[Eater of All]

Going to AX this year! I'll be going every year until either AX moves out of LACC or until I and everyone in California die in a great earthquake.

Originally Posted by papermario13689

Let's say I decide on the guests that I want to see/get autographs from. What is a good way to organize time so I can get to them all?

Depending on the guest, you may have to go really early and camp the autograph table. Also, always go to their panels, as they might give preferred autograph tickets there and/or announce autograph session times.

Originally Posted by papermario13689

Speaking of autographs, should I purchase merch related to the guests at the expo beforehand if I don't own specific to stuff they've done?

I believe the AX Staff does not allow merchandise unrelated to the guest to be brought up for signing. If it's a musical guest, it should be easy to find places in the exhibition hall where CDs are sold. If not, autograph boards can be bought for $2 or $3.

Originally Posted by papermario13689

And speaking of merch, I'm of the impression that there's even ridiculous lines for tables. Is there are good way to know which booths to visit for certain items?

Lines for merchandise in booths? I don't think I've seen any before, but then, I'm never part of the rush for the Exhibit Hall's initial opening. Certainly things that are being sold often disappear if you return later in the day.

Originally Posted by papermario13689

I'll attend all 4 days. What's the best way to organize time efficiently to see everything?

In general, always ask around and keep your ears open for up-to-date information. Changes in Anime Expo happen fast; unannounced autograph sessions are randomly held or cancelled, guests sometimes leave before Day 4, mini-concerts or events periodically spring up in certain booths, unofficial guests of honors (such as Minami Kuribayashi in 2010) might be invited by exhibitors like MangaGamer, panels get delayed, lines spontaneously form for xxx in yyy... the developments are endless.

And due to the sheer volume of things-to-do in AX, it's not possible to see everything. How you organize your schedule depends on your interest... you might be lucky and get no conflicts, or you might not be. In general, if it's a popular panel or autograph session, expect to arrive 45-60 minutes early (last year, the Kalafina line began forming 50 minutes early... I happened to be waiting in a nearby line for something else, so I jumped ship right to it).

I hope I'm not scaring you by telling you all this. In the end, running around seeing as much as possible is merely one way to enjoy AX. Many people go there just to hang out, relax, or meet forumers / bloggers.