PAX. Next year I would like to be more consistent with strength/endurance training on walking so I can power through the weekend with no problems!
-Check through all the pamphlets, giveaways, brochures, coupons, etc, to make sure we weren't missing out on some cool offer happening only at the con. This also allowed me to recycle or toss out junky stuff from my swag, so that I wasn't bring home so much crap! I used to ignore alot of this stuff in previous years, but I regretted missing some stuff afterwards, so I made it a point to check through stuff this year throughout the con (during hotel room breaks) and it worked out well.
-Didn't go to as many Panels this year... would've liked to have gone to more, so maybe better planning ahead to check out panels I'm interested in for next year is in order.
Uhmmm yeah that's about the gist of what we learned this year. ^__^
Oh and another thing: Learn a competitive pc game enough to confidently enter a tournament at PAX. I'm waiting for DotA 2 to come out to before jumping on the MOBA wagon but in the meantime: Starcraft 2.
-Check through all the pamphlets, giveaways, brochures, coupons, etc, to make sure we weren't missing out on some cool offer happening only at the con. This also allowed me to recycle or toss out junky stuff from my swag, so that I wasn't bring home so much crap! I used to ignore alot of this stuff in previous years, but I regretted missing some stuff afterwards, so I made it a point to check through stuff this year throughout the con (during hotel room breaks) and it worked out well.
This I did not know(being my first year and all) until after I got home and was looking through everything... I SOOO wished that I had taken the time at the con to go through the bag more thoroughly. Lots of stuff in there that can only be used at PAX if you see a rep at the booths.
I still have mine and I was THIS close to packing it when I realized walking around Seattle with a 3'5" bag when I'm only 5'1 would not be the best idea. Glad I packed my modest WD one instead.
- PLAY THE INDIE GAMES. ALL OF THEM.
- Shop for asprin and other supermarket items the day before, because you'll never find the time to if you keep putting it off.
I didn't get sick at all this year! The extra couple of seconds to pop into a bathroom to wash my hands and use handgel after playing a demo was worth it.
- Even though I'm a local, I really need to pay for a hotel room next year. It removes so much need for planning and worrying that I might get too tired and/or drunk to drive home.
The [E] husband and I have done this for two years now - it is REALLY helpful, especially with him working weird shifts. I had to miss out on JoCo in 2009 because of his shifts (had to get home to care for the dogs!), and so we now board the dogs with friends and stay at the Hyatt. Worth. Every. Penny. I'm now wondering if we should check in on Thursday night...
After my 4th year carpooling I really started to wonder whether it was worth paying for a hotel when I live 9 miles away. Glad to hear you think it's worth the extra money! I'm near Northgate and after dropping three others off on the way north, the last mile or two driving alone at 2am are so scary while so exhausted! This year I did throw a toothbrush and contact supplies in a cosmetic bag in the trunk in case I had to couch surf and luckily was slightly more awake this time than in past years. Also considered cabbing it since a cab ride home would be about the same as the $26 parking at WSCC.
I live 5min away from you and I get a hotel at PAX :P a 4way split on a hotel doesnt make it very expensive at all.
- Even though I'm a local, I really need to pay for a hotel room next year. It removes so much need for planning and worrying that I might get too tired and/or drunk to drive home.
The [E] husband and I have done this for two years now - it is REALLY helpful, especially with him working weird shifts. I had to miss out on JoCo in 2009 because of his shifts (had to get home to care for the dogs!), and so we now board the dogs with friends and stay at the Hyatt. Worth. Every. Penny. I'm now wondering if we should check in on Thursday night...
After my 4th year carpooling I really started to wonder whether it was worth paying for a hotel when I live 9 miles away. Glad to hear you think it's worth the extra money! I'm near Northgate and after dropping three others off on the way north, the last mile or two driving alone at 2am are so scary while so exhausted! This year I did throw a toothbrush and contact supplies in a cosmetic bag in the trunk in case I had to couch surf and luckily was slightly more awake this time than in past years. Also considered cabbing it since a cab ride home would be about the same as the $26 parking at WSCC.
I live 5min away from you and I get a hotel at PAX :P a 4way split on a hotel doesnt make it very expensive at all.
