Akon 25 Review & Our Adventure
So once again we traveled over to Dallas and hit up Akon 25. This year 6 of our Nola Anime members made the trip and 3 of us took to cosplaying all three days (which we did not do last year). So for a quick heads up we try to avoid any negative aspects of a con and try to review what we really enjoy every year. Akon has become our staple con, being the biggest one within range for us and we look forward to attending every year.
Akon start with us deciding how to make our way through the registration line. This year we stayed just outside of the hotel at the Best Western, which in terms of access and price is a steal. No elevator line waits period, but you do need to be better prepared as not to expect a 5 Star interior. I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for a cheap hotel, with super easy access to the con and is not concerned about amenities. Your can walk out the front entrance of the con and a short walk around the corner, poof Best Western!
So we took off overnight to try to beat the con registration line. Minus staying up all of Friday into the night, it proved a smooth move. 7:30 AM put us maybe 40th in line with a short wait for registration to open (9AM). Once it opened we were in and out within minutes. Remember folks, when it comes to large cons and registration, planning ahead for things like registration can save you a lot of time and frustration.
Honestly panels are not a big pull for us at cons. Akon puts on a great list of panels, but you do need to sift your way through the booklet to find the ones that tickle your fancy. Their 18+ panels are always entertaining. Like registration, get in line ahead of time for panels you know will be crowded and you MUST see. You’ll have to wait, but I doubt you’ll be disappointed based on the panels I have attended there.
A big part of cons for us is “people watching” and checking out the fun goods for sale. Akon gives you one of the biggest dealers room for any southern anime con. The Artist Alley is very high quality and almost every vendor will prove to be friendly and approachable. I am always game for going to kick a few bucks for some high quality art work and support our local artist!
The Dealers Room will never disappoint at Akon unless you are looking for very rare or pricey goods. One thing a lot of people do not realize is that Akon (and many others) have a “Legitimate Goods” policy. This requires all goods to be authentic, which may make goods look more expensive to E-bay. The catch with E-bay is that you do not know if you are getting a legit item and you can check the packaging when purchasing in person. The Dealers Room covers all aspects of things that you may want to purchase. You will have multiple vendors selling TCG Cards, clothes, Steampunk, Wigs, Cosplay, Add-ons, Figures, music, games, weapons, props, plushies, food/snacks, and t-shirts. Unlike smaller cons, large cons like Akon do not need to put as heavy a restriction on vendors/variety of items as most vendors sell well. Minus some congestion, I would recommend hitting up Akon for the dealers room alone if you are looking for authentic goods.
Before I continue I would like to warn you that my favorite part of cons is the later/night time and atmosphere of the con. Smaller and Midsize cons do not always give this opportunity which also is limited by things like location and convention center/hotel regulations. Many people know cons in New Orleans have a nice night life atmosphere, but Akon is also amazing. With this in mind I rarely get to the con in a normal hour, usually Noon/1PM on average. I do get up early enough, but getting make up and cosplay on can prove time consuming (esp if there are multiple people in your room).
So Thursday was the only true day we were there “most of the day”. Seeing we drove right in, it was our goal to stay up to not mess up our schedules and be able to sleep normally at night. In a rare case we actually spoke with people at a convention (I know huh?)! Thursday we managed to grab one of the couches and spend most of the time talking to passerby’s and a few Yu Gi Oh players. Thursday was a rest day where we ordered food to our hotel and just walked around enjoying the “Starter Phase” of the con. This is a good opportunity to learn the layout of a con and meet a few people without having to “clog” up the flow of a con. We also used this day (since parking is still feasible to come and go) to head over to Walgreens and pick up some food and stuff we lacked.
