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[GreatSG]

I'm pretty excited about going to Katsucon, but I do have a few questions that have been bothering me; since this also my first trip to Katsucon as well.

At the moment I find myself in a situation where I will be arriving Thursday afternoon. I have a good six hour drive to get there and I don't want to miss the events or be got in DC Beltway Nightmare traffic (The horror... the horror...) Yet, i'm also stuck in a predicament where I don't know if I will have a room Thursday night or not.

If the case of the latter happens, I'm planning to go through with the extreme of my Thursday plans of sitting somewhere in the hotel lobby/convention area with my laptop, an extra monitor, and some good speakers plugged in to host some viewings of MST3K and other assorted videos to keep my preoccupied and such.

I'm just afraid that if I do have to stay up all night Thursday (most of the people i'm rooming with aren't planning to arrive till friday) will I run into the problem of being kicked out of the hotel for loitering or something to that nature? Hopefully that won't happen, or any of this expected mess im impending to happen, but if so; if anyone can help me out with giving me space Thursday night or not, i'd appriciate the offers (and here I thought I was out of the rooming problems...)

Also, The MST3K showings are most definitely happening, but is there anything I need to keep in mind so that I don't get the hotel or Katsucon staff onto me?

Plus, just as a general precaution, what is the weather like up in the area? I'm planning to bring a heavy coat and gloves just incase, but I just need to know if I should go as far to pack chains for my tires incase of snow.

Thanks again,
SG

[trigunvash]

The weather has been sorta crazy, one day its nice sunny and warm, the next day we have a couple inches of snow lol. I suggest brining the jacket in case.

As for hanging out Thursday night in the hotel lobby, I'm not sure if the hotel will allow that, since officially things get kicking Friday. Actually things don't really get kicking until later Friday, so if you leave friday morning and arrive by mid-day and if you're coming up from NC, the traffic is all going south, so you wouldn't have much a problem with traffic, and you wont be missing much since most of the convention events don't get going until later in the afternoon (at least from my experience.)

Hope ya have fun.

[AndoMasanobu]

yeah, durning the actual con days you dont hear to much when you just chill for the night but i dont know about thrusday night, though, there usually is a good crowd of con goers that do hang in the lobbies and what not thursday evening, but sticking around the whole night might have its complications, and katsucon staff doesnt officially have any rule yet on thursday evening. personally, id prolly just sit around till the con goer crowd dies down and around 2-3 am go get a little shut eye in the car, and then just go back to the lobby early the next morning like 7-8ish. which brings up the weather, it has been pretty cold here lately, i've been wearing at least a long sleve shirt, heavy jacket, gloves and a hat, so id definately bring that along, and if you do decide to stay in your car for thursday night, be sure to bring some warm things to cuddle and wrap up in cuz the temp has been going way down at night, its 9 degrees outside as of right now, to give you an idea.

[dizzylizzy]

I've gone down many of Thursday nites at many different cons. It's much more relaxing. I've NEVER had a problem with hanging out in the lobby. It's what it's there for. O.o We also tend to practice skits in the lobby.

Point is, act civil and they'll be fine.

[trigunvash]

AnimeUSA folks had some thrusday late night people in the lobby, since the convention wasn't officially until friday, they were asked to clear out.

The problem may arise where the hotel(s) wouldn't want people loitering around in the middle of the night at non convention hours it might be fine for a little bit in the early evening, but when it gets later past 10,11 and midnight, then the hotel(s) may ask people to dispurse, not to mention if they don't have a room there for that particular night.

[GreatSG]

Interesting thinks to know. Maybe I will leave early Friday morning to get there in the middle of the day if most con events aren' starting til later in the day and by then most of the people i'm rooming with will be arriving.
I'll see what happens with my roommates and when events are starting and such. I'm pretty much stuck in a 'wait and see' situation.

Also, I have thought of the idea of sleeping in my car for a short time Thursday night; yet I could see myself getting kciked out by security for even that; anyone else ever had to do this?

[makotohanabi]

Think it depends on the situation, the hotel's company policy, and the crowd. I've never been in a lobby when a hotel employee asked a group to disperse. Mind you, I've never been rowdy or took a nap on a lobby couch.

The time I had to sleep in a car I pulled the blanket over my head and body and probably looked like random stuff in the back seat (this was in a rest stop in WV). If you park in a garage chances are you can slip in sleep and wake up in a few hours without getting caught, but it will still be cold and I don't recomend it. I did it in the summer and the blanket was for hiding not warmth. I'd suggest finding a roommate for thursday night or show up on friday.

Whatever you decide it would be a good idea to go to weather.com and punch in the hotel's zip code (22202) to see what the weather will be like during katsucon.

[GreatSG]

Interesting to know, I can definitely pack a blanket to do just that and I don't mind the cold whether or the cramped space. I spent all of Nekocon in November sleeping in what I believe to be a 2x5 foot space on my friend's hard wood floor in his room with a sheet over me.
Although if I do end up at Katsucon thursday evening, don't be surprised if I have a note at the bottom of my MST3K marquee that says "Will pay for a one night stay" :P

[OdangoAtama]

Me and my friend are gonna do some volunteer work thursday night like settin up and what not. SO maybe u can hang wif us if u gets lonely ^_^

[GreatSG]

Originally Posted by OdangoAtama

Me and my friend are gonna do some volunteer work thursday night like settin up and what not. SO maybe u can hang wif us if u gets lonely ^_^

Sounds interesting, although I think I'll have plenty of company with MST3K showing on a dual monitor setup with some small speakers :P