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Memberships - Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) relating to Worldcon memberships. It is one of a number of FAQ pages you will find on this website. To see a full list of the available topics, go to the main FAQ page.

We have included an index of all the questions on this page to help you find the one you want quickly.



Q: How do I join?
A: See the main memberships page for information on membership rates and payment.
Q: Do you sell passes to just one thing (like the Dealers' Room or the Masquerade)?
A: No. We will be selling single-day admissions at the door which will provide entry to all events and exhibits on that day, but you cannot buy a "dealers room admission only" or a "masquerade admission ticket" or any other limited-admission pass.
Q: Can I pay by credit card?
A: Yes, you can. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. Please note that all credit card payments will be processed in US dollars. A currency conversion fee may be charged by your bank if this is not your normal banking currency.
Q: What about online payment?
A: Absolutely. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. As with mail registrations, all credit card payments will be processed in US dollars.
Q: Your memberships sure are expensive! What do I get for my money?
A: To start with, remember that you are buying 5 days worth of convention. There will be a huge amount to see: including over 500 program items, an Art Show, Dealers' Room and Exhibits, plus special events like the Hugo Awards and Masquerade. Also, because we are expecting thousands of people, we need to rent a convention center, and that doesn't come cheap. See the main What is the Worldcon? page for more information.
Q: I'm a professional writer/artist/editor - don't I get a free membership?
A: No one, other than the Guests of Honor and a few special speakers, gets a free membership. A few day passes are given to non-field speakers, such as scientists and the like. The Worldcon does not have a a huge corporate sponsor (though it does receive some sponsorship money). Worldcons happen because several thousand members of the science fiction community buy memberships and because of several hundred dedicated volunteers. When a Worldcon makes money, memberships for program participants and volunteers are either completely or partially refunded.
Q: The membership form doesn't say anything about hotel rooms, what do I do?
A: We have reserved room blocks at three major hotels - see our hotel pages for full details. We expect to open the blocks for booking in January 2011.
Q: Who are "Friends" and why do they pay less than other members?
A: Who are "Friends" and why do they pay less than other members? - There were a number of ways in which people could help us to win the Worldcon for Reno. These included presupporting the bid (giving us money to help with our bid costs) and voting for us at Anticipation, the 2009 Worldcon. We offer these people reduced rates on membership as a way of saying thank you.
Q: Have I joined already?
A: All members are listed in our Progress Reports, and in our online membership list, unless they checked the "Do Not List" option on the membership form. If you aren't sure of your status, just mail us at memberships@renovationsf.org and we can check our database for you.
Q: Did I vote in site selection?
A: If you voted in site selection at Montreal, you will already be at least a supporting member. So you should be able to find yourself in the members list, unless you also filled in a conversion form and stated that you didn't want to be publicized (see previous question).
General questions to info@renovationsf.org Last updated August 22 2010 Please report website issues to webmaster@renovationsf.org