Volks Dolpa - Dolls Party in LA 2017

Yay! I was thinking of making a thread on this and you beat me to it I'm glad they are giving us lots of notice in advance this time

 

I'm super excited about attending this again (hopefully)! I didn't arrive to the Dolpa early enough so a lot of the items were ravaged by the time I got there. I hope they have another tea party though. I wonder what LE's or one-offs they'll have for the lottery. I'm really hoping that maybe we'll get a chance for one of the Bisque dolls and more Dear SDs in BtSSB!

 

Can't wait for this event again! Last year's Dolpa was so much fun! I hope they make allowances for a larger crowd this time.

Would love to see y'all @MacaronTea and @aquaspiral !

Hoping for a fresh theme though! Wish we could have some cool LEs but I'd be happy with another Best of the Best lotto. :P Plus lovely one-offs!

 

It would be nice if we got to vote on a theme.

 

Hehe I was making a joke bet with Spiral that it will be Alice theme again

 

I am hoping I can make it to LA next year - at least I got sufficient time to save up and figure out lodgings

 

I'm pretty excited for another LA Dolpa. We had such a good time, and met so many people last year.

 

Are there any bjd YouTubers or bloggers who have documented a Volks tea party before? I'm also a lolita, so I wonder do people dress up and try to dress their dolls in the theme of the tea party? I would love to see what it's like!

 

@aquaspiral : LOL! Y'all gonna jinx us big time! I know... secretly I'm fearful they're going to be like: "We still have all the props from last year....." >A<;

@Roterwolkenvogel : You need to come! X3 Would love to meet you and see your lovelies up close~

@MacaronTea : Would love to do another big dinner again too! Getting to see people you talk to all the time on forums is probably my favorite part of these events. x3 I agree... the Best of the Best lotto was kind of stressful since there was only one chance for ONE doll! DX I'd love it if they had some DearSD though... personally I don't know if I'd be too tempted by it, but I know my bestie would try to get one.

@Royalrosalie : There were tons of people dressed up last time! Especially lolita!

My personal wishlist of dollies/one offs: SD17 Genji (year right!), SD17 Kiriko....SD16 Pearl, SD Charlotte... SD Miruku. I doubt any of those would make it, but a girl can dream. I'd love another chance at YoMidi Williams too... ToT Since he evaded me last time.
OH! Or FCS one-offs... Eh I'm sure I'll find something to spend my money on. :P

 

@Dybbuk I really hope I can swing it!

 

I hope you can make it. It'd be great to meet you.

 

I'm with you..... I spent so many chances deliberately refusing chances to get Bontenmaru, but every time I see him, I STILL melt! If he showed up again in a lottery I'd be in danger of caving. The house is so full, but that imperious little bastard....

I'll be there, even though I really don't need or want anything new. I love an excuse to see everyone again, dress up for no reason, and give the LAX Marriott's bartenders a workout.

 

I have already enlisted by brother to come with me (because I get super nervous before flights and need to cling to someone) and I am annoying my colleague regarding American customs cause she tells me horror stories of people being denied entry into America at the airport xD

 

I'm planning to try to make this! I've never been to a Volks meet-up or a specifically BJD convention and I'd really like to attend one. I'm glad Volks gave us so much notice so I can have plenty of time to budget and save.

I think my doll family is finished so I can't imagine what would tempt me in the way of releases - except the chance to buy a SDGR girl body. I would love a chance to win a sei or rei tenshi.

I also hope the theme isn't Alice in Wonderland because that's not my favorite story. Whatever the theme, I would like to dress my dolls to match but I doubt I would dress up myself.

 

Thank you! I wasn't sure how exclusive these were and if photos were allowed inside.

 

I plan on going again! So excited!

 

I managed to miss last year's, but hope to make it to this on. Is it mostly resin dolls or a good mix of vinyl Dollfie and resin?

 

Mostly Resin. I saw a few larger Dollfie's - and they had the newer 'parts' for sale in the store set up. (of the larger ones). I didn't notice any of the small ones, but I admit I wasn't looking.

 

@elf-ears @MacaronTea Ok good to know.
I was sort of thinking of volks set up at conventions were they have a lottery for limited Dollfie dreams, do you remember if they had anything like that there or was it just the resin dolls? Sorry for all the questions! Just super curious!

