EllaBlair

I've been tempted to come to this despite not being a huge Star Trek fan but I am a huge fan of some of the actors going. Kate may have just persuaded me to come!

And this is why extra help people are being given less and less help every year

Yeah I know I brought it up again but I didn't think it would work very well. Especially considering the amount of space on the 2nd floor. Just trying to brainstorm a bit. @Queen_Sindel how are you feeling now? Hope you're doing a bit better and are a lot less stressed now the event is over.

Oh I know, I am one of the people who had an extra help wristband though I don't use a wheelchair (certainly wished I had one at some points this weekend!). The majority of people who I saw were more than happy to let me go ahead in the photo shoot queues, and before entering Meat Loaf's queue I had some people help me find the extra help queue after being told to go to the back of the regular queue which I'm very grateful for. Most people in my experience are more than happy to help/are understanding but yeah some people are just jerks. Check out the Saturday queue thread if you want to see an example of the latter.

At the Peter Capaldi talk I was front row as a diamond pass holder and there was a wheelchair in the front row. I have no idea if the wheelchair holder, or their companion who was next to me had a diamond pass, it didn't even occur to me to check. If there is a space there I don't care if they bring the wheelchairs right up to the front, it's not like the wheelchairs would be taking up one of the diamond pass seats unless their carer sits there.

I did see at one point a few months ago someone suggesting the extra help people queue on the second floor which seemed like a good idea. Not sure it would be feasible at all though.

I definitely saw you around, sounds like you had a great weekend. The pics are all great. Kind of sad I didn't get one of those fans in Meat Loaf's photo queue on Sunday though, he must have been out of them by then.

I very much agree with this. I cannot stress my thanks to everyone who helped me out on the weekend as I found the extra help to be fantastic this year. However, the entrance is quite awkward for the extra help people. You enter on the right hand side of the building, the nearest lift is on the left and about halfway down the hall. You have to walk the whole way over to the lift just to walk all the way back around to the same place you entered to reach the guests. I don't know about anyone else but this entire journey took me the whole time advantage I got by entering the few minutes early.

Ok now I'm home and got my stuff together, here are my photos. The only photo I didn't make was Sam Neill as I missed his earlier shoot and was too sore by the end of the day to make his 6pm one so I just (very regretfully) went back to the hotel. Tom Baker Meat Loaf - Thank you so much for getting him he made my whole weekend. Jewel Staite Tom Welling Pearl Mackie and Peter Capaldi, also surprise my name isn't really Ella Pearl Mackie Peter Capaldi... I was wearing a hoodie that says "nevertheless she regenerated" a reference to him regenerating into Jodie. Forgot to get it into the photo in my excitement due to the fact he wanted to hug me. Arthur Darvill David Tennant... Thank you so much for getting him. A dream come true for my sister who sat almost in tears in the cafe when I saw the announcement on the forum. He is her favourite actor of all time. Aidan Turner Peter Davison Rory McCann Christopher Eccleston Matt Smith Jason Momoa

Did you ask him a question? I was in the Meat Loaf talk before and managed to get front row right at the centre as the crew didn't make me go in and out again due to my wristband (very grateful!). There was so many people wanting to ask him questions. I loved what he said about Jodie. And when he joked about there being a reunion upstairs after being asked if he would do a multi doctor episode

In case anyone thinks I was harsh on anyone in this thread. Until a few years ago I wasn't disabled, I always had health problems that slowed me down a little but not disabled and never felt disadvantaged. Then I had an accident, a botched surgery, a bad recovery and now I permanently use a crutch and have chronic pain as a result of the botched surgery. It can happen to anyone at any time. Before this happened to me I'm sure my opinion would have been very different and I was definitely not as passionate about disabled rights. Now I will fight for anyones right to use advantages like those given at LFCC. I always say I would rather let a few people abuse the system than see one person who truly needs help go without.

Yep. Got home about an hour ago and just showed my family my loot. Now I'm not sure what to do. Back to work tomorrow *sigh*

@Queen_Sindel apologies if one of those was mine.

Hey Clyde I hope your son managed to have a good time at LFCC. I ran into a young woman several times during the event who had a sign around her neck saying she was autistic and to be patient with her. I had some great chats with her and her mother over the weekend as we saw many of the same guests. I hope it wasn't overly stressful for either her or your son.

That's how I thought they worked too. Any time I used this or saw it in use usually the diamond pass holder was told to find the last diamond pass and join the queue behind them. Not sure why it wasn't in place for you in this instance.

They randomly did my Christopher Eccleston photo in portrait. I was so confused when it came out

Apologies no you did not. I got confused between the multiple people in the thread.

Tell you what everyone who is displeased with any disadvantage disabled people got this weekend... you can have my disability and I'll take your place in the queue

So what's your solution then? Nothing in place to help disabled people? If I was in the regular queue I would not have been able to do it. I would have had to show up early and stay on my feet for hours to get in early or show up late, maybe still be on my feet for hours and then not be able to get anything because the lifts in Olympia are bad and in a very bad location in relation to the guests (not Showmasters fault). Disabled people had to be let in as pointed out by QS earlier they would have been crushed in the rush to get in. I can't move very fast and need to stop often when trying to move distances. I likely would have been knocked over or pushed by people in a rush to get to their guest. People in wheelchairs would not have been much better off. The second queue was a lifesaver and I honestly don't understand why you have an issue with this small advantage for those who are most in need.

@robmoriarty that pack sounds amazing I have never been given anything like that at a hotel. The best I've seen is actually my work who on my first day had their health and safety person come visit me. She immediately set me up with with an evacuation plan that involved me having two buddies and a closer place to the building for the fire meeting point. She also gave me a special pass to enter the building without going up any stairs and gave me access to the underground car park. Absolutely wonderful. I do work for a large international company though and I'm sure they have been put under lots of pressure to be disability friendly but it made me feel great and really welcome within the company.

I didn't get an autograph but I did get a photo and he was so friendly. Glad I got his photo and wish I could have properly met him.

It is a very true quote too. I was able bodied until a few years ago (I had medical issues but none that resulted in me being unable to do anything). Then I had a bad accident, a botched surgery, horrible recovery and permanently on a crutch other than being able to walk the length of my house which is not very big. It was a massive shock to the system and it can happen to anyone.

I am so sorry I didn't get Jewel's auto though I did get a photo. I got a low queue number on Friday and the other two days I was too busy to take the time to go back to her queue despite having a low number. Thoroughly enjoyed her talk though.

@Apefan1 I don't know what point you were making by adding that they had no obvious mobility problems but just thought I should respond. As said above it doesn't matter if they don't look disabled they have proven it to Showmasters satisfaction and not all issues are obvious upon first glance. They absolutely should have been shown to the front of the queue but I'm sorry you did not get your diamond advantage.

@Queen_Sindel that sounds horrible. I was at Disney in January but only for the parks I didn't go to any events. I had no problems thankfully and was so grateful for the pass because looking at some of the queues I could not have done it. But I can't believe they did that. It is not fair to everyone being disabled you're already starting a step behind everyone else, what a disgrace.