by Its_Immanis - 8 years ago     show comments

With BlizzCon just over two weeks away many people are starting to prepare for their journey anywhere from a few minutes to halfway around the world for one of the most exciting events Blizzard has to offer, so we thought we’d put together a list of things you’ll want to do to prepare yourself for the trip.

This list isn’t all inclusive but just some things to remember along the way to make your trip more enjoyable.

1. HYDRATE. Seriously. You can’t drink enough water. Between airports, standing in lines, walking, partying, and cheering your lungs out, you’re going to get dehydrated. Drink lots of water. Bring a water bottle and keep refilling it. If you feel like you’ve had enough, you haven’t. Drink some more. Soda or alcohol don’t rehydrate your body the same way water does. DRINK WATER.
2. COMFORTABLE SHOES. There’s a lot of walking and standing at the convention. The last thing you want to do is be uncomfortable in your shoes. Yes, they may look fashionable but your feet are going to be screaming after 20 minutes in them on the concrete floor.
   1. If you buy new comfortable shoes for BlizzCon, break them in NOW, not while you’re at the convention.
3. Bring a bag. Bring something to carry all your sweet swag around in. Do something to said bag to make it memorable to you so you can tell which one is yours in case it gets mixed up in a group of bags. Plus you can put that water bottle from #1 in it.
4. Power. Whether it’s an extra cell phone battery specifically for your phone or a portable charger, bring some way to get extra juice into your phone/camera/other device. If you bring a portable charger make sure you bring an extra cable to keep with it. If you’re feeling generous you can bring a cable for a different phone type as well to help out a friend if their phone isn’t the same as yours.
   1. I personally recommend this one. I use a slightly larger version that has two USB ports for my wife and me, but either version is excellent. It stores enough energy for multiple phone charges so if you use it one day and forget to charge it overnight you’re not stuck in a lurch.
   2. There are some charging stations available inside the convention center but they’re all generally in use.
5. Wash your hands/Sanitize. Avoid the con-crud! Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer frequently goes a long way toward not getting sick during or after the convention. You’re going to be meeting a lot of people, shaking hands, hugging, playing demos with keyboards other people have used, etc. All of those people are going to be meeting lots of other people. The convention center turns into what is essentially a giant petri dish, and you don’t want to be patient zero.
   1. While hand sanitizer is useful, it’s only good for so long before you need to do an actual hand washing. Plus it can dry out your skin. There are restrooms available with sinks. Use them.
6. Have a plan, but be flexible. There are lots of things to do at the convention and a lot of people to meet. You’re not going to be able to do all of them the first day, or possibly even the first time you attend the convention. Make a list of the ones that are the most important to you and come up with a plan for how to do them. At the same time, be flexible with that plan. Have a few different things you could potentially do at one time. Sure you want to meet Ion Hazzikostas but so do three thousand other people, and you’re at the back of the line. Rather than burning time waiting in line, go find something else to do and come back a bit later to see if the crowd has died down a bit.
7. Eat, sleep, and shower. There are a lot of parties happening, with lots of people to party with. That’s great, but you’re still a human being. You need rest. The convention is two days long and the second day is going to be HORRIBLE if you are hungry, hungover, tired, or any combination of the three. People who have gone to the convention previously recommend a 6/2/1 plan which is six hours of sleep, two decent meals (snacks in your bag or from inside the convention center are great but don’t substitute for real sustenance), and one shower per day. More of any of the three is perfectly acceptable. Take care of yourself.
8. DON’T BE THAT PERSON. This one can NOT be stressed enough. In general if you’re going to make intentional physical contact with someone, ask first. If you accidentally make physical contact with someone, apologize. Be polite. There are going to be cosplayers at the convention. Some of them will be scantily clad. This does not mean you have free reign to touch them inappropriately. Keep your hands out of any area that would be covered by a normal swimsuit. Many cosplayers love what they do with their artistic abilities, enjoy showing it off, and taking pictures with fans. It’s as much a part of their BlizzCon experience as it is for us to see what they do. However, it creates an uncomfortable situation when someone decides to be inappropriate. Even if you think you’re kidding, don’t do it. BlizzCon should be an enjoyable experience for everyone, regardless of who they are. Don’t be the person that ruins it for someone else.

Now that I’m done beating you over the head with ways to make your and others visits to the convention more enjoyable, here are some ways to make your visit more efficient:

1. Bring your ID and printed ticket. Having both of these items make picking up your physical goody bag and badge go a lot faster.
   1. If you’re changing ticket info at the convention (giving a badge to someone else, etc), make sure you also have your payment method on hand for confirmation.
2. Pick up your badge Thursday. Badge pickup opens at 9am Thursday morning and goes until 9pm, then reopens at 8am Friday morning. Don’t wait until Friday unless you absolutely have to. The badge pickup area is next to the on-site store so once you pick up your badge you can also purchase any items from the store and take them back to your hotel room instead of having to carry them around the convention center all day.
3. Bring cash. Credit and debit cards are wonderful options because they make purchases go faster. However there is always the possibility for cards to be compromised or temporarily suspended by your financial institution until you confirm that you’re actually the one using it. If you’re traveling from out of the country go to your bank and exchange the money (if possible). Don’t wait until you’re at the airport. While you’re at the bank tell them you’ll be travelling so they can note it on your account.
4. Update your contact info. Make sure you have current contact information for your emergency contact(s) both at the convention site and back home for emergencies.

Hopefully some of the items on this list are useful to you if you’re attending. Feel free to share more of your tips in the comments, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter.

BlizzCon is an incredible experience and I hope everyone has an enjoyable time!