r/dragoncon FAQ

A: Expect to be amazed. Dragon Con is 80K-85k of the best friends you never knew you had, all hanging out. Dragon Con runs 24 hours, from Wednesday night until Monday afternoon. During that time you will find panels, parties, booze, friends, concerts, raves, cosplay, adventure, and even reddit meetups! On Thursday and Friday they offer a newbie tour that takes you through the various hotels - it’s a great place to learn and meetup with folks!

Q: I'm attending Dragon Con alone, what can I expect? Is it worth it?

A: YES! Dragon Con is just as much fun alone as it is with a group. It's easy to make friends, just stand in line (any line, there are lots) and ask about people's passions. Ask about meetups and parties - you can and will make friends… And they just might end up being the closest friends you have.

Q: Where can I find a hotel room? What are the host hotels?

A: There are 5 hotels: Marriott Marquis, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, Sheraton and the Westin. (You’ll often hear people refer to the “Big 3” - that’s the Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton which are all connected via habitrails/sky bridges). Most of the Host Hotels sell out of rooms very quickly. The DragonCon Rooms Facebook Group is an active place to trade rooms, find roommates, and pick up rooms from other con-goers. Several host hotels offer current year guests preferred access ("legacy") to rooms for next year and sell out most of their available Dragon*Con room block before it's made available to the general public.

Q. Can I bring my children to DragonCon? What is there to do?

A. DragonCon is very family friendly! The Kaleidescope Track targets children aged 6-12. The Robots and Maker's Track as well as the Science Track has a number of educational panels, as well as a Mini-Maker's Faire and Robot Battles. The Young Adult Literature Track has content for some of your older children, and they host the Harry Potter Themed Yule Ball, which is children friendly until 9pm.

It is advised that children be safely in bed after 7pm. There is no rule that inhibits children from staying out later, but the Con turns a bit more adult-oriented. A large number of adults will be consuming alcohol and wearing revealing or edgy costumes. Everyone is generally good natured but it may be more than you wish to expose your children to. You may wish to devote the first night to having your children elsewhere or in a hotel room while you explore the night life at the convention to see if it's appropriate for your children

Q: When will the schedule be released? Where can I find the schedule?

A: Typically a week or so before the convention, the app is updated with a "final" schedule (the schedule is never actually final as guest changes happen every single day of the convention). However, each track releases their individual schedules on their various Facebook/Twitter accounts typically about a month before. Tracks can be found here.

Q: What is the Dragon Con App?

A: The app is your one-stop shop for all things Dragon Con; it is typically released 1-2 weeks before the convention starts and is updated frequently until the end of the convention. You will be able to review the schedule by track or celebrity, as well as save panels to your very own schedule. Your schedule can be shared with friends you've added to your app. In addition the app includes: hotel maps, exhibit maps, and the Daily Dragon (a daily announcement for all attendees).

Q: I've heard the word "tracks" tossed around; what does that mean?

A: Dragon Con breaks down panels, programming, and events into fan tracks. Each track is essentially a category or genre of fandom. There are tracks about animation, sci-fi literature, video gaming, tabletop gaming and so much more. Dragoncon.org has the most up-to-date list of fan tracks along with detailed information and programming.

Q: What is the Con Suite?

A: The Con Suite is a magical place where convention goers can visit to grab a snack and/or beverage. It's included in the price of your badge and is run by volunteers (ALWAYS be nice to the volunteers, they do the dirty work ensuring we have a great time!). It can be found in the Hyatt on the 2nd floor. It closes periodically for cleaning, but aside from the that it is open from Friday morning to Monday afternoon.

Q: What is Pie?

A: You probably see people posting about pie a lot in the various Dragon Con forums/social media. Pie refers to a form of "moonshine" that has become a longstanding tradition at DC - a typical recipe includes: everclear, apple juice, apple cider, brown sugar, cane sugar and cinnamon sticks. There are many different recipes and folks are always happy to share their Pie with you. Be smart and safe when accepting drinks from strangers, only you know what’s right for you.

Q: Why did people answer "DRINK" to my question about Dragon Con?

A: There is a Dragon Con drinking game (there are actually many) about FAQ. And veterans joke that we have to "drink" for the most common questions asked -- 'When does the app update?" and "When does the schedule become available?". Don't take it as a negative comment! Next year, you'll be in the same veteran category and have a way to connect with your fellow Dragon Con goers!

Q: When will professional photo-ops be available? Can I get pictures with celebrities?

A: There are multiple answers to this question.

A con-provided professional photo company will be selling reservations for photo-shoots with stars at the con. Right now that company is Epic Photo Ops - https://epicphotoops.com/. They will release their schedule and pre-purchase opportunities generally around the last day of July. Photo ops can also sometimes be purchased at the con, but are likely to sell out quickly so pre-purchasing is a good idea. These tend to be high-volume photo shoots so you will not really have time to interact with the more popular celebrities. Stand in line, when your turn comes pose quickly for your photo, then out the door to make way for the next person. It's a bit impersonal, but they have a lot of people to serve. The photos are generally excellent quality however.
"Selfies" with stars are also available with certain celebrities in the Dragon Con Walk of Fame. Stars are there only during certain hours during the con, so you should visit the Walk of Fame early to see who is available, what they will charge, and when they're available. Also celebrity schedules tend to change on short notice, so patience and flexibility is a must here. These photos are usually much less expensive than the professional photo ops, but are only as good as your camera and the person taking the shot - but they're often a lot more fun and you often get to interact with the stars a bit :) Autographs are also for sale at this time.
Professional photographers will also be at the con to take pictures of you and/or your group in your cosplay attire for a fee. These photographers generally have good equipment, permanently setup photo areas, and do not require a pre-reservation. A good option if you have a cosplay you're proud of and want shown in the best manner possible. This is not a celebrity/star opportunity, just you :)

Q: What if I lose, forget, or never received my postcard? Can I still get into the convention?

