As a tenured convention attendee and lifelong nerd, few events catch me off guard or throw me for a loop, that is, until I attended Dream Con. A convention founded by the popular content creator group RDCworld. Normally, when I prep for cons, I do so in a way that has always worked before, using tips and tricks that I have amassed over the last 10 years that I've been attending cons, but Dream Con was a different experience and required some new tips that I picked up and that I want to share with you. If you’re planning on attending Dream Con for the first time or are looking for a way to improve your trip for next year’s showcase, here are some of the tips I have for you.
Planning Your Trip
If you’re someone unfamiliar with Houston, Texas, and doesn’t live in the area, this section is specifically for you. Assuming you’ve already bought your ticket, trip planning.
Tip #1: Airbnb vs Hotel
I can’t tell you which room accommodation will serve you better, but I have some helpful tips for both, regardless of what you choose. If you are an Airbnb type of person, then I suggest looking out for management companies that own multiple Airbnb properties. While I’m typically not super thrilled about this for other reasons I won’t get into here, if you’re not familiar with the area, these management hosts offer their properties in decent areas with plenty of variety. As for hotels, if in the budget to book with a hotel, there’s no downside to booking at a connecting hotel with the convention center. If you go to the Dream con website, they’ll give you a list of hotels connected to the convention center you can book from. Just keep in mind that there will be a down payment required at the time of the reservation, check out, or a few months before the event.
Tip #2: Bookmark and Save
If you’re traveling to Houston for the first time, it’s an interesting place to be. I highly suggest saving local restaurants, shops, bars, etc., before your trip. An easy way I did this was by creating a Google document with links and mapping the locations in the area from where I was staying and the convention. I am a bit of an obsessive planner, so if you want something easier, bookmarking places you find on Google Maps, TikTok, or Instagram and saving them into a folder can also be helpful.
Tip #3: Rideshare Preferences
This may be particularly important if you’re femme or femme presenting, but on Lyft, you can use a function called driver preference, which allows you to set a preferred gender for your driver. This made me feel a little safe traveling to a city outside of my own, as I am a nervous traveler.
Tip #4: Using the Metro
This tip isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t like public transportation, but I found that the Houston Metro was a reliable alternative to get around as long as you were staying in or around Downtown Houston. Passes for the metro are affordable, locations are plentiful, and they run frequently and late into the evenings, even on the weekends, which is nice.
Dream Con Newbies 101
Okay, so you’ve booked everything, made it to Dream con, and now you’re there on Day 1, what are you doing?
Tip #5: The App is Your Friend, Reading is Your Bestie
Downloading the Dream Con app will be helpful, but reading any first-time guides, the 'know-before-you-go' guide, and the posted policies will help you even more. The guides and policies will give information that may not be on signs or readily available, such as bag policies, food policies, emergency information, and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) contact information.
Tip #6: Stay in Line
Badge pick-up at large events can be hectic and pretty overwhelming. Dream Con 2025's line was rather chaotic for a while, and a fair number of attendees hopped out of line to get back in at a later time, only for the line to double in size when they returned. Once you find a line for anything during the event weekend, just stick it out. Lines often move faster than they appear in length, and you’ll get what you need eventually.
Tip #7: Backpack, Backpack.
You need to carry an essential bag with you during the event. At a minimum, the bag should have 2 bottles of water, a small snack or two, portable chargers, and a cord. Other items to consider are a pop-up seat and a hand fan for when it gets hot. Dream Con is a large event, and this previous year, water stations were unavailable, and food was a bit of a trek if you weren’t on the bottom floor. Having quick access to food and water is a must when you’re at a large event.
Tip #8: Pick Your Favorites
Dream Con is so large that it can be difficult to decide what to do without getting fomo for something else you want to try. My suggestion is to pick the things you want to do most each day and plan around that. If you’re a wanderer, you won’t feel like you missed anything, and if you’re a hyper planner like me, you can have a few backup things you’d like to try if the first thing you attended didn’t pan out, and you leave early.
The Party and the After Party
If you’re a partygoer, then you’ll be pleased to know that Dream Con has plenty of parties and party-like events to attend during and after the event.
Tip #9: Get Involved with The Silly
Dream Con is an event that always has something going on. I found this most often when I was on the convention floor, where I came across random dance contests, rap cyphers, card games, and line dances. It can be a little uncomfortable to talk or hang out with people you’re not familiar with, but when you’re on the convention floor, and as long as you feel comfortable enough to, getting involved is something I suggest.
Tip #10: Know Whose Hosting
There are several events for Dream Con all under different promoters. I suggest checking out the Dream Con hashtag for the year you're attending to see who is hosting events.
Tip #11: Budget Accordingly
Dream Con, unfortunately, does not have any free after parties, so when it comes down to finding where you are going to hang out after the convention closes, you’ll need to make sure you have the budget to attend what you want. The average party after tax costs around $25, not including parking if you're driving, ridesharing, or drinking.
Handy Tips to Remember
So far, I’ve covered a wide range of helpful information that I would like to know on my first Dream Con trip, but I wanted to provide some general convention tips that can apply to any event, especially Dream Con.
Tip #12: Comfy is King
Walking around a convention center for hours gets tiring quickly. I suggest wearing comfortable clothing, even if you're cosplaying. Try to prioritize quality walking shoes at the very least and breathable clothing, especially if you’re in a hot and humid climate like Houston, Texas.
Tip #13: Know Your Way Around
When the crowds are thick and the halls start to blend, it’s important to have a good sense of where you are. I suggest walking the entirety of the convention before you get started in any particular area, as well as keeping your map on hand. Luckily, the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston is easy to navigate, but that's not the case for all conventions, especially at the size of Dream Con.
Tip #14: Prioritize Having a Good Time
When attending a convention, it can be easy to get caught up in a ton of things, but always remember to slow down and do what you like. This is your convention experience, so if you need a break, take it. If you want to wander around the halls until something sparks you’re interest, do it. Don’t let anything stop your fun.
Most of these tips may seem a bit redundant and maybe even common sense if you’re a frequent nerdy event attendee, but even for me, with tons of years of experience needs a refresher now and then. Conventions can be so exciting that you forget everything that you planned, or everything that you initially planned can go completely haywire, and you may have to rely on vibes to get through. That said, these handful of helpful tips should come in handy whether you’re a new con goer or convention veteran. If you have any helpful tips, be sure to leave them for me in the comments, and check out my full Dream Con experience review over on OFF BLXXK MAGAZINE, where I collaborated with them to bring you several articles, including 18 Stellar Cosplays from Dream Con as well as Panel Highlights from Dream Con.
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