Waifu Expo

Feature 1

Waifu expo a first-year 18+ con did so much right. Waifu Expo occurred on March 3-5 2023. It was located in Hyatt Regency Dallas Texas. Before the convention, Juliette Michele with other key figureheads of Waifu Expo streamed a Q and A video to answer any question regarding the con. The guest did an excellent job publicizing this con as the convention 3-day pass was sold out. The cosplay consists of exotic variations of the cosplayer’s favorite character and the theme of succubus, bunny, and maid that was put out by the con.

Cost

So how much did it cost to attend the convention? Well, we stayed at the closest hotel to the con which is called the Marriott Courtyard for 419.94, Friday-Sunday which is about a 7min walk and a 5min walk back if you cut through the train station. There is no shuttle to the Hyatt from DFW as well so you must uber if you are flying. There is plenty of food option if you are willing to walk. We did our personal Dallas favorite Brazilian steak house which is $60 but a local burger spot can get a decent meal for around $15. Parking at the con was $22 for an overnight stay in the Reunion parking lot. The badge ranged from $40 for early orders to $70 at the door.

Pros:

A successful 1st year with a strong foundation around waifu for an older audience. The programmers were super busy leading to the event but never showed signs of stress or fatigued and made the best experience for everyone. The convention had plenty of room for growth and an excellent loyal fan base. Some people flew to attend the con and wish it had an east coast variation. The security was top-notch and created a safe environment for the enjoyment of all attendees. There was a wind draft through the main stage area and outside the exhibit hall which help keep the area cool with fresh air.

Cons:

The hotel layout was the main issue. The hotel had other events going on during the convention which made it feel awkward at times. The events that were present were the Friday morning auction (zero interference), the boycott meeting(zero interference), the wedding on Saturday night(in which a majority of people used the back entrance to enter the hotel and were greeted by con attendees in formal wear) and reunion tower meal guest from 1230p.m-0800p.m.

The black curtain did not provide adequate coverage for passersby as it was normally open and anyone could look inside. The hotel parking lot exit gate was also either removed or in an intermediate position which led to the impression of free parking.

There were a few beautiful areas around the convention but the hotel was a separate entity from the con and had informed the photographer this wasn’t their area, private property or had a security guard watching them. So this really isn’t a great convention for outside the designated area for cosplay photography.