Idea For Virtual Queues

[007paul007]

How about this for an idea for virtual queues, the way it stands at the showmasters events at the moment, if I get a ticket and my number has not been called and I have looked around the stalls no end of times until boredom itself is boring and I end up going home not fussed about not getting the signature as there will be other places where i have a better chance to get it if I want it.

I have just read about a new system by someone else who is doing an event I have not heard of before, first it is on VQ for the real popular guests and secondly instead of just giving vQ tickets out to anyone who asks, they sell them to you, which then means the real serious people who really want the signature stay and people will not clear off home because they have already paid for the ticket. When your number is called you get into the queue knowing you have already paid for the signature as you have purchased the ticket, so this cuts out people who go early who are fed up of waiting or have run out of time, what do others think of this idea ? perhaps if SM had done a survey theycould of worked this one out ?

[jacksparrowsmistress]

the simple answer from me is NO, I dont like this idea at all, sorry.

 

I often have someone come with me in the queue who has a VQ but is only going to take a photo of me. This would rule it out. Also, I what if I wanted only 1 thing signed when I 'bought' the ticket, but decided to get more when I got into the queue?

 

The people that 'clear off' as you put it obviously didnt want the autographs that much, and from what I can see, it makes no difference if they have a VQ ticket or not, if they dont appear in the queue, the queue moves faster and the numbers go up quicker, so what's the difference?

[DavidB]

I really wouldn't like to see that system applied to any Showmasters events. I don't see how it would ever cut down on waiting times or make anything better, it wouldn't, and if people disappear then that's their choice really.

[Too Tall]

My problems with this system are:

 

1: SM only put VTs on guests that need them, so that kills that argument!

 

2: You have to sell the tickets. This will take time. In the morning we can give out around a ticket a second, so that people wanting the big guests can get a ticket a go off to the next queue. If you have to take money when giving out the tickets it will take at least 20 second per person (people faffing with money and then needing change). Even if you double my estimate for giving out tickets and half that of selling them, a queue of 400 people getting tickets will be done in around 13 minute, selling them, number 400 in the queue will be waiting over an hour! And that's just for one guest, you will then have to go and queue up for another guest and wait how long to get buy a ticket for them?

 

3: Do you only get to have one autograph? If you want more than one do you have to pay there and then? I know a lot of people like to decide how many autographs they're going to get once they get in the queue. Esp. based on the photos available. What if you've bought 3 autos and there's now only 1 picture left you like. If you only have to buy one at first and then can get more later when in the queue this will make it almost impossible for them to know how quickly the queue will go, and they will have to be even more wary about how many tickets they sell (see point 6).

 

4: You will not get seen quicker. If people take numbers and don't come back it just means the queue will go quicker (i.e. the numbers will go up quicker). If you're ticket number 600 and lets say 200 people aren't coming back so in this other system they wouldn't have got a ticket, you'd have ticket number 400. Well in the SM system 400 people are coming back, so in both cases there are 399 people in front of you, you're no better off.

 

5: It guarantees nothing. The guest could still go home (ill etc) before they get to your number. Or could just sign really slowly and not get to your number.

 

6: It will just mean that they'll have to stop selling them earlier because if they say they guarantee if you buy a ticket you get to see the guest, they'll have to be more careful. At SM events, we start warning people at ticket number 600 that they may not get seen. At ticket number 800 we tell people they're unlikely to see the guest. Were as SM can still give out tickets at 600+ this other event can't, because they may not get to 600+ and then they've got customers that have "bought" tickets but aren't going to be seen. They will have to stop at around 600. But then the guest may do 600 by 4:30pm and you've got an hour with an open queue because you had to tell people at 2pm that there were no tickets left. And those people are not going to be happy when they find out afterwards that there was an open queue at 4:30pm when they were told at 2pm that they couldn't see the guest today and went home.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Too Tall

[Jandel]

sell them to you, which then means the real serious people who really want the signature stay and people will not clear off home because they have already paid for the ticket.

Potentially this could open the system to abuse. As it is the most popular guests who have a VT system there would be leeches who would buy tickets in order to resell them to those who weren't able to get there early enough, or who needed an earlier place in the queue. Considering the excessive charges already made I would feel sorry for anyone who ended up having to pay even more to get a signature.

[Stevie79]

Terrible idea, and I believe it'll take longer like in a few things that Too Tall has already pointed out.

