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Registration—Enter the Dragon

Your First Adventure

Registration isn’t actually the start of the Convention experience, buying your memberships, booking your hotel rooms and actually getting to Atlanta is, but we’ll start in the middle and bring everything full circle.

The line to get your badge can be one of the longest lines you will see, hopefully ever in your lifetime. It stretches around the block—but don’t fret, the people running Registration are very good at what they do, and it does move in an orderly fashion. It’s just really long. It can take anywhere from fifteen to forty minutes. Plan on it taking somewhere in between. When the line is really long, it will run outside and around the building, but it still moves quickly. There are a few things you can do to make your wait shorter, more fun, comfortable, and entertaining.

Basic Survival for the Registration Line

• Go to the bathroom before you get in line!
• Wear comfortable shoes, even if they don’t match your costume. You don’t want to break your feet before the Convention even starts!
• Check the weather before heading out to stand in line. August/September is hurricane season and the rain can be quite impressive. It is also late summer in the South, and whether it’s raining or not, it can be very hot. Plan accordingly.
• Bring something to drink with you. It’s hot in Atlanta and the line may be outdoors.
• Bring a small backpack or bag so that you don’t have your hands full of stuff for the entire wait.
• Show up early. Check the website for exact times that registration is open.
• If you pre-registered you will need to bring your bar-coded confirmation postcard along with your government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, military ID) .
• If you forget your postcard it will take much longer to get your badge.
• If you are planning on showing up particularly early to stand in line, bring a card game or easily portable board game to pass the time. Cards Against Humanity is always popular. Reminder: Don’t get so caught up in your game that you don’t notice when the line starts moving!
• Plan on making friends in line—there is nothing like adversity to bring people together. Talk to the people around you! Or if you’re feeling especially generous, bring a dozen donuts or cookies to share.
• Enjoy the people watching—there are great costumes, even waiting in line, and sometimes the musicians and other talent will come out to entertain everyone who is waiting.
  Note: Please don’t wear wide costumes for the registration lines, the aisles are narrow and will be hard to navigate.
• Saturday morning is the worst time to stand in line; that’s when the line is the longest. Picking up and getting memberships (badges) at any other time will get you through the line faster.

Note: Eternal Members, Guests, Vendors, and VIPs have different registration locations. If you fall into one of these categories, please check with your Convention liaison and find out where to pick up your materials.

Badges

There are a couple of very important things to know about your badge.

• Badges are not replaceable. If you lose yours, or it gets stolen, you will have to purchase an entirely new badge. Keep track of your badge!
• Bring your own lanyard. Dragon Con provides badge clips, but most people find it more comfortable to wear lanyards and your badge will be more secure. Collectible Dragon Con lanyards can be purchased in the Dragon Con store, or bring one from your favorite fandom!
• If you lose your badge, check at the lost and found first. Sometimes they get turned in. The General Information desk can tell you where the lost and found is located.
• There are people that try to sell counterfeit badges. The only place to buy your badge is at the registration counter, or online. Don’t be taken in! If you are caught with a counterfeit badge (knowingly or not) you will get thrown out. If you don’t buy it or pick it up at Registration, it’s a fake.
• Badges are not transferable. If caught with one that doesn’t have your name on it, it’s forfeit.
• Someone else can pick up your badge for you, but only if they have the following:
• A signed permission slip from the badge holder.
• A copy of the badge holder’s government-issued ID.
• The badge holder’s bar-coded confirmation postcard.

The badges are custom designed every year with stunning artwork. Many people keep them as collector’s items and mementos of their time at Dragon Con. If you see someone walking around with a large number of badges all on one badge holder, it is safe to assume that they are an experienced Dragon Con veteran.

Once you have received your badges and are reunited with your party, you are ready to dive in!

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