Dolls and Conventions

I've brought one to two BJDs to various cons with me, and I've even brought one on a plane with me. It wasn't terribly hard to swing... I put him in my carry-on between his pillows and surrounded by soft clothes. The only problem is carrying them. If you don't have a carrying case, they get very heavy, so just be anticipating that. It's also really hard to carry more than one at a time. ^^;

So, yeah, it's a bit of a pain sometimes, but I wouldn't quit doing it. I love bringing them out to meetups and such and just carrying them around. I get so many compliments on them--it's wonderful, and they looove the attention. =^^=


~Kalmia

 

I've only brought Takeo to one convention so far, and it was mini and crappy.
Never the less, the DOD carrier made it very easy for me to transport him.
Though I do get annoyed when random idiots try and grab at him, or run away with him.

I'm just wondering How I'll transport Yamato, I wish he would fit in Takeo's case too --;

 

They get heavy pretty quickly... I haven't been to a con or anything but if I go anywhere and know I'm going to be a) stuck without a place to leave them SAFELY or b) walking a lot, I'm not bringing more than 2 minis, or 1 big kid. And they must fit in their carriers.

 

Just out of curiousity, how much does your average 60cm BJD weigh? I'm not worried unless he weighs more than my toddler...

Motherhood is the best exercise program I've ever been on!

 

*giggles*

Just pulled out the info page for my Kamui (Chiwoo)... he's 1.5 kilograms/3.3 pounds. I'm not sure how other BJDs compare, but I imagine it's around that figure. Girls will generally weigh less, since they don't use as much resin.


~Kalmia

 

Lishe's boobs weigh approximately 4.5 pounds each. :grin: SQUEE! mad giggles! I'm teasing of course...

they aren't heavy but after lugging them around all day.. boy they can sure FEEL heavy!!

 

If I am going to a convention where I'm not planning on meeting other doll owners,... they I will just bring one s mall doll (like an MSD). MSD are easiest and lightest to carry. a full sized SD or SD13 type doll is VERY heavy to carry around all day at a con, especially in costume.

However if there are going to be other doll owners, and we're having a meetup, then I will have as many as I can carry (around 4 or 5 if I have bags for them) waiting in my car. (out of the sun!) When it's time for the meetup, I go and get them and bring them out.

 

Thanks everyone!

I'll be fine then...maybe I'll haul out the old Snugli babycarrier and let my doll ride around in that if I need my hands free.

 

Are you sure? I think it might be more than that, after seeing them in person. And I thought Kaya (SD13 Megu) was well-endowed. They're like superboobs. :cow


~Kalmia

 

I've taken ChinSeung to 2 different conventions and a doll meetup or two.. If I'm driving, he's buckled into the front (or back) seat securely and out of the sunlight. When I flew, he stayed in a little doggycarrier harness thing ^^;; it wasn't very comfortable for either of us, so I need to get him a real carrier.

Now that Noah is here, he will probably be the one to go to cons that I can't just drive to. I'll get a case for him, but even if I can't he's so small that I could carry him in a bag quite comfortably.

As far as being /at/ the con with a doll... it's easier to have them if you're not in costume. Unless they're in matching costumes, it's annoying to have to try to hide them while someone takes your picture or something @_@; I don't think I'll ever cosplay /with/ my dolls.. either I'll be in costume or they will *giggles* But it's a lot of fun to walk around with them. People always ask questions and want to see them.. ChinSeung likes the attention.

I would say maybe I'm too trusting with him when it comes to strangers... sometimes people want to hold him and I'll either say yes or no depending on what kind of vibes I get from them. I have not yet had a problem, and my bigger boy likes the compliments and attention... I always stay close to him and they never hold him for more than a moment or two.

Anyway, do what makes you comfortable. I loved having him around with me at Katsu, and I'll have Noah at Anime Boston (and if he's not with me, he'll either be in our room in a safe place or with a trusted friend).

