BronyCon 2018: After Action Report · 4:52pm Aug 8th, 2018
I went to Bronycon! ‘Course I didn’t bother making an announcement or anything beforehand, because, y’know, I didn’t figure anyone would care.
I was scheduled to fly in to Baltimore on Thursday around 6, but my Delta connecting flight was delayed, leaving my three roommates stranded until could get there and check in. The staff at the Hyatt did their best to accommodate them though, holding their bags for them so they could at least go out to dinner. My flight being delayed was the only major hiccup of the con, a welcome relief after last year’s AirBnB disaster.
Our extended narrator/VA entourage this year included myself, GutiuSerenade, ObabScribbler and her fiancée ReverbBrony, StarryFlame, TheCrystalRing, BriLizzyT, Wuten, Caitbug, AshleyH, Chaotic and ShadowOfCygnus. TheLostNarrator and MagPiePony were also there, but their busy community guest schedules meant that I didn’t see them much other than the panels they invited me on.
I caught up with everyone Thursday night just as they were finishing their dinner, before hustling off to get my con badge. Pro tip for everyone next year: get registered and everything late Thursday night so you can skip the line Friday morning.
2PM Friday afternoon I hosted a writing panel in Quills n’ Sofas with Scribbler and Cygnus as part of our new “Them’s Writin’ Words” podcast, an honor for which I felt thoroughly unqualified for, what with WandererD, Applejinx, and AdmiralBiscuit among others all just sitting, like, right there. But, the panel seemed to be well-received regardless. It was also my first time meeting the elusive and preposterously handsome ShadowOfCygnus in the flesh. I hear tell the poor fellow kept getting mobbed by college girls wanting selfies with him for their Instagram, the poor thing. 
5PM was the first of two “Movies in Pony Voices” panels hosted by TheLostNarrator, in which myself and some other fandom VAs re-enacted iconic scenes from famous movies as MLP characters. My favorite scene was the climactic lightsaber duel between Big Manakin and Apple-Wan Kenobi.
After that it was time to head down to the Author’s Dinner at Tir Na Nog. A series of Uber mix-ups meant Scribbler, Crystal and I arrived preposterously late, but eventually ended up at a table with Wanderer D and Applejinx. Tir Na Nog makes a mean shepherd’s pie, and FIMfiction authors are, without exception, an absolutely *fascinating* group of people to converse with. In later conversations, both Scribbler and I agreed that the author’s dinner was one of the high points of the whole convention. I am a bit sad that I missed some of my favorites by showing up so late. 
Saturday there was a meet and greet with Lost, Mag, and Scribbler, and immediately after the narrators all headed to Fogo de Chau. I was excited to show our international friends in particular the wonder that is Brazilian grill, but I have to say as Brazilian grills go, this one was a bit of a letdown. I mean, No Brazilian limeades? Honestly.
A few of us had to eat and run to get back to the convention center in time for Magpie Pony’s “Pinkie Tales” panel, which I read some of the narration for. One of the other panelists was MIA, but luckily, we spotted AshleyH in the audience. She was promptly impressed into service and performed magnificently with no preparation at all.
At 7:15 I went to Scribbler’s “Voice Acting in the Fandom” panel. I wasn’t on that one, but just about all the big names from the fandom were there: Scribbler, TheLostNarrator, MagPiePony, Animelodie, Wubcake and IMShadow007. They each spent a few minutes giving tips for being a VA, and fandom VA in particular. Then Scribbler showed a preview of her “History Repeats,” production which looks stonking great.
That same evening was the second “Movies in Pony Voices” panel in the Hall of Chaos, and the combination of alcohol and R-Rated material certainly made things…interesting. WildcardVA had to run off to the bathroom in the middle of the panel, and Caitbug was getting more and more tipsy with every scene. My favorite bit from this panel was doing the “I wish I knew how to quit you” scene from Brokeback Mountain as Big Mac.
