Fenlock Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Hi guys, Sorry for newb question - ive not been to Collectormania before, and im really looking forward to this weekend. I know it's kind of a "how long is a piece of string" type question, but to the members here who have been before - how early do people turn up on the first day roughly before the doors open. Is it the sort of show where people will be queueing since the early hours of the morning, or would say an hour (maybe 2?) or so before the doors open be OK? I did a search and most people just say "arrive early for best chance with the virtual tickets etc) but just wondered how early is early really. Just want to try and avoid the "ah - yep, should of got here earlier scenario" if we turn up at 8am and the queues 3 miles long :) Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted May 26, 2011 Moderators Share Posted May 26, 2011 Friday shouldn't be that busy that you need to worry about being there early. Sat/Sun is generally busier. Just depends who you want to get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbrookes Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Friday shouldn't be that busy that you need to worry about being there early. Sat/Sun is generally busier. Just depends who you want to get? I thought Friday wasn't open for this event? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liannalorne Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Friday shouldn't be that busy that you need to worry about being there early. Sat/Sun is generally busier. Just depends who you want to get? is it open on Friday now?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 No it's not, David was just in the habit of answering per the old time table. It's the first time Friday isn't happening. Change Friday for Monday and the answer is still applicable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liannalorne Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 lol, thought id missed somthing somewhere.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted May 26, 2011 Moderators Share Posted May 26, 2011 Friday won't be very busy because people aren't there. That much is clear from my original post, and if anyone read it in any other way, they're clearly wrong. Not me. You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adriangill Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 (edited) The circle is now complete.... Edited May 26, 2011 by 1of2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liannalorne Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Friday won't be very busy because people aren't there. That much is clear from my original post, and if anyone read it in any other way, they're clearly wrong. Not me. You. i was having a stoopid ass moment.. brain is switched on now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuato_Lives Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 From my own experience. I have turned up at 9am on the dot at each convention (I HATE standing in non moving queues (Unless i'm at the front lol) ) I have been to with a pre-ordered ticket off the internet and have been able to get every autograph i've wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adriangill Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Just want to try and avoid the "ah - yep, should of got here earlier scenario" if we turn up at 8am and the queues 3 miles long :) Cheers It is difficult to predict. You could end up 100th in the entry queue but find that everybody in front of you wants to see a different guest than you. So effectively you are first. Personally I normally arrive around 7.30am to 8am. This is mainly to avoid traffic in the early part of my journey. In the last four years I have never regretted not arriving earlier. Sometimes I have been in the first dozen of the queue, other times I have been closer to 200. If you intend spending most of the day at the event then I don't think that you will have any problems meeting anybody. Of course others may disagree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vitani Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 For the first time since going to Collectormania, I'm planning on arriving after the doors open (10-10.30 on Sat). It takes me 2-2 1/2 hours to get there, so I'll have to get up early enough as it is. Whenever I have got there early, because I was worried about not seeing all the guests, I always found that I still had plenty of time left over, and was not in danger of missing anyone. That said, if you do want to get virtual tickets early, then getting there at opening time should be fine. There might be lots of people there already, but the queue to get in moves pretty quickly once the doors are open, so you can swift walk round the arena collecting virtual tickets and then start queuing or browsing, without being worried about missing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malty Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 (edited) Takes me an hour and a half to get there, like Vitani, have to get up stupid early to get there at 9am so I choose to arrive at 10:30-11am much easier on me that way. I have never missed a guest when arriving at 11am and always get to do what I planned to with plenty of time left over. Edited May 26, 2011 by malty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbrookes Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I plan to leave home about 9 on Sunday as it takes my 30 minutes to get there. It doesn't open until 10 and I don't know how busy Alex Kingston will be, so hopefully this will be enough to get a good number. This is all on the assumption that I can get up Sunday morning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timelord81r Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I normally arrive just after doors so I dont have to queue lol, however I want a kingston auto so will arrive early on sunday for that, im thinking around 8am. sat ill get there on doors if not a little after (would be later but I want to get shiltons auto before my photo shoots start as he leaves early) monday I will get there about 10.30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenlock Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Thanks guys, cheers for the ideas. Guess for Saturday will aim for 8ish and see how we get