Chicago TARDIS: questions

[ghost2]

I know Chicago TARDIS isn't until November, but I'm thinking things through well ahead of time. I've never been to a convention, and I'm sick of saying, "Maybe next year." At that rate, I'll never get anywhere. I live only a few hours from Chicago; getting there is an attainable goal. It still might not happen, but I'm at least going to try this time.

So... I'd love to hear from anyone who went to Chicago TARDIS in previous years and/or plans to go there this year. What it's like? Do you recommend it? Anything special to keep in mind?

Comments

[cersia5.livejournal.com]

I was going to go and it's not that far of a drive for me either (I live in Davenport, IA) but I'm going to try to go to the one in LA instead because of the Guest Doctor there, Peter Davison. I'm responding in reply that you've never been to a convention.

Anything special to keep in mind?

One of my favorite Doctor Who convention stories involves the one that I went to as a teenager where I got to 'meet' Jon Pertwee. He was up front with us and told us that he WAS NOT a scientist, that he was an simply an actor reading lines and that he enjoyed the experience. I would say...and you probably know this...don't ask them any deep fandom questions. I generally don't ask questions of the actors. I simply listen to the story the actors tell. Each actor is different. Some are more friendly to the fans. I enjoyed Sylvestor McCoy's convention appearance, though he's not my favorite Doctor. He was completely attuned to the convention experience than I expected him to be. It was an enjoyable experience.

Also, I hate the fact that most times I've been to conventions, I don't usually have enough cash to buy things in the dealer's room, at least not enough to buy everything I want. So I would recommend saving for this expense, about $300 I think would be a 'good' number, if you like buying collectable stuff. Also if you want autographs, double check the autograph policy as they seem to be changing from buy a picture or item to get an autograph to buy a photograph and buy the autograph. Or some weird combination thereof.

I also enjoyed it better when I met up with or went with a friend at a convention. I wish I could go but I'm going to be doing things in December, January, and February that take precedence over Chicago TARDIS

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

okay possibly i am biased because i LOVE chicago TARDIS, and also i love meeting cool fandom peoples, but YOU SHOULD SO GO OMG. chiTARDIS is small enough to be friendly but big enough so that there's always interesting stuff going on. even if you can't afford to get the whizbang awesome full pass ticket you can do pretty much everything you'd want on the general admission.

chiTARDIS generally has three or four tracks going on every day -- main programming (big guests, the masquerade, etc), alt programming (smaller panels, like paul cornell talking about writing, or a panel on slash fiction, a panel on tie-in books, etc), another alt programming (more of the same), and a screening room that is playing doctor who episodes (or dw related stuff) until the wee hours of the morning. one of these rooms usually gets taken over at various points for autgraphs and photos. there's also a dealer's room where you can drop a lot of cash on awesome stuff or if you are poor like me, watch other people drop a lot of cash on stuff. check the policies for the bigger guests, because they sometimes charge for autographs/photos, but i haven't seen anything above about 20 or 30 bucks (compared to say, patrick stewart charging several hundred for an autograph at SDCC). last year i think the only person who charged was lis sladen (and i think it was arranged like that so that her appearance could still be paid for but the con prices could still be kept low).

for the big guests main programming can get really packed but i've never not been able to attend a panel i wanted to see. the secondary panels are usually my favourites, because frankly i usually find listening to the writers and big finish people much more interesting than the tv actors, probably because the writers and BF people tend to be giant nerds. there are room parties most nights which consist of nerdiness and drinking. people also hang out at the bar and sometimes you can hang out with some of the guests there as well, which is fun.

guests tend to be really friendly and approachable at chiTARDIS, because the con is so small and also because so many of the guests are also anoraks, so they Get It. this year the GoH is paul mcgann, who is decidedly not an anorak and doesn't really get doctor who, so you probably won't end up sitting next to him at the bar joking about anthony ainley. but i've got to say my biggest draw has never been the big actors, but the mid-level guests like paul cornell and rob shearman and nick briggs, and i have got to have interesting conversations with a lot of those guys after panels or hanging about in the lobby or the bar.

meeting other fans is so much fun. the first year i went i went by myself and didn't know anyone at all, and i still had a great time and met some really awesome people, some of whom i'd seen around LJ and some of whom were new, and i made some new friends who i really cherish. and i made more friends the second year. if you went you'd have at least a few ready made contacts attending (like me!), so you wouldn't even have to worry about not knowing anyone.

um basically i think you should go but i want EVERYONE to go because i heart it so and am selfish and want to meet peoples. also if you were wanting to drive i don't think the hotel that it's at now charges for parking (or it's a low rate if so), which i remember was an issue the first time i went. anyway i am available for any questions and/or motivating factors. :D :D :D

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I went last year and will go every year for as long as my brother lives in Chicago. I've been to many, many different types of conventions in my day and ChiTARDIS is actually my favorite. Smaller than Gallifrey in LA and I spent most of the time drinking with the guests. All the Big Finish people and some of the telly people hang out in the bar and you can just go sit and chat with them. Geek to geek. Seriously, most fun I've ever had at a con.

ETA. And of course spending the weekend with Prof never gets old. ;-)