Article:
Why Dragon*con Has Lost Its Appeal

Date: 8 Mar 2010

I attended my first Dragon*con in 2005. My friends and I had been attending Florida conventions for years, but had never attempted anything quite like Dragon*con. That first year we didn't even get to stay in one of the hosting hotels, because they had filled up months in advance. We really had no earthly idea what we were getting ourselves into.

After that crazy Labor Day weekend in 2005, however, we were all hooked. Dragon*con was undeniably the best convention we'd ever been to, and we were determined to go back, stay in a host hotel, and do it all over again in 2006.

And so we did. From 2005 to 2009, I spent my Labor Day weekends at Dragon*con. In that time I grew to love Dragon*con, but that love was starting to fade towards the end of 2008, and had turned into intense frustration by the end of 2009. In fact, 2010 is going to be my last Dragon*con for a good long while.

Why?

Well, there are a few big issues that I think Dragon*con Powers That Be need to address, before I consider going back.

1. Registration and Pre-Registration Pick Up

I had no complaints about pre-registration pick up the first two years I attended Dragon*con (2005, 2006). But it all started to go downhill after that. The lines went from a totally reasonable 30 minutes, and to a borderline unreasonable hour. We weren't even trying to pick up badges on Friday mornings either. We were coming to the con a day early so we could pick up badges on Thursday nights. Last year, 2009, was really the last straw for us though. We waited over three hours to pick up our badges. Three. Hours. It was totally unforgivable and inexcusable, especially for a convention that had been around for so long, and should have had it's stuff together.

What caused the problems? I'm not entirely sure. What I do know that pre-registration pick up was moved to a different hotel for 2009. Also, the lines up at the front of the master line were sorted by last name, and while some had tons of people, three or four of the middle alphabet names had no one in them at all. As a result, anyone with a letter D through H last name was literally holding up the line for the rest of the entire alphabet.

1 2 3 4

View Comments (7)

I had a great time at DC 2009.

I do agree with the Registration concern. Just let me pay $10 more and mail me out my badge. If I lose it, then make me stand in line for 3 hours.

Posted by Ann on 15 July 2010 17:47

I used to be a big fan of DragonCon, but in recent years they've really gone down hill. Their program I used to include many writers I enjoy, but no longer. Apparently all the authors I like are getting squeezed out of the mix by TV personalities and the like. Too bad, really. Unless I see a big shift in the make-up of their guest list, I've probably gone to my last DragonCon.

Posted by Paul on 24 April 2010 20:11

I live in Virginia and have been attending DragonCon since 2006. I enjoy the convention but am dismayed at some of the changes that have taken place over the last few years. The first year I attended DC I was in and out of registration (I had pre-registered) in 30 minutes. The next year, 2007, took a little longer, roughly an hour. In 2008 I arrived on a Thursday with the hope of obtaining my membership badge before the actual start of the convention on Friday. DC shut down the registration line early and so my plan (and the extra $$$ I spent for an extra day) were for naught. The registration line for 2009 was a nightmare and, once again, I was in line Thursday to get my badge. Some booths for certain last names had absolutely nobody in line and DC staffers were twiddling their thumbs while other lines were unmanageably huge. The DC registration staffers need more flexibility to shift people around when some lines are too large and others are not. Plus, the ballroom where registration was held in 2009 was too small and too hot. I found many of the DC volunteers manning information booths or guarding areas like the celebrity "Walk-of-Fame" to be woefully uninformed and poorly trained. Inexcusable at any convention, but particularly so at a convention the size of DragonCon. As for Trek Trak, there seem to be two sides to this story. I, personally, do not know Eric Watts but have enjoyed Trek Trak every year I have attended the convention. Best of luck to Garrett Wang in 2010. I hope some of these issues are ironed out before DC 2010 this fall. For anyone looking for a good bargain on something other than a host hotel, check out http://xiandesi.livejournal.com/ you won't be sorry.

Posted by Carl K on 16 April 2010 22:10

I attend D*C as a dealer and an artist and agree with all of your complaints. I never would attend the con if I wasn't working it--and if sales aren't better this year, then it may be my last D*C as well. (The one benefit of being a dealer? Avoiding those registration lines!) My problem as a dealer is with the increasing frenzy of the super-expensive autographs and celebrity photographs, attendees have less money left to spend on other wares -- as well as less time to browse the dealers hall as they're spending so much time in lines. Last year I had folks who used to be good, annual customers sigh about how they'd just dropped $500-600 on Shatner, Nimoy & Patrick Stewart and had nothing left to spend.

Posted by sockii on 9 March 2010 13:08

@Tom

They JUST announced that Garrett Wang is the new Trek Track director, so I think there's hope for Star Trek programming, if nothing else!

Posted by Kelly Rowles on 8 March 2010 15:33

I am going to Dragon Con for the first time and am wondering whether I should just make my big convention for 2010 New York Comic Con instead. Hearing all the negativity towards the event makes me wonder whether it is worth the money and time.

Posted by Tom S on 8 March 2010 15:30

Hubs and I haven't been to Dragon Con since 2008, though like you we were going every year for quite awhile. We might start up again, but it won't be this year. Your comments regarding the conference are dead-on. I've tried to attend late night screenings of movies only to discover that the DC staff had not arranged for a projector, and then to discover that the hotel has "policies" on how late their equipment can be checked out. I, too, have experienced the exceedingly long lines for pre-registration, and don't get me started on the gaming room policies. The dealers hall seems to be squeezed into a space entirely too small, and the staff no nothing about how to direct the flow of traffic efficiently. Not to mention that when questioned, the staff get really rude.

Posted by Gargantua on 8 March 2010 12:09

Name (required):

Email (required, will not be shown):

Comment:

Article:
Why Dragon*con Has Lost Its Appeal

Leave a Comment

View Comments (7)

Further News

Article:Why Dragon*con Has Lost Its Appeal

Leave a Comment

View Comments (7)

Further News

Article:
Why Dragon*con Has Lost Its Appeal