Calthine's Fan Faire Tips

Maximize your Fan Faire experience with these tips from veterans!

Be kind to your feet: You're going to spend a lot of time walking, not just to and from your room but around the huge Legends Lounge and between conference rooms. You're also bound to spend a fair bit of time in lines. Bring comfy walking shoes. Unless you're comfortable in heels or cowboy boots for hours on end, avoid them. Your feet will thank you!

Beware the air: I always feel odd mentioning this, but if your sinuses are sensitive in any way, be prepared. You're going from where ever you live to a place where outside it's hot and dry and inside the air is very dry and over-processed. It's so dry that I always lose my voice by late Saturday. Gum and breath mints can also help counteract the dry air, and keep us all from AOE effects when we're chatting. A big bottle of plain old nasal saline will save you a lot of grief. While you're at it, grab some of your favorite cold medicine, because I positively guarantee that someone at Fan Faire will be passing around a cold.

Stay Hydrated: Keeping yourself hydrated will not only keep you going, it's a great defense against hangovers. I actually bring my own water bottles, because I'm cheap and nothing is free in Vegas if you're not actively gambling. Fill them half-full at night, pop them into your room freezer and top them off the next morning. Fill them up whenever you hit a rest room or water fountain. 

Feed your body: There is, of course, food available in the hotel. Fan Faire veterans have been compiling a list of eateries from the cheap to the lofty on the Fan Faire forums. But if you want to min/max Fan Faire, be aware there are no meal breaks once things get going. I recommend a hearty breakfast (even for folks like me whose idea of breakfast is a 16 oz latte), because you might not stop to eat until dinner, if then. I carry some high-protein snack bars on me (brought from home, of course, 'cause I'm cheap) ever since the year Niami Denmother saved my life with a bag of her famous Trail Mix.

Nothing is Free in Vegas: Everyone talks about the free drinks and free shows, but nothing, nothing is free in Vegas. Every "free" drink requires you to sit and gamble. Every "free" show requires you sit through a timeshare presentation. Locals advise not to be sucked in by free offers. Wait, I think maybe the bathrooms are free. And the over-processed air. 

Comments

Post Comment
Another Battery Idea
# Jul 16 2010 at 7:52 PM Rating: Decent
Another thing you might want to think about is a camera that can run on both rechargable batteries and standard ones, just in case. Remember if you are recording the panels thats usually 3-4 hours straite of recording, if you only go to the afternoon ones. Also if you can't afford to check or buy a Tri-pod, you can get a Mono-pod fairly cheaply and that works almost as good at keeping your arms from getting tired.

Oh, and Calthine, I don't link that picture everywhere anymore, cause I now have a video.



Edited, Jul 16th 2010 9:52pm by KelaRavenwood
Cosplay
# Jul 14 2010 at 12:03 PM Rating: Decent
If you're going to cosplay, please do a few dress rehearsals, for your own sake. You're going to be spending many hours in that costume. Also if it is a very "involved" costume, bring extra water, even above what you would normally expect. You are going to sweat a lot.
watch your stuff
# Jul 13 2010 at 11:53 PM Rating: Decent
Avatar
***
1,553 posts
even in the main room. I had a brand new $300 camcorder stolen of the table 3 inches from my left elbow smack in the middle of a room full of people. Someone spoke over my right shoulder. I turned my head to answer, when I turned back the camera was gone. that fast.

It does not matter that is it is supposed to be all "us" there. This is Vegas. Don't forget it.
____________________________
Super Wiki Ferret Emeritus, obsessive/compulsive wiki editor
Tripod
# Jul 09 2010 at 7:05 PM Rating: Decent
*
75 posts
One thing I learned last year... if you are serious about recording panels, bring a tripod -- otherwise your arm is going to get really tired holding the camera up!
Camera Batteries!
# Jul 09 2010 at 3:06 PM Rating: Excellent
Empress of News
***
2,350 posts
Don't forget an extra battery for your camera. And make sure that the extra battery is not a dead battery (yup, that was my "oops!" last year).
____________________________
Cyliena Velnarin | @Cyliena on Twitter

Post Comment

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.