So, as many of you may already know, today was the second day of MCM ComicCon in London. I (somehow) finished our cosplay outfits in time - Kerry had completed the swords before I'd done the outftits - so we went dressed as Lightning and Serah from Final Fantasy 13.
Overall, ComicCon was awesome! There were so many amazing cosplayers and stalls that I was overwhelmed at first! Getting an early entry ticket is well worth the additional price as it offers you several hours of relative calm to look at all of the tables easily. After midday, it tends to get quite crowded, making it harder to look at shops or take photos. It was also pretty toasty so we were grateful for our sleeveless outfits.
We were hoping to spot Lizz around the con but sadly couldn't find her... You might have more luck spotting her in her lolita outfit tomorrow. However, I did see someone dressed (brilliantly!) as Alphonse from Fullmetal Alchemist:
Overall, ComicCon was awesome! There were so many amazing cosplayers and stalls that I was overwhelmed at first! Getting an early entry ticket is well worth the additional price as it offers you several hours of relative calm to look at all of the tables easily. After midday, it tends to get quite crowded, making it harder to look at shops or take photos. It was also pretty toasty so we were grateful for our sleeveless outfits.
We were hoping to spot Lizz around the con but sadly couldn't find her... You might have more luck spotting her in her lolita outfit tomorrow. However, I did see someone dressed (brilliantly!) as Alphonse from Fullmetal Alchemist:
One section to be sure to check out is the Japanes food area. There are lots of treats on sale for much less than the normal shop prices, such as dorayaki (Japanese filled pancakes) at 5 for £5! The same applies for many of the other stalls which usually offer a convention discount of around 10% - often more. Be sure to shop carefully though; some items are available on multiple tables with different prices. One example of this was the price of Death Notes which varied from £8-£11...
Other Advice:
- Bring as much cash as you need into the convention with you. The ATMs charge a £2.50 withdrawal fee and the queues can become ridiculously long so avoid them where possible.
- Buy yourself lunch earlier. Perhaps consider eating a lighter lunch earlier in the day before all the cafés and stalls clog up. There are plenty of cheap snacks on sale to keep you going throughout the afternoon.
- Don't wear a helmet or a really thick outfit. You'll boil in there and emerge dripping in sweat...
- Take a big rucksack. It's ideal for stowing a jumper or spare shoes into - as well as loot!
- Talk to the YouTubers. They're all really friendly and will often give signatures and selfies for free. Unlike the film actors who charge ~£25 for each...
- Keep your group small but close. Even if you travelled with a larger group, pick one or two people to stay with for the whole day. Arrange clear meeting points with the rest of your group and stick to them. It's also a great idea to choose an emergency meeting spot in case you completely lose someone in the crowds.
- Worst case scenario, talk to the security guys. They'll do their best to help you and are easily spotted at the entrance and exits.