Was this a disappointing Collectormania?

[niceblokejohn]

I stayed at the holiday inn and moaned, so you don't have to be famous to do so (was then told I'd been automatically upgraded to executive Didn't forgive the unemptied bin in the loo though!)

 

Carrie Fisher was fine with me - the staff were very unaware of the specifics of the no photo policy which caused a very big scene behind me. As soon as it kicked off, Carrie's face was a picture - by the time I knew what was happening she'd signed my pic and I was still not even directly in front of her. I said "Thanks Carrie" when I took it with a big smile and got back a very genuine big smile back, so although it all took less than 15 seconds it was still worthwhile for me (not for my partner, who'd queued over 2 hours to take a (non-posed) pic of me with her and wasn't getting an autograph, but wasn't allowed to, but that's a whole other story )

[Poppy]

why do some people have the need to defend all the guests no matter how rude or anythhing they are, IT IS NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEFEND THESE PEOPLE!!

OR, perhaps it's just some of us DIDN'T have a bad experience with them?

 

If you look through the comments, you also spot that the guests who were the most fun and chatty, were the less busy ones.

 

If Carrie Fisher had posed for autographs and spent time chatting with everyone, would she have seen so many people? (Ok, cynically, she wouldn't have made so much money either!)

but she did not even look at us! It does not hold up a queue to say 'hello', her flunkies (who were lovely) handed her photo too her...............i mean its common courtesy to at least LOOK at someone who has paid to meet you!

 

Tiggerbabe, i heard that too! How ridiculous, if its true and she was tired - then serves her right!

 

It was a slightly different collectormania not necessarily disappointing as i always have a fab time with my forum mates, but c4 had been manic, and fantastic because of elijah and c5 was nicely chilled........c6 was probably the one (event wise) that i enjoyed the least though!

[HP-Loony.]

Disappointment doesn't even come close to how I felt about this weekend.

 

I arrived friday and got all my autos in 10 minutes. I go to a lot of events and get to know the guests so by the end of the weekend they usually remember my name, I've even seen the same guests a few months later and they still remember me. These guests barely said two words, I was lucky to get a smile.

 

This was very badly organised. Every time I asked a question, the answer was I dunno! Stewards should be told where to point people for info if they don't have an answer, not just shrug off the question. The organisers booth seemed to have no clue what was going on, particularly with regards to a HP guest who was advertised and didn't turn up, they didn't even know he was meant to be there!!!

 

The party was a joke. The band seemed quiet good but my friends and I were busy making our own fun through the whole thing. The tech behind the band was a nightmare. I can do sound engineer work and that was so poor I was cringing the whole way through it.

Were there not meant to be guests there also? I saw the twins from HP and I think I saw the back of one of the buffy guys and that was it. For a show with so many actors, shouldn't more have turned up to the party?

 

It seems to me, showmasters are trying to run a convention, not a collectorfair, they should stick to what they can do moderatley well, have guests who turn up, on time, want to be there to meet the fans, are not just there to make outrageous sums of money.

 

I'll prob be at C7 to get a few autos, but I sure as hell won't be staying for 4 days like I did at C5. Even saying I'll go to C7, if I have to choose between that and another event run by a better organiser, based on this weekends experience, showmasters won't win!

 

Loony.

[Poppy]

another thing, all weekedn i was asking how much the HP people were gonna charge because they were not n the autograph prices list and NO ONE could tell me, then when i went to devon murray on saturday, there was no signs up and i had to go and ask the same people - who eventually told me. That was weird and did not help budgetting wise because at a tenner i wanted devon but if it had been any more then i would not have got him, as i have him twice before just never on a photograph.

[Amy]

The guests that I met were all lovely.

Especially Billy and Sala.

 

Although I don't think anything will be bale to top C4 for me!

[scojoe]

I think that this was the poorest Collectormania yet. It was badly organised and after meeting 2 guests, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams I felt like giving up and leaving. Both couldn't be bothered and made it obvious they didn't want to be there. Thought I'd try again. Then I met Nicholas Brendon. Same again. Very much a waste of time but sixty five pounds down by then. I actually saw a woman complaining at the Collectormania stand about a guest and demanding her money back for being treated so poorly by the guest. She got. it.

[chris_mk]

This was very badly organised. Every time I asked a question, the answer was I dunno! Stewards should be told where to point people for info if they don't have an answer, not just shrug off the question. The organisers booth seemed to have no clue what was going on, particularly with regards to a HP guest who was advertised and didn't turn up, they didn't even know he was meant to be there!!!

 

The party was a joke. The band seemed quiet good but my friends and I were busy making our own fun through the whole thing. The tech behind the band was a nightmare. I can do sound engineer work and that was so poor I was cringing the whole way through it.

Were there not meant to be guests there also? I saw the twins from HP and I think I saw the back of one of the buffy guys and that was it. For a show with so many actors, shouldn't more have turned up to the party?

What questions were you asking of the crew that couldn't be answered? Perhaps if they find out now, they can be better prepared next time?

 

As for guests at the party, it sounds like you were quite near the band. I was stood near the door and actuallt saw quite a lot of guests arrive, look terrified and then leave soon after (highlight had to be seeing Test look nervously towards the bar!)

