TheCollector2016

Apparently, Charlie, Hayden, and Rosario (at least) stayed quite some time past closing to sign for fans. That is awesome and kind of them.

But there seems to be a consensus on the overbooking and poor organization.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/166233487361017/

On 6/12/2023 at 10:08 AM, Cman429 said:

I’ve been going to Fan Expo/Megacon for 7-8 years and that line waiting experience has always been a staple of their cons. Saturday’s especially are a nightmare as post pandemic it seems like the whole world wants to come on Saturday which is why unless a guest is Sat only I have no desire to even attempt meeting them. The problem is they run these celebs from panel to photo op to signing and everything runs long then backs up the next thing. And there’s no good answer because when they try controlling the crowd like with Hayden, who has shut off ticket sales weeks/months before cons, people whine about it. I don’t think there’s any good solution beyond what I’ve learned which is plan ahead, go multiple days, and always expect everything to take 3x longer than you plan. 

As have I, but I've never seen it where it looked like people were going to miss out on their pre-paid autos. I've actually never pre-paid for an auto before this con and now it seems like the only way to go for headliners, even though the additional fees are bogus. I'd love to know how late she stayed signing given her sign said 6 p.m. and the con closed at 7 p.m. I was with people in line who had pre-paid other auto and photo ops at certain times, and they gave up on those to ensure they met Rosario.

I think there is a solution - and it's tiered (Group 1, Group 2) auto groups, just like the photo ops. The other con I'm going to later this month has that. Or perhaps some sort of numerical system where the order you purchased your auto is the order you get in line. Even though Hayden sold out months in advance, it still appears that he was OVERsold.

 

On 6/12/2023 at 9:32 AM, Robot Man said:

I wouldn’t wait that long to meet the Holy Virgin Mary. And you paid for the “privilege”? 

People definitely waited even longer for Charlie Cox and Hayden Christensen...I heard Hayden was taking photos for 3-4 hours, maybe more, and hadn't even gotten to his autographs as of 5pm on Saturday. Seemingly, some headliners were definitely oversold, even in advance. Again, part of the issue is the system itself. I'm going to a con at the end of the month that looks like it has a different system. I'll be seeing how that goes, and if it's better, will certainly be advocating for Fan Expo to adopt it....otherwise it's going to continue to be a bit chaotic for Star Wars guests.

I went on Saturday, and let me say first everyone at the CGC booth was fantastic and helpful. Great staff.

My two celebrity auto goals were Rosario and Chevy Chase. Figured I'd be in at doors in the morning and out no later than 4 after some wandering around...it didn't work that way.

At 10 a.m., Rosario's booth indicated she wouldn't be signing until 2 p.m. Didn't think this would be too big of an issue, got Chevy knocked out in the meantime and circled back to Rosario's queue around 12:30 as I had no other hard plans and wanted to achieve this before exploring the con floor and maybe attending a panel, who knows.

Well, one con employee didn't like the length of the line, threatened everyone with the fire marshal and security, and broke the whole thing up, instructing everyone to return at 3. Yeah, that wasn't going to cut it. I remained in the area, at a safe distance. Around 1:30 or so, they began handing out "virtual queue" tickets, something that wasn't enforced very well as I observed others continuing to get in line, even at the wrong entry points. Rosario arrived around 1:45; I found myself in the queue around 2. The queue didn't move, at all, and then she went on a break around 2:30. I found out later someone was having 30+ items signed...which I think is extreme and shouldn't be allowed. She came back out around 3...and her sign indicated she would likely stop signing around 6. The line shifted a few feet approximately everyone 20 minutes - because it was like a 25:1 VIP to regular guest ratio. I thought this was a terrible way to organize things - it should be like TSA Pre-check, 1:1. Given that it certainly seemed like just about everyone with a VIP badge on Saturday was in line for Rosario, I didn't think it was going to happen given time constraints. Somehow, I got up to her at 5:20 p.m. I have no idea how much later she was signing, but I have to believe a lot of people did not get the autographs they paid for. If I hadn't joined the queue when I did, there's no way I would have made it. There has to be a better way to organize this system for headliner guests. 

Unfortunately, I had no time to even check out the rest of the con as my train out of downtown Dallas was departing shortly. I'm glad I achieved my goals, but didn't anticipate the whole day queuing.

On 4/7/2023 at 8:51 AM, mysterio said:

I know a few people that will be very disappointed by that Christensen news.

They just announced more Christensen autos are available for purchase now! Tell your peoples!

Will be attending for the khaleesi.

