RMC001

Dear Showmasters I just wanted to say on behalf of my family and I, thanks for the last ten years of events we've attended. Our very first was in 2004 when we headed to Milton Keynes and met the great Brian Blessed, as well as Brad Dourif and others. Since then we've attended many others, even taken relatives along, who we introduced to the MK Centre, and yes it was a little sad when it moved to the stadium, but we still attended, our son enjoying the various football matches whilst waiting for VQ numbers to come up. Collectormania Midlands 2 was good, visiting my old home town in the stadium of the once great Coventry City, taking my mother along who enjoyed it more than we did. We've been to a few Autographica events as well, including this year's at the Radisson, meeting Buzz Aldrin and Barbara Bain. Also Collectormania Cardiff, where last year I met the man I obtained my very first autograph from during the seventies. All the events have been very well organised, and several other event organisers could learn a bit from you, especially the VQ system, which allows people to have a look around elsewhere rather than have to stand in a queue for hours, which has sadly occurred at many other events around the country. Unfortunately though, this year has been our final visit to any of your events, as for the first time in the past ten years, we were unable to get into an event due to overcrowding, and this was just the Cardiff event. Some people don't mind queuing for hours, however we have an autistic child, and it would seem from what I heard from a friend about London Film and Comic Con, this wasn't an isolated incident. In the mean time we have gained a lot of autographs from the past ten years, so I think now is a good time to call it a day. Once again, thanks for making it possible for us to meet so many stars over the past ten years, and good luck with your events for the future.

Queues may be the nature of a convention but last year's event in Cardiff was never like this. In fact the queue for Kylie in the same hall a little over a month ago wasn't as long as Saturday's, and the hall was packed that evening, so surely it must have been a little uncomfortable around mid day in that hall? I imagine the security guards may have stopped letting people in after a while due to the crowds inside, which I assume was the reason for the queue still running round the back mid afternoon? Unfortunately it seems to be the problem with these events, a bit like another event which I cannot mention here, where they just become too popular, and I don't see the fun in playing sardines at these events.

I attended Collectormania Cardiff last year, and I certainly didn't have to queue to buy a ticket or to get in - and I didn't arrive early. It's surprising just how fast this event has grown As for the security guards searching bags, it would seem the staff at Motorpoint do this for anything. When we recently saw Kylie Minogue in that same hall, we were searched, they found my wife's video camera, and let me take it in, but unfortunately when I tried to use it they stopped me.

I brought my family to Cardiff today, arrived at 11am for standard entry, and couldn't believe my eyes! How far exactly did the queue go on for? We turned away, did some shopping around the city, came back in the afternoon to find the queue was still there later! This didn't happen at last year's event! I think this event must have pretty much outgrown the Motorpoint, as there's no way that many people would have fitted in that hall. Also smart thinking of the organisers to arrange this on the same day as an international rugby match also taking place in Cardiff. We were lucky enough to get an early train home before the fans started queuing for the trains! After what I heard about the London event during the summer, I think this will be my last. I don't think I'll bother with Milton Keynes next weekend, I've already had three wasted train tickets today. Did anyone else travel all the way to Cardiff to simply give up? At least Forbidden Planet made a bit of extra trade today as a result.

Although I don't tend to go to any London events due to difficult parking, extortionate train fares etc, I was tempted to go to this event, due to the great celebrities going. However I'm glad I didn't on this occasion. With many attractions, they tend to grow and grow, as more people become aware of them, then there tends to be a point where they just become too big, and when that happens they are no longer worth going to. One example is the Harry Potter Studio Tour, which appears to have so many people going in every day, that surely they must be playing sardines in there?? Looking at the reviews on these boards I feel this event certainly has become too big. Especially with celebs like Stan Lee, Carrie Fisher, John Hurt, Jenna Coleman, Ian McDiarmid, there is bound to be a very big crowd. I've always thought very highly of Showmasters with their ability to reduce queues by running virtual queuing systems, but find it shocking that people queued for four hours and gave up! It's the sort of issue that occurs with signing sessions run by inexperienced operators, and I've met a few of them myself. My feelings are that there are several events around the country, such as Milton Keynes, Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff, so why was it that all the big celebrities had to be sent to this one? Why not arrange for them to go to different ones around the country? One reason why I didn't go was that I could have spent hundreds of pounds in autographs alone! (I can't understand why Ian McDiarmid charges £70 per autograph!). One point I was pleased about was that Natalie Dormier dropped out just before the event - which means hopefully she will attend a future one, preferably outside of London and I will get the chance to meet her.

Agree with you on the wristbands and the lack of dealers Leacroft, my band also wasn't checked until the photoshoot queue. Only problem was, with so many hotel guests going in and out who were not there for the event, and with the fact that the event was scattered throughout several rooms, it's not so easy to place someone on every door. Last year I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour for the second time, just to purchase something from the shop, only to find that, unlike last time they wouldn't even let me into the car park without already having tour tickets for everyone in the car, so I had a completely wasted journey, and spent a load of money in petrol for nothing. Better to purchase tickets in advance.

It was my second time at Autographica, last time it was at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham a few years ago. Venue today was not very wheelchair friendly was it? Very narrow corridors, tiny lifts, and that long route we had to take from the dealers hall to where Barbara Bain was - we had to go all the way round! Not to mention the dangerous road outside where we were nearly hit by a car due to some driver not knowing what a red traffic light was! Handy having a McDonalds next door, I remember the Metropole being expensive for a coffee but we had no alternatives. Surprised by the lack of dealers, I thought there may be dealers in other rooms elsewhere in the hotel, but that wasn't the case. However I thought the organisers did an excellent job, not only telling us where we needed to be, but kept the queue for the Buzz Aldrin Photoshoot in order and more importantly, kept it moving. Well done to all of you.

I was at another event a few weeks ago and someone who knew her told me she may cancel this. Bit of a shame, that leaves only two people I'm going to meet.

I arrived on Saturday, it was a great event, a bit disappointed that Mark Strickson cancelled at the last minute as he was one of the stars we wanted to meet. I found one or two of the stall holders a bit pushy to buy stuff from them that we didn't really want. The staff upstairs were very helpful in telling us where we needed to go this time as everything was different. Only problem was car parking. We have a disabled son, and we were directed to the disabled parking, which was near Kentucky Fried Chicken, and this time the back entrance to the stadium was locked shut. We had to make him walk all the way round, and he was a bit tired when we arrived. If we'd have known that we had to walk this far we'd have brought his wheelchair. For future events, please could you arrange to have some disabled spaces close to the entrance to the hall, thanks

Link to my photos is here: https://plus.google.com/photos/108658318814289539890/albums/5882406562187758833?authkey=CMmeiq3Uo-mBqQE

Great news, at least the queue to meet her will be better organised than the one in Swindon's ASDA Walmart a few years back.

Finally, an event to which I can travel to with an affordable train ticket! Looking forward to this one.

I was really looking forward to this event as the three people I wanted to meet the most are Carol Ann Ford, Jenna Louise Coleman and Denis Lawson, but sadly they are all appearing on separate days, and I'm not going to be able to afford the petrol or hotel to stay for all three! I just hope that they decide to reschedule before the event.

Excellent news - Denis Lawson is a Survivor (in the 1975 TV series from the same name, and he survived both Death Stars!) Not only that he played a great role in Hornblower. I look forward to meeting him next year, let's hope he doesn't cancel!

OK here's my contribution: