Critique my game plan please

There's not that big a difference between a big convention and a local furmeet, save for the number of people around.

Your plan looks quite workable and will save you money. It would also be economical if you had some other folks from the local area that might want to carpool with you and share the room with you. A hotel room for 2 nights, split 4 ways, is only about $60 per person with all the taxes thrown in. And with four people splitting gas and tolls, you can do the whole weekend fairly cheaply.

As for what not to do, just don't do anything that are frowned upon in our Standards of Conduct. Other than that, have fun! Meet people, see the creators of the art that you have been collecting, shake the hands of our guests of honor, buy the chairman a drink, go to parties and to panel discussions and workshops, see the masquerade and the fursuit parade and the evening entertainment and the art show and much more. And bring a bathing suit -- the hotel has a pool.

UncleKage makes a good point about sharing room expenses. If there are friends who you know and trust locally who would wish to go, companions make the hours, miles, and expense managable.

But if you do not have folks who are already friends who are willing to go, and you can handle the expense of 2 nights, than I would say to go alone.

Some Furries are gregarious, and love company, whether that of busom buddies, or just-met strangers. OTHER Furries, however, like to maintain a bit more control over their environment and general situation, and take a low-and-slow approach to the idea of roommates, or contact and communication with other Furries. This is my preferred approach.

As to your specific plans:

1) Get a Good Night's Rest on Thursday, no caffienated drinks before bed! Make sure that tires, oil, coolant, brakes, clean windshield, and all that are taken care of by Thursday afternoon. Obtain the necessary roadmaps, and be familiar with the major interchanges that you will have to navigate, and where to get fuel, and where to make reststops. _Plan_ on making reststops. A small icechest or flexible ice cooler bag with cans of iced-tea or lemonade would be a good thing to have.

2) Try to pack _one_ bag, with clothing for Saturday and Sunday. If you are the sort who likes to attend dances, maybe a spare silk shirt or something nice. Also wear _comfortable_ walking shoes, you will do a lot of walking. If you attend the dance - or get a room mate - get some cheap hearing protectors (ear plugs). Bring a canvas totebag or two, the kind like PBS gives for pledges, if you have them; these are convenient for carrying around books or comics or any other swag that you may buy from dealers. Also, most of the art in the artshow is typically matted and mounted in an 11" x 14" matte, and unframed; I'd say that this is true for 85% or better of the artshow offerings. These totbags are swell for carrying away many pieces of the 11x14 artwork.

3) Get a couple of FedEx or UPS document mailers. These are handy for storing and protecting any _prints_ that you may buy. Prints are most often sold as 8 and a half by 11 inches, standard letter size. The document mailers will fit well between the 11x14 artworks that you will buy, in the canvas totebags.

4) After you have arrived and checked-in, take your baggage to your room, make it a point to count how many doorways are between you and the firestairs, and remember this number, lest you need it to get out in a fire, or in darkness. Make sure that the room accomodations are as they should be - working lights, running water, flushing toilette _that_shuts_off_, and then - after a few cleansing breaths, and maybe a drink of water - come down to get your badge from pre-reg (you DID pre-register...didn't you?) Bring one of the totebags to put stuff in and carry the registration info in, so as to minimise the need to use the elevator again.

5) Take a moment, before diving into the convention hall, to look at your program book, and see what you wish to do with your time, and what you want to see or hear. Look at the map, showing where panels are going to be held - and DIVE IN!

6) Meet friends and make new ones as the mood and opportunity suit you; While hotel food is expensive, there are eateries that are quite wallet-friendly within a 3 block walk of the main hotel. Indeed - take the opportunity, either after the main hall closes for the day or before it opens on Saturday, to walk around a bit and familiarise yourself with Liberty and Penn Avenues, going west. Ask the concierge for local tourist information, and sights worth seeing or shopping opportunities within walking distance.

7) Continue to get plenty of sleep, take luxuriant showers, perhaps bring a bottle of Purell hand-cleaner and use it often, to help prevent getting a cold or other contagious disease (often called "con crud"). Drink orange juice when offered on a menu. The hotel breakfast buffet is shockingly expensive, but it comes with refills on the orange juice. Do not stuff yourself on any meal; best to retire for the night on a light or empty stomach.

The hotel expects you to ckeck out by noon, on whatever day you are departing; since you plan to depart in the evening, do the checkout thing before noon, and leave your bag(s) with the bell-captain. he will store them away for you until you leave the convention. He will give you a check ticket for each bag. NOTE: It is customary to tip the bell captain for this, typically a dollar for the service, plus a dollar each bag.

Of course, if you drove out, and you have few bags, you can just deposit them in your car trunk until it is time to leave.

EXTRAS: a camera for pictures;
a portfolio-style notepad to make notes, write addresses and URLs, and tuck away business cards of dealers and artists;
One of those badge "pouches" that hang around your neck, have a clear window for your badge, a small flap and pocket for a spare room key or change, and places to stick a pen and pencil. You might be able to buy one of these at an office supply store.
Pocket flashlight. either a MagLite or one of the new LED lights. You never know when you will be plunged into darkness in a building.