MCM Comic Con London 2016 – Convention Essentials

Now I’m no longer holding back my inner geek and I am publicly displaying my nerdy side for all to see I decided that this is the year to get myself to a convention. This is definitely one of my 30 things to do before 30 (another post on this to come).

Now I have been to my first convention I thought I would start initially by giving a simple checklist of things to prep to go! Some things sound obvious and some I learnt by going. It’s always best to be prepared to make it as much fun and as little stress as possible. I am a planner and list maker by nature so for me it’s good to be as organised as I possibly can. Hopefully this will help you get ready for your next convention!

Ticket – Sounds basic but make sure it’s printed off and with you!!

Business Cards – Take business cards with you if you are cosplaying or wanting to connect with people.

Money – Get cash out before you go. This way you can avoid the huge queues for the cash points when your there and budget, once it’s gone its gone. Plus a lot of stalls only take cash.

Food – They sell food there but it’s expensive and limited so pack a good lunch you will look forward to. I don’t usually get hungry in the day but I was starving!

Drink – Sometimes bottles are not allowed in so best to ditch any before you arrive. You can pick up drinks easy enough on the stalls and if you have food with you then you’ll avoid queues.

Backpack – I had a handbag and tote bag…big mistake! I really needed my hands free all day and my shoulders were killing by the end! If you’re cosplaying I even saw people with backpacks to match colour of the characters outfit to blend in. This will give you room for lunch and purchases etc.

 

Carrier bags – Bring a couple in your back pack for purchases. Stalls can run out so it’s best to be prepared.

Change of clothes/shoes – depending on what you’re wearing you may want to add a change of clothes or shoes to the backpack. If you’re cosplaying you may want to change to avoid any travelling damage that could occur plus change shoes.

Comfy shoes – It’s a long day and a lot of walking around and standing on your feet…look after them and wear something suitable!

Photos – Make sure your phone is charged, you have any charging devices you can use on the go and enough storage to take photos. If bringing a camera check the photography rules and bring any memory cards needed. I took a selfie stick but didn’t use it because of space when it was so busy but could still be worth taking.

Show Guide – You can check the website for show guides and a plethora of information. Take your time to read all about the convention and use this to plan your day.

Read the Cosplay Rules – Sound obvious but after the props drama this year on various Facebook pages if you decide to cosplay make sure your costume and any props meet the requirements of the convention. These are listed on their website. As much as it’s obviously a family event with thousands of people that if your character has a sword then you can’t actually bring a real blade in people will still try. All info regarding what you can and cannot do is there to read online so check your costume ideas against this and make any alterations required so that your belongings are not confiscated.

Plan Your Cosplay in Advance – One thing I under estimated was how long my ideas would take to put in to action. In the end because of this I couldn’t dress up as the characters I planned to. I went with a pinup style character inspired look instead with Rogue from X-Men as my character choice. Even this took a lot of work hunting for the right things to wear and planning in itself. The last thing you want is last minute rush or stress sorting your costume out.

I thought I had planned my trip well but I didn’t actually see half of what I wanted to. Next time I will do a minimum of 2 days and plan much harder what I will do and when.  There is so much to see and do there that I don’t want to miss you. What I have learnt is going on a Sunday is still busy. It’s quite first thing but still gets hectic from late morning for the rest of the day. It was still packed half hour before close. Towards the end you may pick up some bargains with it being the last day. I can’t speak for the Friday or Saturday personally however I can imagine Saturday to be very busy as this seems to sell out first.

Basically plan plan plan to get the most out of it for you. Coming soon are posts about the event! Stay tuned for those!!

xoxo