Printing a poster at the conference While peripherally related to Flying with a poster tube as a hand luggage, I am trying to avoid this. I would like to print my poster at the conference. I am considering this for two reasons. First, it means I don't have to fly with the poster. Second, it gives me a few extra days to work on the poster.

I can see three potential drawbacks.


Being unable to print the poster when you get to the conference. I
have lots of experience printing posters at my university, but no
experience in the conference city
Not being prepared/able to return with the poster to hang in the lab
Getting reimbursed for printing charges


As for point 1, the conference is in a major US city with at least 4 Kinkos (large scale professional print shops) within reasonable walking distance of the venue. My poster is not until day 4 of the conference and I am arriving 1 day early. On point 2, I do not plan on hanging this poster in my lab. I am a little worried about getting reimbursed, but our on-line reimbursement system has a category for printing charges. If I cannot get reimbursed, I am willing to pay out of pocket.

Am I missing anything that can go horrendously wrong with this plan?
Reimbursement is related to a particular institute's policy; and taking by plane - to a particular airline's policy, so I won't speak about it.


  Being unable to print the poster when you get to the conference.


Possible problems with printing facilities:


they may by further from the conference venue than expected (or not as easy to get to them, or masked so it's they are not easy to find even if you are nearby),
delays larger than you expect (at least assume "the next day", in general or due to other prints ordered),
page can be out-of-date, or they may be not working for some reason,
they may not print A0 format (permanently or temporarily),
local holidays (or local customs related to working hours) may be different.


(I printed posters on-site two times, and it went almost without problems; some of people I knew had problems, especially with instant printing and poster sizes).