fbpx

Accessibility

General Accessibility Policy

Empire City Con is committed to accessibility for all attendees, volunteers and staff. We are happy to provide accommodations to guests in need of them. We will do everything in our power to make sure you have a safe and comfortable experience at Empire City Con.

Documentation of disability or medical conditions is not required to receive accommodations at Empire City Con, though if you feel that it would better help explain your needs, you are welcome to provide it. You are also welcome to email our accessibility coordinator (accessibility@empirecitycon.com) in advance of the event with any questions or concerns about accommodations, though advance notice via email is also not required to receive accommodations for your needs.

Both Empire City Con and the Sonesta Plaza welcome service animals. Service animals may attend all events at our convention. Pets are not welcome at Empire City Con, and may pose a danger to attendees and their service animals. Please, leave your pets at home!

Hotel Accessibility

Parking / ADA

The Sonesta Plaza complies with ADA regulations, and accessible hotel rooms are available by contacting the hotel. Accessible parking is available in the hotel’s parking lot. The parking drop off point is right next to the entrance to the hotel, with ramp access to the property.

Restroom policy

During the con, the restrooms near the lobby and our main programming are all-gender restrooms — anyone can use them. The restrooms by the Carolina Ballroom are single-gender restrooms. Everyone is invited to use the restrooms they are most comfortable with.

Programming

Seating

All events at Empire City Con will have some form of seating, even if it is a mainly standing-only event. We will always have accessible seating available in each panel room — if you need it, you have priority access to it, no questions asked. If you require specific seating for an event, such as close to the front, close to the speakers, aisle seating, or a chair removed to make space for a medical device, please let staff know. In addition, if you need a chair while waiting in lines, we can also provide that.

Some events at Empire City Con use moving and/or multicolored lighting. We will clearly state whether a panel will involve these types of lighting on the panel description webpage, as well as via signs in front of the panel room. If you are sensitive to these types of lighting, please let staff know in advance of entering events where this lighting is used.

Quiet Room

Empire City Con has a quiet room — a calm space dedicated for attendees to take a break from the bustle of the con. The quiet room will be open throughout our scheduled programming hours.

Registration/communication preferences

At registration, we have stickers available to indicate your communication preferences — putting the stickers on your badge lets other attendees know what kinds of interactions you want to have (these are modeled after ASAN’s color communication badges).

I want people to strike up conversations with me — I’m actively looking for communication.
I mostly just want to talk with people I recognize — I might start some conversations, but please don’t approach me out of the blue.
I don’t want to talk to anyone, or I only want to talk with the people I know — please don’t start conversations with me.