 

Last year they had a bunch of base DD bodies and option parts and clothes and then i think 2-3 DD lottery dolls

 

Yes. they had two 'lottery' sections. So lots of options. One was in the 'store' set up, and a large number of prior limited dolls - which did include a few of the DD's. I even had a friend who tried for one Then up in the Tea-party area, they had One-Off's, and these were all Resin. I was actually surprised at the large number of dolls they had, and varied choices.

 

@elf-ears @captainkyo thanks! Sorry for all my newbie questions! I've never been to any doll events, much less a volks event! I am going to try to make it to this one, but now I know I better save up alot alot in advance!

 

I really want to go! With this much notice, I should be able to plan for it. The tickets are a lottery, right? How much do they cost normally?

 

@sailorchiron : The only admission price guests paid was $50 to attend the Tea Party (which was a lottery event), however there were no other costs to attend the Dolpa Sales Floor. So technically you could attend for free, but if they have another special assembly like last year it will more than likely cost a little bit of money, and utilize the lottery system again.

Last year, my friends and I got super lucky that we were able to attend the tea party together. I really really hope we get lucky again this year, because I know many people weren't able to secure a spot. Hoping they'll use a larger room, but just crossing fingers at this point.

 

@Dybbuk Thank you!

 

I know a number of people on the Dollfie Dreams forum who plan on going. Most of them are Vinyl collectors, and don't do resin. As I understand it the only resin specific thing is the Dollfie Doctor, and that's because what they do is restringing. (So I'm told, I've never been to a Dolpa.)

 

I hope I can go to this event next year! I think I'll be devastated if I can't get in again. TT__TT

 

@BeyondTime I'll check out the DD forums too, thanks for mentioning it.

I actually applied to the tea party lottery for the last event as I had planned on going, I won but my best friend who would have been going with me didn't, so that was part of the reason we didn't go, as it would have been weird to go to the part without her.
Hoping we both get in this time!

 

From what I have heard from people over at DollfieDreams.com who went to the last one a whole lot of people who didn't win the lottery still got to get into the tea party. If they have a lottery, and you don't both win, it might still be worth going and hoping you can get in anyways.

 

I didn't get into the Tea Party last year... there were a ton of us hanging about in the lobby--it wasn't bad out there... we just didn't get a chance at the One-Offs. I doubt anyone who didn't get a ticket got into the Tea Party--or at least not a lot of people, because there were a lot of us out there waiting... that would have been unfair. The Tea Party was limited because they didn't have a larger room--so there was limited space for people.

Hopefully they will reserve a larger room for that this year!

 

I didn't get into the Tea Party at the last LA Dolpa. Those of us who didn't get invited hung out in the lobby and played with dolls.

 

Well I wasn't there, so I can only relate what I have heard about the event. Either way it sounds like it would be fun for people even if they didn't get into the tea party.

 

Some people did get let in during a second lottery when spaces came open as some people withdrew when their friends didn't get in... Maybe that's what was talked about on the other forums? (heh... I was unlucky twice--but so were a lot of us. It really was a pretty good time out in the lobby, though!)

 

Thanks guys for sharing your experiences. I will definately be going this year if possible, regardless of winning tickets into the tea party. From what it sounds like I hope they offer more tickets/ have a bigger space this year since it seems like alot of people did not get in that wanted to.

 

I really want to go! I guess I better start saving now

 

When I first saw this thread, I thought I had somehow missed the party and was so bummed, but then I took a closer look and noticed the year, 2017! What a relief!

I had so much fun last year, and I'm super excited about the upcoming dolpa. I hope I can get into the tea party this time, but regardless I will still attend. I enjoyed hanging out with the other folks in the lobby, and it was nice that I got to try for the "Best Selection lotto" even though I didn't get a shot at the one-offs.

I even have a doll to bring this time!

 

So, I have always wanted to attend but have never had the means... since this one is so far out, I think I can manage.

Would someone mind explaining how to get tickets, things to know, etc.?

 

Here is the old site for the 2015 LA Dolpa. I would expect things will be very similar at the 2017 event.

Dolls Party in LA 2015 | VOLKS USA,Inc.

 

The After Report is where the pix are, if you want to see what the LAX Marriott looks like.

After Report | Dolls Party in LA 2015 | VOLKS USA,Inc.