on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebredy Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 (edited) My other half and I will be leaving about 6am, usually there are road works the way we come as there always doing some work on the M1, at least it feels like that when we want to go to MK lol (reminds me of London, they only ever seem to be doing work on the lines we want to use on the weekends we need to go to London for something..) Anyway hopefully we should arrive sometime between 7:00-7:30am I usually can't sleep much the night before the event lol, and for me as soon as we get in the car, I feel like the fun has already started. Plus last time I went there was some place to eat that was just outside the stadium on the side we were on, so if we get there a little early and find that there is no queue then we might be able to catch a quick cheap bite to eat (the food inside was not priced that well last time if memory serves me right) think it was a McDonalds or something similar? ___ VQ tickets (remember them they are great) In case you didn't know, there will be someone at the beginning of every guests queue handing out numbered tickets Virtual Queue Tickets (this does not always apply to guests who are not as popular on the day) you basically get given a ticket with a number on for that guest and can come back to get an auto from the guest any time after your number appears on the board near the guest. So if you have number 21 and 1-20 is written then you gotta wait, but once anything over 21 and above is called you can then go and get in the queue for that guest. Once your number is called you can go back any time during the day if you want, to get your auto, (though they will usually take your VQ ticket away from you once you enter the queue, so if you decided you wanted to see that guest later in the day for something else, you would have to get another VQ ticket..) Its great cause even if you get there later in the day and get a number like 100 and there still only up too say 50-60 for that guest then you can go off brows the dealers tables etc and come back just to check if your number has been posted yet. Even if it has been called you can just go wander around the event and come back when ever you want (so long as you don't leave it too long, like near closing time lol) ___ As 1of2 said, you could get there at 6,7 or 8 and find not many people queueing at all, on the other hand you could get there at 7 and find the queue is massive. I just play it safe by getting there at least an hour before the event, and making sure I put the guests in order of who I think might be more popular on the day (those guests top of my list I go and get a VQ ticket from them first) Nothing else I can add other then hope all newbies going have a great time, as I know I will.. LLAP Edited May 26, 2011 by zebredy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adriangill Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Plus last time I went there was some place to eat that was just outside the stadium on the side we were on, so if we get there a little early and find that there is no queue then we might be able to catch a quick cheap bite to eat (the food inside was not priced that well last time if memory serves me right) think it was a McDonalds or something similar?There was a McDonalds right next to the stadium last year. I assume it is still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howie Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Well for the first time ever I am going to a Monday SM event will be interesting to see how busy or not busy the main guests will be!Can't wait getting excited now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Fooku Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 When you say little need for camping out, does that mean the Dick Emery costume I was planning on wearing won't be of any use now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebredy Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Theres a McDs, and KFC. Plus theres an Asda superstore, and if u fancy cheap hotdogs.. IKEA. With no huuuuuge names, there'll be little need for any camping out, (Hobbit CM... ~shudder~). I remember when there were Heroes guests at an event (excuse spelling) plus Patrick Stewart was there too, that event was manic, as hell, I agree this one shouldn't be half as bad but the events are still very popular so there will still be a fair few people in attendance.. Forgot about the hotdogs, for less then 50p for a small one (last time I went) there very good for the money, I bet the queue is going to be long lol. If in doubt a sandwich always does the trick as it will save you loads, LLAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenlock Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Nothing else I can add other then hope all newbies going have a great time, as I know I will.. Thanks mate, appreciate the writeup - really helps me know what to expect and pre-plan the day! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giuseppe1969 Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 For various reasons I have often arrived to convention events quite late (like 3.00 in the afternoon) and discovered that most guests (even the most popular) had an open queue so I had time for auto, picture at the table (those were the times...) and a chat. However, this tactic is also risky and you might end up getting not to meet the busiets guests. In 6 years, this tactic failed only once with Christopher Lloyd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinkyKnights Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Remember, folks, that the doors don't open till 10am on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicAvatar Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Heh, that brings back memories. The Heroes mania at LFCC was the only time I didn't get to meet guests as intended. I discovered afterwards that, had I hung on, I might have got a "P" from Hayden (or whatever her autograph had become by the end, given that she soldiered through over 1,000 of them at a rate of knots. ) I got my Pasdar/Ventimiglia sandwich photo, though, so was very happy. I'm turning up somewhere between 10:30 and 11am tomorrow so I have time to grab VTs before my first photoshoot of the day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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