[SilentBlue]

Horrible lines. Horrible staff. Horrible neighborhoods. Horrible.

This has to be the worst AX(AND IT HAS BEEN 2 DAYS) I've been to and I feel sad for anyone if this was their first AX as they have been so much better.

The lines, premier lines had to wait 5+ hours. Pre-reg lines had to wait 4 1/2 hours on Friday if they didn't get their badge on Saturday. Lines lines lines.

Once you exit the exhibit hall, you're basically throwing yourself into a jungle as you have to find your way to go around to go back to the entrance, which is a long tedious path with stop-lights and tiny ass stairs.

I personally wasn't that AMV contest or the SKIN concert but I heard both were hell.

Let's not forget how the SOS brigade concert was poorly planned. I especially like how they made us wait an hour in the sun and then bringing out the lemonade cart for $5 when they probably bought their lemonades for a liter a dollar at the supermarket. Good business plan on their part.

THEN, one AX staff with a megaphone telling everyone "ANYONE WITH A TICKETMASTER TICKET, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE!" Thus moving people around and causing mayhem. Then what happens? The line gets longer and more people get confused. After baking in the sun for what felt like years, people finally reached the entrance where they were being anal about cameras and bags, but will let people with camera phones go in. They also didn't thruly checked everyone's stuff, I could have easily put my camera in my pockets and walked in. What a mess.

So just why were we forced to stand in line to bake in the sun when our tickets had assigned seats? ASSIGNED SEATS. That means we have to stick with the seats on the ticket. Ridiculous. In the end, this is just their(convention staff's) way to make money. From telling people to throw away WATER bottles and marking up water bottles 300%(free water in the hotels!).

Now with the staff.

I have no idea who is directing the staff but they have to get their stuff together and stop confusing their own staff. Telling one person one thing and another person another thing. This causes confusion, how about getting the facts straight before you start confusing an angry mob in the sun?

The neighborhoods, the locals.

Long beach is a ghetto place, obviously. This scares people and just makes everything a lot worst. In the area of restaurants in the front, there were a group of locals sitting down and causing a commotion with AX attendees. These locals were told to go away but came back repeatably. Also, people getting arrested left and right and cops everywhere. This just scares people and there wouldn't be a need for cops if we were in a better neighborhood. If people didn't have to walk so far from the convention center to the restaurant area(and the exhibit hall entrance), this wouldn't be a problem as people wouldn't have to witness cops and thugs interacting. They're not use to seeing a bunch of people dressed up as a "chinese/japanese/vietnamese/korean cartoon animation" character. I just hope no one had to deal with the locals.

To summarize this all up, horrible "paths" from point A to point B. Tiny stairs and roads for people to walk around. Unnecessary long lines in the SUN, this is what the arena's lobby is for people. Stop confusing your own staff whoever you are, get your facts straight. The locals/thugs and police, they're intimidating and scares off people who aren't use to the anime crowd, which would be extremely weird outside of this convention.

Jesus christ, someone kill me.

[SorasRebirth]

*scribbled name in deathnote* =D

[SilentBlue]

SorasRebirth, on Jul 1 2007, 01:00 AM, said:

*scribbled name in deathnote* =D

Hey, thanks for not reading my post at all and giving me a constructive post.










=D

edit - =D =D =D =D =D =D

This post has been edited by SilentBlue: 01 July 2007 - 12:03 AM

[red_lotus_blossom]

Most of those things, are done to try and help, even though it may not seem like it. Some of it just can't be helped that much at all, but they try their best. You complained about the lines and crowds alot. That can't be helped. There's a huge load of people that attend AX, and you should have expected those kind of things before you got there.

This post has been edited by red_lotus_blossom: 01 July 2007 - 12:05 AM

[SorasRebirth]

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 01:03 AM, said:

Hey, thanks for not reading my post at all and giving me a constructive post.
=D

edit - =D =D =D =D =D =D

No problem =D

[SilentBlue]

red_lotus_blossom, on Jul 1 2007, 01:04 AM, said:

Most of those things, are done to try and help, even though it may not seem like it. Some of it just can't be helped that much at all, but they try their best. You complained about the lines and crowds alot. That can't be helped. There's a huge load of people that attend AX, and you should have expected those kind of things before you even got there.

I've been to previous AX before, the way the lines were treated before was nothing like this. Standing in the sun without telling us anything or telling us wrong information is pretty bad. Also people waiting up to 4-5 hours is pretty ridiculous.

I feel sad for anyone who paid extra for tickets.

SorasRebirth, on Jul 1 2007, 01:05 AM, said:

No problem =D

=D

[Orion]

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 01:03 AM, said:

Hey, thanks for not reading my post at all and giving me a constructive post.
=D

edit - =D =D =D =D =D =D

Come on, you were asking for it with the "Someone please kill me" line.

