The early anime cons (A-kon, Anime con’91, Anime expo’92) were all about the experience, because it was new for everyone. From finding new merch that you had never seen before, getting to know new people by posting, or answering a flier on the bulletin board in the hotel lobby looking to trade tapes. Making fun of how bad the early ’90’s dubs were in the video room. Learning how to subtitle anime (so I need one of these amiga things for subtitling?). Cosplaying for the 1st time. It was all new.
Since there were so few cons in the early ’90’s, they still had that special feel to them. You couldn’t wait to go back the next year