Preparing for BlizzCon: Last minute travel tips

BlizzCon approaches! Preparing for BlizzCon is your regular source for tips on how best to prepare for Blizzard's gaming extravaganza. These helpful hints are particularly suited for convention rookies. But if you are a con veteran, we'd love to hear your advice and wisdom in the comments as well.

BlizzCon is this week! Here are some last minute tips for making your trip incident-free.

Air Travel

• Is your flight on time? Almost all airports these days have websites that give weather and flight status. Also, you can call your airline to verify everything is ok.

• Get there early. If you are checking luggage, this is particularly true. Check in at least an hour before your flight if you are carrying on all your things. 2 hours is best if you are checking luggage.
  

• Check in online. Most airlines will allow you to check in online and print your boarding pass 24 hours before your flight.
  

• Don't forget your I.D. You absolutely need your I.D. for getting on the plane and getting your BlizzCon badge. Keep it in a safe place on or severely close to your person.

• Pack properly. Overweight and oversized luggage costs extra. This is the link to what you cannot bring on the plane. Also, if you are carrying your toiletries on, don't forget 3-1-1.

Car Travel

• Avoid heavy traffic. If you are from a non-congested part of the world, all traffic in the greater Los Angeles area will seem like heavy traffic to you. But believe me, it can be particularly horrendous from 7-9am and 4-7pm. Sigalert.com is a great resource for avoiding traffic issues.

• Be careful where you exit. I highly recommend avoiding Los Angeles proper on your drive. But if you do drive through the city, make sure you only exit where there are many visible franchise signs from the freeway. Bad neighborhoods are bad.

• Don't forget your duck.

For all attendees

• Print out your confirmation barcode. If you forget, there are certain to be copy shops nearby to print them out. But save yourself the hassle and print it out before your trip to bring with you.

• You need a photo I.D to pick up your badge. If you are a minor without any photo identification, the FAQ page addresses your issue.

If you plan ahead, pay attention to details and take all appropriate precautions -- your trip will be safe, uneventful and boring. So make sure you take some good tunes and podcasts no matter how you are traveling. See you soon!

BlizzCon 2009 is coming up on August 21st and 22nd! We've got all the latest news and information. At BlizzCon, you can play the latest games, meet your guildmates, and ask the developers your questions. Plus, there are some great looking costumes.