Planning Your Convention
The best convention experiences are planned weeks in advance. Book your hotel the moment registration opens — convention hotels sell out fast and proximity matters enormously when you're carrying a large costume. Study the programming schedule and identify your must-see events, then build your day around them rather than wandering. Register for any ticketed events or photo ops early.
Costume Strategy
Multiple-day conventions benefit from multiple costumes — one per day, each tested and repaired in advance. Build your schedule around your most complex costume: wear it on the day with the best photo opportunities and lightest programming, so you can focus on photos and interaction rather than trying to attend panels in an elaborate build. Reserve your simpler costume for travel days and late nights.
The Masquerade
If you're competing in the masquerade, arrive at prejudging with your full documentation — design references, material list, construction photos. Judges respond well to competitors who can articulate their construction decisions. For Craftsmanship judging, the inside of a garment matters as much as the outside.
DragonCon Specifically
See our DragonCon-specific guide for the unique logistics of Atlanta's multi-hotel mega-convention.