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Saturday queue feedback


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I thought that the queue to get in was well-managed. :rolleyes:

The management of the photo queues was very good but not completely consistent.

I had a diamond pass for Tony Robinson. I arrived a few minutes after he'd started his first shoot.  I'd just been to another shoot.  I was told to join the back of the queue, behind people with batch tickets. :(  There was no "safety" reason.  A number of people with orange access wrist bands and batch tickets (but no visible mobility challenges) who arrived after me were shown to the front of queue.  

I had a batch 1 ticket for Miranda Richardson.  The queue was more tightly packed than Tony's.  Diamond pass and gold pass holders who arrived after me were slotted in in front of  me and the other batch 1 people. 

I thought that the guys supervising Miranda's queue interpreted the rule as I understood it but I was puzzled by what happened at Tony's shoot (although it didn't spoil my enjoyment!).

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@Apefan1 I don't know what point you were making by adding that they had no obvious mobility problems but just thought I should respond. As said above it doesn't matter if they don't look disabled they have proven it to Showmasters satisfaction and not all issues are obvious upon first glance. They absolutely should have been shown to the front of the queue but I'm sorry you did not get your diamond advantage.

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20 hours ago, scifisteve said:

I am confused, what held you up ? I had the 3 Day Band ( got mine on Friday) on Saturday I went through security then just walked to the 3 day Lane holding up banded wrist and walked through to join the main queue.

Took forever to get into the hall and even then going through the bit where you showed your wristband it all joined the same queue anyway so took even more time. 

Yeah I arrived at 10amish not bang on opening. Sounds like that went a bit quicker for people 

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45 minutes ago, Dreamweaver187 said:

Please remember your aim as a disabled person is for equality not priority !!

Otherwise your no better than the people your fighting against 

 

 

So what's your solution then? Nothing in place to help disabled people? If I was in the regular queue I would not have been able to do it. I would have had to show up early and stay on my feet for hours to get in early or show up late, maybe still be on my feet for hours and then not be able to get anything because the lifts in Olympia are bad and in a very bad location in relation to the guests (not Showmasters fault). Disabled people had to be let in as pointed out by QS earlier they would have been crushed in the rush to get in. I can't move very fast and need to stop often when trying to move distances. I likely would have been knocked over or pushed by people in a rush to get to their guest. People in wheelchairs would not have been much better off. The second queue was a lifesaver and I honestly don't understand why you have an issue with this small advantage for those who are most in need.

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13 hours ago, Marcowinch said:

I had a different problem the saturday : I was at LFCC's doors at 05:00 am and was 14th in the line... I managed to keep this position during all the long wait to 09:00am. But 10mn before the opening of the con, WHAT ? The line for disabled people enters first ??? Lots of people skipping the queue this way !! Including many 'so-called' helpers and some disabled persons who seemed able to run.  And so, instead of getting a VT numbered 14 or about , i got a ticket number 131 (!) for the actor i was coming to see. This seems completely an anormal situation to me and it was stressful.

Don't get me wrong : i have nothing against the disabled persons and i understand that many need special care, but what prevents an healthy guy to persuade a disabled person of his family to come with him at the con so that, as an helper, he can skip all the main queue ?

 

Can’t even begin to reply to this as I would like as I don’t want to get banned from the forum. I was a “so-called” helper who got in with my disabled partner and yes I walked quickly to get VQ’s that numbered 1-20. You know why, because my partner lives with fibromyalgia. A chronic pain condition that means that not only is the vast majority of the event massively uncomfortable for her, but she has the anxiety of being in huge crowded areas at spam height all day unable to see anything and feel enclosed. She has the escapism of these TV shows she watches as she lies in bed, some days unable to move, whilst worrying about having to go back to work tomorrow despite the bad day because she can’t take another sick day as she’s already up to her limit and is worrying wether or not she’ll lose her job. If me “running” ahead of you to ensure she gets these signatures that she can frame and put on her wall to look at while she is in this pain, or think about that brief moment she met the celebrity ensures that I am able to get those memories for her then yes, I’m glad I got in ahead of you because it’s one of the few things she’s able to enjoy these days. You probably actually got your autograph and had the inconvenience of having to queue a bit longer. What a hardship. In the long term scale of things you’ll look at it and remember only getting it, none of the circumstances surrounding it. When my partner’s looking at hers I hope she still has the full use of her arms to be able to pick it up. 

At the end of the day mate it’s a queue for an autograph. Perspective. You did not have a “stressful” situation. Not by a long, long way.

 

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3 hours ago, Apefan1 said:

I thought that the queue to get in was well-managed. :rolleyes:

The management of the photo queues was very good but not completely consistent.

