Accessible Facilities & Amenities

The 2023 Chengdu Worldcon’s venue, including convention halls and hotel are accessible to people with access needs.

All main floor public rest rooms are wheelchair accessible. The main entrance is on the accessible route or it has signage indicating accessible entrance. Doorways have no thresholds and many have at least one leaf.

Parking could be done as close as possible to the building accessible entry. Stair handrails and elevators are available to ensure a smooth experience in the venue. Most of the cafeterias and eateries in the public areas are fully accessible. If they are not, staff is available to assist you.

l   Buying your admission

For people who register admission and attend the convention in person, accessible services will be provided. You can buy your admission online on our website. You may purchase your membership with a credit card, debit card.

If your access needs require you to have a trained caregiver with you at the convention to help you with activities of daily living, please email by service@chengduworldcon.com for Accessibility Services to discuss your membership options.

l   Hotel information

The headquarter hotel for Chengdu Worldcon is the Sheraton Chengdu Pidu. The hotel’s address is #580 Huashi Street, Pidu, Chengdu, 610000. You can reach them by phone at +86 28 6827 7777.

l   Hotel reservation

Reservations for the Worldcon block will open in early 2023. If you would like to be on the list for information on how to reserve an accessible room, please email service@chengduworldcon.com for Accessibility Services with your name and specific details on room needs (such as a roll-in shower, shower chair, visual alert system for Deaf/deaf, a room located very near an elevator, lower floor, hypoallergenic, mini-fridge for medicine or special diet food storage, etc.)

Please do not contact the hotel directly to try to reserve a room prior to the room block opening. You will not be able to get the Worldcon rate, and accessible rooms will not be available for booking outside of the reserved block.

l   Priority information

Elevators will be prioritized for members with access needs or those who cannot navigate stairs. Other members are strongly encouraged to take the stairs or escalators in order to ensure access. In times of high demand, elevators may be monitored by convention staff and non-access members will be asked to wait until all members with access priority have boarded the elevator. Members are reminded that elevators are a convenience for some, but a necessity for others.

There will be longer gaps between program items in order to allow all members more time to get where they are going safely. Additionally, rest areas will be placed in common areas to help break up long walks between panel rooms.

l   Panels and programming events

In all general panel rooms, there will be reserved seating for members with access needs. This seating may take multiple forms: seating in the front three rows for line of sight, wheelchair and scooter cutouts along aisles, end of row seating for easy access to exits or to meet sensory needs, and aisle seating. A limited number of footstools may also be available for members who require them. Footstools should be checked out from and returned to access staff in each panel area. Please do not take the footstools from any panel area.

All seating is given on a first-come, first-serve basis. For smaller panels, seating is self-selected. Members are asked to take the seat which best fits their needs, and to reserve front row and proximity seating for those with visual or hearing needs. Access team members will be present in panel room areas to assist with any problems but will not be seating individual panels.

For larger events, including the Hugo Awards Ceremony and Masquerade, there will be a separate access line for members who wish to attend. This line will be seated first. Members will be seated according to their needs. In many cases, this means an end of row seat. The first row available to audience members (which may not be the actual front row) and proximity seating will be reserved for those whose needs require it. The actual front row at these events is reserved for finalists or entrants. Members who need an accessible seat should plan to arrive early. Once general seating begins, accessible seats cannot be guaranteed.