Latest Guest Announcement - PATRICK STEWART

[Beechy08]

We'll have to see how this one is layed out, but at most events the info/tickets table IS right inside the entrance.

 

MK in the shopping centre was only the way it was as there wasnt one entrance, you could come into the event from literally any angle lol

 

 

I just cant picture in my mind how it could be set out.

 

I get really paranoid when planning trips like this: "what time will people start queueing?", "I bet there's already a big queue when i get there, so im going to have to go earlier - and when i get there there's hardly anybody there so it wasnt worth panicking about" and silly stuff like that.

[lizzy88]

Hmmmm, I dont know how this would work with MK, as its free entry there isnt usually a queue to get in like LFCC.

 

but last year there was a queue for Nimoy - yes it was before doors, but that's the kind of thing that would work with an entrance system of tickets. Of course, if it's only one entrance, this would be pretty much impossible to implement. But if it's like CM15 with a different entrance for Nimoy than the main entrance, I think this could work wonders!

[adriangill]

From what I recall at C16 there were three entrances to queue at. One for people wanting VQ tickets for Leonard Nimoy, another for Nathan Fillion, and a general entrance for everyone else. They all opened at the same time, the Nimoy/Fillion queues were led to the specific guests signing areas to collect their tickets.Apart from the odd queue jumper/fast walker within the Nimoy queue, I think that main issue was that people from the general entrance queue also charged across and joined (i.e. barged) in to the Nimoy queue as close to the front as they could. I was near the front of the queue before it opened, I certainly wasn't by the time I got to the VQ area.

 

Of course with this event being in the hall rather than on the concourse, the entrances may differ. I do think a separate queue would be better if it's at all possible.

[BeatrixKiddo88]

I'm sure SM will work something out if they feel they need to.

 

They didnt at LFCC though when Stewart (and other big names) where there, they just implemented the no running rule.

[adriangill]

I have a suggestion to deter runners/queue jumpers. We have seen him with a lightsaber....so how about TooTall wielding a Bat'leth?

Edited May 9, 2010 by 1of2

[BeatrixKiddo88]

TooTall ws pretty good at imposing the rules at LFCC.

 

And us polite fans will of course grass on anyone we see running/jumping lol

[Chantellios]

i so wish i could go. slap bang in the middle of my exams :'(

 

he's my homeboy haha.

[lizzy88]

I have a suggestion to deter runners/queue jumpers. We have seen him with a lightsaber....so how about TooTall wielding a Bat'leth?

somehow I feel that would be more convincing to those not kowing what it is haha... plastic tube vs metal weapon?

 

(ps don't flame me! I love them both!)

[Queen_Sindel]

From what I recall at C16 there were three entrances to queue at. One for people wanting VQ tickets for Leonard Nimoy, another for Nathan Fillion, and a general entrance for everyone else. They all opened at the same time, the Nimoy/Fillion queues were led to the specific guests signing areas to collect their tickets.Apart from the odd queue jumper/fast walker within the Nimoy queue, I think that main issue was that people from the general entrance queue also charged across and joined (i.e. barged) in to the Nimoy queue as close to the front as they could. I was near the front of the queue before it opened, I certainly wasn't by the time I got to the VQ area.

 

Of course with this event being in the hall rather than on the concourse, the entrances may differ. I do think a separate queue would be better if it's at all possible.

 

 

Close - the second queue was Ben's, not Nathan's.

 

Queueing at different doors has been done in the shopping mall too, for James Marsters for example. So I am sure something will be done for this show as well.

[Abigail94]

no longer like you lot as am now stuck on meeting him or tommy and georgia Edited May 10, 2010 by Blonger

[adriangill]

Close - the second queue was Ben's, not Nathan's.

I knew it was one of those two, and took a gamble on which. Of course with Ben being one of the options I should have known better!

[Vitani]

The guests are never all announced, SM could potentially get people up to the night before!

 

They are always open to new guests

 

It's that just that the announcement about Robert Beltran said it was the last.

[talie]

Why do u care so much?

 

The announcement did say that, which suggests at the time they didnt know they were able to get stewart again, they have and he's a bloody massive guest. Just be greatful.

