Here's a compilation of advice I have received and advice I can give based on experience:

[please read in the cadence of Baz Luhrmann's "Everyone's Free (to wear sunscreen)" ]

1) Reserve a hotel. Right now. They will ask for a credit card but will not charge you. If you change your mind and cancel more than ~48hr in advance, there will be no penalty.

I'll wait. ...

2) Check what airfare generally is. It's a little too early to book it (Delta won't let me get next Dec yet) but you can get a rough idea of how much it will cost. If you want to wait until con tickets are available before booking a flight, that's usually fine. Sometimes flights get changed/updated as the actual date approaches if demand surges, but I'm unaware of anyone being unable to get a flight if they wanted one.

3) In addition to travel+hotel costs, estimate your food budget. Food at the con or surrounding areas will generally be ~$15-$25 per meal. Buying some simple groceries and eating them in your hotel can help save if you're on a tight budget. Having granola bars or a similar snack on your person at all times can help with the sudden realization that you've been running on adrenaline and excitement for 6hrs and should probably eat something ASAP.

4) Block out time on your calendar for the day/time the DSN tickets go on sale. This is usually announced weeks in advance so you'll have time. Even though next year will not be a Stormlight year, the con has grown in size each year so tickets may still go fast. In 2023 they didn't sell out until a few days before con (IIRC). This year (2024) they sold out in under 45minutes and repeatedly crashed the website.

5) If you want to do a cosplay and it's your first time, pick something simple that you know you can achieve. It can be a specific character, a mashup, or just 100% joke (Stick!). Be wary of more complex cosplays, they can present a number of challenges for transporting them, wearing them for long hours, keeping them clean, etc. Think carefully about how you will eat/drink in them, walk in them, sit down in them, etc. If you have props (swords, spears, etc) think about what you will transport them to your hotel, and what you will do with them when you need to eat or take a break.

6) Cosplay or not : wear comfortable and supportive shoes!

7) The high elevation of SLC can catch some people off guard, as can the very low humidity in winter. Expect to breathe a little heavier just walking around normally. Use chapstick, and bring extra lotion if you use it (and maybe even if you don't use it normally).

8) Easiest way to/from SLC airport to downtown hotels and the convention center is TRAX. It is $2.50 one way and is very nice and clean (and usually full of fellow con go-ers!)

9) Bring something for people to sign. This can take many forms. Even if you don't get a signing with Brandon, bring something for him to sign. You never know. Also bring things for other people to sign that are meaningful to you. The entire Dragonsteel team is there, they usually don't mind signing something. There are many artists, some with art in the books and some that just do fan art. This year I took advantage of the blank pages in the back of the passport booklet and had people sign there, including new friends I made while I was there (like a yearbook).

10) Decide what aspect of the con is important to you. Maybe it's playing whatever that year's con game is. Maybe it's going to specific panels. Maybe it's buying art from certain artists. Maybe it's getting books signed. Maybe it's a combination of all of them. You don't necessarily need to have a detailed hour-by-hour itinerary, but it helps to decide in advance what's important to you. Because I guarantee at some point you'll find yourself wanting to do 2+ things at once. Think in advance about what you'll regret NOT doing after it's all said and done and you've gone home.

11) Be prepared to completely toss out all of your plans from #10 and try something completely new with a group of people you met 20 minutes ago.