[chris_mk]

I think that this was the poorest Collectormania yet. It was badly organised and after meeting 2 guests, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams I felt like giving up and leaving. Both couldn't be bothered and made it obvious they didn't want to be there. Thought I'd try again. Then I met Nicholas Brendon. Same again. Very much a waste of time but sixty five pounds down by then. I actually saw a woman complaining at the Collectormania stand about a guest and demanding her money back for being treated so poorly by the guest. She got. it.

As has been demonstrated in this forum, it depends on when you see the guest and how you (and probably more important, the ten visitors in front of you) behave.

 

For the hugely popular visitors like Carrie, they need to try and see as many people as possible in the time. If that means they can't chat and get to know you, then sorry, but that's life.

[scojoe]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

[chris_mk]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

[scojoe]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

[chris_mk]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

[Moony]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I don't think there is a way, however I have heard far more bad things being said than good things.

I was going to get her autograph and am glad I didn't after things I have heard over the weekend.

[scojoe]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I can't explain her attitude. Not my place to make excuses for her but it sounds like it might be yours. I can just say what she was like with me and by the sounds of these forums a lot of other people. A waste of £25 as far as I'm concerned.

[Ren]

This was a great convention, not cause of the guests ( not that they weren't great and all) but cause I got to talk to so many more people then I normally do at Collectormania events... *hugs to everyone* you all made the weekend great for me.

 

Ren

xxx

[jesterrace]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

You personally got to meet Elijah and spend this much time with him , but others literally got their photos/items taken off them , taken to him , and then signed nowhere near them - they did not even meet him . Tell these people how friendly he was!

 

Each meeting can only be taken in perspective . I met Carrie , Billy Dee and Nick and all were civil and polite , none of them were rude and none were overly friendly . All three of them politely thanked me for meeting them , and all shook my hand - Billy even posed for a photo . I am glad that I took the time to meet them all .

 

For SM it is a toss-up between getting ALL their fans to meet them ( or as many as possible anyway ) or given a few fans a longer meeting - and the winner HAS to be letting more of the fans meet the guests .

 

Some people got great meetings and some got bad ones , but most of us got to meet them . For Billy Boyd on Saturday everyone ( well most ) got good meetings , but probably only about 350 out of the 900 people who had tickets got to meet him - surely you can see that this is not nice for the other 500+ who wanted to meet him and had tickets , but missed out .

 

I went to LFACC1 to meet Billy Boyd , Andy Serkis and John Rhys Davies , but only got to meet John Rhys Davies . I travelled about 500 miles round-trip , spent a lot of money , but missed 2 of the MAIN people I went for . It is not a nice feeling .

 

Some people want and even expect a twenty minute conversation and as many posed photos as possible , but you have to be realistic - the quieter actors have more time for a decent amount of time spent , but the busier ones just can't do it for all .

[chris_mk]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I can't explain her attitude. Not my place to make excuses for her but it sounds like it might be yours. I can just say what she was like with me and by the sounds of these forums a lot of other people. A waste of £25 as far as I'm concerned.

It's not my place to come up with excuses, hell, I couldn't be bothered to queue up!

 

It just seems odd that some people said she was fine and others, the exact opposite. Is it possible she's just human (as opposed to some smiling, signing robot?)

[scojoe]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I can't explain her attitude. Not my place to make excuses for her but it sounds like it might be yours. I can just say what she was like with me and by the sounds of these forums a lot of other people. A waste of £25 as far as I'm concerned.

It's not my place to come up with excuses, hell, I couldn't be bothered to queue up!

 

It just seems odd that some people said she was fine and others, the exact opposite. Is it possible she's just human (as opposed to some smiling, signing robot?)

So if you didn't queue up your making a point based on somebody else's experience? What makes their opinion right and mine wrong? Because Carrie Fisher couldn't be like that? Sorry to burst your bubble.

[chris_mk]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I can't explain her attitude. Not my place to make excuses for her but it sounds like it might be yours. I can just say what she was like with me and by the sounds of these forums a lot of other people. A waste of £25 as far as I'm concerned.

It's not my place to come up with excuses, hell, I couldn't be bothered to queue up!

 

It just seems odd that some people said she was fine and others, the exact opposite. Is it possible she's just human (as opposed to some smiling, signing robot?)

So if you didn't queue up your making a point based on somebody else's experience? What makes their opinion right and mine wrong? Because Carrie Fisher couldn't be like that? Sorry to burst your bubble.

Where did I say you were wrong?

 

I'm just saying that it's not possible for every guest, to meet every punter and spend as much time and effort with them as the punter would like. If you go to an event thinking that you might not get to chat with them, then you are less likely to be disappointed in future.

[chris_mk]

I guess my other point, is that if we can figure out WHY some people thought she was cool and others didn't, we can maybe something can be done to make circumstances better in future so that MORE people come away happy?

[scojoe]

There's a difference between being rushed because of timing issues and being downright ignorant. I met Elijah Wood at a previous Collectormania event and got as much time with him as these three added together. Also managed a smile and a couple of civil words. Last time I checked he's a far bigger star than any of the three of them.