[Abigail94]

was wondering who should meet him or georgia and tommy

[Too Tall]

Showmasters, please could you consider giving the Virtual Queuing Tickets out for Mr Stewart as his queue enters the building insead of us having to queue up again at his table?

 

The reason I am asking is because there seems to be "Professional Queue Jumpers" at each event and they enter through the main entrance and sneek in the popular queues without having to be there 1 or 2 hours waiting with the rest of us. (This happened in the Leonard Nimoy queue last year, the people behind me who I had been talking to for an hour suddenly had someone appear in front of them. I asked who he was and embarrased he disappeared further down the queue).

 

I am NOT moaning about Showmasters as there is no way they can keep an eye on a queue of 200 - 300 people, when it is moving to a new location. I just think from previous experience if we are given the tickets BEFORE we join up with other people who have entered from other entrances it would be fairer on the people who have been queuing the longest.

 

What do other people think?

I'll have a think about how to make this system better. Thank you for bringing it up.

 

I have a suggestion to deter runners/queue jumpers. We have seen him with a lightsaber....so how about TooTall wielding a Bat'leth?

I do actually have a steel Bat'leth

 

Running =

[theentsrgoingtowar]

and also can we have a rule of no one keeping places for people while they nip off??????? if they leave the queue, they join the back.

 

I was in the Leonard Nimoy queue last year aswell, and this one person in front of me had held a place for 5 of his mates, who then all pushed in front and got infront of me :-( I said something to them and they just said, 'what are you going to do about it!'

 

I felt really angry and annoyed!! :-(

[MinkyKnights]

I was in the Leonard Nimoy queue last year aswell, and this one person in front of me had held a place for 5 of his mates, who then all pushed in front and got infront of me :-( I said something to them and they just said, 'what are you going to do about it!'

A cheeky tactic I've seen in action is someone arriving late, spotting (or perhaps looking for) someone they know in a queue, and standing chatting to them for long enough that they think people behind won't mind if they just stay there. It's really annoying to see this happening when they arrived an hour after you did.

Edited May 10, 2010 by MinkyKnights

[etmuse]

There's a difference, I think, between saving a place for a friend who's been waiting with you for 2 hours or whatever and nips off for a couple of minutes to find someone/buy a hot drink/whatever (fairly acceptable, if tough for those who don't have a friend to do so for them) and saving one for someone who didn't turn up until 2 hours later (not acceptable).

[BeatrixKiddo88]

Yeah I'd certainly let a friend join me if they had been with me beforehand and had to nip to the loo quickly. People behind me in the queue might have joined after my friend went and so think it rude.

 

I'd never just randomly let one or more of my friends into a queue with me though.

[Fisal316]

Just bought my X-men poster off ebay so i'm ready LoL

[Puddle Jumper]

Thanks for your reply Too Tall, anything to make it fairer for everyone is appreciated.

 

I have to admit generally I do not arrive early enough to be one of the first in the queue but I think if people get up very early to ensure themselves a low ticket number then they should get it! I am usually around ticket numbered 150 (probably lower without queue jumpers!) for whoever is the big crowd puller and get there about an hour beforehand. When you have a three year old who does not like queuing its a bit of a nightmare!

 

Maybe two queues is an idea?

 

Q1 = General admission to look around stalls etc. and get tickets later if they want to.

 

Q2 = All VT available as you enter and you just take the ones for people you want to see as you pass the relevant SM VT distributor. This ensures the people at the front who are prepared to queue up are getting their relevant choices first. Maybe each SM distributor has a picture of who their tickets are for rather than a name (or could have a picture and a name too), to ensure the queue moves quickly.

 

I just think it makes more sense to take the tickets to the queue rather than the queues to the tickets (if that makes sense!). Maybe the queues could be clearly separated before the entrance is opened to avoid anyone accidentally joining the wrong queue while they are moving.

 

Anyway, whatever you decide, I'll be there! Cheers SM!

[Queen_Sindel]

Q2 = All VT available as you enter and you just take the ones for people you want to see as you pass the relevant SM VT distributor. This ensures the people at the front who are prepared to queue up are getting their relevant choices first. Maybe each SM distributor has a picture of who their tickets are for rather than a name (or could have a picture and a name too), to ensure the queue moves quickly.

