Questions
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Question List | Admission | Applications | Costumes & Photos | Miscellanea
Extremely Frequently Asked Questions
Please email us about these topics only if your question is not answered on this page. Thank you!
- Does a full dose of the vaccine mean I need a booster shot? Do I need one or two shots?
- Is there a schedule of panels/events I can read?
- When can I apply for Dealers Room or Artist Alley space?
- I lost something. Is there a lost and found? How can I find my stuff?
- Can I bring this prop, toy gun, or accessory?
- When does pre-registration open?
- How do I change my pre-registered badge information?
- How do I transfer my badge to another person?
- I don’t remember whether I pre-registered. How can I check?
Admission & Registration
- Do I have to pick up my badge on Friday? Can I do it on a different day?
- Why do you only accept cash at the door?
- What if I prefer a different name than what’s on my ID?
- How do I secretly buy a badge as a gift for someone else?
- Is there a group discount?
- What are your refund and transfer policies?
- How do I get a media pass?
- I won a free badge. How do I get it?
Applications
- I submitted an application for something: when will you respond?
- Do you accept submissions for maid cafés?
- Why do you say an application will be available in “Summer” or “Fall?” Why can’t you give me an exact date?
Costumes & Photos
- Can I wear this?
- Can I take photographs? Can I sell them? Can I set up a photo booth?
- Can I take official photos and give (or sell) them to you after the convention?
Miscellanea
- This webpage is out of date. Can you please update your website?
- Can I bring my service animal, support animal, or pet?
- I or someone I know needs an accommodation for accessibility. Can Ohayocon help?
- Does Ohayocon have room blocks at other hotels than the Hyatt?
- My birthday is on such and such day; when can I get into age-restricted events?
- I’m supervising my underage child. Why are they still not allowed into age-restricted events?
- May I suggest a guest speaker or appearance?
- After the convention: we give all of our lost and found items to the Hyatt front desk. At this point, the Hyatt treats the items according to their own policies and procedures. You can call the Hyatt Regency Columbus front desk at 614-463-1234.
- During the convention: if someone finds something, we ask them to take it to the Ohayocon public safety office. In 2022, that was the Champaign Room. It may be a different room this year (check your map). We store all lost and found belongings until the end of the convention, at which point we turn them over to the Hyatt front desk.
Answers
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Question List | Admission | Applications | Costumes & Photos | Miscellanea | Contact Link
Admission
Do I have to pick up my badge on Friday? Can I do it on a different day?
You may collect your badge on any day of the convention during the registration center’s operating hours. (Return to questions)
How do I change my pre-registered badge information?
You may change the information on your badge (or transfer it to another person) by contacting our customer service team. Please include the Registration Code you were given in your confirmation email. (Return to questions)
How do I transfer my badge to another person?
You may transfer your badge to another person (or change the information on it) by contacting our customer service team. Please include the Registration Code you were given in your confirmation email. (Return to questions)
Why do you only accept cash at the door?
It be that way sometimes. The ATMs run out fast, so please remember to bring some with you. (Return to questions)
What if I prefer a different name than what’s on my ID?
If you’re buying your badge at the door, it doesn’t matter, because we won’t be checking them for your name. You can write whatever you want on your badge. If you’re pre-registering, then the name registered to your badge must match the name on the ID you will use to claim it. This is to ensure only you can claim your badge. We’re not printing your name on the badge or anything, and you can write whatever you want (even nothing!) on your badge. For more details and a list of acceptable forms of ID, please read our policy about it. (Return to questions)
How do I secretly buy a badge as a gift for someone else?
Since our Acceptable ID policy requires pre-sales badgeholders to present a matching ID at check-in, the best way to buy the badge is by using the name on the recipient’s acceptable ID and putting in all their information such as mailing address, phone number, preferred name, emergency contact info, etc. in the purchasing form as if they were doing it themselves. Don’t put your own name on it, or else your recipient will not be able to pick it up. However, if you put their email address in it, then the system will automatically send them an email and your surprise is ruined. So we recommend using your own email address.
One alternative to this is to make a nice card or note that you can tuck inside a holiday card which tells your recipient that you want to buy their badges. This way they are: 1) surprised, 2) able to let you know whether they already bought tickets before you commit your money under our no-refund policy, and 3) able to register their own information and eliminate confusion and errors.
