DDH TIMELINE
DDH PREORDER TIMELINE & FAQ
All orders are currently preorders.
Most orders are expected to ship 3–4 weeks before DragonCon, with the goal of having everything delivered at least 1 week before the convention begins.
As always, we'd rather make things right than rush production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sven, when will I get my package?
Our goal is to have every order delivered at least one week before DragonCon. We work around the clock to get everything out as early as possible. This year has been a record-breaking year for orders, so shipments may be a little closer to the convention than usual.
Why did I only receive my shirt, dress, or other fabric item? Where's the rest of my order?
Fabric items are made in different facilities across the USA and overseas. They are shipped directly to you, while the rest of your DDH goodies ship separately from us.
Why are my fabric items arriving separately?
Each garment is custom-made after you place your order. Tailoring and production usually take 2–3 weeks, so those items are shipped separately.
Why is there a bag with a booklet and random goodies in my package?
If your order says Free Swag, congratulations—that's your surprise swag bag! Every qualifying order gets one while supplies last.
Are you making Mai Tai glasses?
Yes! They're currently in development and will be released closer to DragonCon. I'll announce them in a newsletter when they're ready.
Sven, how can I help?
I'm still looking for contributors for this year's booklet! I'm especially looking for:
- Writers
- Graphic designers
- Funny convention memes
- 40 Years of Con stories
- Niche fandom history
- Fake retro advertisements
- Recipes (yes... pie recipes count!)
Thank you for supporting our weird little hotel gift shop.
— Sven
unnecessary necessities.
Word on the street
Secret Vic's Carpet
Secret Vic's Carpet
FAQ
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Yes. Emotionally.
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Legally, HR says we can’t answer that.
(Please wear your robe to orientation.) -
Spiritually between the Hyatt carpet and your worst decision at Trader Vic’s.
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Define “safe.”
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Officially? No.
Emotionally? Deeply. -
Only during DragonCon, when our convention hotel mysteriously appears on the 2nd floor of AmericasMart. That’s where the carpets hum, the swag multiplies, and Sven hasn’t slept in days.
Alternatively, join us at Trader Vic’s every Thursday of DragonCon week at 7 PM for our legendary DDH Tiki Thursday meetup on the back patio — where dragons drink, cult members mingle, and the mai tais are stronger than your willpower.
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Yes — especially the ones we started.
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Congratulations, you’re officially a Hoard Member!
A loyal DDH supporter who gives more than they ask for… which is how most cults start, honestly.
"We gotta keep an eye on the trouble makers…"
"We gotta keep an eye on the trouble makers…"
The Svending Machine has successfully failed.
It all started with what I thought was a brilliant idea.
I said to myself, “Why stress about running a booth for the first time? Let’s just make a vending machine, fill it with merch, and let it do the work. People get their con goodies, I get to actually enjoy DragonCon, and at night I’ll swing by, collect the cash, and call it a win.”
Genius. Pure efficiency. Minimal effort. Maximum vibes.
Except… it didn’t go like that. At all.
The Svending Machine had other plans. It jammed, it overheated, it ate money, it forgot how gravity worked. Someone tried to insert a room key. Another person got a sticker sheet and a minor emotional breakdown. At one point, it started blinking like HAL 9000 having an identity crisis.
By the end of the 2022 DragonCon weekend, I wasn’t collecting money — I was collecting stories. And bruises. And a new friend.
So yes, the Svending Machine was a glorious disaster. It failed in every possible way. But in true Drunken Dragon Hotel fashion, it failed spectacularly.
Would I do it again? Never.
Would I make merch about it? Absolutely.
— Sven
Drink 1
Drunken Dragon Game
(An Origin Story in Financial Misfire and Dyslexic Glory)
Before there were tiki shirts, before the cult patches, before the booth chaos and the Svending Machine meltdown — there was The Drunken Dragon Game.
My first DragonCon-related product. My first big idea. My first financial disaster.
The plan was simple: make a fun, collectible card game for the con crowd — something between drinking, dragons, and dubious decision-making. I thought it would sell out instantly.
Instead… I’m still sitting on boxes of it almost ten years later.
The inofficial drinking rule quickly became:
“Take a shot for every one of Sven’s spelling mistakes.”
(Because between exhaustion, being a foreigner, and dyslexia, it was a guaranteed party.)
And oh, did people play. The rules made no sense. The cards had typos that read like prophecies. One expansion pack was just a collection of random ideas I couldn’t afford to print properly.
A Lawyer thought it was hilarious too. So funny, in fact, that he sent me a serious letter the very next day “kindly reminding” me about trademarks or something.
It was chaos. It was beautiful. It was so DDH before DDH even existed.
Looking back, that little disaster was the start of everything.
It wasn’t profitable. It wasn’t perfect.
But it was mine — printed, packaged, and powered by sheer enthusiasm and caffeine.
So yeah, The Drunken Dragon Game failed gloriously.
But like all great DDH projects, it failed loudly, with style, and probably still owes me money.
— Sven
“Founder, Game Designer, and Unintentional Linguistic Innovator”
Hella Good Merch
Fresh!