Going to AWA-CON this weekend. Any advice?

[RidleyofZebes]

I've had the good fortune to be invited to go along with my cousin to Anime Weekend Atlanta this weekend. This is my first con, and I'm more than a little nervous. XD Everything's set and paid for, so there's no backing out now.

Any advice, pointers, tips, general safety precautions or red flags i need to know other that avoid the yaoi section and fangirls? I'll appreciate anything that i can get.

[Roy Mustang]

AWA 2009 pocket program

That is the program guide for AWA for this year as you can go a head and see what they have.


What hotel are you going to stay at?


I will reply tomorrow with more info after I get some sleep. Posting now would be pointless as I lack sleep and my words would sound like a crazy person at this hour.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[RidleyofZebes]

Dude, thanks! I looked all over the site for that... ^_^;; i appreciate the help. Hope ya got some rest now. Lol

[Roy Mustang]

[quote="RidleyofZebes"]Dude, thanks! I looked all over the site for that... ^_^]

To help me out a little, what days are you going and are you doing Walk-In Registration or did you do Pre-Registered Memberships?

[RidleyofZebes]

Well, if i understand correctly, we'll be there for the whole three days. I know my friend registered online; i don't know if he's a member or not. I'm gonna have to print out the .pdf and sign up at the door, because i missed the pre-registering window.

[Roy Mustang]

[quote="RidleyofZebes"]Well, if i understand correctly, we'll be there for the whole three days. I know my friend registered online]

He then Pre-Registered as what the membership is all about. All he has to do is pick up his badge.

I would try to get there early. I even had to stand in a bit of a line just to pick up my pre registered badge last year.

Registration Operating Hours

Thursday, September 17 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Friday, September 18 9:00am - 10:00pm

Saturday, September 19 9:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday, September 20 10:00am - 4:00pm

Parking Map

Not sure if you going to be staying a the Renaissance Waverly Hotel or not.

Since you have the guide now. You will see where everything is. If you plan to get Autographs, which will be in the dealer room. You will need to be there 30 mins or an hour before the signing to begin.

Friday and Sunday are your best bets as their is not as many people at the con as there is Saturday.

They may have to cut the line. Just understand this and be respectful of the staff in this matter or at any time at the con.

If you do have any questions at the con or problems at then. Be free to ask any staff member. One thing about AWA is, they try to make it a family con and yes, they still have some adult stuff there, but they make sure that underage people do not get close to that stuff.

The staff is very helpful and it will be find to ask them anything if you need to.

If you look at the program, you will see a program called Sunday Reflections at 10 am in the Grand Ballroom on Sunday. This is Vic Mignogna's church service and its a very wonderful program. Its a must to go and meet other christian anime fans at this program.

Now for food, if you are going eat out at the con.

The hotel and con area has a lower floor that will have some events there. This is also the mini mall that they part of the Hotel.

The mini mall has a small food court with a Chick Fil A cart, Subway, Chinese place. There is two sit down restaurants as well.

The Chow Baby, which is make your own stir fry and it can be all you can eat if you want. I tried this last year and I didn't know that it was make your own and I was a bit lost and maybe I give it another chance next year. If you do go to it, plan on eating Friday or Sunday. Do not go on Saturday night as a lot of local come there to eat and you could be waiting a long time.

The place that I mostly eat at as the other restaurant is the Jock and Jills. They have everything from pasta, chicken, pizza, chicken wings and hamburgers. The only thing that you will have to worry is there could be a wait time on Saturday again as local college football fans show up and it can be a loud place, but they should have a deal for AWA fans like they did last year. Last year, if you showed them your AWA badge, you will get 10% or so off your meal. Also, if your staying at the con hotel, you can tell them at the door that your want to make an order to go and they will send you to the bar area, so that you can make a food order and they will bring out to you and you can take it back to your room if you want.

The Chinese place that is inside the mini mall will also have a table set up in the dealer room for people to buy food. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't waste my time or money on that Chinese food at that place. Its just your run of the mill Chinese joints that you see inside malls and to me they are just cheap on the meat they use and never use white chicken meat, like your upscale Chinese places do.

Also in the dealer room, they have a food stand as well that sells chicken sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs, but they are very over price and I would say away from there as well.

Outside the dealer room, there should be a few food carts as I know that Moe's Southwest grill had one last year and had food to sell.

Across the street is the Cumberland Mall that has outside dinning and a food court as well inside the mall.