[Kazemon15]

Not to mention the service to the disabled are horrible too! Most of the elevators DON'T work, there were NO ASL interpeters when it said there will be on THE SITE ITSELF and then tell me I have to provide my own?! Last year was great....they were friendly and provided everything we needed, they even had interpters there and didnt ignore my deaf friend who was BRUSHED ASIDE when he was asking for help.

[red_lotus_blossom]

Of course waiting 4 - 5 hours is ridiculous, but it can't be helped. Last year, I was in a 6 hour line. Sure it sucked, but I knew ahead of time that it would be a huge line, and if I wanted to get in, I'd wait. It's not the staffs fault that there's so many people and that the number just increases every year.

This post has been edited by red_lotus_blossom: 01 July 2007 - 12:11 AM

[SorasRebirth]

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 01:08 AM, said:

I've been to previous AX before, the way the lines were treated before was nothing like this. Standing in the sun without telling us anything or telling us wrong information is pretty bad. Also people waiting up to 4-5 hours is pretty ridiculous.

I feel sad for anyone who paid extra for tickets.




=D

Woah.

[KevRus]

Long Beach Convention Center is just wayyyy too cramped. I couldn't even move in the Artist Alley, practically all day too. AX grows every year, and I think it's outgrown the LBCC.

I think Anaheim Convention Center is the way to go.

This post has been edited by KevRus: 01 July 2007 - 12:27 AM

[red_lotus_blossom]

Did you by any chance find out where it will be held next year?

This post has been edited by red_lotus_blossom: 01 July 2007 - 12:29 AM

[SorasRebirth]

red_lotus_blossom, on Jul 1 2007, 01:28 AM, said:

Did you by any chance find out where it will be held next year?

I heard someone say that they reserved LBCC for two years...

[red_lotus_blossom]

They said that today?

Awww, fug.

[papadakis]

It can be helped. Comic Con is 100+ and you wait for nothing unless you want to and are ready, and they don't charge you 50 bucks to wait in line all day. First off, the panels this year were worthless. There wasn't one interesting one, and the events were ehhhh at best.

This is my first AX and i'm really disappointed. I'm only coming next year to see everyone again, and because I love the overall atomosphere, but from my one expeirence there is no distinct feeling. It was like being at a large gathering of cosplayers.

I'm drunk though. so who knows.

[JohnS]

SorasRebirth, on Jul 1 2007, 01:42 AM, said:

I heard someone say that they reserved LBCC for two years...

Please be advised that no official information has been posted and I request that our community members refrain from making assumptions until a formal post is made on the website.

In regards to your complaints, I would encourage all of you to voice your opinions on Day 4 in the Live Programming Room 4 at 2:00pm at the Convention Feedback session for Anime Expo® 2007.

[Liquid_Ion]

The whole day I'm just pissed of whats happening. SOS lines just makes me mad and want to tackle someone. ONE LINE FOR REGULAR ADMISSION AND PREMIERE TICKETS?!!!!??? And someone shouted "Premier Tickets go upfront"(they should really hang that guy )?? OM*G!!!!! The Staffers are not thinking thoroughly how to execute the plan.

Its now the Third day and I'm expecting more rediculous stuff happening. Now i'm thinking if I wanna go to Masquerade and suffer the same deal with SOS Line Hellish experience.

[herekitty]

This is my first AX, and I would say the only real problem I had was figuring out where the hell everything was. My friend and I walked in circles trying to find registration, then in more circles looking for the entrance to the exhibit hall. Up and down - stuff is all over the place and the map wasn't really helpful because of all the different levels. I wouldn't really know about lines because we didn't really bother to wait in any... I'm sorry to hear it was so terrible for you

[starcade]

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

Horrible lines. Horrible staff. Horrible neighborhoods. Horrible.

This has to be the worst AX(AND IT HAS BEEN 2 DAYS) I've been to and I feel sad for anyone if this was their first AX as they have been so much better.

The lines, premier lines had to wait 5+ hours. Pre-reg lines had to wait 4 1/2 hours on Friday if they didn't get their badge on Saturday. Lines lines lines.

Well, the first thing to say is that AX has to be considered a five-day con. You lose one whole day MINIMUM (and it was like this in Anaheim as well) if you can't make it to pre-reg day.

The safety issues surrounding inspections need to be addressed, simply because the fact is that every person is going to have AT LEAST one bag to be inspected before every event they want to attend where inspection is necessary.

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

Once you exit the exhibit hall, you're basically throwing yourself into a jungle as you have to find your way to go around to go back to the entrance, which is a long tedious path with stop-lights and tiny ass stairs.

I've been trying to make up insults for the people who actually built this convention center. Try to figure out an easy way to get from the Westin to the Hyatt -- heck, from the film theatre to the exhibit hall...

I think I came up with that whoever made up the complex had to explain Eva's finale to us -- as well as have to watch "Stop the Chicken" reruns (the classic Hanna-Barbera torture cartoon)...

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

I personally wasn't that AMV contest or the SKIN concert but I heard both were hell.