Actually, that's one thing.. I couldn't have done so well at Katsucon if Dizziness hadn't been so wonderful and attentive to ChinSeung. She watched over him like he was one of her own when I had to run off, and I am ever grateful to her for that. She even took care of him at the expense of one of her babies who took a fall. I feel terrible for that, but I guess, had the situation been reversed, I would have done the same for one of hers.

Ah, well.. yeah, in the end, it can be risky to take them out.. but why did someone spend so much money on something and not want to share it with the world? I guess it's safe to say that accidents happen, but it's no fun to live in a glass box, too.

 

I've only brought one of my kids at a time to a con so far to cosplay with me. However, I did bring all five to the panel at AOD and to our last meet-up and that was just too much to handle. My husband and I are cosplaying Alex and Sophia from Last Exile at Fanime and I think we'll bring either Mitsu and Hana or Megumi and Momiji (the poor boy will have to crossdress) to cosplay Claus and Lavie.

As for traveling, I brought Megumi to Japan with me last time and it was really easy carrying him around, but I have so many plans for photoshoots this time, that I'm bringing Hana, Momiji and Megumi, so we'll see how that goes. I'm going to try to fit them all into my DOD carrier, but Megumi may end up in my purse. I just don't want to have to deal with the much bigger SD carrier.

 

eeeek! I LOOOOVE Last Exile, I'll really look forward to seeing that!

 

Neat! I forgot to say that we'll be doing that at Fanime, so I'll be really racing to get our costumes together when we get back from Japan.

 

oh! I'll be at fanime too! I always wanted to do a Lavie costume, but I wont have time for fanime. I'll look forward to seeing yours' though!! I'm hoping to have my Oscar doll's military outfit done by then though.

 

I have 2 full sized dolls, and I take both, and carry both at all times.

 

I took my SD13 Megu with me to Katsu, back before my Volks carrier came in. I found that she fits quite well in my messenger bag, and I wrapped her in big piece of muslin to make sure she stayed clean. When she wasn't with me at the con, I left her inconspicuously in my hotel room. My MSD still had a lot of work that needed to be done at that time, so she didn't go. I've been very happy with my Volks bag that I got last month. I know it was $50 with shipping, but it's just so nice looking... it really looks like a regular piece of luggage, or an instrument bag, and it has lots of little pockets along the sides for accesories. I've had no problem putting both my dolls in there and bringing them along places.

 

Boring old me and Ashling. :3

We have a convention coming up in just over a month, and since I'm ordering Calvin at the end of next month it'll just be Ashling and I - I do plan to take him, just because I drag him everywhere with me. :3 I don't really count because I don't have to stay in a hotel or anything...the convention is like a thirty minute ride from my house.

...*shuts up =D*

 

Ok, I am bringing Mike and Kyo down to Atlanta for Dragoncon. However, my dad was saying not too. How would I take pictures and carry them and all. People are looking to grab stuff. I am not staying in the hotels that host DragonCon cause they charge 2 to 3 times as much as one down the road. How did you carry yours? Were you in the hotels and had no problems? I'm not too worried as I know where I am going and all, but still...

 

I bring my boys everywhere with me, and if you stay in the hotel and want to leave him there, just put the 'privacy' sign up on your door so that the maids don't enter your room when you're not there ^^

When carrying him around the con, that's a bit more complicated, I'd definitely invest in a carrier bag and use it as a purse as well as carrier for if your arm gets sore and you need to put him away for a bit. I wouldn't worry about anyone stealing him though, between you being careful and the fact that more people are probably going to oogle over him without knowing what he is...I'm sure you'd be fine. I attend anime conventions where dolls are much more well known and I've never heard of an incident where a doll was stolen!

EDIT: I just realized you had two dolls, so I would also suggest just carrying one around a day, two may be a bit much! Of course they may fight with each other on who gets to go when and that could cause some problems ^_~