283 replies to this topic

[scruffy]

DavidB, on Jul 21 2010, 04:46 PM, said:

scruffy, on Jul 21 2010, 04:38 PM, said:

I am not sure if it is actually a photo with the guests

It does say 'with' the guests in the first post

But yes it is a shame that ME have tried to do something nice for people and it has ended up like this

I did see the bit "with guests" but just wondered if typed as such in error but am sure you are right David.

I am also sure that Gold holders will possibly see it as a right , as in the past for them to have it included so think that needs to be thought about  too, and as I also said ,poor Mark, he must be wondering why he bothered.

jcAngel, on Jul 21 2010, 04:49 PM, said:

Interesting way to put it.  They tried to do something nice for just a subset of attendees, surely they must have realised that was going to cause an awful lot of bad feeling from those excluded?

I do not think for one minute Mark intended to cause such a bad feeling.
I am sure the cost to ME to run events in con hotels also depends on filling the rooms  at an agreed rate and any shortfall is picked up by ME.
I am sure it was seen as a way to boost sales and sell out the hotel and maybe made in haste without thinking of this backlash.
It is just a shame it is seen this way but do understand frustrations.

[Blackviolett]

DavidB, on Jul 21 2010, 04:46 PM, said:

scruffy, on Jul 21 2010, 04:38 PM, said:

I am not sure if it is actually a photo with the guests

It does say 'with' the guests in the first post

But yes it is a shame that ME have tried to do something nice for people and it has ended up like this

I totally agree with you DavidB, they HAVE tried to something nice which was very generous but its upset people who wont be included through no fault of their own apart from being short on cash and not able to stay at the hotel in question. Im quite upset about it but Im sure we will cope and just have a good time anyway. Its just a real shame as we have all paid the same for event tickets and will all spend at the event but this has just made people feel isolated from others who are getting a special treat that they are not

[Rhianydd]

I understand where you are coming from, I really do, but at the end of the day, they were just trying to do something nice for those paying (often extra) to stay at the con hotel.

I dont even know if I can afford to go to this at all yet, but I just know thats the way it is.  I certainly wont begrudge you guys having an awesome time

But, if we feel that we are missing out from not getting a group shot because we stay in the con hotel, does that also mean that people should feel that they are missing out because they bought standard instead of gold etc.

We can all only do what we can afford, a horrible and depressing thought, but its true, thats the main reason I dont go to a con, just because I cant afford it.  Just makes me look forward to the next one.  


Sorry you are upset guys, all I can say is that Massive Events do read the forum, and I am sure they are taking on board what you are saying.  They are trying to make it a really good convention for you, and that is why they did this.  I certainly don't think they were trying to exclude people.  

People have expressed their opinion, but I dont think it is going to help anything by getting angry or upset, just let them read the comments you have already made, I am sure they know how you feel now.

[Chase]

jcAngel, on Jul 21 2010, 04:49 PM, said:

Interesting way to put it.  They tried to do something nice for just a subset of attendees, surely they must have realised that was going to cause an awful lot of bad feeling from those excluded?

I tried to book there,  admittedly I didn’t ring with any reference to the convention I just tried to book online via their website and was told it was fully booked, I think I tried to book online on more than a few occasions in case rooms had become available, in the end I found the place we have now. I think this is incredibly unfair to those not staying there; all this does in my opinion is annoy and alienate people who have already spent a lot of money and were intending to spend a lot more. surly a raffle  or something to that effect would have been a far better idea and given everyone a equal chance and lead to more excitement not disappointment.

[billturnedmestraight]

Chase, on Jul 21 2010, 06:34 PM, said:

jcAngel, on Jul 21 2010, 04:49 PM, said:

Interesting way to put it.  They tried to do something nice for just a subset of attendees, surely they must have realised that was going to cause an awful lot of bad feeling from those excluded?

I tried to book there,  admittedly I didn’t ring with any reference to the convention I just tried to book online via their website and was told it was fully booked, I think I tried to book online on more than a few occasions in case rooms had become available, in the end I found the place we have now. I think this is incredibly unfair to those not staying there; all this does in my opinion is annoy and alienate people who have already spent a lot of money and were intending to spend a lot more. surly a raffle  or something to that effect would have been a far better idea and given everyone a equal chance and lead to more excitement not disappointment.

