Hi

I’m attending MWSF first time ever. Really really excited.

I’m wondering about the keynote, how early do you have to get there? And is it likely i won’t get in? I have a regular keynote pass.

Any other tips? What are the best parties to attend? :p

Many thanks in advance,
Gudbergur

The last Mac Geek Gab (#131) had some pretty good general advice for MWSF newbs. (There’s a link near the upper-right of this page as you’re viewing it… or look it up on the iTunes Store.)

I’ve only been once (2005), and if I remember correctly, I got in line around 6am. I did sit fairly far back, but I wouldn’t call it a bad seat. But I wasn’t clamoring for the front row. If you want to be in the front 10%, you better go get in line right now!   

[quote author=“Shoaf”]The last Mac Geek Gab (#131) had some pretty good general advice for MWSF newbs. (There’s a link near the upper-right of this page as you’re viewing it… or look it up on the iTunes Store.)

I’ve only been once (2005), and if I remember correctly, I got in line around 6am. I did sit fairly far back, but I wouldn’t call it a bad seat. But I wasn’t clamoring for the front row. If you want to be in the front 10%, you better go get in line right now!   

I’ve been to several keynotes.  Arrive in line between 5 am and 6 am.  Bring your iPod or whatever.  You will be in line for at least a couple of hours.  Last year Peet’s Coffee was selling refreshments to the line.

I attended in 2006.  Did not get into SF until nearly midnight after registration area had already closed.  Got lucky when walking to get in line for registration/keynote by having another attendee tell us to go to the front doors to pick up our registration packets.  They had opened the doors by that time and we just followed the crowd down the stairs after getting our credentials.  Moved us way up the line.

Advice, take food/drink with you.  You will be herded into lines and need to wait for hours before being allowed into the keynote address.  While allowed out of line for bathroom breaks and to purchase breakfast at the concession stand, the costs at the center are pretty high.

Wear good shoes, take a big bag, and attend anything by Chris Breen or David Pogue.  Great speakers.  Mac Observer has great coverage of the event.  And info on good parties and social events.  Unfortunately, my underage son was with me and we were not allowed into the TMO party.  Really sorry I missed that one.

First off, don’t buy into the rumors.  Every year people follow them and seem to forget that rumors are just that, rumors.  Then when the rumored product isn’t announced or doesn’t include rumored features it’s a big let down.  I don’t know why everyone does it time and time again.

Please, do not rush in the second the show opens, come to my booth and say “DO YOU GUYS SUPPORT THAT NEW PRODUCT APPLE JUST ANNOUNCED 5 MINUTES AGO?!”  It happens every single year and every year the answer is the same.  We just heard about it when you did (my boss will be in the front row at the Keynote so I guess he’ll hear it a minute before we see the info posted online).  Last year someone asked if we supported the iPhone, a product that wasn’t even release til months later.  “Well those guys over there support it.”  Yes and those guys are lying cause Apple doesn’t even support it yet.

Don’t try to out geek the geeks.  Every year we have a number of people that come by and feel they need to prove they know more then the people at the stand.  Every year they walk away with their heads hung in shame.  They get a big head because they’re smarter then some of the people hired just to run the booths and feel they need to increase their egos by going stand to stand doing the same thing.

There are a lot of great show only deals.  Don’t feel you have to buy everything the first day.  Most stands cut the prices on the final day so they don’t have to carry as much back with them.  You may want to wait til then (unless they’re running low on stock, etc).

Most of all, enjoy the show.

Dave and John mentioned both San Francisco area airports, San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK), but didn’t mention there is Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train service from both airports into downtown. So, if you’re traveling light with a roll-aboard and a laptop, it’s more convenient, much faster and much less expensive than a taxi. We fly our own light aircraft into OAK and take BART from the Coliseum/Oakland Airport station to the Powell Street station which is an easy walk to the Moscone Center and most convention hotels. The BART link is: http://www.bart.gov/index.asp

Thank you all so much! I will take this to consideration

Re: For those who have attended MacWorld Expo SF

[quote author=“gudbergur”]I’m attending MWSF first time ever. Really really excited.

Congrats! My advice to 1st timers is try everything once. You can pace yourself next year. 

I’m wondering about the keynote, how early do you have to get there? And is it likely i won’t get in? I have a regular keynote pass.

There’s no such thing as a “Keynote Pass”. What kind of pass do you have - Conference or Exhibit Hall? If you have an Exhibit Hall Pass, you can’t get into the Keynote so it’s important you know what kind of pass you have.

One of our listeners wrote this excellent post, “Macworld and what to expect” - it’s a good read:
http://www.yourmaclifeshow.com/content/macworld-expo-conference-pass-winners#comment-911

What are the best parties to attend? :p

Whatever ones you can get in to.