Need advice on the Acen Experience

[BorgmanJayce]

I'm hoping if I get a job this year to go to Anime Central in Chicago next year, not only to have my first ever experience of a American Anime Con, but also hang out with a good friend of mine who lives in Chicagoland plus visit my Uncle who lives in the area [Tinley Park, to be precise] and of course, meet as many of my fellow HJU'ers who will be there!:thumbs:

In any case, I was wondering what's it like to attend Anime Central as I've never been to an Anime Con in the US [Hell, I've never even been anywhere overseas except France a few times and the last time I went was nearly 20 years ago!] and it's always been my dream to go to one so that I can say that I've done it as well as do lots of cosplays and meet fellow cosplayers and have all kinds of interesting experiences.

As for Anime Cons in the UK, they're getting better slowly in that a few of them get guests in from the UK like Monica Rial and Laura Bailey and the MCM Expo gets the odd VA in like Vic Mignogna and Johnny Yong Bosch but they'll probably never be as big as the ones in the US, sad to say.

 

[Dami-chan]

Don't bother with the elevators. Also believe it or not; there is convention areas in the hotel! :redface2:

Last year (my first) I went with my bf and roommates who are seasoned vets and well, we spent the entire time getting **** faced at room parties of people they knew (woo! shout out to Gojira) I didn't go to a single con event except the Dealers room and the Game room.

The con is big. Not Otakon big, but easily third in the country. So if you're planning on meeting people you're not necessarily rooming with or even if you just want to bump into someone get numbers. Make a plan. I never got to meet HJU peeps last year (which Keith and I blame the other for, but for the record he did have my number.) And I just barely caught the RB guys last thing Sunday; coming up the stairs after dinner I recognized John (Spy) in his Hurricane Yellow jacket.

Also, plan as far ahead as possible. I'd say you have to know if you're going early or not. Especially if you're going to reserve your own room in the hotel. It's always best to stay in a room @ the con hotel and not get put in an overflow.. especially at bigger cons. And the ACEN hotel fills quick. So watch the website for the announcement that the room block is open and pounce.

I don't know if it's open for internationals but they have an option for an extra $1.50 to have your badge mailed to you early. Already have mine for this years and it's totally worth it to avoid the notorious ACEN 7 hour line.

And of course, ask someone from the area to give you directions to Mitsuwa, the Japanese mini-mall the next town over. The best food court ever, a small grocery store, book store, Seafood. I could go on. All this crammed in about half the size of a Super Wal-mart but it's like someone carved it out of Japan and dropped it in IL.

I didn't find anything I wanted in the ACEN dealers room (there was plenty there, believe you me, I just have specific tastes) But this was my Mitsuwa swag:

... minus all the food I bought. This year I've put aside an entire paycheck besides my con fund just to blow there.

So yeah, go, have fun.. hang with us; go to some room parties. It will be a blast I personally guarantee it. (I hope you drink).

... you'll have to have someone else chime in on the actual programming - but I hear it was pretty awesome.

 

[BorgmanJayce]

Thanks for all the advice, Dami-chan...

My friend who lives in Chicagoland and is also a Acen regular himself told me that the room parties are legendary in their own right and that the Masquerade Ball is supposed to be fun as well. He also told me about how Misawa is supposed to be a really good place to visit and there's supposed to be a all-you-can-eat sushi place in the area that serves really good sushi but I can't remember its' name.

As for drinking, I'm not allowed to drink alcohol as it affects my epilepsy medication [which is a shame as I used to love sake a lot] but I'll definitely be sure to attend a few of the room parties that I'm invited to and also possibly hold one myself on the Thursday or Friday...

I'll definitely try and book a room at the con hotel itself, especially for the Wednesday as I'd be flying out on that day so I can easily get adjusted to the time difference between the US and the UK.

 

[Misfits923]

Sounds awesome! I will be present as well, and the best thing is this year I'm getting a free badge! **** paying for them anymore. As for Mitsuwa, I myself like to go just to hang out, but I've gotten tired of their food, as I'm there almost everyday and live only 15 minutes away. Plus, I know just about everybody that works there, so I get the mad hookup