SHHHH. This is the secret.
You can have just as good a time for FREE at Dragon*Con.
Skip the line and pretend you know where you’re going. Head for the elevator.
then do what we did. Drink at all the lobby bars, ride the glass elevators and stroll the lobbies of 4 hotels, taking pictures like this:

Convince new friends to Play the “stranger in the picture” game
and laugh knowing all kinds of people will go home unable to answer the question, “Who’s that blonde?”
Meet some crazy girls. Insult one by saying you love her gown, that you’d make chaise lounge cushions out of it for your blue and white room, then chug your beer when she tells you she’s an interior designer.
Lie to them and say how clever or pretty or slick they are. Do not let them see you laugh.


Have friends with you who can camouflage your surprised, oh honey what did you do to yourself comment, into something that actually sounds nice.
I’m pretty sure I ruined some TV footage when I peeked over a trojan’s shoulder,
inserting comments as he was interviewed for TV. ( you can see the press tags on the girl to his right and the camera over his left shoulder… ) gee, I hope that footage never surfaces when I run for President.
All in all it cost us a MARTA train ticket, a few hours away from the book fest and a shitload of drinks- which we would have had anyway.