More disadvantages than advantages.

[007paul007]

Well it's glad to see your opinions but i will go and see what it likes when it happens and if I seriously want the sig I will pay and wait although I hate the VQ system personally as it is so slow and leaves you hanging around for some time doing nothing and after awhile i decide to give up and go home, there have been several instances where I have known people who have waited nearly 2 to 3 hours to get a signature from someone and I have gone to an event where there has not been any VQ system and has a high turn out of public attending, much higher then and Showmaster event and it has taken me 30 minutes top to get the same signature that would of taken longer to get in MK for example. But then some people will like the system and some won't .

[Amber15]

I agree with all of you. And my answer is NO!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

~Amber~

[DisturbedAngel22]

also i think die hard fans would queue up no matter how long they be standing just to see them the longest ive queued up for someone was 5 hours and it was well worth it in the end.

[suz_queen]

Waiting around isn't too hard. If you're fed up of the stalls, no worry. It's not like shows at the n. e. c. where you're stuck in the middle of nowhere, at least in MK you can go round the shops, visit a cafe or restaurant, go watch a film, do your weekly Waitrose shop, go back and watch telly at your hotel for four hours, go round a few more shops, sit in the library, if the weather's nice get outside and explore, or sit in pub. Autographs are an optional extra

Edited August 14, 2006 by suz_queen

[maduncledai]

I have to ask the question WHY ???? Why change something that works and I mean really WORKS ! VQ is the only way of doing things I think that 007paul007 needs to get out of bed earlier so he can get lower numbers on his VQ's.

When I get to any events with VQ's I run round like crazy for the first 10 mins getting all the tickets I can and then relax for the rest of the day go and see lesser stars ie not VQ's , walk round the dealers bump into one or two people chat with them , go for a coffee and a smoke or even pop down to W H Smiths and see if they've got Dr Who Adventures.

One thing I don't do is bu**er off home before I see who I want to see.

[Quirky Koala]

Well it's glad to see your opinions but i will go and see what it likes when it happens and if I seriously want the sig I will pay and wait although I hate the VQ system personally as it is so slow and leaves you hanging around for some time doing nothing and after awhile i decide to give up and go home, there have been several instances where I have known people who have waited nearly 2 to 3 hours to get a signature from someone and I have gone to an event where there has not been any VQ system and has a high turn out of public attending, much higher then and Showmaster event and it has taken me 30 minutes top to get the same signature that would of taken longer to get in MK for example. But then some people will like the system and some won't.

 

If the VQ systems were not in place then it wouldn't be like you are making it out where you only have to wait 30 minutes, I guantee you.

 

Rather than getting a ticket and getting to look around the stalls for the 4 hours you have to wait then you'd be stuck in a queue for four hours getting bored stiff like when you go to Alton Towers and are waiting for the new ride. By the time you get to the front you are tired, annoyed and dying for the toilet and would probably end up not enjoying your time with the guest.

 

IMO the VQ system is the best idea anyone has ever had concerning these kind of events and long may they be used.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Quirky Koala

[007paul007]

Suz

What do you mean waiting around at the *****, I found I can get say all the signatures I need say around 8 at the last event within a couple of hours, so I don't know what you mean about hanging around for ages as they don't have the VQ there.

 

maduncledai

 

As for you saying get out of bed earlier, I will let you know that I am up every morning between 4 and 5 and I live in MK, you see I have more important things in life to worry about, My 2 children have severe special needs one indeed has IBS, Epilepsy and Autism, so are you saying I should be up even earlier just to get a ticket for a VQ and ignore the needs of my children ? My children come first not events like these and if it means I cannot go to an event until a later time or even not at all because of my children, then I hold my hands up for being evil and I certainly won't line someone else pockets even further to get a gold ticket when half of the stuff I would not be attending. At the ***** they have the talks in the building you don't need to pay extra for it !

 

I was at pinewood a few weeks ago at a special bond event and was able to take one of my children with me, got the sigantures from the stars I wanted and left at 3pm after arriving at 10pm, we had a tour, a bbq, met a load of bond stars, went to a Q & A session at the cinema and even got goody bags and that was all cheaper than the gold pass. It was a great day all round !

[nicky]

so are you saying I should be up even earlier just to get a ticket for a VQ and ignore the needs of my children ?

