Pack light: bring your entry details, comfortable shoes, a phone-charging cable, and only the personal items you expect to use. A reusable water bottle, power bank, snacks, and even your bag may be restricted, so check the rules for your specific event and venue before you leave.
Start with entry and payment essentials
- Ticket and badge details: Keep your ticket confirmation, badge information, or QR code easy to reach. Bring the identification the event requests. The 2026 FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival North America guide asks attendees to bring a ticket confirmation QR code and valid government-issued photo ID; U-Con’s attendee guide says photo ID or registration confirmation can help at check-in.
- Payment: Bring a payment method accepted by the venue and vendors. Rules differ by event and location: D23’s 2026 guidance, updated August 15, 2026, says the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center are cashless facilities, while vendor payment options may vary.
Pack for a long day on your feet
Comfortable shoes
Wear footwear you already know is comfortable rather than bringing new shoes for the occasion. PAX organizers put it simply: “With conventions comes walking.” Their PAX Hints recommend comfortable footwear.
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Water and a small snack, if allowed
A personal reusable bottle can be useful, but check whether it must be empty at entry and whether the venue allows it at all. PAX recommends a water bottle; the 2026 FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival North America rules permit empty reusable plastic or insulated bottles for refills, and the Los Angeles Convention Center FAQs allow personal water bottles. Food and drink policies vary enough that you should not assume a sealed bottle or snack is acceptable.
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Phone power
Bring a charging cable and consider a portable power bank if you expect to use your phone throughout the day for tickets, messages, photos, or schedules. PAX recommends a power bank as a backup. Check the event’s battery-capacity limits and security requirements before packing one; the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival rules include battery requirements.
#1 Best Overall
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Bring activity supplies only when you need them
If you plan to play tabletop games, pack the small supplies you expect to use. U-Con’s attendee guide suggests dice and pencils, and also mentions personal snacks and a portable phone charger. Treat those as useful possibilities rather than a universal convention list: your event may restrict snacks, and extra gear adds weight as you move around.
Keep your bag compact and check what can enter
Choose a compact bag that is easy to carry and inspect, and bring only what you need. At the 2026 FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival, bags may be screened and should be no larger than around a standard backpack; the guide also advises leaving bags at home or at a hotel when possible to speed entry. That is an event-specific rule, not a standard size limit for every convention.
Rank #2
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Before leaving, check your event’s current rules for:
- Bag dimensions, screening, and prohibited items.
- Food, drinks, and whether a bottle must be empty.
- Power-bank capacity and other battery requirements.
- Cosplay, accessibility, and medical items.
Policies can differ even between venues used by the same event. For example, PAX says outside food is allowed at its event, while the Anaheim Convention Center rules for the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival prohibit outside food and drink, including sealed water bottles, with listed medical and dietary exceptions; empty refillable bottles are permitted. The Los Angeles Convention Center allows personal water bottles but not outside food or bulk beverages. D23’s guidance distinguishes the Anaheim Convention Center from Honda Center, where beverage containers are not allowed, even when empty.
Rank #3
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The FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival also requires security screening and lists rolling bags, folding chairs, selfie sticks, and functional weapons among prohibited items for that event. Do not treat another convention’s policy as permission to bring the same item. Verify details in the event and venue’s own attendee information before packing.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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A quick day-bag checklist
- Ticket confirmation, badge details, or QR code, plus requested ID.
- Payment method accepted at your venue and by the vendors you plan to visit.
- Comfortable, already-worn shoes.
- Charging cable and, if permitted, a power bank that meets event rules.
- Reusable bottle only if the event and venue allow it, prepared as required for entry.
- Dice, pencils, or other small game supplies only if your plans call for them.
- Personal medication and hygiene items, consistent with event rules and directions for use.
- A compact bag that meets the event’s size and screening requirements.
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