FAQs
NOTE: As decisions are made and information becomes available, it will be added to this site and the FAQs will be modified accordingly. To stay up to date, consult the Updates page and the official 
Mailing List and
Livejournal.
General Con Info & Registration
- When is the con?
- Where is the con?
- How much is the con?
- When and how can I sign up?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Can I see a list of the other people who are attending?
- Is there a minimum age for attendance?
- Do you have supporting memberships?
- Will you have day memberships? Or registration at the door? Or will I be able to come to just one part of the con - like the Disco Duck?
Con Events and Programming
- When will programming start and end?
- When will I be able to register at the con?
- How can I suggest panel topics? How can I see the topics that have been suggested?
- Will there be a con suite?
- Will there be dealers?
- Will there be an art show and/or auction?
- Will there be a vid show? Can I submit a vid?
- Will there be a party?
- When will the schedule be posted?
- Will there be a computer for me to use if I don't have my own?
Travel
- What airport can I fly into?
- How do I get to the hotel from the airport/train station/bus station/my friend's house in downtown DC?
- I'm interested in arranging a rideshare to or from the con - what can I do?
Hotel
- How much does the hotel cost?
- How do I reserve a room?
- How can I find a roommate
- Is there parking?
- Does the hotel have internet access?
- Is there a business center with computers in the hotel?
- Can I hook up my own VCR or DVD player to the TV in my hotel room?
- Are there refrigerators available for my hotel room?
- Can I bring my pet?
- Is there a restaurant in the hotel?
- Is there a pool in the hotel?
Around the Hotel
- Are there restaurants, grocery stores, etc. near the hotel?
- Is there a Metro stop near the hotel?
- How close is the hotel to downtown Washington DC?
Dealer Information
- How do dealers register? How much does dealer registration cost?
- Is con registration included in the dealer table fees?
- What kind of dealers are you looking for? How many?
- Can I get a list of all the dealers who will be at the con?
- Can nonmembers work at my dealer table?
- Will there be somewhere for me to unload my stuff at the hotel?
Miscellaneous
Hello
General Con Info & Registration
When is the con?
June 18-20, 2010
Where is the con?
The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Silver Spring, Maryland, just over the border from Washington DC. To find out more about the hotel and the area go to the Hotel & Travel page.
How much is the con?
$90 through December 31, 2009, and $100 from January 1, 2010, through May 15, 2010. For more information, go to the Registration page.
When and how can I sign up?
You can register up to and including May 15, 2010. All payments must be received within four weeks of the date you register, or your registration will be deleted. Then if you want to attend the con you will have to re-register at the rate then in effect. If this is your first CON.TXT, go here to register, and please follow the instructions! If you registered for CON.TXT 2006 or 2008 your information is already in the database and you do not need to enter it again. Instead, go to the Member Area and log in using the email address and password you registered with the first time. On your "My Account" page, there will be a ticky box you can check to register for CON.TXT 2010.
What is your cancellation policy?
Attending members who cancel on or before May 15, 2010, can either get a refund of their membership fee or can roll over their membership fee to CON.TXT 2012 - in either case, minus a $10 processing fee. After May 15, 2010, no refunds or rollovers will be available. If you want to cancel, please contact registration@con-txt.net.
Can I see a list of the other people who are attending?
Con members will be listed by badge name in the members-only area of the site. Once you are registered you can log in from the Member Area.
Is there a minimum age for attendance?
Yes. You must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the con in order to attend. By submitting the registration form you are representing that you meet this requirement.
Do you have supporting memberships?
Yes! You can sign up for supporting memberships for $15; this will get you the registration package, and all of the goodies and login rights that attending members get! For more information go to the the Registration page.
Will you have day memberships? Or registration at the door? Or will I be able to come to just one part of the con - like the Disco Duck?
Day memberships will not be available. We do not expect to make decisions about the other issues until about a month before the con. Either way, we'll make an announcement (on the Mailing List and Livejournal, and on the Registration and Updates pages of this site) as soon as we've decided - but again, that won't be until quite close to the con date, so please don't ask us before then - we won't be able to give you an answer!
Con Events and Programming
When will programming start and end?
Programming will begin the morning of Friday, June 18, 2010, and end the afternoon of Sunday, June 20, 2010. As the con approaches and more detailed scheduling information becomes available, it will be announced on the Updates page of this site, as well as on the Mailing List and
Livejournal, and will be set out in detail on the Programming page.
When will I be able to sign in at the con?
We anticipate that registration will begin Thursday night.
How can I suggest panel topics? How can I see the topics that have been suggested?