Given the frequency of this question, we are considering ways for our customers to purchase gift tickets without notifying the recipients. We’ll announce if such a program becomes available. (Return to questions)
I don’t remember whether I preregistered. How can I check?
Our pre-registration software sends emails after you successfully register. Sometimes they end up in a spam or junk folder, so you could try checking there. Failing that, you could try checking your bank and credit card statements to see if you paid for a registration. If you’re still not sure, you can contact us, though it may take a few business days for us to respond to that question. We thank you for your patience. (Return to questions)
Is there a group discount?
Yes! We offer a $5-per-badge pre-order discount on groups of ten or more. The discount is only available for pre-registration, so make sure you do it by the last day of pre-ordering. You must purchase the badges using the Group ticket option on the selection page. (You will need each person’s consent to the agreements, full name, phone number, and email address.) If you have more than 30 people, please break up your registrations into smaller groups of at least 10. (This is a technical limitation.) If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact us.(Return to questions)
What are your refund and transfer policies?
Unfortunately, badges are non-refundable and only good for the show they’re purchased for. We will refund if the issue is our fault. If you think we did something wrong, please send us a message. You are welcome to transfer your badge to another person. (Return to questions)
How do I get a media pass?
Thank you for your interest in covering Ohayocon! All the information about media passes is available on our Special Badges page. (Return to questions)
I won a free badge. How do I get it?
Congratulations! We will contact you by email with instructions, but only when pre-registration for the next convention is available. If it’s been more than two weeks since pre-reg opened and you still haven’t received your email, please contact us. (Return to questions)
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Applications
I submitted an application for something: when will you respond?
Generally speaking: after the deadline for that application. Staff and Kohai applications should have a much shorter turnaround time, definitely before the deadline if you submitted it early enough. If it’s been a meaningfully long time (say, three weeks) after the application deadline and you still haven’t heard from us, please contact us. (Return to questions)
When can I apply for Dealers Room or Artist Alley space?
Dealers: The application usually opens in summer. We’ll announce when it is available.
Artists: The application usually opens in summer or early fall. We’ll announce when it is available. For more information, visit the Artist Alley page.
(Return to questions)
Do you accept submissions for maid cafés?
We do not. We do not wish to offer maid cafés as an activity at Ohayocon. (Return to questions)
Why do you say an application will be available in "Summer" or "Fall?" Why can’t you give me an exact date?
Please see the question about website updates. (Return to questions)
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Costumes & Photos
Can I wear this?
Thank you for asking. All attendees must follow generally accepted community standards of dress and behavior. Please read our public safety policies and cosplay rules. If you still have questions, feel free to send us a message.
(In case you’re wondering, any kind of clothing depicting imagery that is pornographic in nature is strictly prohibited, and we will hold you accountable according to our harassment policy.) (Return to questions)
Can I bring this prop, toy gun, or accessory?
Thank you for asking. All attendees must follow generally accepted community standards of dress and behavior. We cannot give you any specific approval for any item until we can inspect it in-person at the event. Please read our public safety policies and cosplay rules. Props must fit certain dimension requirements and be safe to handle in a crowded space. All toy firearms must have an orange tip — you may not paint over it, remove it, or otherwise obscure it. Anything that has a string, rope, line, or similar component longer than two feet is prohibited — the only exception is for trained service animals. (If you need it for a scheduled photoshoot, you must carry it in a safe, gathered manner and not allow it to be extended until you are posing for the shoot.) Authorized Ohayocon volunteers, staff members, and venue officials have the final word on whether your item is acceptable. (Return to questions)
Can I take photographs? Can I sell them? Can I set up a photo booth?
Please feel free to take commemorative photos for your own enjoyment. You are free to share your pictures in the manner of your choosing, but you are on your own regarding the appearances of individuals in your photos. (That is, we are not giving you permission to share photos of anyone in particular, and if there is a dispute with someone wanting you to remove a picture with them, that’s between you and them.) Please also review our Harassment Policy.
We do not permit you to sell photographs, raw or edited, at or during Ohayocon. You risk forfeiting your admission if you do so. After the convention and off-premises, we do not care as long as you are not using our branding or image and you are not telling people that your photos are “official” or that you work(ed) for Ohayocon. You are permitted to make appointments in advance and charge for your service as long as the actual payment occurs off-premises and not during Ohayocon.