After that we split the party, with some going to the burlesque, some of the more jetlagged narrators turning in early, and still others escorting those who were staying in more distant hotels home safely. I found myself in this last group, and once everyone was where they needed to be, Guti, Chaotic, Caitbug, Cygnus and I ordered pizza and shot the shit until the wee hours of the morning. I do regret missing the writing panel that night, but it couldn’t be helped. 
Sunday I sat in for Scribbler’s meet and greet with DustyKatt, but back in the fringes of the hall I caught up with Horse Voice, and good heavens what a totally chill and interesting dude he is. I regret not getting the chance to talk with him more.
After that there was a bit more bustling around, I got some lunch with some people, I think, and I took my last opportunity to hit up the vendor hall. With everything going on, I hadn’t had an uninterrupted 45 minutes to just wander the vendor hall all weekend. I’m pretty sure I managed to see all the booths over the course of the weekend, but not all at once. Even so, I still spent way more on merch than I'd planned to.
We skipped closing ceremonies, but the news didn’t take long to reach us: 2019 would be the last Bronycon. Aww. We took a few group photos, then rallied in the Hyatt for pizza and movies for the rest of the evening while everyone trickled out to catch their flights and trains. It was a very pleasant way to end the con. I’d had the chance to hang out with everyone at one point or another, but this was the only chance we’d had to hang out with everyone together. We watched classic movies and a few EqG’s, and stuffed ourselves silly with shitty pizza. Who could ask for more?
And, that was more or less my Bronycon 2018. This was only my second Bronycon, and only my third MLP convention ever, and I had a terrific time. It was sad to hear that that next year’s will be the last, but on the plus side, all the narrators have expressed their commitment to coming next year, even the elusive Illya Leonov! Should be one heck of a party, and I for one, am looking forward to it immensely. 
It was great meeting all of you guys! Hope to see you all in future conventions!
My God you were at the con and the writer dinner?! I completely missed you! We need to hang at another con!
AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I didn't get to buy you lunch! Or dinner! Heck, I owe you bigtime. And you were *right* there!
Man, that sounds awesome.
Man, I miss Tir na Nog. :(
Oh yeah, and Bronycon, too. :V I'm glad you had a blast!
It was wonderful meeting you, and it reminded me to listen to your reading of "Dinkin' Donuts" yet another time.
4916937
Same here! I'm so pleased with how that one turned out.
4916724
4916731
I knoooooow I'm so sorry I missed you guys! >.<
4916942
No worries. We can meet up next year or another con.
4916942 I have to share this. My cousin lives in DC. He texts me on Saturday. "Hey, I'm up in Baltimore with the kids. Did you know there's a bunch of people with My Little Pony stuff here?" I text him back. "Yes, me too." I go down to the harbor and meet with him and his family *as* my wife takes off on a harbor cruise and I can't get her back. Have a nice talk with my ordinary cousin (works for the government with medical research in DC), he doesn't get to say hello to my wife. I go back to the Con. Later, I go to the writer's party with Bad Horse, Super Trampoline, and assorted others. I leave the party with them to go to a panel *and* bump into Mr. Ordinary my cousin in the hallway because they're staying in the same hotel. Introductions are made, my cousin is happily baffled.
So my cousin got to meet Bad Horse, but not my wife, who missed both of them. Next time I swear I'm buying her a ticket so she can get in the middle of things instead of playing tourist. I'll make her a nametag too "Mrs. Georg."
4916993
Haha! Well, I'll see if I can bring Mrs. Neighrator next year too.
I didn't meet you and thank you for your reading of "Bedtime Stories"!
I did thank Cygnus for it, so maybe that counts?
Wish I'd heard that Big Mac scene. The con recorded it, right?
4918675
So sorry I missed you!
The 21+ panels weren't recorded, I'm told. For obvious reasons.
Whoops, I found this one a little late. I must say it was a real treat to talk to you in person, and I'll definitely take you up on the offer of a proper chin-wag next year.