 

The idea of a separate Patrick queue with tickets being given out when the queue is let in makes perfect sense and I like that very much.

 

I can see quite a few problems with this new suggestion though. That would mean whoever is first in line gets ticket 1 for everyone. That will ultimately lead in fans quite likely grabbing more tickets than they want 'to be safe'. Even with the idea being "just take the ones of people you want to see" I'm not sure with how many fans this will hold up in the end.

 

Then the tickets are not used and someone behind them in the queue misses out because the VQ tickets have meanwhile run out.

 

I've seen fans offering money for VQ tickets at events when those had ran out, so this system is quite open to possible abuse.

 

Or maybe I am just too pessimistic sometimes.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Queen_Sindel

[Beechy08]

Thanks for your reply Too Tall, anything to make it fairer for everyone is appreciated.

 

I have to admit generally I do not arrive early enough to be one of the first in the queue but I think if people get up very early to ensure themselves a low ticket number then they should get it! I am usually around ticket numbered 150 (probably lower without queue jumpers!) for whoever is the big crowd puller and get there about an hour beforehand. When you have a three year old who does not like queuing its a bit of a nightmare!

 

Maybe two queues is an idea?

 

Q1 = General admission to look around stalls etc. and get tickets later if they want to.

 

Q2 = All VT available as you enter and you just take the ones for people you want to see as you pass the relevant SM VT distributor. This ensures the people at the front who are prepared to queue up are getting their relevant choices first. Maybe each SM distributor has a picture of who their tickets are for rather than a name (or could have a picture and a name too), to ensure the queue moves quickly.

 

I just think it makes more sense to take the tickets to the queue rather than the queues to the tickets (if that makes sense!). Maybe the queues could be clearly separated before the entrance is opened to avoid anyone accidentally joining the wrong queue while they are moving.

 

Anyway, whatever you decide, I'll be there! Cheers SM!

 

I like the idea of the 2 seperate queues. That way people who want VQTs can get the ones they want on the way in. I posted something quite similar somewhere too.

 

I am travelling down from St.Helens and Im getting a bit worried about not getting VQTs for who I want to meet. I hoping some will go open queue later on but Im still a bit anxious. I even bought dearer train tickets so I can travel at whatever time. I can only make the Saturday so I may have to make some sacrifices.

[Puddle Jumper]

Q2 = All VT available as you enter and you just take the ones for people you want to see as you pass the relevant SM VT distributor. This ensures the people at the front who are prepared to queue up are getting their relevant choices first. Maybe each SM distributor has a picture of who their tickets are for rather than a name (or could have a picture and a name too), to ensure the queue moves quickly.

 

The idea of a separate Patrick queue with tickets being given out when the queue is let in makes perfect sense and I like that very much.

 

I can see quite a few problems with this new suggestion though. That would mean whoever is first in line gets ticket 1 for everyone. That will ultimately lead in fans quite likely grabbing more tickets than they want 'to be safe'. Even with the idea being "just take the ones of people you want to see" I'm not sure with how many fans this will hold up in the end.

 

Then the tickets are not used and someone behind them in the queue misses out because the VQ tickets have meanwhile run out.

 

I've seen fans offering money for VQ tickets at events when those had ran out, so this system is quite open to possible abuse.

 

Or maybe I am just too pessimistic sometimes.

 

 

Yes I agree, I thought of the "possibe abuse" after I posted my comments. Oops.

 

Ok, next idea is just having a separate queue for the main people who most people want to see (Patrick Stewart and Linda Hamilton) and having only their VT given out with this queue.

 

Again, possible abuse with some people only wanting to see one and not the other but most people will want to see both. You could always do as you done with the Nimoy tickets, give them out to everyone but after a particular number ensure people know that they are not guaranteed to see the guest that day. Although if there are a lot of unused tickets then the higher numbers will come up quicker. Everyones happy! Maybe!

 

I know that everbody will have their particular guests which are important to them but for CM16 the above are going to be the most popular arn't they? Please tell me if I am wrong. Be gentle!

[Puddle Jumper]

..... if the above is still a bad idea, then maybe we can go with Plan A, give the Partick Stewart VQT's as the queue enters the building. At least we do not have to battle with all the onlooking shoppers just standing in the way while we try to get to the other guests tables now.