Infinitus Part 2

Before we get back into the re-telling of Infinitus, I'd like to let you guys know that I am working on a LeakyCon collab channel which can be found here: AccioLeakyCon

We ran off to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in our Slytherin robes, knowing that Infinitus had worked it out so we could be in costume all day after 2pm when our Night of a Thousand Wizards (the after-hours park event for conference attendees) tickets went into effect.

There was some mild confusion finding the actual Wizarding World since neither of us knew where the heck we were going, but we finally found it after about twenty minutes of aimlessly wandering around, pretending we were able to read the map they'd given us.

When I laid eyes on Hogwarts castle on our way across the bridge to the park, I almost died. We obviously had our picture taken by one of the park workers before sprinting into the park to explore (and eat lunch). We ran into a few people who knew about Infinitus, and, after spotting our badges, came up to chat and ask us how we were enjoying the conference they couldn't afford to go to.

I don't want to go too much into the park experience since I know that there's a lot of people who are still doing their best to avoid spoilers, so we'll just say it was absolutely AMAZING! I think I squealed about every five seconds and cried for a good five minutes.

We ran back to the hotel to freshen up a bit after being out in the Florida heat all day before NoaTW started. The lines for the water taxis were atrocious on the way back, though. So, we decided then that we'd walk back that night after NoaTW was over.

We made it to the stadium event, which we'd heard about earlier that day before we went to the park the first time, on time and listened patiently to the presentation. There was major embarrassment when people started yelling at the Universal people and berating them with questions about the park, especially those that they had no authority to answer. One example was one girl yelling about weight restrictions on the rides, which had been covered extensively online. Every single amusement park has to enforce weight restrictions for safety. It went downhill from there so that it was just a list of complaints like someone complaining that they didn't have any authentic dishes from the books that were healthy. Um...when did JKR list any healthy foods in the books? I missed it. Anyway, a lot of people walked out, some while making loud remarks about how upset they were at being detained before getting into the park when it was obvious, if you thought about it, that they needed to set up the event for us. In the end, most of them missed out on the ride with Chris Rankin and Christian Coulson; there was a sticker or something under the benches of the stadium, and if you found it, you rode Forbidden Journey with them. The fifty of us or so left at the end had to scour the stadium for it. Less competition, I guess. Lol!

Then it was off to the park once more.

On the way back, we walked behind Joey Richter and a few other Starkids. At one point, Joey dropped his hat, I accidentally stepped on it, and Brae picked it up to give back to him. So, both my foot and Brae's hand have come in contact with Joey Richter. Lol! No, I'm seriously only joking. We had our mock fangirl moment when we got back to the room, and I told a few people who thought I was being serious and made fun of me a bit. It was mildly entertaining. Then, we ordered some room service since we hadn't had time to eat at NoaTW, which consisted of the single best turkey burger I've EVER had in my life, showered, and went to bed.

The next day was the premiere of A Very Potter Sequel, and I've mentioned before that the line had formed about an hour before we got to the conference space. Brae went off to a program, but I can't remember which one. I, mistakenly, went to see “Living the Magical Life: Wizarding Society of Harry Potter as an Emerging Subculture”. I say “mistakenly” because I was expecting something different. I'm not sure what, but I didn't get anything close to what I was expecting. They had us start by lining up according to what sub-sect of the HP community we fell under (i.e. Death Eater, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Dumbledore's Army, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, etc.) and talked about why we're drawn to those for about five seconds. Then, we moved on to discussing how to become your HP personality, whether it was an actual character from the book like Bellatrix (who was leading the workshop) or a new one. This wasn't cosplay or role play we were talking about here. These people wanted to be their characters. Bella only wanted to be called Bellatrix, bought clothes Bella would wear, ate what Bella would, decorated her house like Bella would, could have only married a pureblood wizard, had to find a job that Bella would work, etc. It was...uncomfortable to say the least and I generally have a high tolerance for unconventional things like that. A lot of people ended up walking out, but since the workshop was led by Death Eaters, they had placed the Slytherin section in the second row, where I was sitting. I didn't think I could leave without being rude and attracting attention to myself. So, I stayed through the entire workshop feeling uncomfortably sane the entire time.