Friday was the start of cosplay for us. After a rough / fun night of playing catch up, we woke up and headed off to the con. Friday was the first day the Dealers Room was open to us (Artist Alley was open Thursday) so off we went. I always enjoy walking around the grocery store size room looking for goods to add to my collection. I always try to get into the Dealer’s area early. One to see if there is anything you want to grab early (if limited) and to make sure you can stock up on all the goodie snacks before they run out. Minus our little Dealer’s Stroll (which is a common kill time for us), we spent a lot our time “people watching”. We enjoy looking at all the different cosplay and people hustin’ their way around the con floor. A big thing here is to find a good spot to put your feet up. Since the con floor seats will fill up fast, we hit up the Media Bar & Grill in the atrium side. For those of you with some cash, there is a small closed off area (about 5 tables) where you can eat, kick back, and enjoy the sites. Guys please treat this like any other eatery, tip and order well. One peeve was seeing people ordering some cokes and an appetizer taking up a table for an hour+. You do realize tipping well is a big case here as you’re taking his tops. Anyway we ordered a nice lunch, soup, desert, and coffee having ourselves a long relaxing Akon Lunch in the Atrium (I know there a cheaper options, but not without a crowd and comfy seats) eventually meeting up with the rest of our crew (we were easy to spot). All in all we went about our day finding different spots to chill and eventually heading back to the hotel to order dinner. For you Domino’s lovers, there are a lot of other options for takeout that will deliver and is about the same price. Check with your hotel for menus and more information!
Saturday was more of the same honestly. We spent most of our day wandering around, taking pictures, and chatting with random people when given a chance. We spent a few shots at the dealers room and a few hits at the bar to enjoy a couple drinks. I won’t lie, I did do a shoe swap mid-day so I could walk around for the night. If there are no panels that interest you always consider a power nap, you are going to need that energy later! Saturday night is my favorite part of the con, but not for the rave or parties. People watching hits a whole new level at night where people a bit more carefree, some in cosplay, some in half, some all ready for the night scene, and most everyone having a good time. I feel it’s a fine point beyond “caring” about everything being perfect and just looking to really enjoy the night. For our crew we settled down with some other local cosplayers (and a few others who joined us) in a premium people watching spot by the atrium. We literally spent hours talking, joking, and enjoying each other’s company. This is great position to catch other people you may not have seen since the last con or ran into during the con and wanted to talk to. Minus the lingering effects of mace (thanks raid), random sick/drunk people, and the fire alarm being pulled… it was a fun light hearted night. The finisher for Blue and I was to do a couple walk around taking in the now weary con goers and last bit of con-night atmosphere I won’t experience for a while.
Sunday rolls around and probably the day we try to get up early (do to most things closing early) and fail. We change into whatever cosplay we have planned for the last day and head over to the con for more of the same. A big thing we do is get a couple drinks and chat with people (this is the whole con). The small coffee bar area only allows 21+ to sit down there, so it’s a nice open area half the time. I am big fan of coffee with a hit of Bailey’s which the Hilton will more than oblige (yes it’s pricey…). We’ll walk around, probably grab a bite to eat, and try to grab some last day con pics. A big reason I love wandering around is because people often will have different cosplay each day and possibly change half way through the day. It also starts the kill time for the con. Slowly, but surely everyone will check out and your left with a handful of people in comparison to the rest of the weekend. It is another great time to grab any random individual and enjoy a good conversation (which we did). Minus that we wind down our day with some take out and play with the goodies we purchased over the weekend.
All in all, the four days of the con were great. Keep in mind, I personally didn’t get into any lines for panels nor events. I know these are huge parts of the con and perhaps will go to one again, but this year was all about taking in the atmosphere for me. I do attend these things in small cons where I don’t have to deal with Bourbon Street size crowds. Some of my members did hit up some panels and perhaps they will follow up post their thoughts after me. Honestly we did want to hit up a few panels, but have a nasty track record of losing track of time. Every year I recommend coming to Akon! Find some new friends, admire all the beautiful cosplay, and take in a large size event that doesn’t come along to often in the south. Akon made several improvements this year over the last and look forward to seeing what other amazing changes they can do next year! Much love for the staff and friends we make every year!
Find Our Photos Here: Akon 25 Photos