Anime Boston 2012

Hello everyone!

So we're planning our first official Dreamer-Meet for Anime Boston 2012.

The Convention is April 6-8th. So that's about 5 months away. As I live in Texas and I know a lot of you other Dreamers also live far from the area, it's best to plan early.

Being a semi-seasoned convention attender I can tell you there are a few key factors to consider, mainly regarding cost:

Convention Admission Fees
Travel expenses (if you're coming from far away or even if you're just paying gas money)
Hotel Room (unless you're staying with someone in the area)
Food (Duh.)
Alternative Excursions(since we HAVE to see the sights!)
Extra Spending Money (because you NEVER walk out of a convention without a little something, or a lot)
Cosplay (If you are planning on cosplaying, as a group or individually).

Now I can tell you right off the prices for the convention tickets are $45 for adult pre-admission. They go up the closer you get to the date, so if you're going for sure go ahead and get it now.

As for spending money, well, I tend to life to have 60-120 on me but it really depends on how much of a spender you are. The same goes for food. I trail mix my way through a lot of trips but if you like having hot meals, be sure to bring extra money for eating out.

The official hotel for the convention is the Sheraton, and their booking details should go up before long. While we wait for that we should see who all is going to be staying at the hotel, so we can share rooms and save money that way.

I don't know much about Boston so anyone who'se got the street smarts who can tell us about transporation. Also, which sights are we going to try and go see?

And for cosplay. My default it probably going to be my Nathan Hale shirt because I don't know if I have the money for the trip AND for costumes, unless I wear my old Duo Maxwell outfit, but if we all decided to cosplay as a group we should start thinking about that now.

I'm guessing the best day of the convention itself for the meet is probably going to be the Saturday?

I'll fill in more details in this post as we get them!

Pretty much everything on the Freedom Trail is free. Edes & Gill has a suggested donation, but it's privately owned and is the most entertaining stop on the trail so I highly suggest buying a print off of him to support his shop!

The MFA is free Wednesday nights, but that doesn't coincide with the convention. It's a beautiful museum, (and Bea's mom works there. It's worth the trip for you art lovers and history lovers who want to see all the Copleys, Reveres, and Stuarts.

Personally I'll be at the convention for most of the weekend but I hope you guys have a blast doing the touristy stuff!

I'm asking Anime Boston if we can do an official "meet up" panel at the convention, if so, we can use one of their rooms. If not, we'll work something out, even if it's not the Warren tavern. I'll let you know what they say.

Getting around Boston is pretty easy seeing as how the T isn't scary like in some other cities. For the truly motivated, you can take the T the whole way out to Braintree, though I think it is a cab ride from the T stop there to the visitor's center where the tours leave to go visit Braintree. That trip is about an hour long on the T (one way). We got an exceptional tour from the Rangers there, though.

As for expenses, don't forget that most downtown hotels will charge you for parking every night, even if you're a guest. It's usually around $30 a day for a city like Boston.

I think I'm going to bring a fun exclusive freebee for anyone who shows up in Cosplay or a Dreamer shirt. > Now I have to think of something really fun!

Huh... Thought I had posted something on here, and it disappeared! Anyhoo, just wanted to extend the offer to help guide/chaperone people around the Freedom Trail sites, so you don't have to spend 1/2 your time trying to figure out how to get places! Once you get east of the Common, everything is pretty close together, easily walkable. I don't live in Boston, but I've been there umpteen times and I know it pretty intuitively (must be a past-life thing).
O.K., let's see if the post "takes" this time.

I live near Boston and would be happy to help some people out!

Aww, I can't go to Anime Boston, as much as I'd absolutely love to >.< I still have classes in April and I don't exactly have the money for a plane ticket, haha. Plus I'm already planning to go to Anime Matsuri here in Texas...which is on the exact same weekend XD

-Erin

I'm going to make this if it kills me!

I can't believe this is actually being planned, a Dreamer meet up sounds so neat!
I hope I can swing it to come to that, especially since it sounds like there's some historical sites sight seeing being planned too

Good Freedom Trail info here:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/
Includes hours, any admission fees, etc. For those who want to plan ahead!