Raylenth

SM don't usually release that information.

To me it seems like it's getting difficult to even meet the second tier of guests now. I think there is too much on offer though. I know everyone has their preferences, auto, talks and shoots, but it means that there isn't much time for auto's now. I know generally they have 4 hours signing but as it's not a solid block once you factor in the guest moving from area to area, settling in ect you start loosing chunks of time from the session and I think it's starting to get really hard to get what you want even if you manage to get low numbers. I appreciate times change and the show has developed, but at shows a few years ago people with VQ's in the 800's and so managed to get through, now it seems like if you want even the second tier of guests you are lucky to get through if you have 3/400. I know auto's aren't guaranteed and you can't predict or control how quickly a guest signs but I'm worried it's getting to the stage that it's pointless coming for just the day if you want more than a couple of the mid level and top tier guests. Only time will really tell.

Probably too late to answer you now but if they aren't in a shoot or talk they will be signing apart from their lunch break.

I know I tapped a few people with my poster tubes a few times but I always apologised.

He was my priority so went straight for his VQ's and got no 81. The first hour it was gold only and at 10 he went to do a talk and photo shoot. He was due back at 12 so I made sure I was in the queue at 11.40 when they had put up that they were doing 1-100 and managed to get through fairly quickly as I was probably the 10th or so in the queue.

Sometimes there is also a medical and comfort reason though. If you have flashes going off directly in your face all day it can't be nice. I believe it's been stated before that Gates McFadden gets terrible migraines from all the flashes for example. If a guest has issues with that it's fair enough if they ask for no photo's at all. I wouldn't want to be at one of these events suffering a migraine all day.

You collect the VQ's from the crew members at the relevant guests table. So you need to go to the table of each and every guest you want an auto from and get a VQ for each of them. Look at the seating plan thread for the list of all the guests and which area they are in, go there and find them.

The only auto tickets you can purchase before being IN the queue are the Diamond tickets which guarantee you the package contents so yes, unless something drastic has happened, they should get what they paid for. The VQ's are not auto tickets though, they are merely a place in the queue, like at the deli counter in a supermarket - so that you don't have to stand in one queue all day and can get more done because you know you have a place being 'held' for you. Regarding how many are given out and whether it's realistic, I'll ask you this.......How many signatures will, lets say Sigourney Weaver sign in a day? It's guessable but impossible to say. She might sign really slowly and not manage to get through anyone other than the Diamonds, or really quickly and get through hundreds of others. They need to give out a lot of VQ's in case the guest is really quick as it prevents the chaos of hundreds queuing at the same time in the same place. You can stand in line without a VQ if the guest has gone to 'open queue' but if not you will need a VQ. A lot of the guests do go to open queues at the end of the day but obviously there's no telling who will or won't.

As has been said repeatedly in many threads - talk to the crew.

Do you mean at the venue or at the photo shoot? if you mean the shoot I would advise to be in the queue at the photo area 15/20 mins before hand.

Get there as early as you can, ideally 7/7.30 if you can, speak to the crew if you do find yourself in trouble but you should be ok.

Pizza, watching Deathly Hallows Pt 2 on ITV and then to bed I think.

We were told though that the only way to guarantee auto's from the Diamond guests was to buy a Diamond pass - wen you factor in the number of Diamonds sold and the Golds getting in early to get the low VQ's I'd be surprised if any regular ticket holders get through, but we were warned.

Speak to the crew in the queue as soon as you get there and explain, they will hopefully be able to help you.

Looks like you got a decent amount done!

That's what I understand as well. Like I've said I got there at 6.45ish this morning and would estimate I was in the first 2/300 and was in about 9.10. Get there very early and you should be fine, just know where you need to be and how to get there. Get any VQ's you may need first if you can, if you get in quickly you could probably afford 10 mins to get them.

Who advised that though? As far as I was aware everyone got in.

I've not been able to find him?! Have you asked the crew in the general area?

I would say that they shouldn't block you for making a complaint but it depends on how you do it. Be rude and abusive yourself and I'm sure you would get a warning. I would suggest that you email SM after the show, that way it's private, your not spreading it around ect. Keep it polite and explain what happened, what you saw and why it concerned you and just add that you wanted to make them aware of the issue, and that whilst you know show are stressful for the crew as well, you were very concerned about how they dealt with this issue, particularly the child. The crew on a whole work very hard and have to deal with some very difficult and sometimes down right rude/abusive customers and I really feel for them, it's not easy when they are in the firing line for unhappy customers who are stressing out, especially when they don't know or can't help. However it always bears that you have to try and not let it influence how you deal with other people. If you have issues like this again, try and find a pit boss - in the red tshirts - and explain to them, hopefully they may be able to resolve it for you. They do try to get people with clashes through lines as quickly as possible when they can do so.

I'd think that would be ok then, 4 hours should be plenty of time.

I think the issue is that many of the staff only know about the bit they are doing, i think it would be impossible to brief them all on everything happening. I think it would be hard to come up with a workable way for all the staff to have the info on the whole show as the people on the queues and with the guests for example really need to concentrate on that and not get sidetracked with other issues as it could cause problems if they aren't paying attention to their role.

Email the shop, you will need to ask them about this I think.

Didn't see him there unfortunately.

You don't swap anything, just present your ticket when asked to in the queue and they will scan it. Regarding time to arrive it's always advisable to get there as soon as you can even if it means sitting around for a bit. I'd think you would get in fairly quickly at that time but of course I don't really know what it will be like on the day and I'd prefer to be safe rather than sorry. What time is the shoot?

As said in another post I left at about 12.45 and the queue was still going, but moving swiftly. As for length it wasn't massive. Presumably it was those who didn't manage to arrive that early.