Nobody here knew anything about your kids, Paul, How could they? But if they did of course no one would suggest denying them.

 

I for one think the VQ system is fine as it is. I don't mind waiting to meet a guest as I'm in a shopping centre or film fair with lots of stalls and walking around is fun, it's something I've done for hrs quite happily cos I love movie Collectables. But if you have a kid in tow I can see it's harder for you.

 

And if people get a VQ ticket but decide to go home or not queue after all, doesn't that make the queue go faster?? I generally get a VQ ticket and wait till as late in the day as possible in hope the guest is less busy to try and maximise my time with them...works a treat everytime.

[GoldenGreen]

 

I was at pinewood a few weeks ago at a special bond event and was able to take one of my children with me, got the sigantures from the stars I wanted and left at 3pm after arriving at 10pm, we had a tour, a bbq, met a load of bond stars, went to a Q & A session at the cinema and even got goody bags and that was all cheaper than the gold pass. It was a great day all round !

 

That was a whole different sort of event, and there were only approx 100 attendees there, so not really a fair comparison to Collectormania.

 

No one was suggesting you put your childrens needs before anyone else, as Nicky says, no one even knew about this. All the poster was suggesting is that you have to get there early to get low VQ tickets, then you would have less time to wait around.

 

Everyone has different needs / requirements on there time, and perhaps certain events fit better into meeting these situations. Unfortunately, Collectormania is not this sort of event, so whilst it is good to see regular suggestions, they also have to be workable and realistic.

[007paul007]

Golden Green

 

I know it was a different event I was just saying that is was brilliant, even though I had to leave earlier, but I was just saying I enjoyed it so much and I found it fantastic value for money !

 

Thankyou people for your kind comments about my children but I only brought that up to remind people that everyone is different and has different needs, so people should think before making comments like perhaps they should get up earlier, everyone has different circumstances not everyone can stay all stay and not everyone can stay for a little while due to their own circumstances.

 

Perhaps that is why it is easier for me not to worry about getting a signature too much and if I can only be there for a certain and only get what I can then ok it is not the end of the world as I said there are other events and it is not a race, showmasters events have provided me with the opportunity to get signatures just like all the other events I have been to in the past, and I can see that VQ are popular on here, but for me they are not, yes I will use them cause thats the rules, but it helps saves me money as when I have to go I go and forget about the ones I haven't got , so says that could be around £120, where as at a recent event this weekend I spent more than I did at the showmasters events, as I got my sigs within 2 hours, and I did not arrive there until 11am, and spent some on the stalls and was even left with some time to take my daughter to the shops in the bull ring and was back home not too late in good old MK by 6pm. Still recovering from the shock of how mush I spent lol !

[timpe]

The people that 'clear off' as you put it obviously didnt want the autographs that much, and from what I can see, it makes no difference if they have a VQ ticket or not, if they dont appear in the queue, the queue moves faster and the numbers go up quicker, so what's the difference?

 

I don't always think that is true. There are plenty of people who are only able to come to these events for the day, and due to the times of trains or coaches have to leave before their ticket number comes up - our group gave our VTs to a group of kids before as they weren't able to come back the next day and wouldn't have met Billy Boyd due to the high numbers on their VTs. Which is why I agree with you that the pre-paid ticket suggestion is a really bad idea. Some guests (like Adam West a few years back) zoom through a queue very fast and so everyone who bought a ticket would likely be seen, while other guests (like John Rhys Davies at the same event, or Nathan Fillion) take longer with each guest so would possibly end up leaving some people who were only there for that day without autographs. So then Showmasters would have the hassle of refunding those people.

[nicky]

people should think before making comments like "perhaps they should get up earlier". Everyone has different circumstances... not everyone can all stay due to their own circumstances.

Sorry, Paul (and I am being logical about this) but you never mentioned your kids at the start of this topic and you don't even have any details in your profile so why should anyone think before suggesting you arrive earlier? You gave no indication you were different from the majority of us here who have no kids. But like you said, not everyone is in your situation with kids (esp on this forum which is prodominantly under 25's with no kids) let alone ones with special needs thus you are in the minority as harsh as it may seem.

 

Granted that other person could have asked, "why can't you come earlier?" instead of "you should..."

 

Wating for lengths of time for the VQ is inevitable...they are popular guests, that's why they have a VQ in the first place. And like I said already; if people bail and go home, surly that makes the VQ go faster?

