Fan Expo Canada 2022 is just 2 days away, and we are excited to be returning in-person to a convention we absolutely love!
Having attended and covered Fan Expo Canada since 2012, it is easily one of our staple events. From great celebrity conversations, to rocking cosplay, to incredible showcases of artistic talent, the convention has a little bit of everything.
Well, not little bit. A lot-a-bit!
From our many year’s of attending the convention, we wanted to share 10 tips to help make your Fan Expo Canada experience an amazing one!
#1: Plan
No, you can’t see everything.
It’s a harsh reality check, but we’ve learnt it the hard way.
We’ve attended the show all four days from start to closing (literally until they’ve told us to get out), and we still didn’t see everything. Fan Expo Canada is that massive! With hundreds of thousands of people, hundreds of vendors, and dozens of programming each day, you must pick and choose what you want to see. This way, you get to experience what YOU want to experience, and not just what you can get.
Fan Expo Canada has a handy mobile app now that will let you select the activities you want to attend and build a calendar for yourself. We recently used it at sister convention Toronto ComiCon, and it was very helpful! It also provides reminders, which is handy as you are running around.
Top Tip: Make sure you give yourself enough time around activities. Just because a panel is at 1pm doesn’t mean you show up at 12:55. Line-ups for panels start well in advance, and if you want a good seat, you got to get in line early.
#2: Study the floorplan
This is probably the greatest thing you will do for your Fan Expo Canada 2022 experience.
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is a beautiful venue, and rather easy to navigate once you get the lay of the land.
What will blow your mind is trying to figure out where your favourite vendor and artist is by just showing up. With two buildings, thousands of square feet of space to navigate, and thousands of people to get through to get where you are going, studying the floorplan will 100% percent help you save time, manage the events you want to get to, and help you stay sane in all the excitement and chaos.
Top Tip: The floorplan has not yet been released at the time of this article (it will be released here), but I highly recommend printing this out and studying it thoroughly. Bring a copy in case you have internet troubles or can’t access the floorplan on your device.
#3: Bring food, water and good shoes
Fan Expo Canada has a lot of food options and access to water fountains.
However, with hundreds of thousands of people gathering, the last thing you want is to be stuck in line for half hour trying to get a pizza slice. If you’ve got time to kill, have at it. However, if you want to maximize your time, bringing a snack or two and lots of water will get you going through those panel and autograph lineups. Plus, convention food can be expensive. Saving up over there will give you more bandwidth for autographs and collectibles.
Also, there is a lot of walking. A LOT. Plus, there aren’t many areas to sit down other than the food court, some areas of the convention floor or hallways. Wear something comfortable to help you get around.
Top Tip: Bring stuff in easy packaging so you aren’t lugging around a massive bag. Walkways in between booths (like the artist alley) can be tight after a crowd gathers, and last thing you want to do is constantly bump into people or knock over some ones display.
#4: Bring Cash
Yes, it is COVID times and most people are very respectful and offer digital payment methods.
However, cash is still king when you want to get a deal and here’s why.
Digital payment methods have a cost to vendors (often a sizable percentage), and unless they are passing those costs on to you, it’s a cost they would like to minimize as much as possible. Plus, a digital payment (unless Interac/debit) will take them a while to receive.
Cash allows vendors to make their money upfront, while also saving on the costs explained above. Dealing in cash will likely yield you a better deal on that collectible you are eying. This is by no-means a guarantee, but it will certainly help.
#5: Shop around for comics and collectibles
Just because someone has what you are looking for doesn’t mean its the right price.
Most people who buy collectibles know what things are worth and what they are willing to pay for it. However, not all of us walk around with encyclopedic knowledge of every little collectible available. If you are looking for something specific, or stumble upon something you feel you should have, shop around multiple vendors to see a) how available it is and b) what the prices are at.
Top Tip: Most vendors will accommodate holding stuff for you as you make a decision. Be reasonable. It is their business, and be mindful and respectful of that. However, if you need a moment to think about something, set a reasonable time and communicate honestly with the vendor.
#6: Research on transportation, including transit and parking
The TTC, city of Toronto’s transit provider, has had many closures over the weekend for the past few weeks. If you are living right downtown, you likely don’t have to worry. However, if you are coming from further away and these closures are on route or close to them, they will impact your travel time. Be sure to check out the TTC website for the most up-to-date conditions and plan accordingly. The convention also has a partnership with Metrolinx and GO Transit, details which you can find here.
Parking is another aspect. If you plan to drive (which I highly discourage, given the chaos of downtown Toronto), figuring out parking in advance is a good idea. Visit the MTCC website for parking suggestions.
Top Tip: Parking prices skyrocket during major events, especially in private one-off garages. In the past, we’ve parked super early to get a great early deal (they literally changed prices after we entered, and this was a Sunday). I would research parking ahead of time or consider using price-consistent services like Green P parking that are not necessarily driven by demand.
#7: Fan Expo Canada 2022 is more than just meeting celebrities
Meeting celebrities is awesome, don’t get me wrong. I’ve had some of my best celebrity meet-up memories from Fan Expo Canada.
However, the convention is a lot more than just meeting celebrities. With hundreds of vendors and businesses, family oriented programming, cosplay showcases and live podcast recordings, there is so much on offer at the convention. Heck, you can even get your tattoo done now!
I would highly recommend you chalk up some time to simply walk around the booths. That experience you don’t know you are looking for; you may just find it.
Top Tip: Kids between the ages of 6-12 can attend the convention for free. Look here for the Kids Coupon that can be used for this purpose. Please be sure to read the disclaimer and limitations.
#8: Be kind to the volunteers
While Fan Expo Canada does have many employees around the convention floor, many of the activities and panels are coordinated and managed by volunteers.
These folks are giving up their time to help make your convention experience an awesome one. They are an awesome resource to ask convention questions, help guide you in the right direction, and just helpful overall.
I’ve seen, way too often, folks be disrespectful to volunteers.
Please don’t.
You supporting them actually makes your experience awesome.
#9: Manage your expectations
I can’t emphasize this enough. Life is funny, and anything can happen. From panel reschedules to cancelled celebrity experiences, anything is possible. Fan Expo Canada maybe one big convention, but they are managing individual schedules and agreements with everyone they work with.
Sometimes a guest can’t show up or needs to leave early because of unexpected reasons. Sometimes a panel needs to be shifted due to a conflict.
Go into the convention managing your expectations. Its important for you to do so to avoid disappointment and also give you the clear mindset to pivot and experience something else. As I said before, Fan Expo Canada is a much more than just one task. Maximize your experience regardless of what is happening. You will truly enjoy the experience that way.
#10: DO NOT annoy the guests
We all get a little excited, and that’s fair enough. However, if you catch your favourite celebrity walking to their table or exiting a panel, please for the love of God don’t go running after them or scream their name out. Security exists for a reason, and stupidity affects everyone and not just yourself. It has happened in the past, and it has delayed panels, sessions, and even autograph signings. Be respectful of everything happening and go with the flow.
Wishing everyone a happy Fan Expo Canada 2022! We hope to see you there. If you happen to be in cosplay, be sure to follow-us so we can hopefully spot you at the convention and take pictures for our cosplay highlights.
