2003- I missed Kumoricon's first convention by a few days. I was in the car with my dad and my sister past the convention center in Salem actually, on our way to the Library when I was talking about how much I wanted to go to an anime con. I had recently been watching anime con videos from bigger cons across the U.S online, and then my dad was talking about the Convention Center here. My sister then told me that there was one in Oregon, and her friend had just gone to it and told her about it. I freaked out and we eventually found out the name for it later and went to the homepage.
2004- My first Kumoricon. My friend and I pre-reged, not knowing is counted for the whole weekend at the time. We drove up from Salem on the second day. Staff was apparently in a panic because the count of people jumped from 400 in 2003 to 1,000 something. My friend and I got to go in, but my sister who didn't pre-reg, wasn't allowed in that day. So she said for my friend and I to go ahead and go in, while she was given a pass just for the Dealers Hall. Since my sister couldn't get in, we deiced to drive back for the next day, which was sadly dead day. Not a good first con for her, but we both were happy just to go to one. Duck duck goose in the halls, the kick ass amv contest, looking at the art room. I don't remember any panels.... I remember being VERY nervous about cosplaying, I didn't know if anyone else would do it, and didn't wanna feel dumb. So I went as Kagome from InuYasha, something simple. :3 I remeber being pissed at our driver cause she couldn't get back to the Marriot (no one listens to the directions of a 14 year old, even though I checked later, and we would have made it back -______-) so we didn't go back for the dance after we had dinner. I was MAD on that car trip back to Salem.
2005- We decided it was time to get a hotel, lol. We came the day of and checked out the last day. I remember being so sleep deprived, having a poudning headache during the AMV contest, and my sister wouldn't give me the damn key so I could go sleep in our room. I left thw AMV contest and curled up outside a bench infront of the hotel. I almost called home to have my dad come get me, so I could go home I was just so frsutrated. After some sleep that night I felt better though, so stayed. Don't really remember exactly what I did this year, just remember seeing Bakazoku for the first time ever. The first con with elevator problems, lol. I remeber a very MEAN k-con staff member was watching over them when I wanted on, and shoved me back away from then shouting at me they were full. Ticked me off. The producer of InuYasha, during his panel, had called the voice actors and put them on speaker while waiting for something to load, and they said they just came out of the shower, which caused the room to explode in fangirl screams, lol.
2006- Cosplayed as Princess Serenity from Sailor Moon, the most painful three days ever due to the cosplay. We took two cars up, the other car was 4 hours late and had our food in it, not happy with them. We stayed at the hotel across from the Red Lion the first night, then switched into the Red Lion for the remainder of the con. I remember sitting in line for the Cosplay Contest for about 4 hours. Then they ran late and to shut us up they threw t-shirts at us. One of the staff members chucked a t-shirt right at my sisters face, and it broke her glasses in half. We still joke about that today, lol. The cosplay contest was amazing, hosted by Bakazoku. This is the first year I remember going to panels like the fangirl glomp panel, which I filmed and is on my youtube account. I remember this one section of the hallway had no AC and was extremely HOT, the dealers room still awed me and I got a discount on a SM poster since I was dressed as one of the characters. We did a SM photoshoot on the pretty dock by the hotel, and I started meeting up with people from the forums. I got a bald spot on the top of my head from where my wig-cap cut into me, it was my first time wearing a wig, and a freaking heavy one. I learned to stretch the wig caps from then on.
2007- My worst con experience. I was lacking money in cosplay, so re-used my sisters Kikyo cosplay from 2004. I don't remember doing much, just that overall the experience sucked. I just got into the Anime Hunters panel before they told people it was too fall, and I skipped the AMV contest to go to something else, which I regetted later. The second showing just doesnt have the same energy as the first one. My roomates sucked, and I TOLD them where I would be at the last day, yet they seemed to think I had'nt, so they claimed they couldn't find me when they packed my things for me and turned in the room keys, so I never got to make sure I had everything. This is the year I lost alot of crap. I think this was the first year for the Ouran High tea party as well as the Masquerade ball? I caught the end of the tea party, and thought it was AWESOME to be waited on by the hosts. And the masquarde was in a tiny room, so I had to wait a while to get in and meet my party. The fangirl panel this year was AWESOME, with the rooms divinding in half and having the "which side can scream more like a fangirl" competition. Adding to the worst con ever, even though those three events were so cool, I was ticked that 2004-2006 (ages 14-16) I could stay out as late as I wanted as long as I had my sister with me, but one year away from 18 and I couldn't anymore, since the rules about curfew for anyone 18 had just changed. Trying to get an elevator down on the last-day was nightmarish. 40 mins one way down, and we were on the top floor.
2008- BEST. CON. YEAR. EVER. I was 18 which added to the awesomeness. But being back at the Doubletree was amazing. I went to alot of panels, and my energy was really high that year. My cosplay was fun and it wasn't restricting in anyway. It would also be the first year that we started rooming a day before the con, and staying a day late. So we weren't rushing to check in and unpack the first day of the con, and we could chill in our rooms while the rest ran around trying to check out. I actually took some time away from the con for the first time, to just go and hang out in the park with the cosplayers. It was the most relaxed con I had ever been too. Also was the first time we did out own little photoshoot in the park, so I got some awesome pictures of me in my cosplay.
2009- An OK year, though near the end of the con my legs were throbbing SO much from those stupid escalators not being turned on I was having trouble sleeping. Didn't help that my cosplay armor was like ten pounds weighing down on me for hours, plus the capes, the jewles, and the wig. It was the best year when it came to cosplay, since I finally got to be Lina, my dream cosplay, and I got alot of praise for it! woot! I even got to go on stage twice with Cynthia suring her panels. Also, definetly the best year for guests. Svetlana? amazing!!! The layout wasn't too confusing after a while, and I made sure to check it out the night before the con too, see where everything would be. Though the door between where the main events would be and leading down the garage was a misleading advertisement, since it was always freaking closed!!! The elevators of course, a nightmare. The weather was not nice, and I miss the parks being close like in 2008.
Please please please turn the escalaotors ON for 2010.... people have to pick up their cosplayes to walk up the stairs anyway. And walking up stairs after stairs with restricting or heavy cosplays can be more dangerous then taking the escalators, and hard on people with back problems, etc... there can be reminders like: pick up your cosplays! as they go on the escalators. T__T I don't want my legs to bother me all con long again!
