conventions Queen City Anime Convention 2022

[naota 113]

Round Zero: The two days leading to the convention

 

It is that time of the year again where I get to be let free and have some much-needed time off and enjoy a summertime anime convention. The convention is Queen City Anime Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The convent took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Charlotte and it took place August 5 – August 7, 2022.

 

My vacation started on the Wednesday night before the convention. I had a good friend and convention hotel roommate stay over the night so we can get some last-minute things done before leaving on Thursday. My friend took his Covid 19 test, and it was confirmed negative. I took mine earlier that day so at least we had a base line and were in compliance to QCAC’s attendance policy. We uploaded his results to CrowdPass and enjoyed the night. I Already had my Vaccination information uploaded to Crowdpass so I was good for the convention.

 

The next day my friend and I did some running around after packing out my car with all our gear. We stopped at a couple of ABC stores for some drinks and then stopped at target near the hotel to pick up a couple of other items. Next we stopped at the PetCo next to Target and grabbed my friends bags while he was working so we can then check into the hotel room and all he needed to do was just go to the room.

 

Once the shopping was done and it was near check-in time, we headed to the hotel, parked the car, checked into the hotel and got the Handicap Accessible room and key cards. We to the car to utilize the cart to unpack the car and get settled into the hotel room while we waited for a couple of friends to arrive.  We unpacked the cart, got our stuff situated and hung out until my friend arrived from York SC. We met up with him outside the hotel and walked to our dinner reservation at the Japanese BBQ Gyu Kaku in the rain and arrived at the restaurant before the skies opened up.

 

The dinner was awesome. Not only was the food awesome. The Time spent with friends was much needed. We at well more than the price of admission. The food was cooked to perfection for the sides and meals that weren’t prepared at the table and the quality of the Meats and Seafood to be grilled at the table were tasty as hell.  The bill was 352 dollars after tax and tip for the four of us. But it was money well spent. Ten out of ten will go back again next year with the boys and make this a tradition.

 

 We headed back to the hotel to wait for a friend to arrive at the trains station. My buddy and I went and picked her up at the sketchy train station on North Tryon Street. We waited outside for about 20 minutes before getting her and her luggage packed into the car. She had a long ride from Virginia to Charlotte, and she was hungry. We stopped at a Wendy’s near the hotel, and we couldn’t order for her as they weren’t taking cards for payment. We had no cash on us, so we had to go to the hotel with no food for her. Luckily, she packed some snacks which helped her last to the next day.

Round 1: Fight – Friday Day 1

 

We all woke up early to get ready for the convention. We took our showers, shaved, did our make up and got ready for the convention. I was dressing up as Doctor Robnix from the Sonic the Hedgehog Movie series/Games/Animate series. My friend was dressed up as Lord Briarwood, my other friend was dressed as himself, and my other friend was dressed as Mcree. We all left at different times to get to the registration area of the convention.  While Walking from the hotel down the stairs to the registration area my pant leg caught under my boot after I started walking down the stairs from the middle landing and I fell down the stair. I fell like a graceful gazelle. I protected my head and made sure I didn’t damage my props. I was able to get up and some onlookers ran by to see if I was alright. I fell down in front of the Registration Tables and No one from the con came by to help, it was the attendee’s who checked me out. Luckily, I was wearing my motorcycle boots so that helped minimize damage to my ankles and leg.

 

I dusted my self off and got back up and stood in line with my friends. The convention thought it was wise to have the registration lines on the left side of the strairway right in front of the Elevator. The left was for people to buy at the door and near the stairs for those who pre-registered.  That was a bad move for accessibility as you were blocking the way for those who needed use of the elevator. But I digress, We got into the line, I was able to get my badge after some confusion as I have a lifetime badge and their system didn’t show the registration. I showed them my email from the Convention with the bade number and the VIP status and they gave me the badge.

 

After going through the line, I tucked my pants into the boots, reapplied the spirit gum for my mustach and then went up the stairs. The convention was packed. I had my photo taken multiples time as the eggman. People liked the cosplay. Every so often I would stop, open my jacked up and take a swig of the Gatorade I had in my camel pack to stay hydrated. Little did I know I would go a gallon of that liquid in one day.

