Getting my child a fursuit

It is important for parents to understand that these are not just halloween costumes. Fursuits from makers are EXPENSIVE.

Fursuits are essentially bespoke, custom, works of art, and they are priced as such. Most fursuits are designed specifically to express one’s personal “fursona” and are tailored to fit only a specific person, so they are mostly custom made. Pre-mades are fairly new and generally only available as a “partial” (Head only or with hand paws and a tail, depending on if it is a mini partial or full partial), but still carry a pretty hefty price tag, however they are available at most cons.

Most fursuits from makers start at $500 for the heads alone, often more like $1200-$5000 when you add special touches like fans or lights. If your child is looking for a suit, be aware of how expensive they are, and also be aware that due to this most makers will not make suits for children that have not yet finished growing. Makers are also very leery in dealing with parents who may not understand the cost and culture of making suits. You are better off buying a premade (assuming you have the $500-$1000 to spend) at a convention or making one yourself with your child. A great resource is Matrices.net for tutorials to build your own a suit.

Adult Hours

Vancoufur is an “all-ages” event, in that we have content for all ages. That includes adults, which make up our largest demographic. We know some parents are concerned about adult content, so we have taken steps to help you control your experience better.

General convention spaces are designated to be PG at all times, however, there are places we do host adult content in the evenings, and relax some of our general attire guidelines after 9:30 pm.

We have designated “Adult Hours” after 9:30 pm on Thurs/Fri/Sat when the adult content (panels) will be occurring. Adult programming is behind closed doors and is ID checked to ensure no minors have access to this. Adult products are not permitted to be displayed openly in the Dealers Den or Artist Alley, and vendors must ID check potential buyers to ensure only of age people have access to those materials.

If you are concerned about your child potentially encountering something adult oriented, we suggest retiring to your room or leaving the main convention area or hotel by 9pm.

If you see or experience anything or see anyone that you feel is in violation of these policies, please contact our Operations team at the hotel immediately. Our Rangers will deal with the situation.

Accessibility

If you have a child with a mobility disability or requires special accommodations (such as Autism), our hotel is accessible, and we have accommodations including special seating, elevator priority and a quiet room for use if needed. If you need assistance, please send an email to [email protected] with your accessibility needs.

Waiting for your child?

We know some parents may come with their children with the intention of simply waiting around while their kid has fun. There is limited seating for waiting or working while you wait. If you anticipate having to wait for your child, we highly encourage you to volunteer, and help out the con while you wait. That will give you access to somewhere to sit or keep you busy helping the event staff while you wait.

These are commonly asked questions from parents who may have children who want to attend our convention. Please be sure to read through the FAQ to see if this answers your questions. If your question is not answered, do feel free to contact us through our Contact Us form.
  • Children age 12 and under are *free* to attend (basic admission), with a paid adult pass for the parent.
    We recommend that children and adults be vaccinated for Covid-19 if you are planning to attend as there is documented spread at events such as conventions.
  • To register your child under 12, you must make an account for each child you want to register into our system. You can use the same email address.
  • Pay in full for the adult membership(s) via paypal, stripe, or credit card, and add any additional items (tshirts, escape room tickets) on the adult membership.
  • If you wish to get your child ‘patron’ or ‘sponsor’ level tiers and goodies, you must pay for them under the parent account.
  • Register each child as a separate account
  • When you arrive at the registration desk, you will be given a ‘Kit in tow’ badge for them, and they will be attached to the adult account.
  • Note: Parents attending with infants and minors 12 or under cannot  bring their children into restricted event spaces marked as adult or 18+.
If your child is 12-15 years old:

  • Minors aged 13 and up require a full paid membership. Minors 13-15 may attend without adult supervision as soon as they have acquired a valid membership badge. Minors aged 13+ should be vaccinated for Covid-19.
  • To register, create a new account for each minor you wish to register in our registration system.
  • Select a registration level for the minor.
  • Add anything additional you want to purchase onto the registration and proceed to payment.
  • A parent or legal guardian must be present to register (or pickup a preregistration) and sign the AUP for a minor aged 13-15. NO EXCEPTIONS.
  • If you are sending your child with another parent, or you are bringing a child from another family, you must have a Parent To Guardian Consent form filled out from the non-attending parent.
  • We recommend that minors who will be roaming unsupervised have a plan in place with their parents, and a cellphone or contact number, so they can stay in contact with parents and know where to meet up.
If your child is 16-18

  • Minors ages 16-18 do not require parental consent to register for membership and attend Vancoufur.
  • Minor is registered as a normal attendee. A separate account should be made for each person with appropriate registration level selected.

FAQ for parents

As a parent/guardian, am I required to buy a pass?

Yes. All people 13+ must purchase a pass if they are attending the convention. Children aged 12 and under are free to attend with a parent/guardian with a paid pass. Minors 13-15 may attend the convention without parental supervision, however, they need their parent/guardian to help them register and pick up their badge. If as a parent you intend to stay and supervise your youth 13+, you will need to buy a pass.

What if I’m sending my child/youth with another person or family

Youth 13-15 require a parent or legal guardian must be present to register and sign for their registration. If you are sending your child with another family that is not a legal parent or guardian, you will need send them with two copies of the “For Parents to Give Consent to Another Adult form“. Please download the form and print and sign two copies to send with your designated guardian for registration.

Is this a family friendly event?

Vancoufur is an all-ages event, in that there is programming for all ages. Our G/PG content is featured during the day until 9:30pm, and more adult oriented content is hosted in the evening after 10pm (and is ID checked accordingly). Be sure to check the schedule when it is available for what programming is available when and plan your day accordingly.

Is there youth programming?

Yes! We have many events and panels suitable for youths, and include everything from youth and parent meetups,  to creative workshops, tournaments, and even shows. There is different content everyday, so please check our events page for the schedule when it goes live. If you are a parent who would like to help with programming for youths, please consider volunteering!

Can my child attend events alone?

Minors aged 13+ may attend without parental supervision. Children 12 and under are free to attend, but must be accompanied by an adult with a paid membership.

How do I add my youth’s ticket to my registration?

Unfortunately our registration software does not allow for multiple passes per account. You will need to make an individual account for each person you are registering.

Is there somewhere for me to hang out as I wait for my child?

We do not have any designated space per se, but we often suggest that if an Adult is waiting for a child and wants something to do, we can always use volunteers to help run the event! It is a good way to both assist the event and keep an eye on minors. More information on volunteering can be found here.

My child/youth wants to participate in a particular event, how to I make sure they get into it?

Popular events, such as the dance competition, have specific requirements and sign up required. Many also require that the participants attend a rehearsal before the event. Be sure to make sure you’ve helped your child fill out the entry form to their event of choice and submit music or instructions required, and check the schedule to be sure that they are able to show up for the rehearsal time. Some of these events also have a limited participant list due to time constraints. Register early to ensure your child/youth’s participation.