I had a diamond pass for Tony Robinson. I arrived a few minutes after he'd started his first shoot.  I'd just been to another shoot.  I was told to join the back of the queue, behind people with batch tickets. :(  There was no "safety" reason.  A number of people with orange access wrist bands and batch tickets (but no visible mobility challenges) who arrived after me were shown to the front of queue.  

I had a batch 1 ticket for Miranda Richardson.  The queue was more tightly packed than Tony's.  Diamond pass and gold pass holders who arrived after me were slotted in in front of  me and the other batch 1 people. 

I thought that the guys supervising Miranda's queue interpreted the rule as I understood it but I was puzzled by what happened at Tony's shoot (although it didn't spoil my enjoyment!).

Another one. You got your photo, you had to wait a bit longer. Every single person with an orange access pass would gladly swap their place in the queue with you for their condition whether you could “see” it or not. Staggering ignorance in this thread. It’s shameful.

EDIT; @EllaBlair snap! Beat me to it.

Edited by Ravogd
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1 hour ago, Jemzamia said:

Took forever to get into the hall and even then going through the bit where you showed your wristband it all joined the same queue anyway so took even more time. 

Yeah I arrived at 10amish not bang on opening. Sounds like that went a bit quicker for people 

I don't understand why a 3-day entry band should get priority over someone who has a 1 day entry in the main queue... 

 

For the person (I'm sorry I don't remember who) who commented on the stationary queue outside at opening on Saturday - one of the security ladies commented to me as I passed (she was marvelling at the queue still to come) that they HAD to stop people going through bag check as the inside was totally full at open.  Once it was safe to do so they started letting people in again.

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6 minutes ago, Dreamweaver187 said:

I didn’t say Anything about “nothing in place for disabled people” did I ?

Read my earlier post !!!

 

 

 

 

Apologies no you did not. I got confused between the multiple people in the thread.

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I really do not appreciate that this post has been hijacked by people whining about the disabled queue/patrons being let in a smidge early. 

This is not an issue. They need that access. Not all disabilities are visible and some people’s attitudes here are really ableist.

I also have friends who used SM access this weekend and they still found it lacking in many ways (and they have passed on this feedback themselves) so it is by no means a magical, beat the queue system some people are making it out to be. 

Edited by Jemzamia
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I think SM is doing a great job making the con manageable for the extra help pass attendes. I saw several times that they were put close to the front of the lines in both auto and photo queues. They also supplied chairs for them to sit on while in the queues, something I haven't seen in previous years. So good job SM and crew! :thumbup:

And that is coming from someone who doesn't have a extra help pass.

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13 hours ago, Marcowinch said:

I had a different problem the saturday : I was at LFCC's doors at 05:00 am and was 14th in the line... I managed to keep this position during all the long wait to 09:00am. But 10mn before the opening of the con, WHAT ? The line for disabled people enters first ??? Lots of people skipping the queue this way !! Including many 'so-called' helpers and some disabled persons who seemed able to run.  And so, instead of getting a VT numbered 14 or about , i got a ticket number 131 (!) for the actor i was coming to see. This seems completely an anormal situation to me and it was stressful.

Don't get me wrong : i have nothing against the disabled persons and i understand that many need special care, but what prevents an healthy guy to persuade a disabled person of his family to come with him at the con so that, as an helper, he can skip all the main queue ?

 

I take great offence to this  my 21 year old son has hydrocephalus and severe autism. We got let in 10 minutes early and my daughter went ahead to get the VQ tickets for the guests that he wanted. My son has what is known as a hidden disability, meaning he looks like there is nothing wrong with him. If you are shallow enough to begrudge people who continuously suffer through like 10 extra minutes so they’re not trampled and shoved by everyone else. 

we had to jump through hoops to get that help including needing letters from doctors. It’s not easy to get an extra help pass. Of course there will be abuses as there is in any system, but did you forget about the gold pass people who also get in 10 minutes early. If you want to guarantee that special guest then pay for your diamond pass. We went all weekend, and my son only went Friday and guess what? We queued right alongside everyone else those other two days. I think with all the stuff my son has to put up with in life he deserves those 10 minutes 

 

So many disabilities are different or hidden, how can you be sure all those helpers weren’t needed. Certainly I needed my wife and daughter to help with my son. 

 

PS he had a lovely time. SM were fantastic as was Mark Henry - his favourite guest 

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There is nothing in my post to suggest any objection to the orange wristband holders being able to get the front of the queue.  They were entitled to expect that treatment, as far as I am aware. My point was that diamond pass holders could safely have been gone to the front.  I just thought that that was how the diamond passes were supposed to work.  

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1 minute ago, Apefan1 said:

There is nothing in my post to suggest any objection to the orange wristband holders being able to get the front of the queue.  They were entitled to expect that treatment, as far as I am aware. My point was that diamond pass holders could safely have been gone to the front.  I just thought that that was how the diamond passes were supposed to work.  