Then, I joined the line for Starkid because it was wrapping the first time around the space when I got out of that program at 11am; I was also unsure how they would work my accommodations for vision for this program and I didn't want to risk not being in line. I made some friends nearby who were re-watching AVPM on their iphone and behind me with a family who turned out to be awesome! Brae joined me when his program got out, and then he disappeared to go back to the room and didn't return for hours. I eventually gave up on waiting for Brae to return and talked to one of the organizers at the door, stating my need for front row seats because of my vision and that I'd need my companion to sit next to me for the things that I still couldn't see. They said they'd come get me when I could go in. By that time, I didn't know what to do but to return to the line and wait where Brae could find me since there weren't any workshops that I could go to that would be over in time for me to make AVPS. They came to get me before Brae returned, so I asked the family to tell them where I'd gone and was escorted to sit with the Merlin's Circle registrants in the second row. Brae returned a few minutes later and joined me. When the event started, I literally could have reached out and touched the cast, and we were dying! At the end of the Sequel, everyone burst out into the reprise of Get Back to Hogwarts, and it was purely magical!

After that, Brae and I ran back to the room to get ready for the ball. By the time we'd returned, it had already started, but not many people had arrived. We got drinks (in an ungodly long line) and found some HP Ohio people in the crowd. There were some amazing costumes (which I posted pictures of in my Show and Tell post), but the most amazing moment of all was the “Don't Stop Believing” sing-along as documented on youtube:

By the end of the ball, Brae and I were so tired, we knew we weren't going to make it through the Midnight Comedy Slam wrock show, though I was disappointed at missing The Parselmouths. We went back to the room to pack to leave the next day and turn in early.

We arrived at the leaving feast after a lot of HP Ohio had gone to see two members renew their vows in a recreation of Fleur and Bill's wedding. The costumes were beautiful (again, there are pictures in my Show and Tell post), and the feast itself was amazing. I was very pleased to see that something had happened with the hotel not allowing The Parselmouths to perform the night before, I think because it was too late, and they performed at the leaving feast in their pajamas. I ran up and got pictures with them before we set off for the airport.

Overall, Infinitus was absolutely amazing! It was an experience I couldn't possibly have imagined and wouldn't change a thing about! Re-telling it has only made me that much more excited for LeakyCon, which I expect to be even more epic!

I talk a bit about Infinitus a bit more in this video, but I also discuss a program I would have liked to do but didn't have time with my thesis for seminary to put it together:

Advice for Your First Con

Before the Conference:

Plan ahead: Start figuring out a budget (realizing that you might not stick to it once you're in the park and face-to-face with that adorable stuffed Fluffy or chosen for the wand ceremony at Ollivanders because you have to buy the wand after that, no matter what they told you at the park, if only so you can wave it in the face of every other HP fan you meet and proclaim yourself the best and biggest fan of them all) and saving money to deal with said budget (and extra for when you go over). Also figure in anything you'll want to buy before Leaky like costumes, accessories, wizard rock (because you have to get in the mood!) and biggies like plane tickets, cab fares, hotel rooms, etc.

Know your limits: If you absolutely cannot stand fangirls and/or nerds, the last place you will want to be is at a HP con. I'm not saying you won't have fun, but you might want to avoid events like Starkid, Potter Puppet Pals, and wizard rock as well as keeping a good distance from any of the Starkid cast for the entire weekend. We all love HP, so just go with it and let the love out! It's your chance to be a total geek and no one will say anything!

