Taking on Dragon Con

I was introduced to the world of fan conventions by Creation Entertainment, a company that has been hosting cons across the US for over 25 years. These conventions were tailored to fans of my favorite television show, Once Upon a Time. Therefore, every guest, every fan, every panel, and every photo op were of some relative interest to me. These cons in no way prepared me for the enormity of the comic con world. 

In May of 2018, I attended my first non-Creation convention: MegaCon Orlando. I was absolutely blown away by the size of the venue, the number of vendors, the intensity of the cosplay, and the amount of attendees. Still, even MegaCon could not prepare me for Atlanta's famous Dragon Con.

Dragon Con was another one of our spur-of-the-moment trips, albeit a much more convenient one. The short drive from Louisville to Atlanta was nothing compared to our other, crazy trips. I had decided to make the trip to Atlanta just days before the convention, after having the epiphany that I was off work for Labor Day. That meant that I knew nothing about Dragon Con and its enormous fan base.

We booked a lovely room at a Hilton in Peachtree Corners, just outside of Atlanta. An Uber ride into the city took about 20 minutes which we didn't mind at all. What we were blissfully unaware of was the virtual bloodbath that occurs every year over hotel rooms for Dragon Con (which apparently book up over a year in advance).

While we were technically outside of Atlanta, I'm amazed we booked a hotel room for a great rate so close to the convention. This massive con takes place across five large host hotels, all of which are completely booked each year. In comparison, Creation Conventions take place in a single ballroom of a hotel, and even MegaCon fits all of its guests and vendors into one convention center. The people who attend Dragon Con are Serious Fans™ who come every year and, thus, have earned "Legacy Status," meaning they get first dibs on hotel rooms. If you're planning on heading to Dragon Con, staying at one of the host hotels is virtually impossible unless you're planning far in advance. Otherwise, I do recommend the Hilton in Peachtree Corners for a quiet stay in a lovely part of Georgia.

The queues and crowds can certainly be overwhelming and disorienting. However, if you plan out your day and stick to your schedule, Dragon Con isn't so scary. So many of the attendees are proud of their Legacy Status, and will be happy to help you with anything you need, whether its directions or general questions.

Have you ever been to Dragon Con? Do you have any tips for surviving the craziness? Share them below!