How A Convention Can Turn Bad...?

I decided this would be sorta fun. I've heard a lot about how one experience at a convention can ruin it, and I'm curious if any of our users out there have had things like that.

As an attendee, there's very few things that make it to where a convention isn't fun. I think the most annoying is when there's nothing interesting for me to do personally. I'm not a fan of AMV contests or anime screening rooms (yes, let me pay sixty dollars to watch anime all day) so when those are the only thing going on it is kinda disappointing.

Also, variety in the dealer's room is another thing I dislike or if each one is carbon copies of one another.

What about you guys? Specific experiences appreciated.

Failing to preorder can result in a bad experience. Waiting in line for 4 hours isn't really worth it unless there's some REAL good stuff going on, and in my case, there wasn't.

I was told there would be beer and women. There were a lot of unbathed folks of indeterminate status walking around with action figures. Soap, people. And collecting is fine, but real collecting means still in the box, not y'all attacking each other with plastic dolls holding 2-inch lightsabers. Not beer I smelled, either. Yeah, I left.

While it wasn't something that made me hate my convention experience, this was something that ruined a lot of other people's fun at NYCC/NYAF 2010.

They combined New York Comic Con with New York Anime Festival, and the result was basically, the con was 90% comics and only 10% anime stuff. And in the dealer's room, all the anime merchandise was crammed down one long, narrow area/walkway (which was often crowded). That's what upset A LOT of people. Because of this, many anime fans have given NYCC/NYAF 2010 a bad review.

However, personally, I enjoyed myself there. I went to many fun panels, and I had a wonderful time. :)

I hate it when theres a constant change to the program even after they release the program guides, even MORE so when the Program is finally released to the public on late Saturday, and learning you missed things you wanted to do

[EagleEyes]

When you preorder tickets........ LET THEM IN BEFORE THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP ON THE DAY!


NOT AT THE SAME TIME!

*RAGES*

Well, I don't really get the opportunity to go to many because I'm a poor fool, but it can be ruined for me if the vendors are charging outrageous prices for things.

It can also be ruined without me even being there, as in one time when I gave a friend money to pick me up some sodas and other snacky gubbins only to find out from them that all the vendors had sold out of their sodas. An unhappy day was had.

[Rhetorical Gamer]

Even though it was my first convention these were the top three thing that really REALLY urked me!!!!!!!!

1.Those people who randomly stop to look at something and you bump into them and they act like it was your fault but you were just trying to get somewhere.

2.People who charge 1.50 for a Efing can of soda and 5.00 for three chicken strips.

3.People who haven't used the combination of soap and water in the convention.

Originally Posted by Rhetorical Gamer Even though it was my first convention these were the top three thing that really REALLY urked me!!!!!!!! 1.Those people who randomly stop to look at something and you bump into them and they act like it was your fault but you were just trying to get somewhere. 2.People who charge 1.50 for a Efing can of soda and 5.00 for three chicken strips. 3.People who haven't used the combination of soap and water in the convention.

OMG prices can be outrageous... I'm so lucky theres a Burger King on the same street as the convention center -___-

[Rhetorical Gamer]

Originally Posted by Zero Gravity OMG prices can be outrageous... I'm so lucky theres a Burger King on the same street as the convention center -___-

Lucky for me too there was a place with small prices and big portions

Granted, I understand why prices are outrageous. While the convention doesn't control vendor prices, you have to realize there's two very distinct con-goers. Ones with all of their Christmas money, and ones who barely afforded door price. Obviously, vendors and trying to make money on that small niche of kids with Christmas money. :P

Originally Posted by Kanashimi Granted, I understand why prices are outrageous. While the convention doesn't control vendor prices, you have to realize there's two very distinct con-goers. Ones with all of their Christmas money, and ones who barely afforded door price. Obviously, vendors and trying to make money on that small niche of kids with Christmas money. :P

Oh christmas money... I remember those days...

[Shidohari]

actually for me there's only one way a convention can turn bad. If i was standing next to a person who never showered and was wearing a decent costume that they made themselves...i mean come on people you make a good costume, at least shower before you put it on every day.

[microgamer2vs2]

I wouldn't say this is particularly specific, but I think having drama with your girlfriend/boyfriend could be mentioned as how a convention experience can go bad. Of course it's not the con's fault.

As for what conventions are actually responsible for, I think long lines need to be addressed. It doesn't absolutely ruin a convention, but it's pathetic how anime cons are associated with long lines now.

[Shidohari]

i staff at a convention and i see the same looooooooooong reg lines every year. I can totally agree with the above statements.

Originally Posted by Shidohari i staff at a convention and i see the same looooooooooong reg lines every year. I can totally agree with the above statements.

But aren't long lines something that should be tolerated because it means, most likely (unless the venue is mega small,) that there is an increased demand and that gubbins, which is a good thing, right?

[microgamer2vs2]

Originally Posted by mahay But aren't long lines something that should be tolerated because it means, most likely (unless the venue is mega small,) that there is an increased demand and that gubbins, which is a good thing, right?

While that statement is technically true, I don't think it's a direct correlation like that. It's possible to have an increase in attendance without the unnecessarily long lines.

I'm not an expert on how to handle reg lines, but there HAS to be a way to manage them more efficiently. At the very least, I want staff to show they're working on the issue. If we simply tolerate it, that's like acknowledging the problem but doing nothing to solve it.

[Shidohari]

YEP and thankfully most con goers are knowledgeable and understand the reason for delays...(other than the ones caused by poor planning in the reg department because of a 'slight' underestimating the crowd issue'

[Jrockergirl]

lines I can deal with, but I hate when conventions raise prices on side things without informing.

Example I attend Anime Expo and all the years before concerts and events where free, and then last year they made them 20 dollars a head without really informing people, and its per ticket.

Add hotel, food, and buying at the exhibit hall really made it tough to see what I wanted to, and no clue on prices for it this year. As an attendee I can understand these things but expect to have the info a good amount of time.

Prices are horrible for food but thats the convention owners control and any snacks or drinks you buy from the con itself usually costs more since the convention takes like 50% of the sales.

[twillÿ]

That one overweight guy or girl who should NOT be wearing that skimpy of a costume.

Just sayin'.