 

Peace.

Edited August 15, 2006 by nicky

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

I am just trying to get my head around the fact that you dont want there to be Virtual Tickets

 

At C4 some people waited for Elijah until 4/5pm, are you saying that there should not have been a Virtual Queue and that everyone who wanted to see him should have got in the queue because that would have ment hundreds of people standing in one spot for 6+ hours and if you wanted to see more guests you wouldnt have the chance.

 

Thanks to VT's though people were able to get a ticket, go look round the stalls, meet other guests and at the end of the day meet Elijah.

 

Now how can you think that no virtual tickets would have been better

Edited August 15, 2006 by Colonel Jack O'Neill

[nicky]

I am just trying to get my head around the fact that you dont want there to be Virtual Tickets

Col., that's not 007paul007's concern. He suggested paying for the sig upfront when you first get the VT as a way of minimising the VTs...

[KB]

haven't read most replies to this, but i'll say this anyway just in case it hasnt been said.

 

the simple answer as to why this will not happen is that you cannot guarentee that you will get to see a guest, even with a VQ ticket.

 

The number of VQ tickets given out is always an educated estimate. If people had paid for these tickets, then the fallout if they did not get to see them would be way more toruble than it's worth.

[Too Tall]

I am just trying to get my head around the fact that you dont want there to be Virtual Tickets

Col., that's not 007paul007's concern. He suggested paying for the sig upfront when you first get the VT as a way of minimising the VTs...

Nicky - Col. is correct although Paul's first suggestion was about paying for VTs, he has later said he doesn't like the VQ system at all.

 

Paul - The problem is not the VQ system, it is that Collectormania is so popular. The reason some other shows don't use VTs is because they just don't have the queues that SM have. If you had 300+ people wanting to see a guest at one of those shows it would be madness, there would be a queue out the door. And at some SM events, guests see 600+ people, imagine a queue of 600+ people with no VQ system. I've never understood why these other shows are so quiet on the signing front, but they are. I've seen guests that at an SM show have seen 500+ people in a day, yet at the other event you'll see them sat there in the middle of the day with no queue at all. Basically SM events are popular, and have big queues. The VQ system is a necessity at SM events.

 

You don't like the waiting and I understand with your kids it's a problem for you. But it's a fact of SM events that there will be big queues and there will be waiting.

 

If you can find the same guests at a quieter event, then great, go ahead and see them there. But the reason SM events are so popular is because they get guests other shows don't.

Edited August 15, 2006 by Too Tall

[007paul007]

The VQ idea that is going to be done at another might be bad or good, i don't know as it as never been tried, just wait and see how it goes I am sure there will be feedback on it from people on here, good or bad, it might turn out terrible it might turn out to be fantastic, no one knows.

It's true I am not a fan of VQ, but if I have the time and depending on how badly I really want the signature I play the day how it comes, but yes I do grab a ticket and wait up to a time I have to go, yes I can get them at other places in there is no one I really want at this event so far as I have gotten all the bond stars, I met Helen Slater years ago and the rest don't really bother me, so this event doesn't grab me so far but who knows who or what is round the corner. I think it is great for MK that the events are here as it brings lots of revenue and visitors in to the city and long may it continue.

[chris_mk]

and I live in MK

 

Sorry, I think you utterly negated your original point. As you live in MK, you can go into the centre in the morning, pick up your VQ tickets (in about 10 minutes), go home... come back at around 4pm (kids in tow) and get your auto's easily!

 

The VQ system as it is, couldn't be more ideal for you!

[007paul007]

Chris MK

 

Do you know anything about severe autism, Epilepsy and Irritable Bowel syndrome ? I hope you do know something about this and can advise me on how to keep the stress, unfornately for my son he cannot handle places with large amounts of people, so according to you I should take him and put him through the stress that can make things worse just to make VQ work for me ?

 

Do you know what it is like to get a carer on the weekend ? A nightmare, too many people will stress my eldest out and a change of routine also stress's him out, this is a common autistic trait. Stress can cause you to have a fit and if his IBS is on a bad day then he would not go far. Sorry my children are more of a priority than my hobby.

 

I also don't drive and using public transport during those busy days are a nightmare, yes I could do as you say, but I put my children first before first.

 

Thankyou for your kind very thoughtful comments.