I agree, I booked the IBIS back in December 2009 as the Park Inn website said it was booked up. I have paid £195 for a gold ticket and now Show Masters say I am not getting the premium service I paid for?? I have friends coming thousands of miles for this event from various countries and we have planned this for 7 months. I am not impressed with this change at all and I want the "includes all of the above" package that I was told I was getting. Otherwise I could have paid for the park-inn, paid for separate photos and it would have actually cost less than the gold!!!

[DavidB]

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 06:40 PM, said:

I am not impressed with this change at all and I want the "includes all of the above" package that I was told I was getting. Otherwise I could have paid for the park-inn, paid for separate photos and it would have actually cost less than the gold!!!

Sorry but I can't agree with anyone who is claiming that they won't get what they paid for. You will.

This is simply something that Massive Events have decided to do as an extra. If they decide to extend it to all attendees then that's great, but if not then it's still a very nice thing to do and some people will be lucky

[Miss Ragamuffin]

ok I heard about this earlier from Steph and I just want to say this is totally unfair and very selfish of SM.
I want to start off by saying I have gold tickets for 4 events this year, had 3 last year and 2 the year before and the last few events havent had the group shoots which is fair enough but know to find out they are doing it but not for people who arent staying at the park inn how can you do that?!

every con I have been to I have stayed at the hotel where the event has been but this year due to me having to go part time at work due to medical reasons I simpley couldnt afford to pay up front so now I feel we are being punished.

most of us cant cancel our rooms now without them still charging us, I can understand doing something nice for the people satying there but to make this fair surely it should have been said when tickets went on sale and people started booking their hotels and not just added weeks before the con?!

I'm really upset with SM and lost abit of respect for them here, in the past when they have said at ET evets people staying at the hotel will get a little extra something we never had, this has really let me down and not to sound immature but is gonna put a downer on my weekend.

[billturnedmestraight]

DavidB, on Jul 21 2010, 06:45 PM, said:

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 06:40 PM, said:

I am not impressed with this change at all and I want the "includes all of the above" package that I was told I was getting. Otherwise I could have paid for the park-inn, paid for separate photos and it would have actually cost less than the gold!!!

Sorry but I can't agree with anyone who is claiming that they won't get what they paid for. You will.

This is simply something that Massive Events have decided to do as an extra. If they decide to extend it to all attendees then that's great, but if not then it's still a very nice thing to do and some people will be lucky

I disagree, why pay for "everything" and not get it? If its "something nice" as everyone keeps quoting then it should be "something nice" for everyone. I have paid for "something nice" by paying top dollar for this event and now I am being penalised because the Park Inn cannot get its room availability sorted.

Edited by billturnedmestraight, 21 July 2010 - 05:49 PM.

[DavidB]

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 06:48 PM, said:

I disagree, why pay for "everything" and not get it? If its "something nice" as everyone keeps quoting then it should be "something nice" for everyone. I have paid for "something nice" by paying to top dollar for this event and now I am being penalised because the Park Inn cannot get its room availability sorted.

Well we'll have to agree to disagree. I can completely understand the frustration from some people that they won't be getting the group shot, however that is not the same as not getting what you paid for. You are.

[Queen_Sindel]

You are still getting the package as advertised on the website.
The Group Shot was not offered with any package before. So I'm afraid I'll have to join the "agree to disagree" club too.

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 07:40 PM, said:

I agree, I booked the IBIS back in December 2009 as the Park Inn website said it was booked up. I have paid £195 for a gold ticket and now Show Masters say I am not getting the premium service I paid for?? I

The Park Inn website will always show that the hotel is sold out for the event because ME are blocking the rooms. It's the same for pretty much all conventions but the ones in the Hilton in Birmingham, the Hilton being the exception because it's a much larger hotel.

The Bitten website says under venue that you need to call the hotel to book a room, and in October they definitely should still have had rooms available.

I'm really sorry for this misunderstanding.

Edited by Queen_Sindel, 21 July 2010 - 05:52 PM.

[Miss Ragamuffin]

Queen_Sindel, on Jul 21 2010, 06:49 PM, said:

You are still getting the package as advertised on the website.
The Group Shot was not offered with any package before. So I'm afraid I'll have to join the "agree to disagree" club too.

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 07:40 PM, said:

I agree, I booked the IBIS back in December 2009 as the Park Inn website said it was booked up. I have paid £195 for a gold ticket and now Show Masters say I am not getting the premium service I paid for?? I

The Park Inn website will always show that the hotel is sold out for the event because ME are blocking the rooms. It's the same for pretty much all conventions but the ones in the Hilton in Birmingham, the Hilton being the exception because it's a much larger hotel.