It's not all about being in a rush. These three were just ignorant. Show me the money was their chant.

So how do you account for the people who have said (on here) that she was perfectly, nice, pleasant and sociable?

I've met her before and she was great. This time I wished I didn't bother though. Found it to be a very unpleasant experience.

That didn't answer my question!

 

There's been dozens of people on here who said she was fine this weekend? How do you explain that?

I can't explain her attitude. Not my place to make excuses for her but it sounds like it might be yours. I can just say what she was like with me and by the sounds of these forums a lot of other people. A waste of £25 as far as I'm concerned.

It's not my place to come up with excuses, hell, I couldn't be bothered to queue up!

 

It just seems odd that some people said she was fine and others, the exact opposite. Is it possible she's just human (as opposed to some smiling, signing robot?)

So if you didn't queue up your making a point based on somebody else's experience? What makes their opinion right and mine wrong? Because Carrie Fisher couldn't be like that? Sorry to burst your bubble.

Where did I say you were wrong?

 

I'm just saying that it's not possible for every guest, to meet every punter and spend as much time and effort with them as the punter would like. If you go to an event thinking that you might not get to chat with them, then you are less likely to be disappointed in future.

It's not the time and effort that is annoying people. It's the lack of anything from the guest. Interaction, eye contact, 1 word, a smile, anything would be nice. I've been to about 30 - 40 of these types of events and Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams have been by far the worst that I have met.

[theoden_of_rohan]

Nooooooooooooo, not disappointed at all with the actual convention!!!

 

I met Carrie Fisher...enough said

 

*hugs autograph*

[Maxibaby23]

I pressume you had the same thoughts as everyone else about the party Theo?

[HP-Loony.]

This was very badly organised.  Every time I asked a question, the answer was I dunno!  Stewards should be told where to point people for info if they don't have an answer, not just shrug off the question.  The organisers booth seemed to have no clue what was going on, particularly with regards to a HP guest who was advertised and didn't turn up, they didn't even know he was meant to be there!!!

 

The party was a joke.  The band seemed quiet good but my friends and I were busy making our own fun through the whole thing.  The tech behind the band was a nightmare.  I can do sound engineer work and that was so poor I was cringing the whole way through it.

Were there not meant to be guests there also?  I saw the twins from HP and I think I saw the back of one of the buffy guys and that was it.  For a show with so many actors, shouldn't more have turned up to the party?

What questions were you asking of the crew that couldn't be answered? Perhaps if they find out now, they can be better prepared next time?

 

As for guests at the party, it sounds like you were quite near the band. I was stood near the door and actuallt saw quite a lot of guests arrive, look terrified and then leave soon after (highlight had to be seeing Test look nervously towards the bar!)

I asked general questions, IE, where are these guests, how long will this guest be signing, will that guest be signing tomorrow, how much will autos be, are they letting us take pics. Things, I think are very general questions any steward should be able to answer. But I am fully aware, this is NOT the stewards fault, they can't help it if the info isn't made available to them.

 

What the stewards need is a list of all the guests, real names/shows/character names, where they will be situated, how much they are charging for autos, what their specific rules are, IE no pics.

 

Guest arrival times is a big issue as well. I don't know how SM run things, but other events I'm involved with have drivers who pick the guests up and make sure they are where they are meant to be when they are meant to be there. I don't know how many times I asked different people when the HP guests would arrive on sunday and the answer was always "They'll be here when they are here." I know they were getting harrassed getting the same question, but someone should have had an answer.

 

Bottom line is organisation sucks!!

 

As for the party I was plonked on the floor halfway down, I know a band were playing but come one, some tables and enough chairs for at least 1/2 the attendees would have been useful. My friends and I sat on the floor playing with balloons for about 3 hours, that was the only thing that kept us there for as long as we stayed.

 

The only good thing about this weekend was seeing friends I don't see often enough, other than that, it sucked.

 

Loony.

[BigW]

Collectormania was so bad this year to be competely honest, and i have been to both C3 and C5 so this was not my first SM event. The organisation was so bad! I really do not know why it is held in a shopping centre as we all know how busy it gets just shopping - nevermind factoring in the few hundred or so people who come to collectormania!

The party...Well where do i start?! Directions or a map would have been VERY useful rather than a "the hockey stadium is situated a few minutes drive from the MK centre"...Uh in which direction? Which train station was it near? There are a few stations!! But a map would have helped or at least a general direction!

The VIP ticket that i had was not worth having! The food was non-existant in the VIP room...It was practically gone by time we got there at 8! The only guests i saw were the Wesley twins from Harry Potter. Out of all the guests that C6 had and i saw TWO of them at the 'oh so great party'. The actual party was absolute rubbish - seats would have helped or even a few tables to sit round, the Q for the bar was huge - i am glad i brought my own drink! The band i will give them their dues, they were good. However the actual party sucked. Majorly sucked! My friends and i would have left long before we did if it was not for the fact we hadnt seen each other in a while and we had to amuse ourselves with balloons! It was THAT bad!

I will certainly not be back at any collectormania event as there are much better events run by much better organisers...And i dont have to pay to go to a party which is boring!