Look, here's me waiting in line.

http://volksusa.com/event/2015dolpala/assets/img/ar/02_13.jpg

Our DOA thread from the event:
/threads/vol...angeles-2015-lax-marriott-5-sept-2015.687415/

(I was especially obsessed with the towel swans on the pool deck.)

 

Ooooooo..... I may try and make my way down there for this one I've always wanted to attend a Dolpa but never had the funds to travel XD I actually want to go down to Harry Potter world next year so maybe I'll hit 2 birds with one stone!

I did want to go to an LA one a few years ago with a friend of mine but got confused in that I thought to actually get into the whole event you had to be in the lottery for a ticket. Which didn't seem worth it to travel all that way to "maybe" get in. But I guess that's just for the tea party stuff and not hanging out and checking out the sales floor.

Hmmmm...... let the planning/saving begin XD

 

I am new to Dolpa but I would like to try and attend this one! Do I need to make any reservation or purchase tickets?

 

@Ebisama So far no other information other then the date and place has been announced. However, last year the only thing you needed a ticket for was the Tea Party, and the selection was done by lottery. At the moment though, there's nothing to buy or sign up for.

 

For those that attended the last Dolpa and had to fly to get there: How did you end up traveling with your dolls? Carry on or Checked? And how many did you bring?

 

I brought two SDGr girls. I had a hard-sided bag, and I brought it as a carry on. I took their heads off and packed them in separate boxes that went in my purse. The bodies did get flagged for extra screening at both airports, which was extremely stressful, but I told the TSA workers that the items inside were fragile and they let me stand there and watch while they chemical tested them (by swabbing them with a cotton pad). I was a little surprised LAX hadn't seen a bunch of dolls the day I left but I guess it's a big airport!

I've flown with YoSDs and MSDs without getting extra screening, but I've never made it through with an SD without extra screening. Other than a TSA worker cracking herself up saying "There's a lady in here!!!" about my SD16 once, there haven't been even that many comments.

If you do want some hilarity, though, check out the TSA's Instagram account...

 

I brought just one SD size doll and packed her in my carry on bag. I had the remove her head for her to fit in the bag. No trouble w/ tsa over her. I was only flying a short flight within my own state so I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

 

I use an old Iplehouse carrier bag for the old 60cm dolls... That one always fits perfectly into overhead bins, even the stupid little stingy ones. It's like my lucky bag. Long-legged boys get their feet removed to fit inside, but otherwise no hassle.

 

Going to LA I had just one, an SD, that I carried in my personal item. I had one of those big, beach-y tote bags from Barnes and Noble. The SD sat on her knees in the bag with my papers, wallet, headphones, and water in there with her. Coming back home I had my SD and a new doll. The SD rode in the tote bag again and I brought my new one on board in its box. Neither time did the dolls get any trouble, questions, or testing from the TSA.

 

Thanks for the responses. The heads in carry on and bodies in checked is a great idea, eleniel, that I hadn't considered. One of my worries was that the Volks carrying case would be too big to fit under a plane chair, and since it's not hard I'm hesitant to put it in overhead. That'd also mean I'd be able to bring more than two, though I'm not sure I want to deal with the logistics of keeping track of more than that at the Dolpa (It's just so hard to decide on two!).

Having that extra checked bag would probably help should any dolls come home with me, too.

Again, thanks for all the replies! Some things I hadn't even thought of was mentioned, like the swabbing (my dolls usually travel clothed), so I really appreciate it.

 

I simply carry my doll on board in my arms, but then I'm a "player" not a 'displayer'. :P I've flown this way several times and it seems to discourage the airport employees from doing further searches or tests on her. They just think she's cute and have curious questions.

 

When I flew Seattle to LAX a few years ago, I brought my Volks doll bag and it just fit in the space under the seat in front of me. My doll and stand did get flagged for extra screening that time (I had an acrylic Cool Cat stand which looked suspicious apparently!) Next time I flew with her packed securely in a rolling carry-on, wrapped in all my clothes and a towel, and didn't get screened.

There also hasn't been as much floor space on any flight I've had since the first time I traveled with a BJD, so I wouldn't count on fitting the doll bag under seats in the future, at least on US domestic economy trips!

 

hhhh cant wait to go over here

 

Ok I just booked a room at the hotel! I'm pretty dang stoked! Now to figure out who to bring... hmm.

 

I just realized I will probably be in LA that weekend. And at a wedding on the 2nd, so no Dolpa for me.