On 5/27/2023 at 2:13 PM, NP_Gresham said:

For OP

So reality has come to cons. If you and your kids want spend endless hours at the ballpark ‘hoping’ for a Mike Trout signed ball, then have at it, but don’t expect anything.

Go to the show with your appointment and get your ball signed there if you want the trip to be fruitful.

And comic celebrities are different how?

I've done all these things actually.

I've waited for players at the ballpark. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't. The fun was waiting with other baseball fans and not knowing who might show up.

I've also gone to player signings. However it doesn't work the way you described - a signing might be announced from 10-11am. Line starts at 6-7am. You cross your fingers that the line doesn't get cut off before you get to meet the player - nothing is prebooked in advance. Still all in good fun.

Comic celebrities weren't different - it was the same situation. You show up, bring your cash, wait in line, and hopefully get your autograph. I never had an issue with this or missed anyone I waited in line to meet.

NOW, some cons are pre-selling autos online for the celebrity guests, and because there's a "reserve" of autos, they can sell out months before the con. Someone established a limited number, something that didn't exist before, and now it becomes impossible to meet the guest after that number is reached. Meanwhile, the cons still promote the guest appearances on social media to get people to buy tickets to attend, even though they're well aware that it's impossible for anyone seeing this advertising to meet them because all of the photo ops and autos have completely sold out.

 

On 5/26/2023 at 3:26 PM, KCOComics said:

I'm guessing you don't have kids... I can't imagine going to a State Fair and not bringing my kids. I'm an adult, I don't need to pet goats and go on a Ferris Wheel.  You do it because your kids enjoy it. 

I enjoy cons because my kids enjoy cons. They dork out with me and it's awesome. And I'm hopeful that meeting Luke Skywalker would be more fun for my ten year old son today, than it would be for him at 40.   There is no celebrity I would wait in line to meet (besides Romita Sr)... But I would do it for my kids. 

You're right, I don't have kids. And I also don't go to state fairs. My point was going to them is a choice. But it sounds like you never went to a con before you had kids, is that right? So you can't see the other side of the coin here, as it doesn't even sound like your thing? 
 

On 5/26/2023 at 11:25 AM, Cman429 said:

Your attitude of “well if you miss out on an autograph, that’s just part of the game” is admirable. However, say a dad is bringing his son and daughter to a con to meet Darth Vader. Paying the $40-60 con admission fee + parking + whatever the kids demand in snacks, then the hassle of driving to the venue, waiting to get in, then navigating the crowd to Hayden’s booth…

Yeah, I think you can understand why “well, if we meet him we meet him, if we don’t, we don’t” isn’t going to fly with everyone…

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, and I'm girding my loins with this response, but I have no sympathy for this. If a parent chooses to bring their young kid to an event that involves standing around in lines all day and shelling out endless cash, much like a state fair, that's on them. They didn't have to do that. Here's a way of not having to deal with the "hassle" and "navigating": don't take your kids to these things? I'm much happier I met Luke Skywalker as an adult than as a 10-year-old.

There's going to be a lot more kids who miss out on Darth Vader because the autos/photo ops were limited to a certain number and sold out months in advance I think.

On 5/26/2023 at 11:20 AM, Robot Man said:

“Soulless”? Sure, everything is all about the Benjamin’s now days. I can’t think of any living creator I would wait in line for hours and pay to get something signed…

And that's perfectly fair. That aspect of conventions isn't for everyone. Some people spend obscenely high dollar amounts on certain living musician nosebleed tickets and I don't get it either.

 

On 5/26/2023 at 9:44 AM, Iceman399 said:

Part of the changes to this are very welcomed changes I think from everyone.  Many times celeb lines are HOURS long.  You've paid $80 to go to the con to then stand in like for hours hoping to get a chance at a pic or auto.  Instead of being able to enjoy the show.  So now they presell the tickets and you get a date/time as to when to show up.  Now you can spend time wandering the con seeing the booths, spending money, looking at cosplay, having food etc etc without having to spend 3-4 hours waiting in line.  Just like tickets you no longer have to sleep outside the venue for a day or two you just have to be fast (and lucky) when they go on sale.  As for them charging different fees well that is up to them and if you don't like that vote with your wallet.

I certainly see this side of it...I'm not sure it's better though. That's an additional $15 "service fee" per autograph, and I've always been able to do everything you mentioned without issue even if I had a longer wait in line for a big name guest. I haven't heard anything about how this improves efficiency or speed at the con itself, so I'm certainly open to hearing how long people are waiting in the queue for their pre-paid autos from the con headliners.

