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[Hime no Toki]

This thread is for posting your thoughts/opinions on SDCC 2012!

From your experience this year, what were the pros and cons? What were the highlights and lowlights? Would you return again next year?

Also, you can discuss the particulars of the convention, such as the events, panels, masquerade, dances, etc., as well as what you thought about the con and hotel staff, the hotel, convention space, food, dealer's room, attendees, and whatever else pertaining to this year's San Diego Comic Con.

[El_Duque]

Besides the usual flow of mass humanity, of course security was a problem.

GMI should be dropped because they have no communication with Comic Con staff. One of the GMI guys told us to leave the line for room 23 on Friday because we lined up way too early. As we passed another GMI guy, he told us that were allowed too but told him we can't because his fellow employee said so. We then saw the same people going behind GMI and they said it was okay. So in short, we lost our spot due to incompetence.

Staff Pro needs to go also, they were rude if you wanted to take a quick picture at the Fox booth.

CSC needs better training, last year they had a handy light to see if your badge is real or not. This year, they were only checking if you had a valid badge holder. People could have easily made counterfeit badges and saved themselves alot of money. Also, on Preview Night, they let anyone with a 4-Day badge in and not see if they had the "W" on it. I was very upset because I spent the extra cash to make it to Preview Night and it was just unfair.

I never had a problem with A-One, it was maybe I only saw them do lines at certain places.

[Eurobeat King]

Comic Con should have a different colored badge holder to differentiate between those with Preview Night and those w/o. The badge says which type you have (PN or no PN) on the bottom, but it is covered when you put it in the red badge holder. Then the only difference is the letter "W" which anyone can write on there using a thin-sharpie and BAM! you get to go into Preview Night.

Again, the pre-reg. for SDCC on Preview Night is the best. I just followed the short line into the convention center and up the escalator, went to one of the many pre-reg people, and got my badge within one minute!

[Jonowxeno]

Ya, the badge pickup was really quick, might be because I had preview night badge instead of only a thurs and sun 1-day pass last year. So that was easier and quicker than I expected.

You guys are right about the 'W' for preview night people, there were way too many that got in with normal 4-day passes.

@El_Duque: You are spot on regarding the security. I kept getting told to go one thing, then reaching someone else, I would get told something completely different. There were some rude security people but some were nice too, so I think that just depends on the person.

I think the biggest problem were the clusters typically around WB, Fox and whichever booth that was doing Twilight. If security does not want a mass of people walking in from the aisles trying to get the free goodies, they should form it into lines rather than wait till it reaches critical mass and then try to move people or make lines, it won't work. Happened every single day. Not to mention plenty of people would just cut lines since there really is no separation between people waiting and people walking by.

Probably nothing Comic-Con or any crowded place can do, but I kept getting hit in the ankles/legs by people in wheelchairs and strollers. I understand they need more room and it's hard for them to navigate, but hitting me isn't going to get you through when there's no space. Not to mention because they are below eye level, I can't see them when crowds form.

Last thing isn't towards Comic Con, but rather groups of people who think walking slowly shoulder to shoulder is the proper way to get around. This is not the Zoo where paths are 25ft wide, Walk in a single file line!! Or move to the side to talk, don't block people trying to walk down aisles!

There's probably no solutions to these, but I still had a great time and will go again next year.

[StRoughNeck]

Originally Posted by Jonowxeno

Probably nothing Comic-Con or any crowded place can do, but I kept getting hit in the ankles/legs by people in wheelchairs and strollers. I understand they need more room and it's hard for them to navigate, but hitting me isn't going to get you through when there's no space. Not to mention because they are below eye level, I can't see them when crowds form.

eek, that sucks man. Did they at least apologize? I got crashed into pretty hard on Sunday, but the guy apologized profusely and was generally nice. I guess it depended on the day? All the ones I ran into seemed pretty patient, at least ALOT better then they have been in the past on my side.

I liked the A-one security (Dark blue shirts yes?). They seemed very considerate of people in line and of people in costume. I got chewed by a CSC (the yellow shirt guys I believe) for being outside the rope border for the masquerade line, but I Couldn't fit in the place they marked off without making the person behind me get squished by my shoulder piece. A D.blue shirt guy was nice enough to go ask his manager if it was O.K for me to stand on the outside after watching us all awkwardly stand trying not to get in other peoples space. That took me by surprise completely and will love that guy forever. (and I received an awesome dirty look every time the yellow guard walked by).

... I'm I the only one here that feels like the fire marshal stuff is a little extreme? Some of these areas they block off seem outrageous, and this is just a little peeve of mine is them moving the masquerade Stage for photographers. I liked it being on the other side of ballroom 20 in the open, not shoved into a room.
I enjoyed watching all the photographers setup when it was in its old spot, but it caused such a cluster in front of 22(or was it 23) since they couldn't set up actually go into the room till 8.

[atomic99]

Oh, we didn't get into the photographer's room for the masquerade until after 8:30pm. That was really my only complaint with the new set up. But they would have finished earlier if they didn't have to deal with three unions and a missing ladder problem. The new room does limit the ability to photograph cosplayers not in the masquerade dropping by but we did what we could in the hallway.

Once in the room, things were not that bad. We had plenty of space. Our one bad apple of a photographer was MIA this year, thankfully. There was a bouncer at the doorway to check to see if you were on the list since some people showed up without being on the list or, in the case of some press, cut to the front of the line and thought they could get in early. Thankfully, they got bounced and had to get back into the line like the rest of us.

[Eurobeat King]

Originally Posted by atomic99

The new room does limit the ability to photograph cosplayers not in the masquerade dropping by but we did what we could in the hallway.

Once in the room, things were not that bad. We had plenty of space. Our one bad apple of a photographer was MIA this year, thankfully. There was a bouncer at the doorway to check to see if you were on the list since some people showed up without being on the list or, in the case of some press, cut to the front of the line and thought they could get in early. Thankfully, they got bounced and had to get back into the line like the rest of us.

I didn't do the photo-area this year for the Masquerade. Glad to see that there was a new room for the contestants to be photographed after their performance.

I didn't see the "bad apple" all weekend, but then again I didn't see a lot of people. hehe

[atomic99]

Originally Posted by Eurobeat King

I didn't see the "bad apple" all weekend, but then again I didn't see a lot of people. hehe

I didn't see you once. I know I cut back on my days and photo taking this year but I thought I'd see you at least once.

The "bad apple" was still discussed amongst the other photographers though. Others remembered him being a pain that he was in previous years. But we shared stories about him so the others know that this is someone we don't want back. He's got a reputation now and isn't wanted.

We did have the paramedics come through the room during the awards. One of the contestants back stage took a fall and was hurt. I didn't find out who but I hope they are okay. Our stage helper Melissa did take a little fall helping Blair Heald and his Batman costume up onto the stage before he took a tumble too but both looked okay. It was the year of injuries. But Melissa was great and kept a timer going so we didn't run over on the poses and back up the line. She was awesome!!