That's how I thought they worked too. Any time I used this or saw it in use usually the diamond pass holder was told to find the last diamond pass and join the queue behind them. Not sure why it wasn't in place for you in this instance.

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2 hours ago, Dreamweaver187 said:

Please remember your aim as a disabled person is for equality not priority !!

Otherwise your no better than the people your fighting against 

 

 

You should be ashamed of yourself I don’t what world you live in. If it’s equality you want, you don’t know the struggle. Why don’t you go to LFCC next year with headphones on turned up full blast, hands tied to your side, then be completely anxious about people touching you in crowded rooms and you’ll maybe understand what my autistic son goes through every time he leaves the house

thats equality, you do that and I’ll start listening. He’s been like this his entire life, 22 years, so I think those extra 10 minutes at the con are deserved 

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1 minute ago, Clyde said:

You should be ashamed of yourself I don’t what world you live in. If it’s equality you want, you don’t know the struggle. Why don’t you go to LFCC next year with headphones on turned up full blast, hands tied to your side, then be completely anxious about people touching you in crowded rooms and you’ll maybe understand what my autistic son goes through every time he leaves the house

thats equality, you do that and I’ll start listening. He’s been like this his entire life, 22 years, so I think those extra 10 minutes at the con are deserved 

Hey Clyde I hope your son managed to have a good time at LFCC. I ran into a young woman several times during the event who had a sign around her neck saying she was autistic and to be patient with her. I had some great chats with her and her mother over the weekend as we saw many of the same guests. I hope it wasn't overly stressful for either her or your son.

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10 minutes ago, Apefan1 said:

There is nothing in my post to suggest any objection to the orange wristband holders being able to get the front of the queue.  They were entitled to expect that treatment, as far as I am aware. My point was that diamond pass holders could safely have been gone to the front.  I just thought that that was how the diamond passes were supposed to work.  

If that’s the case then I apologise for my reaction. You are correct in that Diamond pass holders should have had immediate access if they arrive once they have started calling batch numbers. You caused my confusion by bringing the orange passes into it without it being relevant to the issue you were having and in the middle of a heated discussion where someone else was complaining about extra help passes. The issue there was the blue shirt not knowing the correct procedure. You should indeed have been let straight in.

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Regarding the Diamond Pass holders and the photo priority: at this point I can only assume that the crew got confused there because for autos the priority expires once the dedicated Diamond time is over. 

I've put it on 'the list' for TooTall. 

For the other ongoing discussion, please everyone take a deep breath. I really don't want to dish out bans over this. But I already had to hide two posts because the wording was totally out of line. I will not be looking at this forever.

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34 minutes ago, Clyde said:

You should be ashamed of yourself I don’t what world you live in. If it’s equality you want, you don’t know the struggle. Why don’t you go to LFCC next year with headphones on turned up full blast, hands tied to your side, then be completely anxious about people touching you in crowded rooms and you’ll maybe understand what my autistic son goes through every time he leaves the house

thats equality, you do that and I’ll start listening. He’s been like this his entire life, 22 years, so I think those extra 10 minutes at the con are deserved 

Wait a minute do people really not read what others say or just jump on there high horse 

how did what I said cause you offence ?

by suggesting we as a society should all be treated equally and given equal opportunity and assistance if we need it ?...

Maybe you should also read my previous posts about my view on disabled access 

 

 

Edited by Dreamweaver187
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8 minutes ago, Dreamweaver187 said:

Wait a minute do people really not read what others say or just jump on there high horse 

how did what I said cause you offence ?

by suggesting we as a society should all be treated equally and given equal opportunity and assistance if we need it ?...

 

 

 

Yes people do you read what you say. It really isn’t as simple as that. It’s not about equality. Equality doesn’t even enter into it because it can’t be achieved in this respect. It’s just about you not understanding what people with disabilities go through 24/7 365 days a year. There is no comparison between constant struggle and any sort of attempt at “equality” or whatever else the initial problem you were raising was about. The offence was caused by your inability to see that. I get where you are coming from and believe me 2 years ago I would have posted what you have said literally word for word. My partner’s diagnosis really has opened my eyes and sadly almost everyone just cannot get it until they are exposed to it. 

It’s a pointless debate as all it will do is make people angry and get the thread closed as Queen has already said. Have the last word if you need to but I’m not discussing the issue any further.

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As a mother to a son with multiple severe disabilities from a very rare neurodegenerative condition, some of the comments on here have been hard to read. Saddening and disheartening. I get that unless it is something you have direct experience with in some way you cannot truly understand the daily struggles - physical, emotional, mental - that you have to cope with and try to persevere through. On the matter of questioning equality, I'm posting this image as I think it says plenty:

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@Queen_Sindel I'm sorry if this post is a problem it's just something I feel very strongly about and needed to say something.

Thank you showmasters for what you do for people with disabilities to try to make it inclusive and as good an experience as you can for all.

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