Your first stop at Otakon (unless you opted to skip the lines and have your badge mailed to you), will be at our Registration desk located right inside the main entrance (Salon G/H/I) (map). Here you can pick up your badge if you pre-registered, or purchase at the door.
Full weekend and day badges can be picked up at any time during Registration open hours.
Our Badge Services desk is available if you have any issues with your mailed badge.
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 3 PM | 10 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 10 PM |
Saturday | 8 AM | 10 PM |
Sunday | 8 AM | 12 PM |
For more Information or to Register, go here to our main Registration page!
While there, don't forget to also check out our Registration FAQ and our Registration Terms and Conditions.
The Otakon Member Accessibility Guide is not a policy, but rather, a guideline to help our members obtain accommodations as efficiently as possible.
The Member Accessibility department is dedicated to providing accommodations for convention attendees who may require assistance in making their experience more accessible. After check-in at our Member Accessibility desk, upon request, we can provide reasonable accommodations that include:
Please contact us for more information on different accommodations and services offered.
Otakon does not provide or rent medical or special equipment out to attendees. Wheelchairs are available in limited quantity (VERY limited) for check-out provided by the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at their grand lobby desk. If you would like to rent a wheelchair or scooter for Otakon, Scootaround delivers to the WEWCC and surrounding hotels.
The Member Accessibility desk is located to the right of Photo Suite in the WEWCC Grand Lobby.
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 3 PM | 10 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 10 PM |
Saturday | 8 AM | 10 PM |
Sunday | 8 AM | 4 PM |
During the year and at con, you can reach us by submitting a help desk ticket. Please select "Member Accessibility" as the topic to ensure that your question is sent to our Member Accessibility staff. Please keep in mind that we may not be able to respond to all help desk tickets during con in a timely manner. If you have an urgent concern, please come to the Member Accessibility desk near Registration. If you are unable to travel to this desk, please ask a member of staff to page Member Accessibility and we will dispatch someone to assist, if they are available, but it may take some time to arrive at your location.
ASL interpreters can be reserved at the Member Accessibility desk and are subject to availability. Please come talk to the Interpreters or staff at the desk for more information.
The WEWCC has two lactation rooms to provide breastfeeding mothers with a private space to pump or nurse. The rooms are locked, please see us at the Member Accesibility desk for access.
You should ask for assistance if you have a medical or accessibility need or if assistance would prevent damage to an existing injury. For example, if you have a broken leg, or are pregnant and in your third trimester, you should ask us for assistance. On the other hand, if you have a large costume, or are tired from walking all day, we apologize, but our department cannot assist you.
As stated above, any medical or accessibility need will cover you. Some examples:
The list is not complete, and only serves as a handful of examples. If you are unsure if you qualify, please contact us before the convention, so that we may investigate, and if necessary, provide alternative advice for you. For clarity, below are some examples that would not qualify for our assistance:
Regardless of whether you are eligible for Member Accessibility services during Otakon, if you begin to feel unwell during the convention, please take a break, and if needed, ask a friend for assistance. If you experience a medical emergency during the convention, please call 911 immediately.
If it is not easily apparent that you are in need of assistance, we will ask for some kind of explanation of your needs. Small nondescript pieces of medical documentation, while not required, allow us to quickly offer accommodations specific to you. Some examples of useful forms of documentation are:
The following are a few things with questionable value as documentation:
If you choose to provide documentation, a short note from a doctor, clinic, hospital, or therapist only needs to indicate that you may need accommodations. We do not need detailed medical information and are unwilling to accept it due to potential legal liability.
First things first, check into your hotel, if needed, and relax for a little bit. When picking up your badge, go directly to the door, bypassing the line. Indicate to an Otakon staff member or security that you are proceeding to the Member Accessibility registration desk. The staff will usher you into the building towards the bag check area if applicable. After bags are checked,head over towards the Member Accessibility desk to complete registration.