I live even closer than both of you (on Beacon Hill) and I stayed in a hotel. I probably could have gone home for the night but there's a certain quality to 'total PAX immersion'.
I found in my previous years' and have finally successfully explained to my friends: have a schtick and you will go far in PAX.
Everybody and their brother/sister goes to the Exhib. Hall and has geeky t-shirts. Specialization, and the love of that schtick, will reap rewards. If you cosplay, Cosplay all weekend. You'll be in photos, get lots of attention, have loads of fun. If you're in the BYOC, go all out. Participate in the mini-tournies, MOD YOUR CASE, challenge others to some games. You'll meet new people, win awesome computer hardware, get attention, have loads of fun. If you want to be in a tournie, DO IT. Gather up your teammates, practice before hand, be prepared, and stomp over the competition. You'll win prizes, pwn last minute teams, and have loads of fun. If you want to learn, do the panels to the max. Get in lines, have informed questions, chat with the speakers afterwards if they have time. You'll learn a lot, you chat with some awesome folks, and you'll have loads of fun.
Yeah in 2009 I just wanted to take in everything I could, and the free loot was tossed at the ravaging masses in mass. This last year I had no plan and for it I suffered and did not have much fun. I did have more fun outside the hall when the "Rock Lobstahs" would hang and eat and chat and it was more about friends hanging than the Convention. So next year I am already planning for. I will do the Cosplay and Buttoneering for the whole weekend. Well except Friday, because that's our ROCK LOBSTAH tee-shirt day. That Guy will get a big update I think... and there is a rumor he has a new side kick.. wink wink nudge nudge. I may even try to do a casemod, after seeing how much fun you had at it.. I may give it a try too. Maybe make a Case based on the new Menoth War Engine. heh heh
Then again I don't know.. If I can get my act together I should be living up there by this time next year and be strapped for cash.. so we'll see.
I think my advice is, Have a Plan. Know what you want to see and make sure to see it and do it. And as Bitter Suggested, know your role.
Posts
-figure out the map and where every thing was. The place was HUGE! I didn't figure out where HaloFest was until almost the end of the first day, missed all the good stuff. Didn't know where the Band Section was till the third day. Didn't know that there was a bridge over the street that lead to most of the important stuff. I thought I understood the map on the app pretty well until I got there. Since I didn't know about the place across the bridge, never got my Onlive console
- always go with a friend if you can't make friends fast. I did this year, but maybe thinking of going on my own next time until we actually were there. I am not great at socializing, so when we went our separate ways for some, I always ended up silently waiting in line, not talking to anyone.
-read the Twitters. I was following all of the people on Twitter, but never actually read any while I was there. It would have been a HUGE help. Especially the lines and celebrates that I was following that were there.
-screw sleep. I stayed up pretty late on the first day, but not the rest of the time. I really wish I had. a few nights with little sleep would have been well worth all of the stuff I missed.
Bring food/drinks with you, you are not always going to be able to get food between panels(especially when you have to wait in line 2+ hours early).
Exercise before PAX, and I'm not talking about the week before... I started walking 5-10miles a day 3-4 days a week all summer long and I was fine at PAX(I was expecting to be tired and hurting... but I wasn't!)
Invest in some good shoes AND inserts and break them in before going.
Bring stuff to keep you occupied while waiting, cuz your going to wait... A LOT.
A backpack > all other types of bags. I hardly noticed mine and it had swag, food, drinks, multiple card games, and handheld games.
Cosplaying will get you more swag! ...and ppl will take pictures of you (beware!)
Last but not least(actually it is #1 most important thing): DON'T BE A DICK!
Don't count on it next year. Supposedly the Free Ride Area may be eliminated in October this year.
I am the food police. Sorry. One of my life's goals is to make sure PAX atendees have a plethora of good options when they visit. Healthy or not, I don't care, rather I just don't want people settling for Cheesecake Factory or PF Chang's when there are so many great places here in Seattle.
-Must. Jump. On. Hotel. Booking. like right away. We always stayed at Sheraton, and it was absolute bliss. But then this year we missed out, and settled for Roosevelt. Was ok, but wasn't the Sheraton... fortunately the center was just as far away from there as was from Sheraton. So it wasn't the major suck.