The food court at Cumberland Mall has

A&D Buffalo's
Auntie Anne's
Big Easy Cajun
Chick-fil-A
Cinnabon
Dairy Queen
Farmer's Basket
Great Wraps
Haagen Dazs
Mandarin Express
Nestle Tollhouse by Chip
Planet Smoothie
Sbarro
Taco Bell
Tokyo Express
Jason's Deli is on the Lower Level of the mall near near Sears

Food places on the outside of the mall are

Maggiano's Little Italy (they have some very good pizza. It was bought in for the staff member after party)

Stoney River Legendary Steaks (pricey)

Ted's Montana Grill (pricey)

The Cheesecake Factory (pricey)

If you do plan on going to Cumberland Mall. Do not across the street, but take the over head walkway. The road is about a four or six lane and there is a lot of traffic on that road, mostly people going to Dobbins Air Reserve Base and Naval base that is about three miles up the road or so from the con.

The walkway runs from the Sheraton Suites Hotel to the Cobb Galleria Centre, where the con is. If you keep walking on the path way, it will make up right to the mall as well. Just a warning. The door that people take to get on the walkway will be close around 10 pm and you will have to then walk down into the parking lot around to the Renaissance Waverly Hotel to get back to the con.

If you go to the mall, its best to do that in the day if you plan on walking and take your car over to the mall at night. The only down side in taken the car over or any other places to eat, you may have a hard time finding another parking place near the con.

There are many food places up the room if you turn out of the road that the con is and go right and up the street and go past the interstate. You will find many many fast food joints.

The dealer room is one big major room with concrete floors, so wear very comfortable shoes. Also, don't make it a big deal to try to get in the dealer room early as they open the doors.

Dealer room opens up at 12 pm on Friday and then 10 am for Saturday and Sunday. Most of the time, they never get to open the doors on time as some dealers over sleep and they wait on them, before opening the doors to the room. On Friday, you will have people camp out starting at 11 am and they will be waiting in line anywhere from 15 to 20 mins to get in after they open the doors.

The best thing to do is at that time is go eat and come back around 1 pm and you will be able to walk right into the dealer room with no line at all.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[Tsukuyomi]

Have lots of fun and take lots of pics ^^

Say hi to any VA's for me ^__~

[RidleyofZebes]

Col. Mustang, i can't thank you enough. you have probably saved my life on this trip. I'll show my friend and the chapperones your list this afternoon.

I'm bringin back pics and youtube vids, and i'll be sure to share with y'all. Thanks, guys! Wish us luck!

This is going to be a weekend to remember...!

[Roy Mustang]

I talk to a staff member early today,

The Waverly hotel will be having a food concession in the hotel lobby from 3:30PM to 9:30PM on Friday and Saturday. Expected to offer hot dogs or hamburgers, salads, drinks etc. We heard "around $5" for pricing. I know it was close to where I was mostly at, which was the radio room for the con last year.

Over in the Galleria, where the dealer room will have a Chick-Fil-A and Moe's Southwestern Grill cart set up. If you don't see the Chick-Fil-A, then just go down to the mini mini mall and there will be a cart, but it looks like they are going to have a cart on the upper floor that will be near or in the dealer room.

The walkway runs from the Sheraton Suites Hotel to the Cobb Galleria Centre is called the sky walk way, you should see it as you come driving in as you will go under it, before turning to the Cobb Galleria Centre and Renaissance Waverly Hotel.

Also, they have a con suite as well that is set up on the 14ht or 12th floor that you can go and sit down and eat some snacks that they have. Its free and you can hang out there a bit.

I can't find anything on it right now as where it will be, but the program book use list it.

The only down side to going to the con suite is, that you have to take the hotel elevator and some times it will take a good 5 or 15 mins to get on one that is not full.

Walk-In Registration Form

You can go a head and fill it out and not have to fill it out in line.



[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[KagayakiWashi]

Watch for a Lt. Surge, a Wallace (?) and some Gijinkas (?) of some of Eevee's evolutions (as well as a Goomba who's going to be crouching the whole time). That's my room mate, sister, and a bunch of their friends. I also have two friends going as Speed Racer and Launch (from Dragonball). I would go, but I'm pinching pennies right now and have other things going on. Have fun!

[RidleyofZebes]

well, i'm plainclothes, but my friends are bleach characters (the one manga i could never manage to read more than one volume of >.<) and deathnote if all plans go well. i'll be on the lookout! XD

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Here's some advice. The artist from Boxer Hockey is showing up. Get his signature for me, pweeeaaaase? *puppy eyes*

[RidleyofZebes]

I do believe I saw the goomba.

Etoh... I looked, but i had no clue at the time what I was looking for. So sorry... Maybe next time, eh?