Schedule your time (but not too much): Make a list of things you'd really like to do while at LeakyCon (programming, meet-ups, parties, and other events) in order of importance. Look at it for a few moments and realize you will not be able to do everything. Accept this fact and move on. It will not affect how good of a time you will have at the con. Try to avoid scheduling every minute of every day (we don't need to synchronize our watches to meet at The Forbidden Journey at precisely 3:15) so that you can relax, go with the flow, and generally enjoy the planned events of the con as well as the impromptu fun that pops up.

Network: If this is your first (or among your first) con, you are definitely not alone in thinking you won't make any friends or that it will be difficult to do so. Heck, that's the whole reason behind this blog! There are ways to allay these fears. Go to the Leaky Lounge and start talking to people there. Get on Youtube and search for LeakyCon over the past few months (or LeakyCon 2011) to find vloggers who are going (including me!). Find other LeakyCon blogs, read, and comment on them. Jump into video challenges Leaky does on their youtube channel. Join groups devoted to LeakyCon on MyLeaky, Mugglespace, Facebook, and other networking sites. Wherever you see someone discussing the con, try to jump in if it strikes your fancy.

Plan your wardrobe: We take clothing and costuming very seriously here (that's why it's covered so much). Say it with me: Florida is hot and humid. Remember that when packing robes, sweaters, and scarves. It's July, people. It will be sweltering. Think about a battery operated fan (with mister) or something. I'm not saying not to wear your robes, just remember you were warned. Also, if it's that hot outside, think about what that means it's like inside: it's often quite chilly in the hotels and restaurants so wear layers if at all possible. It also tends to rain a bit, so a poncho or umbrella would not be a bad addition.

Be prepared: Yes, I was a Girl Scout and I take this very seriously. Bring things you don't think you'll need (or hope you won't) like medicine for upset stomachs, headaches, and colds. Madam Pomfrey will not be in attendance, and you can't let a little cold ruin your HP fun!

Bring snacks: Now, you don't have to go overboard here and bring enough food to feed the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, but some bags of pretzels and bottles of water are not a bad idea. Food isn't always a priority at the conference, and you might find yourself waiting in a four hour long line with nothing to eat realizing you haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday. Remember, food is the first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration so if you're not prepared you'll go hungry or be forced to pay the prices at the hotel and park restaurants, which can be quite steep.

Pack early: The earlier you pack, the more time you have to analyze what you're bringing, think of things you might need, take out things you won't, and so on. We found that when packing for a trip like this, folding a duffle bag flat and putting it in a carry-on is a great idea to fit all the stuff you buy in Florida on the way back without having to pay baggage fees both ways (gosh, it would be nice to do the expanding charm from the books). Other than that, we brought two hanging bags for robes and costumes which we checked and a carry-on with a laptop so that we had our wrock library and a place to download and pictures we took every night so we didn't have to buy extra memory cards or worry about not having enough space when that perfect picture of Lauren Fairweather came around. That said, you might still want to pack as light as you can so that you don't have to worry about buying things and how you'll get them home. Don't forget your camera (and extra memory cards), video camera, possibly a laptop, phone and charger, and any other devices to help you function at the con.

Sleep: It might sound dumb, but four days with HP fans can really drain one's energy, especially with late night concerts, events, movies, and parties. So, try not to arrive run-down. This is not your typical vacation, folks!

During the Conference:

Talk to people: Yes, I'm horribly shy and terrible at this, but people are all pretty awesome there for the most part, and you know you have something in common, after all! So, meet friends! Do it!

Stay in touch: As I said when I discussed having a loose schedule, things pop up and you want to be able to do the fun stuff that's made up on the spot. Perhaps there's a surprise jam session by Darren Criss in the common room or something. How do you hear about that? Well, a great way is to get the twitter accounts and phone numbers of those you meet at the con. That way, if they find something fun, you're just a text, call, or tweet away (note: this is about the only time I approve of twitter). At Infinitus, they also had a twitter account for program and room changes that was pretty important. I'm assuming Leaky will have the same thing.

