For direct info head to the AX site
For more coverage of AX 2011 keep checking TTDILA.COM
Time
Time eludes us all, we can never beat, it's a part of us, but we can manage it.
Remember the Main Exhibit Hall doesn't open till noon
Friday July 1
Main Exhibit Hall Closes at 3pm
Monday July 4th, every other day it's 6pm
Check the schedule for the best events you'll find at AX
-Bring a big marker or pen and circle you free guide given to you when you enter. Go over what you want to do.
-Set a timer on your phone or watch giving you time to get in line for the events you want.
-There will be a line make time. It sucks, but there will be lines, bring manga or a portable video game device. Also, try starting a conversation with those around you, there in line, they must like what you like.
-Manage your time wisely, if your going for one day, make the most of it.
Space
We exist in space with multiple locations around us with buildings, dwelling and people that we must respect their space, unless we get giant mechs. Then they can respect our space.
-LA Live and the Nokia Plaza are outside of the convention and across the street, they should mark it in your map clearly, but they don't. Just walk past or behind the Staples Center and you"ll find them.
-Look at a floor plan before AX here and here, remeber your gude has a map, also you can always ask volunteers or fellow convention goers.
Food
Hunger, appetite as that all we are? No, but we need sustenance to survive. That and anime.
-Bring bottled water and throw it in your bag or free bag you"ll get. You need water. I suggest freezing them before you got to bed. Bring 2 water bottles to be safe.
-Have some extra cash to buy drinks, I think there are fountains, but still, eeehhh.
-The food is overpriced at the convention center and surrounding area. LA Live is worthless and overpriced. You have four options, eating at the convention, eating at LA Live, food trucks or trekking in deeper downtown.
The closes Subways and the one that has a decent pizza parlor near it are
Subway
504 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Subway
1400 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Here are the food trucks appearing at LA Live
JULY 1 (FRIDAY)
(12)
Surfer Taco
Ahn Joo
Phamish
Slice Truck
Dim Sum Truck
Jogasaki
Crepe N Around
Bool BBQ
Bap Pul (Korean Rolls)
NaanStop
Lee's Philly
Ludo Truck
JULY 2 (SATURDAY)
(12)
Slice Truck
Ahn Joo
Phamish
Crepe N Around
Don Chow Tacos
FrySmith
Dim Sum Truck
Mesohungry Truck
OG Tempura
George's Greek Truck
India Jones
Clean Street Food Truck
JULY 3 (SUNDAY)
(12)
Surfer Taco
Slice Truck
Slap Yo Mama Truck
Mesohungry Truck
Jogasaki
Del's Lemonade
White Rabbit
The Mighty Boba Truck
Fresh Fries
Sweet E's Bake Shop
No Jodas
Chef Che
-I recommend not bringing any lunch in a bag, because it spoils and it's extra weight you have to carry.
-Bring cash, it's just faster for everyone
-How much cash, depends where your eating, Bring a $20 to be safe for lunch
-Eat dinner in Little Tokyo, or a restaurant around LA, look online we do have some great places, just maybe get out of the cosplay unless a lot of expoers are going.
-Remember LA Live is expensive for dinner and you want money to buy anime merch.
Getting There
Getting there is just a state of mind, in which the body must follow or your brain will die, in 24 hours, unless put back in. You're running out of time!
Anime Expo is being held at the
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015
By Car
-Make time for traffic
-LA is known for it's traffic, it's also the 4th of July weekend so traffic will be in full swing on the major freeways.
-Another problem is they are doing work on the 110 and 405. The 110 which gets right to the Convention Center has been closing the exits and off-ramps, be prepared to take another route or another off-ramp.
-If you don't have gps, look at a map online of how your getting there, print it out, and mark alternative ways to get in.
Metro
-The metro is ugly, man could it try and look nice.
-Safe though in the sense of no gangs or anything like that, if you are afraid look for fellow AX folk.
-The following just goes over the worst of the Metro, it does get you there fast if you don't have other means. Service seems to slow down at night and be less accurate with time.
The problem with the Metro is it can be confusing, be sure to buy the right kind of ticket. I suggest the day pass, because you"ll be most likely taking multiple routes that require extra ticket/transfers.
-Beware of late trains and buses, problems due occur and it's very busy in LA because it's the 4th of July.
-Here's maps and timetables and fares, which are unfair. I suggest getting the day pass, becuase frankly the sysyem is desgined to get you a ticket, you might also miss your train or bus getting a transfer or another ticket.
-You see you start with a base fare and add 35 cents per transfer, that's everytime you change the color of the rail your on, it aggrivating to have to change it every time
-Just get a day pass to be safe. It's 6 bucks and use to be 5 bucks a year ago. Still cheaper than parking
-Don't try to get on without a ticket, the LAPD loves getting people for this on expos.
Parking
-Make time to park
-Parking prices fluctuate, the convention center itself might make parking prices somewhere above $20.
-They have parking in the back of the convention center and LA Live
-Surrounding parking lots are usually cheaper, but you"ll be further away from the convention center. Some can be more, remember again bring cash, it's just faster and usually they don't take card.
Cleanliness
-One must be like a cat, lazy, yet ready to pounce. Agile, but falls backwards after string. Licking themselves all over till they're clean.
-Take a shower and put on deodorant before you go, it matters. Other people stink, make fun of them if they do, if they don't understand to bath themselves, but can cosplay, they've made bad life choices.
-Get a small deodorant from your local mini-mart, 7-eleven what have you. Put it on after a few hours at the con. Just drop in your bag like the water.
-Your going to sweat, get wet naps and tissues.
-Get those portable tissues just in case your nose starts running or if you get a nose bleed after seeing hotties in cosplay.
Hints, Terms
-Bring you 3DS it will explode.
-Artist Alley will have multiple 3DS signs, your 3DS will explode in Artist Alley.
-If your looking at stuff at artist alley booths and taking long be sure to talk to the people at the booth and say something like "you're just browsing" or "you like there stuff and just looking", it can get awkward unless you say something.
-Manga and anime-why are you going to the convenion than? You don't know? You figure it out on your own.
-Hentai is manga or anime porn, there will be many booths with it. If your underage they"ll tell you to scram.
-Yaoi is gay or homo-erotic manga, if you see a yaoi booth or sign and don't like it walk away. There are usually three big booths of yaoi. You can also go, "Eww yaoi, gross!" and people will go, "yeah".
Not go look at Hentai.
-A yaoi paddle is a small paddle given or bought at the yaoi booths. It is a symbol of yaoi and gay spanking. Don't worry, no one is allowed to spank you or they"ll get kicked out.
-Grab bags have random stuff in them, usually what didn't sell, not worth getting.
-Old people and the disabled get priority seating, they just do. They have their own line or will be put in front of the line.
-There is press line, the press line rules.
Problems
-You can't stand in the video rooms, it's just policy, don't be pissed, it just happens. The people working are just volunteers, they"ll ask you to leave, go.
-If it's hard to sit down or get seats in a video screening room don't bother, your going to have to be the annoying jerk who steps over people, for some reason chairs can be set up poorly with no room for someone to walk in front while people are already seated, worse if the lights are off.
-Who brought a baby, shun them, you don't bring babies to high foot traffic events unless you're dumb. You don't want to hear one during animes being shown, they should have gotten a sitter, if they had the money to go to AX, they had the money to get a sitter.
-Don't put your stroller in front of the booth, your blocking it for everyone and putting your baby in risk of being pushed. People like disgust us.
-Don't freak out about asking taking pictures, just ask politely of the cosplayers, they want pictures taken ,why else did they dress up.