Maybe this has been going on a few years now and I haven't noticed it, because generally I happily wait in line and pay cash, but this year I've noticed celebrity autograph presales at cons...presales that sell out sometimes months in advance.

Is it me or does this seem a bit corporate and soulless? I always thought part of the fun was waiting in line for your autograph, and hey if you didn't manage to get one, that's part of the game. Also seems to take away a bit of the fun as I'm sure lots of people buy tickets to go to a con to wait in line to meet their favorite celeb, only to learn that there was actually a limited number of autos that were for sale online and they're all gone.

Some current examples....Hayden Christensen autos are "selling out" months in advance for Fan Expo shows while for another show in TX (in July!) I'm seeing guests' auto AND photo ops sold out (have never seen sold out photo ops before).

It seems like everyone's trying to get all the money out of everyone early....having to refresh your browser like you're getting Hamilton tickets but for a comic show guest just seems unnecessary...am I alone here?

Also something else I've noticed this year is some celebrity guests charging 1 auto fee for 8x10 photos, while charging a higher auto fee for any other item. This is ridiculous.



 

Saw someone else's book with Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy a few pages back. I also have them, looks like we got them at the same con - Fan Expo Dallas. I got mine in person though, and also got photos with both guys.

Here's mine.

 

Henry Winkler cancels, and Carrie-Anne Moss announced, apparently there are still guests!

Well I ask because it was right around this time last year that all the Dexter cast were announced. So I'm wondering if there are still people to be announced or is this it?

@Kevin Boyd are all the celebrity guest announcements completed at this time?

Decided to order the Rosario auto in advance today as that Ahsoka trailer dropped so she is definitely going to be popular. I see the sell-out potential. I've been following her entire career since the 90s and it is wild to me that this one role has skyrocketed her like this.

Man they really get ya with that $7.50 admin fee, don't they?

On 4/6/2023 at 2:49 PM, Cman429 said:

They won’t even let you get in line. And if you do get in line, well, just picture the blimp scene from Indiana Jones & Last Crusade. 
 

So that's it for Hayden autos in Dallas then. Wild. You're making a strong case for me to just pre-order everything in advance and not take any chances. Kinda takes the fun out of it but I guess this is how it works now.

And perhaps, strategizing this, I should go for Rosario's line first.

 

Wow, all of Hayden's autographs are shown as sold out already! So if people show up and get in line they'll be turned away because they don't have a pre-paid auto ticket on their phone?
https://store.epicphotoops.com/fan-expo-dallas/2023/hayden-christensen

I've never bought autographs for anyone online before...does it let you skip the queue of people just lining up intending to pay cash? If not, how is your auto guaranteed considering you've pre-paid?

If you were there at MegaCon...
How was Rosario's auto line? I'm planning on getting her auto again since the last time I saw her years ago, her prices have doubled since 2015. It's good to be a Jedi! She looked like she was having fun in her photo ops I saw on Instagram.
And how was Chevy Chase's line? Those two are probably my key celeb guests this year at the moment. 

And just because I'm curious and I'll cross my fingers that we get these 2 - how busy were James McAvoy and John Cleese?
 

Zachary Levi announced

Voice actors Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka), Matt Lanter (Anakin), and James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan) announced.

Gabriel Luna announced

Couldn't help but notice James McAvoy is a scheduled guest for Fan Expo Calgary. Good odds of him coming to Dallas?

Surprised there's not a thread for this yet. Lineup is looking great so far...for the first time in a few years now quite a bit of money is coming out of my wallet for this one.

https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodallas/

Announced guests so far:

Joseph Quinn
Vincent D’Onofrio
Christina Ricci
Bonnie Wright
Vivien Lyra Blair
Henry Winkler
Peter Weller
Sean Gunn
Chevy Chase
Jon Bernthal
Grace Van Dien (Chrissy) 
Hayden Christensen
Paddy Considine
Rosario Dawson
Charlie Cox

On 4/14/2022 at 9:12 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Ah good thinking...

Been a minute,  I had forgot everyone. 

He showed up under Google though for Dallas comic show

 

Yeah, that was just in February. They were there. But they were also at Fan Expo Dallas last September. I would anticipate their return...I know they're responsive on Facebook so you could ask!

On 4/14/2022 at 5:46 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Amen. Just for witness and yellow label wasn't spelled out, we'll see how it goes, a list of facilitators hasn't been listed. I'm still looking but haven't seen it yet

DorkBuzz can witness for CGC and were there last time.