Suggestions for Next Time

[Bohan_]

Wow, that's possibly the strangest complaint I've seen on here! It's pretty easy to be up for 9.30, especially if all you're talking about is the talks - when all you have to do is roll out of bed, come down and sit in a sit for a while. I understand people complaining about early photo shoots when they have to beautify themselves but even then, every other convention I've ever done has had photo shoots starting at 9am so still not really a problem if you ask me! Thousands of people have managed to get out of bed in the past, I'm sure you can manage it too!

 

Nope far far too early

[lams9999]

As for other things, I did have a few niggles but I'm too tired to remember them now so I'll just say one thing for tonight - I liked Saturday's schedule. Having the autographs in such a large room worked particularly well, I thought, and the only reason it caused problems on Sunday was the need to reset the room multiple times. If the signing was all over before the talks (or vice versa) like on Saturday, Sunday would have been nigh on perfect if you ask me

 

Agreed

 

I think the problems they had on sunday with the main hall resulted mostly from the 100 extra group shots

they had to do for the gold pass ticket holders that were not initialy planned.

[DavidB]

Really enjoyed the convention but did not like the fact that the talks happened so early on Sunday morning, how am I supposed to wake for that?

 

Wow, that's possibly the strangest complaint I've seen on here! It's pretty easy to be up for 9.30 ...

 

You kinda have to understand what his Saturday night was like to realise why

[Adeline]

I had a great time overall, but I did think a few details here and there left room for improvement - which I think was completely understandable as this was the first event of its kind for ME. I'll try to keep my suggestions short and concise:

 

- I agree the Gold Programme cocktail party felt a bit cramped. I love the idea of tables that guests would each visit in turn. This would ensure all attendees get to meet the guests properly, while keeping stress to a minimum for every one. (Of course, this suggestion entails finding a larger room to hold the reception in.)

 

- Get Malcolm some paracetamol and/or ear plugs. I realize he was working under very stressful conditions, but I have to say being told to stop talking every couple of minutes was very grating. Here we merrily stood, sharing our excitement with friends (or attempting to), and getting constantly yelled at for it definitely put a damper on that joyous spirit. Whether or not David Anders's taunting remarks at the photographer's expense were justified, I must admit - with all due respect to Malcolm's work - I certainly felt vindicated when he made them.

 

- I was puzzled to find Room Exclusives were limited to one set for each room, eventhough many were shared by two full-paying convention attendees. As a side note, we in my room did not get them and had to ask for it at the reception desk. So maybe a little more attention there could be of use.

 

- More watercoolers throughout the convention area would be appreciated, if at all possible, as well as themed non-alcoholic drinks to be served at the bar during the parties.

 

- The talks were my favorite part this weekend, so hopefully we'll be getting more talk time at the next conventions. These all felt rather short, wonderful though they all were. More microphones in the audience might also make a big difference, as the MC wouldn't have to run all across the room in-between every question. I felt this slowed down the pace maybe a little too much at times.

 

These are all I can think of at the moment. All in all, it was a great convention, and I dearly hope I'll be able to return for Eclipse 2.

Edited March 17, 2008 by Adeline

[Miss_G]

.

 

As for photoshoot - I couldnt afford any. However, when the group one was annonced I went an queued for a ticket with my girlfriend. Was then told for both of us to have 1 photo was going to cost £80! We couldnt pay for just 1! I thought you were paying for a "session" - hence we both take up 1 "session" between us we should only pay for 1? So we left dissappointed...

 

 

£80 for both of you to have a group photo together, thats seems a bit steep, the last con I was at you paid the set price for the photo and if you wanted an extra person with you it was add £5 per person, not double it.

 

This is the reason I didn't buy one. I was not paying £80 for 2 of us, especially after buying individual photos for all of the guests. I guessed that would be the case though, so I'm not complaining about that. And I'm pretty sure they sold all 200 anyway.

 

I had a great time, despite the hiccups.

 

Obviously I have to add my moans - I was not aware of the 'safe bag' room until I read this forum. I didn't see it and wasn't told about it. I got told off for having my jumper with me in one of the photo sessions (even though I'd only just taken it off so I didn't look the same in all my pics), but even then wasn't told about this room. I saw the signs saying no bags, but was just left bewildered as to what to do with my stuff, especially as I was staying at a different hotel so couldn't just nip to my room.

 

Suggestions - announce all this sort of stuff to everyone, along with reiterating rules such as no filming, just so everyone is clear.

 

I have read some comments on the gold ticket cocktail party, and hope this is sorted for next time. Most people pay the extra money so they can have that chance at meeting the guests, so its very disappointing if they miss out. Having tables with the guests at each table for a set time is a good idea.

[ShortyAZK]

Oh I thought of another small one, having the information white board by the doors to the main hall meant that everyone was crowded in that one small area, having it somewhere else or more than one of them around the hotel (out by reception maybe near reg desk and near the bar) would mean everybody didn't have to crowd round the same place to see any updates!!! :)

[Jinx]

I had a wicked time - really enjoyed it!

