This is my first convention I participated in the Prom in September 2009 which was a different set up more intimate.
Good points
The guests were superb!!! I was looking forward to Jamie and Christopher. I had seen a couple of their short interviews and they sounded quite funny. I was really looking forward to both and they were fantastic! Jamie and Christopher bantering with Charlie was pure comedy, especially when Charlie didn’t get what they were saying and doing, poor man. Jamie on his own was a stand up comedy act. If he wasn’t an actor he could definitely be a stand up comedian. He is hilarious!!! I was taken aback by how beautiful and charming Tynsel is she is so tiny, but she can definitely hold her own with the boys ïŠ. Kiowa is such a sweety quite shy I thought and probably overwhelmed by 900 people looking at him ïŠ
The photo shoots were well managed the staff were battling with crowds and temperatures that went from sub zero to plus 40C so hats off to them for keeping their cool.
The dealer’s room was good but it could have done with a smaller place or more dealers. Some of the stuff was overpriced and some felt old but that's only because it was in such a big room.
Having John’s there with his collection was fabulous and quite unsettling ïŠ to see how small some of the actresses are, tiny clothes. John was a pleasure to talk to very happy to share his passion. A really good addition to the convention!!! The Hillywood show was really funny it would be good to see them added to future conventions
Improvements
The hotel service was quite bad, overpriced food and drink and appalling service, not to mention some of us being ill because of the food. The Twilight food court was badly organised and the food was really poor and the M&S sandwich deal is actually cheaper and has a greater selection. The temperature in the place was crazy freezing or sweltering and the hotel staff didn’t do anything about it when asked to. The hotel is vast so better signage and arrows pointing would have been useful We looked around for registration desk for a while before finding it.
The parties were ok it’s great to see the effort some of the participants went to, to dress up some amazing costumes. Unfortunately I couldn’t take pictures because the smoking machine made it impossible. ïŒ
The event staff could do with a little more co-ordination. My friends and I experienced a couple of occasions when we would be told one thing by one staff member and total opposite by a different one being scolded in the process ïŒ I understand the pressure but if they all sang from the same sheet that might make it easier.
I was disappointed not to have the group shot with the guests like we did at the prom. I understand the logistics may have been difficult but not impossible. The groups could have been staggered. It would have also being nice to be able to purchase the funny poses they did I know Gold tickets got them included but the rest of us could have purchased them.
I was disappointed about the lack of informal access to the guests. I don’t have any comparison apart from the prom where they mingled with guests in the evening for a couple of hours sitting at tables chatting, this time we saw Charlie for 5 minutes being mobbed and Christopher for 10.
The pack was also a little disappointing Charlie’s photo was the same as the prom one. Tynsel’s picture didn’t look very good and Kiowa although from the movie just looked perverse, he’s only 19 I’d rather have one where he has clothes on I did go buy one cause I just felt too bad asking him to sign the one in the pack.
At prom we had t-shirt and a mug this time we got rubber bracelet, book mark (really good) and a booklet of not sure what yet. Maybe we could have different packs for different tickets? Just an idea.
