Some Hints to Maximize your Convention Experience
EMBRACE THE THEME!
The entire convention has been carefully planned around the “Grand Tour” experience. We hope that you will find many ways to be inspired by the theme in your approach to the convention, whether it be in the clothes you wear, any gifts you decide to give, any competition entries you should create, etc. The WORLD is full of possibilities, so let your imagination take you and your fellow conventioneers along with you.
PARTICIPATE!
There are literally dozens of ways for you to become “part of” the convention, as opposed to simply an attendee. Most of the convention activities are planned so that you can “jump on board” and take part by participating or volunteering. We’ve planned a huge variety of convention events, including the Speakers Series, special Exhibits, Raffle and Competition Rooms, and Mattel events. There are also many “unofficial” events, sponsored by dealers, artists and clubs that will take place during the week, so keep aware of these as well. If this is your first convention, please try to attend the First Timers Welcome and Orientation. More details on all of these events can be found throughout this packet.
DON’T BE INTIMIDATED!
This is the one time of year when you’ll be surrounded by hundreds of similarly-minded Barbie® doll collectors. You can wear what you want (Pink is always a safe choice!), carry around your favorite doll everywhere you go, and completely immerse yourself in the Barbie® doll experience, and no one will judge you (well, you’ll be judged in the competition room, but only there). At many of the meal functions, we’ve outlined some recommendations as to how you may choose to dress, but like all convention functions, these are just an outline...if you have a great idea, run with it!
BRING A CAMERA!
... and plenty of memory cards. You’ll see things you’ve never seen before, including some incredible Barbie® doll rarities and unique artists’ creations. You’ll see Barbie® doll friends everywhere. There will be photo opportunities throughout the convention, and you’ll want to capture them on film for your post-convention reminiscences.
SHOP!
At convention, you’ll have more opportunities to shop to support your Barbie® doll habit than any other time of the year. Here are various ways Convention can help you add to your Barbie® doll collection:
PRE-ORDER OFFICIAL CONVENTION SOUVENIRS
The official Convention souvenirs have been designed with the collector in mind, and they’re incredible this year. We have things that have never been offered before to conventioneers, and items that will never be available after this convention. The only way to assure yourself that you will have all the souvenir items you desire is to pre-order them in the quantity and size that you want. AND you’ll save at least 10% on all souvenirs if you order them before December 31, 2011. The souvenir shop is always a popular stop for conventioneers. You’ll avoid disappointment (and long lines) if you pre-order. The wide variety of products offered means that there’s something for everyone, and many things no serious Barbie® doll collector can live without. All the souvenirs are being made in limited quantities, and may sell out during the pre-order period. Items from the souvenir shop also make great birthday, holiday or table gifts for your favorite Barbie® doll friends, or club members.
Check out the full catalog of souvenirs available on the Souvenir Shop page of this booklet.
GRAND BAZAAR SALESROOM
The convention salesroom is the largest single grouping of Barbie® doll related merchandise available each year. With over 10,000 square feet of selling space, and hundreds of vendors, there will be Barbie® doll items for all budgets. For more information on the salesroom, including information for dealers, please visit the Salesroom page.
ROOM SALES
Although not an official convention activity, room sales constitute one of the most unique, and FUN traditions surrounding the National Barbie® Doll Collectors Convention. Dealers, collectors and artists alike will open their hotel rooms up for you to visit, eye their merchandise, talk about the Barbie® doll, and yes, SHOP! Room shopping will be open in the days prior to convention, and will end after Wednesday evening. We will attempt to group those selling from their rooms onto several floors as a convenience for shoppers. Check the bulletin boards on each floor to see who is selling where. One other hint: It’s very easy to forget just what room you saw that treasure that you’ve been wanting...the easiest way to avoid the problem is just go ahead and buy it while you’re there. But failing that, you may find it helpful to carry a small notepad and pen so that you may make notes of room numbers, names, merchandise and prices in order for you to remember what you saw, and where.
BE A PART OF THE FASHION SHOW!
The Paris-based fashion show offers you a fun way to express yourself in your favorite Barbie® doll or Barbie® doll friend outfit. The fashion show is many conventioneers’ favorite event, so please consider participating. This year, since the fashion show will take place during the Paris breakfast meal function, 800 of your favorite Barbie® doll friends will get to watch and support you as you model. (Remember, we’ve arranged for a special Paris café for all the models, so you won’t miss anything.)
STAY “IN THE KNOW”
Go to BarbieConvention.com for the latest convention information. The official website for the convention is right here at www.barbieconvention.com. The contents of the entire registration booklet are available (in full color) on this website, and all the relevant forms, updates, and schedules are available here.
JOIN THE YAHOO! CONVENTION GROUP
An online Yahoo! Group has been set up for the 2012 convention. This group is joined by the majority of conventioneers, and serves as a popular place for conventioneers to discuss all convention topics. People share their ideas for various convention events, and you’ll get travel hints, as well as recommendations. You can post questions and suggestions and get all kinds of feedback. It’s a great place to meet people, talk about convention and share your excitement with fellow enthusiasts.
To join, send an e-mail to: 2012NBDCConvention-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to sign up. Hundreds of people already belong to the group, so join and jump in on the discussion!
JOIN A TABLE
For each of the four major convention meal events, you will be sitting at a table with the same group of ten people. This gives you the opportunity to socialize and get to know your tablemates. Each table has an assigned “host” who is in charge of the table, extending hospitality to all of the table guests and distributing official convention gifts at each event. If you are looking for a table assignment, consider joining the online Yahoo convention group to find a group to sit with, or you can sign up for a table when you register at convention. Do not worry...every conventioneer will have a table to sit at, regardless of when you sign up.
ENJOY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ATTRACTIONS
We’ve arranged for the hotel rate to be available to conventioneers from July 7 through July 16 (based on availability). This means you can arrive early, or stay longer, allowing you to enjoy some of the USA’s most enjoyable tourist attractions. World famous Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are a short (FREE) shuttle ride away from our hotel. Knott’s Berry Farm, Angels Stadium, and tons of shopping all are close by.
BE KIND!
The 2012 National Barbie® Doll Collectors Convention is ENTIRELY put on by volunteers. The Steering Committee, Committee Chairs, and volunteers are dedicated to making this convention a wonderful time for all, and they work hard because they, like you, love Barbie® doll collecting. This is not a corporate or commercial enterprise designed to make money. The goal is to make each conventioneer happy. Rest assured that we will do our best to meet your expectations as our guests.
