Masks - Yes you can wear them while getting a photo snapped.
Bring your masks, wear them, just not when you are moving around in a corridor, hallway, or lobby.
Veils are fine as long as you can see where you are going.
Common areas means anything not in a room ie hallways, lobby.
Out of doors is outside convention space, and therefore is not affected by this policy.
Other materials - Plastic, wood, cardboard, etc. are all fine. Anything that would collapse when hit (ie aluminum foil or craft foil) are not counted as metal props, and are also fine.
Ed's arm is okay. I look forward to seeing it.
If anyone has a questionable prop, please bring it, and let the Yojimbo see it. We're willing to check the items firsthand.
As for asking this question, Yamcha, don't think that we staff are so STUPID as to not ask if cosplay and all its splendor are allowed when we write the contracts. Weapons policy was asked repeatedly from the start, as was meeting with the head of security. (Something which the hotel took 3 months to agree with.) Only when we finally met him, did metal weapons become an issue. This just happened to be a week before the con. The HOTEL did not know its own weapons policy, and in fact, had to contact its corporate office this Monday to be sure.
We've done our best to inform not just the hotel, but the entirety of the Janzten Beach area what to expect. I personally walked the entire area to be sure of this. Sometimes, they just don't get it until you shove a boken under their noses.