 

all i have to say is more information in advanced so there isn't 800 people all standing around going HUH? i dont get it...

 

I had a slight issue with the fact that I didn't know when i could go for stuff, mainly in regards to the autograph sesh (the photos' worked perfectly for me) so just resulted in me having to wonder away and come back every so often to see if my group had been called, and in the end after waiting several hours my group wasn't called at all - which simply goes back to more information in advanced.

 

I loved the MC it meant that anyone who's too shy to get up still got to get there questions answered and it kept repeats down and eliminated those infuriatingly rubbish questions that are a total waste of time.

 

Ultimately i got everything i wanted so regardless of tweekage it was a great weekend.

 

my only real disappointment was that there was no Sunday party? I got all ready and in the mood to go down and dance and have a fantastic night not having to worry about being hungover threw photo sesh's etc and it was just nothing... real anti-climax for me.

[Rob_Beddall]

only gripe i have is the lack of a 3rd themed party.

It turned out to not be that bad in the end but a proper party / send off would have been better i feel. (seeing as I saved my best costume for last )

 

other than that it was a great event and I enjoyed it loads...

 

P.s The chairs at the talks were uncomfortable as hell as well but hey can't have everything

[thefreckles]

He did variate slightly on saturday night. He wasnt playing some of the major con songs, so a few of us kept asking him to which he said he didnt have them. We asked has he got internet access on the laptop he had which he said yes, so we said download the stuff then, and lo and behold about an hour later Doctoring the tardis was played

 

Only a slight variation!?!?!?

 

We also pestered him for that on Friday and he said he didn't have it but would THINK about playing it if we got it for him the next night (along with Voodoo Child and some other con and non con songs). I put a mix on my external drive for him and approached him after the looooooooooooooong Michael Jackson impersonator but he said i) I'd only say I'd think about playing Doctoring the Tardis (in a very 'I'm too important' and 'Don't bother me' tone and ii) after stating that he only had a Mac and didn't know if they'd work (ummm, I'm pretty sure Macs play MP3s, I know all my friends' do), said someone else had given him a CD with a load of con dances on it anyway... DJ does not equal God!

 

We also requested other songs and, yes, he did play a few but I got the distinct impression he felt he was doing you an immense favour and was just so bloomin' condescending about the whole thing. His attitude over both nights really annoyed me. He just needed to look at what got the dance floor packed and what cleared it and pay attention to what people liked and he didn't

Edited March 18, 2008 by thefreckles

[Guest Quinny83]

there should have been a cloak room provided for the parties because I, like most people had to travel to get to the hotel and so I had to carry my coat around all night with me and it really didn't match any of my costumes.

[Morden]

There should have been free wine at the "drinks reception" party!

 

Oh.... wait....

 

I'll shut up now.

[KarenRoss]

There should have been free wine at the "drinks reception" party!

 

Oh.... wait....

 

I'll shut up now.

 

No but I could have used some Coke as I don´t drink alcohol and water isn´t that stylish, lol

[Morden]

There should have been free wine at the "drinks reception" party!

 

Oh.... wait....

 

I'll shut up now.

 

No but I could have used some Coke as I don´t drink alcohol and water isn´t that stylish, lol

 

You mean you were at that party and you didn't say Hello!?

[KarenRoss]

There should have been free wine at the "drinks reception" party!

 

Oh.... wait....

 

I'll shut up now.

 

No but I could have used some Coke as I don´t drink alcohol and water isn´t that stylish, lol

 

You mean you were at that party and you didn't say Hello!?

 

I was there but I was too busy trying to talk to Santiago because he was the only one who spoke spanish, lol, but finally I got it and then it was the same thing with Noah and Cristine (not so lucky with them) until the heat was too much and I had to leave for a while, it was a busy hour, LOL

I will meet you next time, when I will be more relaxed because I will know what´s everything about, I promise!!!

[gail-154]

This was my first Con. Many thanks to the Jedi Chefs - particularly Neil, Steve & Vada - who adopted me and made me feel so welcome, particularly as I went on my own.

 

As a newbie, I haven't got anything to compare it to but, other than things that Showmasters are already planning on improving for next time, my main comments are related to the differences between Saturday and Sunday.

 

I found the structure of Saturday much better than Sunday: photos and autographs in the morning; talks in the afternoon. I missed 2 of the 3 talks on Sunday morning (only caught the Jessalyn and David one), as they coincided with my 3 photoshoots. As I couldn't afford to book the extra group photo, I then ended up with a huge gap until the final autograph sessions after lunch. By then I had already got all of my autographs, and had been round the dealers' rooms several times, so I weakened and bought an extra autograph to fill the time when the open queues opened. (That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!)

 

I just hope Showmasters can arrange the schedules for both days next time so that I can see all of the talks, and that they produce a DVD of Eclipse so that I can catch up with what I missed this time.

[Morden]

This was my first Con. Many thanks to the Jedi Chefs - particularly Neil, Steve & Vada - who adopted me and made me feel so welcome, particularly as I went on my own.

 

Thank you! You are very welcome; I am glad that you found us friendly!