Registration FAQ
I would like to register by mail. Is that possible?
If there is absolutely no way you can register online, please contact us and we will see what we can do to accommodate you.
I'm only going to be able to attend for one day. Do I need to pay for a full membership?
Not at all, if you will only be attending for one day, there is no need to pre-register. Just come to the registration table at the convention and we'll be more than happy to provide you with a one day membership.
I am under the age of 18 and would like to attend the convention without my parent or guardian or my child is under 18 and would like to attend. What should I do?
Minors under the age of 18 are not required to have a photo ID to register, if the parent or guardian is attending along with the minor. Just come to registration with your child. No special form is required.
If you are 17, you may attend without a parent or guardian, but we do require a completed and notarized Parental Consent Form to be brought to us. If the minor does not have this form when they arrive or if it’s not completed and notarized, they can not register, and will need to have a photo ID. We will not accept parental permission granted over the phone or in an email. If the minor happens to turn 18 during the convention, we’ll be happy to provide them with a new badge as a birthday gift, however, we will issue him/her a minor badge at first (and they must have your parental form still) if they check in before their 18th birthday.
If you are between the age of 14 to 16, you must have an adult or guardian on the hotel premises in order to attend the convention. We still require a completed and notarized Parental Permission Form to be brought to us when registering the minor. If you do not have this form or if it’s not completed and notarized, they can not register. We will not accept parental permission granted in person, over the phone, or in an email.
Children between the ages of 7 and 13 can only attend with a parent or guardian. The child must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at all times, unsupervised children will be escorted from the event to the hotel staff. As a courtesy, parents and guardians are offered badges for free so they may stay with their child in convention space.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter and we apologize for the extra work, but unfortunate incidents at other conventions including ours have forced us to take this measure. These policies are in place to protect the convention, it’s team and volunteers, the child and the parents.
What does “Notarized” mean?
That means that you have gotten the parental permission form validated by a notary public. A notary will put a special stamp on the permission form to confirm that it really was signed by your parent or guardian, rather than by some random person with attractive penmanship. Notary services can generally be found at places like banks, post offices, copy shops and insurance agencies. If you're not sure where to find a notary in your neighborhood, the internet is an excellent place to start.
PLEASE NOTE: We will NOT accept the form if it hasn't been notarized, period. It may be difficult to locate a notary on short notice and they will want the guardian there, so please plan ahead.
My child is between the ages of 7 and 12, Do I need to buy a membership for them?
Children between the ages of 7 and 12 accompanied by a parent or guardian will be admitted to the convention at half price. Memberships can only be purchased at the door.
My child is under 6 years old and will not be taking part in any of the programming or events. Do I need to buy a membership for them?
Children under the age of 6 accompanied by a parent or guardian will be admitted to the convention for free, with at least one paid adult membership.
My child is between the ages of 7 and 12 and wants to come, do I need to buy a membership for myself?
We understand that children between the ages of 7 and 12 may want to come to the convention and their parents may not care to attend but have to via state law. We offer a Tag Along badge for the parent or guardian with at least one paid minor membership. (Please note that the tag along badge does not work the same as an attending badge.)
I missed the pre-registration deadline. Does this mean I can't attend the convention?
Of course not! All you have to do is come to the convention registration area, pay your membership fees, and then you can have fun and enjoy the convention and all it has to offer. Although you won’t get the nifty pre-registration discount, we're still happy to have you, and welcome you to Gateway Fur Meet.
I have pre-registered but I haven't received a confirmation, where is it?
Confirmation emails are sent to all attendees when they register, if you have registered and have not yet received a confirmation, please contact us by sending an email inquiring about the status of your registration. Note that if you registered online and your registration is shown to be confirmed, you are in our database and ready to go.
I pre-registered, but now I find I am unable to attend. Is it possible to get a refund?
We will be happy to issue refunds until the end of pre-registration (January 28). Please email your request to registration @gatewayfurmeet.org.
I've pre-registered, so now what?
Now you get to relax knowing you saved money by pre registering, and also that you have saved yourself time at the convention. When you pre reg you don't have to wait in extremely long lines to pick up your badge, there is an area just for you when you get to the con. Please remember that whether you pre reg or register at the door, you MUST present a government issued photo ID to receive a badge.
I purchased a membership, but would like to upgrade it.
As of right now we can only upgrade your membership at the convention. You don’t need to stop at a terminal either, just let the friendly registration team know that you want to upgrade and we’ll be happy to help you. Please have your ID and payment ready.
I have purchased a membership but would like to change my badge name.
If you want to change your badge name before the convention, please email your request to us before the end of pre-registration (April 22). Once at the convention, bring your current badge and ID with you to the at the door registration line and we’ll be happy to print you a new badge.
What happens if I arrive after registration has closed for the night? Can I still get in?
If you happen to arrive after registration has closed on Friday or Saturday, you can come to our Con Operations to purchase a temporary badge. You will be asked to fill out a form, read over the Code of Conduct, and pay $20.00 for a night badge. Even if you are pre-registered, you will be asked to pay this amount. The next day, when registration is open, you may bring your night badge back to registration and either collect the twenty dollars if you have preregistered, or use the twenty dollars as a credit to purchase a full badge. Please don't lose the badge as credit or refund will not be given if it is lost. Also no refund or credit will be given for the purchase of a daily badge.
I am known by many different names and have multiple fursonas. Can I get multiple badges?
Sorry but the answer to that is no. For security reasons, we will only issue one badge per person. Many of the artists in attendance would be happy to create as many badges for you as you like. We recommend visiting and checking them out in the Artist Alley and the Dealers Den.
If you have any questions that are not posted here please send an email to registration@gatewayfurmeet.org, and we'll get you some answers.
Gateway FurMeet reserves the right to change, amend, or modify this information at any time without prior notice.