Makoto ([info]kinomakoto) wrote,
@ 2009-05-17 15:50:00
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Current mood: tired
Current music:omokage modan, hitoto you
Entry tags:big lab project, convention

So, um, Otakon.
I have suddenly found myself on the east coast for a few weeks this summer, and might be able to escape from work for a couple days to hit up Otakon. I've never been, so... do you recommend it? ^_^

(I'll be in Philly, and working, so I'd probably rent a car and drive down Saturday morning and leave Sunday night... I could use points for a free stay at the Marriott Inner Harbor, so overall not a huge expense for a short little con visit. Anyway, I'm strongly considering it ^_^)

Big Lab Project Mach I is complete, ish. I will be back in St Louis for their audit the first week of June, but only for a couple days. I hopefully am done with that city forever. :D The lab kids seem to be doing pretty well, they've got another month or so of practicing before they go live, and I think they'll be in good shape. Yay!

As soon as I got home from Mach I, they sprung Mach II on me. Not entirely unexpected, but a much quicker timeframe than I'd anticipated.

I'll be working in Philadelphia quite a bit starting in the middle of June, and off and on through July. Maybe longer, depending on the staff and their learning curve.

I'm nervous, since I'm told these lab kids are TERRIBLY behaved. I shouldn't have to go into a professional environment and yell at people, but I will if I have to!

I am also nervous because the lab is in a fairly unsavory neighborhood, I'm told. The current supervisor was mugged on his way in. And not "Hey you, gimme all your money" mugged, "Clubbed over the back of the head and woke up with no wallet" mugged. I think I will bring mace. Sorry, City of Brotherly Love. :(


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[info]kyonomiko
2009-05-17 11:33 pm UTC (link)
I heard that Baltimore is scary, Otakon is scary, and since it's one of those "In a convention center that closes at night in a place near no hotels" kind of location, it's not that safe if you stay after the sun sets. In fact, from the people I've talked to that have been to that con, they all said it's their least favorite convention D: They HAVE had some terrific guests in the past, though. And then there was that "LOL we got L'arc!" thing a few years ago...

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[info]jvowles
2009-05-22 06:22 pm UTC (link)
Why the hate?

1. Baltimore isn't scary. Parts of Baltimore are scary. True of any big city. Stick to the Harbor and other touristy areas, use a bit of common sense, and you're fine.

2. You're also misinformed about the hotels -- nearly all of the official con hotels are within very easy walking distance: three are attached and four more are within 2 blocks. However, most have been sold out for months.

3. Otakon isn't scary, but it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you're used to a smaller con, or have never been to one. But our members are generally friendly and well behaved.

4. For it to be everyone's "least favorite", we sure get a lot of folks who come back every year. 26,000+ people came last year. It was not the first time for most of them.

5. Glad you like the guests -- we work hard at that! Most of our guests, as they leave, ask when they can come back. Since we frequently are the first con to bring a particular guest, we like to set a good example.

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[info]kyonomiko
2009-05-22 10:57 pm UTC (link)
I don't hate Otakon. I've never been there! I've just never heard any good experience relating to that convention from anyone I know in person.
My opinion is based on those of my freinds, and people I've talked to. It may be a fantastic convention with fantastic guests, but that can't surmount the fact that I don't know a single person I've spoken to at any length that has openly talked about the good experiences they've had there. It may be hard for them to separate opinions of the convention with opinions of the location, but I can't in good conscience shell out the money to travel to a con so far away that my freinds don't have fun at. Maybe they didn't enjoy the convention because of some other factor involving hotel, travel, food, location, airlines, etc. Obviously, with the numbers Ota is pulling it's not "everyone's" least favorite. I don't know everyone. I just know a lot of people who haven't had good things to say about the experiences they've had while travelling specifically for that con. I'm not directly knocking or attacking the convention. I would just never go :(

I've been to larger cons, so it's not even that. I've been to Expo and I've been to A-kon more times than I would like. I'd consider going to Expo again if they pulled in guests I wanted to see and moved back to long beach or anaheim. I've heard too many negative things about the downtown LA convention center location to consider travelling for that one. And A-kon.. well.. I never WANT to go to A-kon, but end up getting dragged there almost every year -..- That's an entirely different story, though.

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[info]kinomakoto
2009-05-25 07:35 am UTC (link)
I appreciate the input, so thank you! (...though I am curious as to how you stumbled onto my LJ?)

It's not really anything I wouldn't expect from a convention of Otakon's size; the crowds, safety, hotels, parking, unsavory areas issues are fairly universal. I was in Baltimore earlier this year for a work project, but I spent most of my time staring down a microscope in the lab; it'd be nice to actually see the city.

I've attended a lot of conventions with [info]celine... she's been to dozens more than me over the years (and I've been to Comiket twice, so I think that's saying something). So I find her general distaste for Otakon concerning. At the very least, it discourages me from wanting to cosplay, which is a bit depressing.

I look forward to seeing what guests are announced, since that will play the biggest role in my decision. I'm a bit too old (and a lot too introverted) to go to a convention just to meet people anymore, but a stellar guest is always hard to refuse. I'd fly almost anywhere for the right seiyuu. Best of luck to you this year!

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[info]snowhite_dahlia
2009-05-18 03:33 am UTC (link)
Nathan's family lives about an hour outside of Philadelphia. :) Some day, he should regale you with the story of his little brother's field-trip to Philly - it's great.

You are quite the U.S. Traveler now! We miss you! :D

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[info]hikaruchan
2009-05-18 04:30 am UTC (link)
If you can get a close hotel Otakon not bad. New Hilton is connected to BCC, Hyatt is connected by skywalk, Days Inn right across the street, etc.

Checked and Orioles are playing away game - that is a plus. Still will have panhandlers around and some are aggressive.

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[info]lenaen
2009-05-18 04:33 am UTC (link)
I lived maybe 45 minutes away from where Otakon is held and didn't go once in 18 years of life in Northern Virginia, so I'm a bad anime fan. In my defense, I was also a n00b anime fan at the time.

[info]kyonomiko's stories scare me, but I get that same impression from the Philly lab, so maybe by the time Otakon rolls around you'll have a tolerance for those kinds of things. But yeah, bear mace, we need to go shopping.

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[info]celine
2009-05-18 11:28 pm UTC (link)
I went to Otakon for several years. Baltimore is NOT friendly to anime geeks, so be sure that you travel with a group at all times. If there isn't a sports game, that helps a bit, but there are still plenty of people out & about in the city at all hours and they WILL harass you. It's a fun city for normal trips, but I don't recommend Otakon. It was my least favorite con.

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