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StratosFur Final Thoughts & Stuff, 135th Journal
4 years ago
This is my head.
First year cons tend have their share of issues and this one is no exception. But overall went quite smoothly. I didn't notice any major deficiencies. Things were limited due to the effects of the pandemic still going in force for stupid reasons, but I digress. They handed it as best as they could under the circumstances. The TeXaS heat and humidity is something a bit beyond their control but was mostly manageable. I visited the headless lounge plenty of times and the water stations were stocked with icy refreshness most of the time. Only once I had lukewarm water but I found another water vessel nearby that was nice and cold.
I am sure next year wil be even better especially once the restrictions gets relaxed. Bigger and better and all that. I am very Satisfied with the con overall. Had a good experience and is great kickoff to the con season for me. I did not experience much of the usual Post Con Depression (PCD) afterwards. I think it was I waited so long to attend one plus I do have ACFI coming up not long after StratosFur that the depression didn't have time to brew before the excitement of getting ready for the next one. After ACFI though, it probably going to hit hard. Oh well, better to attend a con and have to go home after it ends than never to attend one in the first place.
I did miss a few things that happened during the con in my previous blog journals so I am going to take the time to go over them. There was so many things that I forgot to mention.
I think it was on Saturday afternoon that I locked my door card in the room. I placed it on a table and forgot to grab it when i suited up again to roar the convention space. I realized it just as the door closed. So I had to head down to the lobby and go to the front desk while wearing my suit so there is that. When I was up there, I noticed they had these special door RFID cards that had the StratosFur design on it. When I checked in on Friday, all I got first was just the regular hotel card, nothing special. Maybe they didn't have them up there yet or the person who checked me in forgot. Anyhoot, I got that extra one and once I got back to my room, put it in my wallet instead on my front pants pocket just in case I forgot one or the other. I plan on getting at least two cards in future cons so I can have them in different spots on me to lessen the change of not having at least one card my person at all times when I leave the room.
On another note on those special cards, I noticed some people were dropping them off in the bin at the checkout counter on the last day instead of taking them home. I am sure the hotel are not going to reuse them as they have date and name of the con along with the logo. So I grabbed a couple of extras before I left. The weird thing is people leaving them behind. Oh well, they are cool souvenirs anyway.
I also chatted with the attendant at the desk about what the hotel thinks about all the furries running around doing what furries do. He stated that there was an anime con the week prior that numbered 4000 attendees. That is a lot of people crammed into the hotel. I was curious so I checked out that con's webpage to see how they laid out the place.
The dealer room was much bigger of course, taking not only the same space at StratosFur but also the adjacent main room as well, opening up the walls between them. The anime con also too over the conference room up on the lobby area as well as the lower rooms. The cost of that con was only $20 for all three days but I suspect most people came in just for a day. I don't think all 4000 people would fit all at once. I also suspect most also went for the dealer room to pick up on their anime goodies and all that. Not sure how the cosplayer scene is in Houston that but I am sure there were some at least.
As for furries, I feel furries need a lot more space due to the higher number of suiters. Based on the hotel size, I feel maybe around 2000 at most at the same time would fit but would be very tight. ACFI 2019 number at something like 1400 and that very felt crowded at times, especially the fursuit parade.
Speak of parades, StratosFur didn't have one. But looking at the layout of the place, I think it'll be hard press to ever have one. The main con space is on the lower floor with more conference room around the perimeter of the lobby. The two floors does not have an escalator between then, just a few elevators and a flight of stairs. So the suiters would have to stick to one of the floors. I think The lower floor's path would be too short if they used it methinks. The lobby might work if the gathering room is large enough. The path could go outside the a det of doors. There is a ramp running beside the steps so that could be used. This would give a longer path but the August TeXaS heat would be brutial indeed. Leaving it inside would be shorted but they could crisscross over the walkway spanning the open space below. But I feel they'll hit the space limit quick. Maybe a year or two before needing to switch to a bigger place eventually.
One Other thing of note is the long (and boring) drive from San Antonio to Houston and back again. Not as bad as going all the way up to Dallas for TFF though. Was it worth it? I would say so. I plan on going again next year and see how things grow. I figure they'll double in size next year once we get out of this haze we're been in for so long.