-Going grocery shopping beforehand within the States (since we cannot bring fresh foods with us over border)... we tried this the year before and it worked well, though for some reason we ended up at some ghetto supermarket making it hard to find stuff we wanted. This year we looked up a Safeway, and it was miles above that other place we somehow wandered into. Must remember that Safeway for next year... We bought things like a veggie platter, milk, salad, pre-made foods, fruits - really helped prevent us from eating out a ton, and relying on restaurants for food.
-Make sure hotel room has fridge included! Sheraton always had one, so we sort of took it for granted...imagine our dismay when we found our Roosevelt room lacked one. We managed to score one tho when we requested it.
-Breaks throughout the day to go back to hotel room to drop off goodies, eat, and rest when needed - I mean yea you could rest I guess in a beanie chair at the con, but it just doesn't compare to taking a short nap in a comfy bed with quiet atmospere and having access to a fridge with food and water whenever you like, as well as a bathroom right there. I felt much more refreshed this year from the frequent breaks.
-Train to walk - I didn't feel like I did enough training, but I don't think I was too bad off this year when it came to getting around PAX. Next year I would like to be more consistent with strength/endurance training on walking so I can power through the weekend with no problems!
-Check through all the pamphlets, giveaways, brochures, coupons, etc, to make sure we weren't missing out on some cool offer happening only at the con. This also allowed me to recycle or toss out junky stuff from my swag, so that I wasn't bring home so much crap! I used to ignore alot of this stuff in previous years, but I regretted missing some stuff afterwards, so I made it a point to check through stuff this year throughout the con (during hotel room breaks) and it worked out well.
-Didn't go to as many Panels this year... would've liked to have gone to more, so maybe better planning ahead to check out panels I'm interested in for next year is in order.
Uhmmm yeah that's about the gist of what we learned this year. ^__^
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This I did not know(being my first year and all) until after I got home and was looking through everything... I SOOO wished that I had taken the time at the con to go through the bag more thoroughly. Lots of stuff in there that can only be used at PAX if you see a rep at the booths.
Pffft. Join us on League of Legends.
- PLAY THE INDIE GAMES. ALL OF THEM.
- Shop for asprin and other supermarket items the day before, because you'll never find the time to if you keep putting it off.
I didn't get sick at all this year! The extra couple of seconds to pop into a bathroom to wash my hands and use handgel after playing a demo was worth it.
I live 5min away from you and I get a hotel at PAX :P a 4way split on a hotel doesnt make it very expensive at all.
I live even closer than both of you (on Beacon Hill) and I stayed in a hotel. I probably could have gone home for the night but there's a certain quality to 'total PAX immersion'.
Everybody and their brother/sister goes to the Exhib. Hall and has geeky t-shirts. Specialization, and the love of that schtick, will reap rewards. If you cosplay, Cosplay all weekend. You'll be in photos, get lots of attention, have loads of fun. If you're in the BYOC, go all out. Participate in the mini-tournies, MOD YOUR CASE, challenge others to some games. You'll meet new people, win awesome computer hardware, get attention, have loads of fun. If you want to be in a tournie, DO IT. Gather up your teammates, practice before hand, be prepared, and stomp over the competition. You'll win prizes, pwn last minute teams, and have loads of fun. If you want to learn, do the panels to the max. Get in lines, have informed questions, chat with the speakers afterwards if they have time. You'll learn a lot, you chat with some awesome folks, and you'll have loads of fun.
Yeah in 2009 I just wanted to take in everything I could, and the free loot was tossed at the ravaging masses in mass. This last year I had no plan and for it I suffered and did not have much fun. I did have more fun outside the hall when the "Rock Lobstahs" would hang and eat and chat and it was more about friends hanging than the Convention. So next year I am already planning for. I will do the Cosplay and Buttoneering for the whole weekend. Well except Friday, because that's our ROCK LOBSTAH tee-shirt day. That Guy will get a big update I think... and there is a rumor he has a new side kick.. wink wink nudge nudge. I may even try to do a casemod, after seeing how much fun you had at it.. I may give it a try too. Maybe make a Case based on the new Menoth War Engine.
Then again I don't know.. If I can get my act together I should be living up there by this time next year and be strapped for cash.. so we'll see.
I think my advice is, Have a Plan. Know what you want to see and make sure to see it and do it. And as Bitter Suggested, know your role.