Only con members will be able to submit suggestions for panel topics; however, anyone will be able to see the topics that have been suggested. When the panel suggestion form opens, it will be accessible from the Programming page (direct link: Panel Suggestion page), and con members who are logged in will be able to access the form by clicking the button at the top of the panel suggestion page. The list of panel suggestions will also be accessible from the Programming page.
Will there be a con suite?
Yes! The con suite - or, as we've taken to calling it, the ConSweet - has been a huge success in previous years and will be the center of the action at CON.TXT 2010 as well. It'll be a huge private space that combines a traditional con suite (snacks, a wide variety of tables and seating areas) with a dealer's room and an art show.
Will there be dealers?
Yes! The dealers room will be part of the ConSweet. See the Dealers Room page of this site for more information about signing up for tables in the dealers room and for a list of dealers who are registered.
Will there be an art show and/or auction?
Stay tuned for more information!
Will there be a vid show?
Yes! The vid show will be on Saturday night. For more information, go to the Vid Show pages (in the Programming section of the site).
Will there be a party?
Yes! We anticipate another Friday night Disco Duck! In prior years, we've had appetizers, music, a dance floor, visual...er...stimulation, and all sorts of fun. There were quieter areas, too, if you wanted to take a break and just sit and talk. Stay tuned for more information about Disco Duck 2010.
When will the schedule be posted?
As details about programming and the schedule are firmed up, they will be posted on the Programming page. A detailed schedule will be posted before the con.
Will there be a computer for me to use if I don't have my own?
We hope to have at least one computer, and possibly a printer, available for use by con attendees. In addition, the hotel has a business center with computers and printers.
Travel
What airport can I fly into?
Three airports serve the DC area: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). Only National is served by the DC metropolitan area Metro system. Extensive information about the airports and your travel options is available in the Getting to DC section of the Hotel & Travel page.
How do I get from the airport/train station/bus station/my friend's house/anywhere else to the hotel?
There are a variety of options available, including the Metro, shuttles, cabs, and driving. For extensive and detailed information, consult the Getting to DC section of the Hotel & Travel page. The Getting Around section of that page may also be helpful.
I'm interested in arranging a rideshare to or from the con - what can I do?
Post on the CON.TXT Mailing List. There will be a designated post on the Livejournal, too.
Hotel Facilities
How much does the hotel cost?
Room rates will be posted soon. You can find more information on the Hotel & Travel page.
(We can't repeat it often enough: whether you want a king or a double, reserve your room now - don't wait! In 2008, the non-con-block rooms of the hotel were fully booked by January. If you don't get a room in the con block, you will not be able to stay at the hotel.)
How do I reserve a room?
There are two ways to reserve a room in the CON.TXT block - and just as a reminder for those who aren't familiar with con finances, it's extremely important to the con that you reserve a CON.TXT room, so please do use one of these methods - the con depends on it!
First, you can do it by phone - just call 301-589-0800 and say you are reserving for CON.TXT. If you are told that no CON.TXT rooms are available, please do not reserve a room at the regular rate! Instead, please contact us so we can increase the size of the CON.TXT con block.
Second, you can do it online. There is a link in the Hotel & Travel section that will take you to a hotel reservation page where you can book rooms directly for the CON.TXT room block (note that this is not the same as using the Crowne Plaza Hotel's regular online booking service, or any other online reservation service, because reserving through this direct link ensures that your room is credited to the CON.TXT room block). However, you can see this direct link only if you are logged in using the email address and password you set up when you registered. If you are not logged in, go to the Member Area to log in and then return to the Hotel & Travel page to see the link.
Finally - we'll say it again: reserve your room now - don't wait! In 2008, the non-con-block rooms of the hotel were fully booked by January. If you don't get a room in the con block, you will not be able to stay at the hotel!
How can I find a roommate?
Post on the Mailing List. We'll also have a designated Livejournal post for this purpose.
Is there parking?
The hotel offers parking (in an underground garage) for a small fee. There are also a number of parking garages within a reasonable distance of the hotel, and free street parking on the weekends. There is a section about parking on the Getting Around page, and stay tuned for more information.
Does the hotel have internet access?
Yes, there is free wireless high-speed internet access in the hotel rooms and common areas.
Is there a business center with computers in the hotel?
Yes, the hotel has a business center. In addition, we intend to have computer equipment available at the con for attendee use.
Can I hook up my own VCR or DVD player to the TV in my hotel room?