The convention center was hot. I sweated a lot. I had to apply the spirit gum over and over just to get thorough the day in cosplay as the mustache kept coming off. I went around the convention did my rounds through the vendor hall/ artist alley, and hung out with friends.  I did a mustach swap as the original one was drenched in sweat and couldn’t be used for the photo shoot. At 5 pm I did my photoshoot with my Photographer Imiicie. We went to the parking deck and took photos for the package I purchased. The Shoot went well and when that was done and we cooled down a bit inside, I went back to the room to get out of cosplay.

I attended the Burlesque show at 10:00 pm and had a great time hanging out with my friends and then we all retired for the night at our hotel room to prepare for the second day of the convention.

Round 2: Fight – Saturday Day 2

Day 2 opened up to me preparing for the cosplay judging. I got into my Ainz Ooal Gown Cosplay. Took me a bit to get into the boots as I am sore as hell from the fall the day before. I get everything I needed for the judging, and I had my handler get me to the judging room. We entered the room and go over everything with the judges. They seemed impressed with the work. Liked the way it looked and thought my finishing was well. Overall the judging lasted about 10 minutes and I was on my way.

I then rushed back to the room to get out of the cosplay as I was boiling and I couldn’t wear it in the convention center for health risks. I then changed back into robotnix and walked around the convention again. Repeating what I did on Friday. Hanging out, meeting friends, taking photos, talking the “SHIT” with friends and people overall having a good time until I had to get ready for the cosplay contest.

I rushed back to the room to get dressed by myself while my handler was MIA. I met up with him at the main events hall. We get in and start getting ready for the cosplay contest. The event room was standing room only. The contest started 15 minutes early. And lasted till about 7:30ish. I didn’t place, again. Though The contest only had first place winners for  craftmanship contests, but 3 places fore the runway which was interesting. To say I was pissed for not placing was an understatement, but It happens. I get out of the event all to get back to the room, some Kids said My cosplay was awesome and I should have won and asked for my photo which made me feel good. Afterwards, I rushed back to the room to get out of the cosplay as I was hot as hell.

After the contests, I ordered some food to the hotel and hung out with my friends.  Went out around the con while the late night events were about start and then went to the room to rest my leg and hips for the rest of the night so I watched some anime on my laptop while icing my leg. After doing some short resting, I packed up all my bags and packed the car out a bit. I brought a cart to the room and got that prepared for checkout so we could have a fast check out in the morning.

Round 3: Fight – Sunday  Day 3

 

Day 3 started out the same as Saturday. We got up. Got dressed and cleaned up the hotel room. We packed out the cars and made sure the room was cleaned and we weren’t missing anything.  I checked us out of the room and then we hung out for the most part of the day. Didn’t do too much. WE waited for my friend’s sister to pick her up which didn’t happen till about 4 pm. Afterwards we left the convention to end fun weekend.

The overall weekend was good. There was some things that could have been done much better and other things that my need to be fixed.

The Good, The Bad, The indifferent

 

 

The good:

1)      The convention cared about the health and enforced a mask mandate as well as mandatory testing or full vaccination.

2)      The hired security staff was good, nice, courteous, and did their job well.

3)      There was a variety of food truck.

The Bad:

1)      There was no Cosplay Contest Feedback panel

2)      Lack of accessibility for those who needed accessibility.

3)      The placement of the registration booth was bad.

4)      The food truck placement was not accessible and too far.

5)      The venue was too damn hot

6)      The con staff didn’t even see if a convention attendee was alright after falling down the stairs

The Indifferent:

1)      The hotel could have better accessible rooms.

2)      The room we had leak from the room above,

3)      The accessibility room had doors only 33 inches wide and the rooms were narrow.

4)      The cosplay contest seems to be chaotic from a backend. There seems to be no consistency between each year I have attended.

 

Overall, the convention was fun. Things will need to change to help the event grow. I don’t know what’s happening in the back end but things will need to be ironed out big time way prior to the event occurring. In conclusion I will continue to attend. But there are changes that will need to be done in order for this event to grow and continue to operate.  I say this is a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

 

 

[naota 113]

The Rating could have been much lower, but I figured some items were weighted more than others. Some items were outside of the the control of the convention while others are so that is why I gave my rating as I did

 

[naota 113]

The aftermath. 
On monday night, I felt very bad. I tought I was experiencing Convention Crud, but it turned out to be Corona. I was as safe as I could be. But I still got it, even though my Hotel Roomates didn't get it. I notified all of those who I came into close proximaty that I knew of and let them know. I guess Not getting the Corona Virus in the past 3 years just meant it was inevitable for me to getting it. Luckilly its mild symptoms and it feels like a bad case of the flu.