I think I covered everything (finally). Hopefully I didn't forget anything else. My next journal will probably be about the upcoming ACFI 2021 coming up quick in a few weeks. I'm going with four days worth of fun. Looking forward with so many things there. I'll tell you more about it next time so there.
I am sure next year wil be even better especially once the restrictions gets relaxed. Bigger and better and all that. I am very Satisfied with the con overall. Had a good experience and is great kickoff to the con season for me. I did not experience much of the usual Post Con Depression (PCD) afterwards. I think it was I waited so long to attend one plus I do have ACFI coming up not long after StratosFur that the depression didn't have time to brew before the excitement of getting ready for the next one. After ACFI though, it probably going to hit hard. Oh well, better to attend a con and have to go home after it ends than never to attend one in the first place.
I did miss a few things that happened during the con in my previous blog journals so I am going to take the time to go over them. There was so many things that I forgot to mention.
I think it was on Saturday afternoon that I locked my door card in the room. I placed it on a table and forgot to grab it when i suited up again to roar the convention space. I realized it just as the door closed. So I had to head down to the lobby and go to the front desk while wearing my suit so there is that. When I was up there, I noticed they had these special door RFID cards that had the StratosFur design on it. When I checked in on Friday, all I got first was just the regular hotel card, nothing special. Maybe they didn't have them up there yet or the person who checked me in forgot. Anyhoot, I got that extra one and once I got back to my room, put it in my wallet instead on my front pants pocket just in case I forgot one or the other. I plan on getting at least two cards in future cons so I can have them in different spots on me to lessen the change of not having at least one card my person at all times when I leave the room.
On another note on those special cards, I noticed some people were dropping them off in the bin at the checkout counter on the last day instead of taking them home. I am sure the hotel are not going to reuse them as they have date and name of the con along with the logo. So I grabbed a couple of extras before I left. The weird thing is people leaving them behind. Oh well, they are cool souvenirs anyway.
I also chatted with the attendant at the desk about what the hotel thinks about all the furries running around doing what furries do. He stated that there was an anime con the week prior that numbered 4000 attendees. That is a lot of people crammed into the hotel. I was curious so I checked out that con's webpage to see how they laid out the place.
The dealer room was much bigger of course, taking not only the same space at StratosFur but also the adjacent main room as well, opening up the walls between them. The anime con also too over the conference room up on the lobby area as well as the lower rooms. The cost of that con was only $20 for all three days but I suspect most people came in just for a day. I don't think all 4000 people would fit all at once. I also suspect most also went for the dealer room to pick up on their anime goodies and all that. Not sure how the cosplayer scene is in Houston that but I am sure there were some at least.
As for furries, I feel furries need a lot more space due to the higher number of suiters. Based on the hotel size, I feel maybe around 2000 at most at the same time would fit but would be very tight. ACFI 2019 number at something like 1400 and that very felt crowded at times, especially the fursuit parade.
Speak of parades, StratosFur didn't have one. But looking at the layout of the place, I think it'll be hard press to ever have one. The main con space is on the lower floor with more conference room around the perimeter of the lobby. The two floors does not have an escalator between then, just a few elevators and a flight of stairs. So the suiters would have to stick to one of the floors. I think The lower floor's path would be too short if they used it methinks. The lobby might work if the gathering room is large enough. The path could go outside the a det of doors. There is a ramp running beside the steps so that could be used. This would give a longer path but the August TeXaS heat would be brutial indeed. Leaving it inside would be shorted but they could crisscross over the walkway spanning the open space below. But I feel they'll hit the space limit quick. Maybe a year or two before needing to switch to a bigger place eventually.
One Other thing of note is the long (and boring) drive from San Antonio to Houston and back again. Not as bad as going all the way up to Dallas for TFF though. Was it worth it? I would say so. I plan on going again next year and see how things grow. I figure they'll double in size next year once we get out of this haze we're been in for so long.
I think I covered everything (finally). Hopefully I didn't forget anything else. My next journal will probably be about the upcoming ACFI 2021 coming up quick in a few weeks. I'm going with four days worth of fun. Looking forward with so many things there. I'll tell you more about it next time so there.