The Bitten website says under venue that you need to call the hotel to book a room, and in October they definitely should still have had rooms available.

I'm really sorry for this misunderstanding.

but the group shot used to be something gold holders got with their package but that was stopped last year so surely goldpass holders should still be entitled to it or to at least have the chance to buy it?!

this has really got me and my friends upset i just cant get over it.

[billturnedmestraight]

It may say on their website now to book by phone but I can assure you it did not in December 2009. I have friends coming from America and the Far East and we all had to book separatly at the IBIS. I am sure we will have a fab time but as I am sure you can appreciate its a hard pill to swallow when you have paid hundreds of pounds to get the best package. The Park Inn are at fault for not sorting their room availability out.

[LisaMarie]

At every event I've been too (true, only 3) SM have done something extra for those staying at the event hotel.

True, before now these extras have been pretty bad... such as a fake cullen driving licence.

But, it makes sense to me. Clearly SM block book rooms at the event hotel so want them to be filled in order not to lose money. So as an incentive those at the event hotel get the extra, in this case the group photo.

The ONLY issue I have with this is not with SM at all, it is with The Park Inn and the fact that you have to pay in advance... which some people can't do. Other than that, this extra for Park Inn guests makes sense to me, as long as the shoot is available for others to purchase.

[sungift500]

so to make this clear people at the park in get to have there photo taken with the guests going?
People with gold or silver get a photo of all 4 guests (just them)

as much as i love this cause i am staying at the park inn   i do feel slightly upset that a few people are missing out. is there anyway of allowing others who aint staying at the park inn to have the opertunity to have a group photo shoot with all the guests at a cost? surely that would be fair on both parties. And that way all will be happy and you guys pocket more money

[DavidB]

sungift500, on Jul 21 2010, 07:00 PM, said:

is there anyway of allowing others who aint staying at the park inn to have the opertunity to have a group photo shoot with all the guests at a cost? surely that would be fair on both parties. And that way all will be happy and you guys pocket more money

This has been suggested a few times.

The only thing I'd be wary of is that you'd still get a few people saying "well they get it for free, so why do we have to pay?" etc.

[sungift500]

very true but at the end of the day you can clearly see why, we booked at park inn and if they don't wanna pay for it then thats there choice. I personally think this is not a showmasters problem but the  hotel

[billturnedmestraight]

Miss Ragamuffin, on Jul 21 2010, 06:54 PM, said:

Queen_Sindel, on Jul 21 2010, 06:49 PM, said:

You are still getting the package as advertised on the website.
The Group Shot was not offered with any package before. So I'm afraid I'll have to join the "agree to disagree" club too.

billturnedmestraight, on Jul 21 2010, 07:40 PM, said:

I agree, I booked the IBIS back in December 2009 as the Park Inn website said it was booked up. I have paid £195 for a gold ticket and now Show Masters say I am not getting the premium service I paid for?? I

The Park Inn website will always show that the hotel is sold out for the event because ME are blocking the rooms. It's the same for pretty much all conventions but the ones in the Hilton in Birmingham, the Hilton being the exception because it's a much larger hotel.

The Bitten website says under venue that you need to call the hotel to book a room, and in October they definitely should still have had rooms available.

I'm really sorry for this misunderstanding.

but the group shot used to be something gold holders got with their package but that was stopped last year so surely goldpass holders should still be entitled to it or to at least have the chance to buy it?!

this has really got me and my friends upset i just cant get over it.

Our party too. x

[Miss Ragamuffin]

DavidB, on Jul 21 2010, 07:02 PM, said:

sungift500, on Jul 21 2010, 07:00 PM, said:

is there anyway of allowing others who aint staying at the park inn to have the opertunity to have a group photo shoot with all the guests at a cost? surely that would be fair on both parties. And that way all will be happy and you guys pocket more money

This has been suggested a few times.

The only thing I'd be wary of is that you'd still get a few people saying "well they get it for free, so why do we have to pay?" etc.

I think we should at least have the choice though.

I have a gold ticket so with that I do expect the best which I normally do get being gold at all the other past events I have been too but like I said before I really dont see how this is fair, they cant just throw something this good in there a few weeks before just because they havent sold the rooms that were held off for them!

[TeamQuil]

I think id understand it if they offered Park Inn peeps the shoot for free, and then offered it to anyone else attending for a fee.

But to just do it like this is like a slap in the face really!

[sungift500]

i can see y gold people area nnoyed, it kinda feels like they paid that money out and aint getting much back and with there being 4 guests