A: Yes. Postcards merely expedited the process of getting your badge when you go through registration at the convention. If you are unable to bring your postcard a photo ID will suffice instead.

Q: Can I pick up a membership badge for my friend(s)?

A: Yes. Bring a copy of their photo ID, a note from them indicating that you (identified by name) are authorized to pick up their badge, and their postcard. Recommendation: Take a photo of them holding their photo ID and the authorization note up next to their face, and bring that with you as well.

Q: What happens if I lose my membership badge?

A: Technically there is a lost and found located near the Con Suite in the Hyatt. But do not count on your badge being turned in. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that your badge is SECURED to you SECURELY. The alligator clip that comes with your badge by default can easily fall off, especially in the jostling of the large crowds at con. It is STRONGLY suggested that you find a TESTED lanyard that won't come off your neck. If you lose your badge and it is not returned you will have to leave con or buy a new badge. If you are staying in one of the host hotels, you can still hang out in that hotel, but you won't have access to any of the con rooms without a con badge. It is strongly recommended you write your cell phone number on the back of your badge!

Q: How do I get in to see a Q& A session/panel?

A: That depends on where the panel is being held. If the panel is in a ballroom, the room will be cleared between each session. All of the large ballrooms that will feature panels with famous guests have designated line spots. According to the official rules, lines do not start more than 1 hour before the scheduled start of the panel. This is to control crowds and prevent fire hazard situations. In reality, some hotels allow the lines to form as soon as the line for the previous session has been let into the building. BUT! If security personnel do not allow you to form a line at any particular time DO NOT get angry with them. They are doing their best to preserve your safety and keep the con running smoothly.

Follow the directions of security personnel as they load you into the room. They keep a general count of how many people are walking into the room - you will get a seat if you make it into the room. For popular panels, security folks will often count the number of people in line and stop the line from growing once it has reached room capacity. This is to keep you from having to stand in line and not get into a panel. If a hotel can snake a line outside, they will do so to keep crowds out of their main areas. Be prepared to stand outside in the rain or the direct sun. You will not be permitted to stand on stairs in any line except while the line is actively moving into the room.

For smaller rooms where seating is not a problem, rules about clearing everyone out in between sessions are more relaxed. If there is no line outside, you generally won't have to give up your seat and can hang out inside the room between sessions. The general rule is that if you're in a room on the "bowel" level of a hotel where you can't get cell service, the room probably won't be cleared.

Q: I have a disability and need special access (or my friend/family member does) how can I get into panels?

A: First, you'll need to go to Disability Services to pick up a badge that explains your needs. You don't have to disclose any information you're not comfortable disclosing but Disability Services does need to understand what access you need. You may need end of aisle seating due to wheelchair or mobility issues, line of sight, front row seating, etc. You will get a sticker on your badge that indicates what kind of seating access you need. There is a special space near each ballroom where disabled people are allowed to line up. Chairs are provided for you to wait to get into the room. Disabled congoers are allowed to load into the panel rooms before the general line. Once the general line has started to load, disabled access cannot be guaranteed so don't be late. Disabled seating is only available to people with a disability sticker and ONE friend. If you're super popular, sorry, your other friends have to wait in the general line like a schmuck.

Getting around the con can be a challenge for disabled congoers. Your best bet is to study maps of the entrances and exits to know how to get into and out of the hotels. Often getting around on the street may be your best way to travel, especially for those in wheelchairs or using scooters. There are a lot of crowds at Dragon Con and especially if people are in cosplay with limited vision or a large footprint, they simply may not see you trying to get by them. Elevators are notoriously hard to get into. You will have to be a strong advocate for yourself (or your loved one). As a disabled person, you have "right of way" to the elevators. Be polite but firm in asking people to get off so that you and your caregiver can get onto the elevator. Respectfully remind them that they can use the stairs and escalators while you cannot. Remember that a lot of the people at con are young and simply don't think about people and situations outside of their own experience. Most of the time they're not intentionally rude, just ignorant.

There is no guarantee, but some disabled congoers have been able to use service elevators to get around during really busy times.

Q: What on Earth is the deal with that blue, red, and gold pattern I keep seeing?

A: Prior to DC 2016, the Marriott Marquis hotel had a very distinctive carpet pattern. A local company, Volpin Props, took this pattern and made a camo fabric to use in a costume. This went viral in the cosplay community and legal issues ensued. Marriott then selected a new pattern after 2015. Now the old carpet pattern is available for free online and people keep using it in creative ways.

Q: The whole Dragon Con setup seems really confusing, do you have a handy-dandy reference map?

A: Yes! I do!