Squeeze in the boring stuff: I know, I know. You're surrounded by HP fans for perhaps the first and last time in your life, the Wizarding World is just a boat ride away, and there's a workshop on fun things all day, but try to fit in enough time to eat a little something every so often, sleep a few hours each night, and stay hydrated (even if your only option is Squirt)! As we said, Florida is hot and you'll probably be sweating a lot with excitement, because of heavy costumes, and/or from playing Quidditch. You can't enjoy the con if you're passed out, too tired, or in the hospital from heat exhaustion. So, listen to your body and don't neglect yourself for the sake of HP. Also, hygiene is another area you shouldn't skip just to go to that panel on slash or something, especially not if you want to meet friends.

Think ahead: So you want to meet Darren Criss, see the Starkid performance, watch Ministry of Magic perform, and see the Potter Puppet Pals show? That's great! So does everyone else. Expect lines...expect long lines...expect long lines the likes of which you haven't seen since the release of Deathly Hallows. If memory serves, the line for A Very Potter Sequel started at 8 or 9am at Infinitus, and the show started at around 5pm. By the time they opened the doors, the line had wrapped itself around the entire conference space...twice! Think about these things ahead of time so you don't arrive fifteen minutes before it starts and expect a front row seat. Though they're long, lines don't have to take up your entire weekend. Hang out, bring snacks, and bond with those around you or take turns with friends to hold your spot so you can get food, go to programming, take bathroom breaks, and so on.

Speak up about your needs: If you have special needs, make sure they are heard. The Infinitus staff was excellent about this! An hour before AVPS I just went up and said I was legally blind and needed a front row seat for both me and my companion, and they said they'd take care of it. Half an hour later, they tracked me down and escorted us to our seats before anyone else was in the room. So, know that they will help you in any way that they can if you just ask.

Broaden your horizons: Let's say that you don't like wizard rock (for some reason). Go to a wizard rock concert while you're at LeakyCon! It's an experience you won't want to trade, believe me! Just watch some video from conferences past to see fans swaying to inspirational music about Dumbeldore, crying while singing along to songs about Remus and Tonks, or screaming their heads off and moshing to songs about Gryffindor. Just GO! You will not regret it, even if you walk out saying the music was mediocre, you'll have to admit the fans were totally awesome! I'd recommend Ministry of Magic if this is what you're after (or perhaps Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls if you want to cry).

Be smart in the park: If you have limited time in the park outside of the LeakyCon event, try to do your shopping during peak hours as well as ride the smaller rides (as in, not The Forbidden Journey). Yes, the lines to get in shops might be long, but the Ollivander's Experience and ride lines are atrocious! You're better off trying for those during the after hours event. You might also consider getting the app from the Leaky Cauldron that lets you know about wait times for rides.

Costumes: If you dress up in a totally awesome way, people will want your picture and possibly your autograph so don't plan to do a whole heck of a lot if you have a kick butt costume! Just enjoy your Lockhart moment and go with it.

After the Conference:

Share your experience: Next year there will probably still be HP cons happening. Your advice, experiences, and reviews might help people make up their minds on whether or not to go. More importantly, there are ways to keep in touch with those who also attended LeakyCon. Last year, Infinitus put up a gallery online where attendees could share their pictures and videos from the event. This was greatly appreciated since there were a few events that I didn't get pictures at or my pictures turned out all blurry. I'm not sure if LeakyCon will do this or not, but I loved it since we didn't get video of my wand choosing with Ollivander (though we got a few good pictures), and someone ended up posting a video they took of it later (which I promptly lost track of online after my squee moment).

Keep in touch: HP might be ending, but the friendships you make at LeakyCon don't have to. Facebook new friends, call them on the felly-tone, and generally stay in touch. (Are you ready for the cheese?) After all, the HP fandom is all about the friendships we find and bringing people together. Remember, “the weapon we have is love.” (I warned you!)