Unless your badge has a Member Accessibility related ribbon, you won’t get access to the accessibility services we offer. As it is required by staff to confirm that you have a ribbon before providing you these services, it's advised you travel to the Member Accessibility desk, so we may provide this ribbon. If you are unable to navigate to Member Accessibility, please ask any member of staff to page Member Accessibility. We will dispatch someone to your location to escort you to the Member Accessibility desk. During peak times, it may take a long time for someone to come to your location, due to limited staff available to respond.
Our Member Accessibility staff will be able to verify your vaccination or negative COVID testing status at our booth once you've checked in and will be given a wristband. As a reminder, you must have both your badge and wristband to attend Otakon 2022!! Please visit our COVID policy page on what is expected in order to be verified and given a wristband.
If there is a wait at the desk, please use the provided seating if needed. If seating is not available, walk up to the desk and inform an accessibility staff member (even if they are currently helping someone) so we can attempt to get you seating.
Once at the desk, Member Accessibility will ask you to explain your situation, and provide documentation, if you feel it is necessary. We will look at any supplied documentation and immediately return it to you. You will be responsible for its safekeeping or disposal.
While it is understandably frustrating, if your needs are not readily apparent, and you cannot explain which accommodation(s) you may need, we may turn you away.
After you complete your request for accommodation, we will provide you a ribbon, indicating to all staff that you may need accessibility related services. We will also explain what services are offered to you due to these ribbons.
We know you have a lot of questions, and we have those answers for you! Come find us at any of our four information desks located throughout the WEWCC:
Feel free to ask any of our helpful staff members how to get to your favorite events and more!
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 3 PM | 10 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 1:30 AM |
Saturday | 8 AM | 1:30 AM |
Sunday | 8 AM | 4 PM |
We also walk around the convention and assist con goers with important Information about the convention like where panels, photoshoots, workshops, and food are. Also we’ll let you know when different activities start so that you don't miss them and if they have been canceled. Several us from Roving Info can be found around the convention and are easily identifiable by the large information flags we carry. Please do not hesitate to walk up and ask us questions!
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 3 PM | 8 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 11 PM |
Saturday | 9 AM | 11 PM |
Sunday | 9 AM | 3 PM |
We are also available to answer questions online! You’ll see more of us on social media, with relevant answers posted publicly for all to peruse.
Ready to ask a question? You can find us online below…
We’ll be active online and answering questions during the days and hours listed below:
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 8 AM | 10 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 12 AM |
Saturday | 8 AM | 12 AM |
Sunday | 8 AM | 5 PM |
Have you lost or found an item?
Please visit the Lost and Found department to submit a request for your lost item or to turn in a found item.
Lost and Found is dedicated to assist and be of a service to the members and staff when they have either lost or found an item. The purpose of the Lost and Found department is to efficiently and effectively return all items to their rightful owners while abiding and adhering to the policies of Otakorp, Inc.
Each year at Otakon, the Lost and Found Department strives to expand the services offered and improve their return rate. To accomplish this goal, the department will provide members with the most organized, effective, and respectful services by abiding by the department motto, “Members First”.
Location: Room 102A
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Thursday | 3 PM | 10 PM |
Friday | 8 AM | 1:30 AM |
Saturday | 8 AM | 1:30 AM |
Sunday | 8 AM | 3 PM |
Cosplay mishap? There's no need to leave the convention, just stop by Room 101 and the Cosplay Rescue staff will get you fixed up and back to enjoying the con free of charge.*
All members will be seen in the order of their sign-in number. Due to limited space, we ask that friends and groups wait in the hall, except for parent(s) and/or guardian(s) accompanying those under 18.
All members are required to sign waivers for repairs to be done on your cosplay.** Members under 18, require a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Waivers are not required for those needing safety pins, bobby pins, etc.
* All repairs done at Cosplay Rescue must be done by staff, please do not ask if you can borrow equipment, tools, etc and do it yourself.
** Downloadable waivers can be found here (Coming Soon!)
Operational Hours:
Day | Open | Close |
---|---|---|
Friday | 9:30 AM | 12 PM |
1 PM | 8 PM | |
Saturday | 9:30 AM | 12 PM |
1 PM | 8 PM | |
Sunday | 10 AM | 2 PM |