No. Unfortunately, this is not permitted. If you want to watch DVDs or tapes in your room, you will have to bring your own television to which to hook up your media equipment, or watch on your computer screen. In addition, we hope to have some media rooms or areas where you can gather and play your tapes or DVDs; stay tuned for more information.
Are there refrigerators available for my hotel room?
The hotel rents refrigerators for a $10/day fee, subject to availability. If you need one, you should request it when you reserve your room.
Can I bring my pet?
No. The hotel does not permit pets. Assistance animals, like guide dogs, should be excluded from this rule, but please check with the hotel when you reserve your room to be sure.
Is there a restaurant in the hotel?
Yes. The hotel has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is generally the busiest meal; the restaurant tends to be quite empty for lunch on weekends. In addition, there are a multitude of other eating options within walking distance.
Is there a pool in the hotel?
Yes! The hotel has an outdoor pool, with sundeck, that we expect to be open at the time of the con.
Around the Hotel
Are there restaurants, grocery stores, etc. near the hotel?
Yes. The hotel is in the heart of renovated downtown Silver Spring, and there is a wide range of eating and shopping options nearby, including, for example, Starbucks, Ben & Jerry's, Red Lobster, Austin Grill, Macaroni Grill, a Whole Foods grocery store, Borders Books, and many more. These can be reached by walking or by using the hotel shuttle, which operates within a 3-mile radius of the hotel (see the Getting Around section of the Hotel & Travel page for more information). You can find a more complete list, and a map showing locations, in the Neighborhood section of the Hotel & Travel page.
Is there a Metro stop near the hotel?
Yes. The Silver Spring Metro stop, on the Metro red line, is about half a mile from the hotel; you can get there by walking or taking the hotel shuttle or a cab. For more information about the Metro, see the Getting Around section of the Hotel & Travel page.
How close is the hotel to downtown Washington DC?
The hotel is about a mile from the DC/Maryland border, and about 7-8 miles from downtown DC. DC is easily accessible by Metro; from the Silver Spring Metro stop, the ride into downtown DC takes about 20 minutes and costs about $2, depending on time of day. Downtown DC is also easily accessible by car or cab.
Dealer Information
How do dealers register? How much does dealer registration cost?
Dealer registration prices depend on the number of tables you want (one half, one, or two) and when you register. You can see the prices by going to the Dealers Room page and clicking on "Dealer Registration." This is also where you can find the dealer registration form.
Is con registration included in the dealer table fees?
The dealer's registration fee includes one con membership; additional con memberships can be added to this for the price of a regular con membership at the time of application. You can indicate how many additional memberships you want on the dealer registration form.
What kind of dealers are you looking for? How many?
CON.TXT is a slash fan con, and we will be prioritizing slash over nonslash (het or gen) items and fannish over nonfannish items. To do this, we have set aside a few tables in various categories in which we are particularly interested in finding dealers: new slash zines, used slash zines, songvid collections, fan-made fannish items, commercial tie-in items, fannish apparel, and jewelry. If you are dealing items in any of these categories, please be certain to mention this in your registration. We still have room for dealers of other items (celebrity photos, costumes, other zines, nonfannish items and apparel, and more!), so feel free to send in a dealer's registration even if your items fall partially or entirely outside of our central categories.
We will have as many dealers as space permits.
Can I see a list of all the dealers who will be at the con?
Yes. You can access the list of confirmed dealers from the Dealers Room page.
Can nonmembers work at my dealer table?
No. All people in the dealers room must be con members. However, nonmembers will be permitted into the dealers room during setup and breakdown hours.
Will there be somewhere for me to unload my stuff at the hotel??
Yes. The hotel is at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and a small, unnamed, dead-end street with little or no traffic. You can park on the curb on that street and have convenient access to the hotel entrance for unloading. You can see the small street clearly on the map in the Neighborhood section of the Hotel & Travel page.
Miscellaneous
What will the weather be like?
Mid-June in the Washington DC area tends to be very warm and humid, with daytime highs averaging in the low-to-mid 80s and nighttime lows seldom dipping below the mid 60s. You can expect the hotel to be well air-conditioned. Rainy days are rare, but afternoon thunderstorms are not.
Tell me more about Quacks!
A Quack is your own special message printed in the con program - a classified of sorts. You can promote your own con, say hi to a friend, offer fannish goods for sale...the possibilities are endless. Quacks cost 10 cents a word - and there's a special drabble rate of $8.00 for 100 words. For more information, or to purchase a Quack, go to the Quacks page of the Programming section of the website.
What about the duck?
Because we like it! Because ducks are fannish! Because sometimes a girl needs a purple duck, and nothing else will do!