We prohibit you from setting up photo booths unless you have an agreement with us in advance, and we will likely refer you to our Dealers Room staff so you can negotiate purchasing vendor space. At-con photography is generally not considered for Artist Alley. If you have any questions about our policy, please send us an email.
(You can also read all the photography policies.) (Return to questions)
Can I take official photos and give (or sell) them to you after the convention?
Thank you for your interest in Ohayocon. We are not accepting solicitations for photography contractors. However, we may have room for staff photographers who can also write PR and marketing copy and do graphic design. The Editors™ are making an Organization-wide Photograph Scavenger Hunt this year, and you are invited to apply for a staff position and take part in the “fun.” (Return to questions)
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Miscellanea
This webpage is out of date. Can you please update your website?
We’re sorry that we’re not up to date. It is each department’s responsibility to either update their pages or file work requests with our marketing department to that effect. However, generally speaking, the website has the most current information, so if something is not available or is out of date, then that means we probably don’t have all the information we need in order to communicate accurate information or make an application available. In other words, we haven’t forgotten about it, and it will be ready when it is ready. Please understand that we are unpaid volunteers who do this in our spare time. We thank you for your patience and understanding. (Return to questions)
Can I bring my service animal, support animal, or pet?
Trained service animals are welcomed in accordance with venue policy and the laws of Ohio, Franklin County, and Columbus. The venues prohibit emotional support animals and pets. (Return to questions)
I or someone I know needs an accommodation for accessibility. Can Ohayocon help?
Yes! We offer a full-service Accessibility Services department. If you would like to make arrangements with us, please send us a message. (Return to questions)
I lost something. Is there a lost and found? How can I find my stuff?
We hope you find it! Please bear in mind that we cannot accept responsibility for lost or stolen items. Here are some places to look:
Unfortunately, emailing us is an ineffective way of finding your lost belongings, because all our customer service team can do is wish you luck and instruct you to either visit the Champaign Room or call the Hyatt front desk.
Does Ohayocon have room blocks at other hotels than the Hyatt?
At the moment, no, but given the large amount of requests for these, we are considering options for 2023. (Return to questions)
My birthday is on such and such day; when can I get into age-restricted events?
At midnight on the calendar day of your birthday. For example, if you want to get into an 18+ restricted event at 1 a.m. on Saturday, you need a Friday or Weekend badge, and your 18th birthday must be on or before Saturday. For more details and examples, including a list of acceptable forms of ID, please read our policy about it. (Return to questions)
I’m supervising my underage child. Why are they still not allowed into age-restricted events?
Our age-restricted events are restricted for two reasons. First, the content can depict or describe violence, sexuality, complicated geopolitics, differential equations, illicit drugs, etc. Fundamentally, anime, video games, and pop culture involve artistic expression, and Ohayocon allows specially permitted times for adults to gather in the same room to experience and discuss such art, just as in the same way as you might experience such things at a film festival, theatrical production, on TV, or in a book. Second, it is also about allowing adults to have a space without children. We’re confident you understand, and we appreciate your patience. When your child is of age, we think they’ll appreciate our policy just as much as our 30-somethings do.
May I suggest a guest speaker or appearance?
Yes, but we generally will not respond. It’s not that we don’t like you, it’s just that we receive many solicitations per week and most of the time it’s agents’ trying to sell us someone we never wanted in the first place. To make up for this, we occasionally survey our paid attendees to see if they want anyone in particular to visit Ohayocon. (Return to questions)
Is there a schedule of panels/events I can read?
We try to have a tentative schedule of events available two to three weeks before the convention. There are so many variables and changing circumstances in the months leading up to each show that make it difficult to commit to a general schedule outline any earlier than that. We prefer to err on the side of fewer changes once the tentative schedule is available. Please see also "Can you please update your website?". (Return to questions)
Does a full dose of the vaccine mean I need a booster shot? Do I need one or two shots?
We recommended, but did not require, “booster” shots for our Feb. 2022 event. We have not yet made a decision about our next event. (Return to questions)
Contact Us
Still need help? We welcome you to contact us.
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