How is Otakon planning on handling the rise in attendance?

[Eagar Eagle 0]

Last year, the sudden rise of 40k registrations led to longer lines and thus more waiting and discrepancies in conducting bag checks. Will Otakon still be conducting bag checks? How are yall planning on handling more people this year? The food in the convention center is very expensive, but going out of the center and going back in sometimes leads to a 1 hour or more wait even when you have badges.

[JoanneCZ 2]

I am a little worried about this also. I am wondering how we are going to get any food. I don't want to wait in long lines for it. I have arthritis in my knees and that would be painful for me.

[Attendee7000 35]

On social media a day or two ago they posted info about how they're handling entrances differently this time. Bag check and prop check is still in place. They'll have 4 entrances:

 

9th & L (the road that splits the convention center in half): Registration and badge pickup. They finally have the registration line completely separated from the entry lines.

Front entrance 1: Entrance for people with badges but no bags/props to check

Front entrance 2: Entrance for people with badges but who have to go through bag/prop check

Marriott entrance: Entrance for people with badges. They didn't say whether or not there was bag check at this one.

[DeathJester 43]

3 hours ago, Attendee7000 said:

9th & L (the road that splits the convention center in half): Registration and badge pickup. They finally have the registration line completely separated from the entry lines.

I just hope they do proper line management on the outside streets so that the Entrance #1 and the L Street Entrance lines don't run parallel and inevitably intersect. 

[marii 15]

8 hours ago, Attendee7000 said:

 

Front entrance 1: Entrance for people with badges but no bags/props to check

I've seen a few people trying to get clarification on this. The graphic they provided reads like anyone who has no bag but has been through/approved by prop check, should be able to go through that line too. But I've seen no official answer. I've also seen a lot of people asking about accessibility lines/entrances which I would like to know too.

I can't imagine Marriott being a no bag/prop line. That would surely upset a lot of people who pay to be at the Marriott specifically for the tunnel entrance. I know I personally do because I am very sensitive to heat and cannot handle being outside for long. If I was suddenly told that I cannot go through Marriott tunnel with a bag/prop, I would heavily reconsider where I stay at in the future.

[DeathJester 43]

18 hours ago, marii said:

That would surely upset a lot of people who pay to be at the Marriott specifically for the tunnel entrance.

I am only posting this here since the amount of people still watching these forums are minuscule... but you do not need to stay at the Marriott to use the tunnel entrance.  Most people are just unaware that the tunnel entrance exists.

[Daniel Perales 108]

On 6/27/2023 at 10:19 PM, Eagar Eagle said:

Last year, the sudden rise of 40k registrations led to longer lines and thus more waiting and discrepancies in conducting bag checks. Will Otakon still be conducting bag checks? How are yall planning on handling more people this year? The food in the convention center is very expensive, but going out of the center and going back in sometimes leads to a 1 hour or more wait even when you have badges.

It's all a matter of timing, if you think about it. There were many times that I just waltz into the Convention Center without encountering lines or at least not wait very long (5 minutes tops).

 

[Daniel Perales 108]

4 hours ago, DeathJester said:

Quote

I am only posting this here since the amount of people still watching these forums are minuscule...

 

Which is a shame.  

4 hours ago, DeathJester said:

but you do not need to stay at the Marriott to use the tunnel entrance.  Most people are just unaware that the tunnel entrance exists.

I did that last year.

 

 

[marii 15]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:25 PM, DeathJester said:

I am only posting this here since the amount of people still watching these forums are minuscule... but you do not need to stay at the Marriott to use the tunnel entrance.  Most people are just unaware that the tunnel entrance exists.

Yes, I know that a lot of people use the entrance regardless if they are staying at the hotel. I have a few friends who stay across the street that did that last year since it was faster/easier to get to photoshoots. I meant it more for people who stay at the Marriott so they do not ever have to go outside in the heat. That is why I personally stay at the Marriott so not being able to use the tunnel due to having a bag or prop would make me just decide to stay elsewhere next year. Sorry my wording was bad!

[Revengel 30]

Timing (as Dan stated) and staffing both have an effect. I'm glad they have more entrances this year than before and I'm curious to see how this works out. There will certainly be hiccoughs; we have to remember to be as patient as we can with these new changes.

BTW, can you imagine 40k attendees in Baltimore?

While I certainly am a touch concerned about confusion (on behalf of both staff and patron alike) I'm so looking forward to this I can hardly stand it!

[Clutch 87]

The Dealer's Hall lines were pretty ugly last year, as well as the escalator going up from the Marriot entrance. Barely saw what the vendors were selling, because you couldn't get near the tables. Unless you have a solid block of time (like 2 hours) to get to the Dealer's Hall and shop, you are wasting your time. By the time you reach the entrance, a lot of time has passed.

Quite a few times I thought people were going to get into an accident on escalators. There were too many people trying to use them at the same time, and crossing into the path of the other side. The down escalator does not stop while someone blocks the bottom for whatever reason, and you can't step off mid travel. A few had dedicated exit paths a few years ago. That was inconvenient, but probably managed the flow better. The problem being the people who feel that rules don't apply to them, and then others follow their lead. "That guy passed under the stanchion rope, so why should I wait?"