Frequently Asked Questions
We are always up for answering any questions you may have relating to Furlandia. We'll list some of the things we think you might want to know, but if you don't find the answer you seek, head over to our contact page and send us an email with your question.
Q: When is the con?
A: May 27th - 29th, 2016
Q: What is the official hashtag?
A: You can use #FL2016 or #Furlandia. With FL2016, you might see some unrelated Florida political posts though :/
Q: What social media are you on?
A: Twitter, Facebook, and FurAffinity. You can find links for these in the "Social" menu along the top.
Q: Where is the con?
A: Portland, Oregon, USA. The Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
Q: Is this the same hotel as last year?
A: Yes, and they are fantastic. The staff really enjoy the furries.
Q: Is there a deposit when reserving the hotel room?
A: There should not be an up-front deposit when reserving.
Q: How much is parking?
A: Free! Beat that.
Q: And wi-fi?
A: Also free. Both in event spaces and guest rooms.
Q: Can I sleep in the hotel parking lot/lobby/pool/etc?
A: No. The only place on hotel property you are allowed to rest your weary head is in a guest room.
Q: Why should I stay at the hotel?
A: We hear this a lot from locals. We get it, saving money is nice. Portland is still new to having a furry convention, so this hasn't been proven yet, but you really miss out if you don't stay from an events and social standpoint. Locals of other conventions usually choose to stay at the convention. Things don't always happen during reasonable daylight hours, and being able to have a safe space to relax or rest changes everything. It also makes everything feel much less hectic and time-constrained. Besides all that; every room booked is a huge help to us. In order to make each year financially viable, we commit to booking a certain number of rooms (a room block), this brings down cost (which keeps membership prices reasonable). If we can't do that, we don't survive. This is a big concern for a newer convention.
Q: How can I find room and rideshares?
A: Right now Twitter and Facebook are your best bet. We are working on some sort of forum solution potentially. In the meantime, on Twitter we will attempt to retweet roomshare posts that tag @furlandia.
Q: How much are memberships?
A: Pre-registration for a Basic Attending Membership is $35 before December 31st. Afterwards Pre-registration is set at $40. After May 1st it's $45 at the door. You can get a Sponsor membership for $75, and Patron for $125. See our registration page for more info.
Q: Will you mail me my badge/ticket?
A: No, badges are only able to be picked up at the time of the convention.
Q: Why join staff or volunteer?
A: If you work enough, you earn free membership for next year? Yeah sure, but for a lot of us it's much more than that. It can be a lot of fun! For those who really get involved you feel like you are part of something big, along with the rest of your con staff family. You get a big sense of satisfaction once such a big undertaking comes together. Nothing quite like it! Of course there are occasional goodies or incentives.
Q: How can I volunteer?
A: You should really really read our volunteer page first for info and some big things we are looking for. In the end, just send an email to staffing@furlandia.org
Q: Can I volunteer at con?
A: While we love having people tell us they want to volunteer before the convention, we also have Gopher volunteers at the con. Gophers can end up doing a variety of things and roles as needed, but largely they assist with small errands as needed by Con Ops.
Q: Can I attend Staff/Con Planning meetings?
A: Our meetings are open to the public and dates are posted on the Volunteer and Contact pages. We'll be having our meetings at Central Northeast Neighbors off of Sandy and 87th Ave. All staff are encouraged to attend meetings, and while they are not mandatory it is expected that you attend once every other meeting.