Let's not forget how the SOS brigade concert was poorly planned. I especially like how they made us wait an hour in the sun and then bringing out the lemonade cart for $5 when they probably bought their lemonades for a liter a dollar at the supermarket. Good business plan on their part.

Blame the convention center for that one. Seriously -- they FORCE you to be gouged for the $3.25 for a soda since they won't allow you to bring any food or drink into the con center.

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

THEN, one AX staff with a megaphone telling everyone "ANYONE WITH A TICKETMASTER TICKET, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE!" Thus moving people around and causing mayhem. Then what happens? The line gets longer and more people get confused. After baking in the sun for what felt like years, people finally reached the entrance where they were being anal about cameras and bags, but will let people with camera phones go in. They also didn't thruly checked everyone's stuff, I could have easily put my camera in my pockets and walked in. What a mess.

At some point, they had to come up with a better way. I do begin to wonder when tonight's masquerade will start -- about the time the Karaoke Gong Show happens? (11 PM)

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

So just why were we forced to stand in line to bake in the sun when our tickets had assigned seats? ASSIGNED SEATS. That means we have to stick with the seats on the ticket. Ridiculous. In the end, this is just their(convention staff's) way to make money. From telling people to throw away WATER bottles and marking up water bottles 300%(free water in the hotels!).

See above. Thank the con center for that one.

After a lot of bad experiences at a recent con, I do begin to wonder if a convention (note that I did not append "Anime" to the word "convention") more serves the community that it is being held IN (hotel rooms, marked up concessions, etc.) than the community it is being held FOR.

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

Now with the staff.

I have no idea who is directing the staff but they have to get their stuff together and stop confusing their own staff. Telling one person one thing and another person another thing. This causes confusion, how about getting the facts straight before you start confusing an angry mob in the sun?

Shall we just finally admit straight up that AX is a monster which has become too huge and may need to be broken up?

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

The neighborhoods, the locals.

Long beach is a ghetto place, obviously. This scares people and just makes everything a lot worst. In the area of restaurants in the front, there were a group of locals sitting down and causing a commotion with AX attendees. These locals were told to go away but came back repeatably. Also, people getting arrested left and right and cops everywhere. This just scares people and there wouldn't be a need for cops if we were in a better neighborhood. If people didn't have to walk so far from the convention center to the restaurant area(and the exhibit hall entrance), this wouldn't be a problem as people wouldn't have to witness cops and thugs interacting. They're not use to seeing a bunch of people dressed up as a "chinese/japanese/vietnamese/korean cartoon animation" character. I just hope no one had to deal with the locals.

It's a 'hood, to be sure.

Frankly, short of arresting every homeless person/druggie/idiot in the city, you're stuck with it. Fact is, they might own the city of Long Beach even more pronouncedly than the homeless in San Francisco own THOSE streets. I can tell you that I've had a lot of experiences telling off people needing money for "food" like pot and cocaine and the like.

Frankly, one has to wonder if there is a third option for a place to hold the con, because here isn't working either and I don't know whether Anaheim really ever wants AX back...

SilentBlue, on Jul 1 2007, 12:57 AM, said:

To summarize this all up, horrible "paths" from point A to point B. Tiny stairs and roads for people to walk around. Unnecessary long lines in the SUN, this is what the arena's lobby is for people. Stop confusing your own staff whoever you are, get your facts straight. The locals/thugs and police, they're intimidating and scares off people who aren't use to the anime crowd, which would be extremely weird outside of this convention.

Jesus christ, someone kill me.

With the locals, I wouldn't be wishing for it so loudly. You just might get it...

KevRus, on Jul 1 2007, 01:27 AM, said:

Long Beach Convention Center is just wayyyy too cramped. I couldn't even move in the Artist Alley, practically all day too. AX grows every year, and I think it's outgrown the LBCC.

I think Anaheim Convention Center is the way to go.

Unless you can kick out the Kenneth Copeland people and the like, it outgrew the available parts of the ACC _LAST YEAR_...

JohnS, on Jul 1 2007, 02:23 AM, said:

Please be advised that no official information has been posted and I request that our community members refrain from making assumptions until a formal post is made on the website.

In regards to your complaints, I would encourage all of you to voice your opinions on Day 4 in the Live Programming Room 4 at 2:00pm at the Convention Feedback session for Anime Expo® 2007.

Please also note that no date nor location for AX 2008 was placed in the "See you next year" page in the program.

(No, I"m not as official as JohnS, but it's right there in the program -- or, more correctly, it ISN'T there...)

[milh467]

About the lines:

In the past 2 years ('05 and '06) the lines were NEVER this long. Granted it seemed like there's A LOT more people in attendance this year, so the old formats couldn't be used; however, I have a simple question to ask: Why didn't they start seating and performing on time? Typically performers get fined should they appear late, so I wonder if they even did get fined. If so, why didn't they mark attendees so they can get reimbursed for the time they were wasted?

For S.K.I.N. concert, calculating starting at 3:30 when the concert should've started, my group waited an extra 1.5 hours (they didn't start until approx 5). S.O.S. was an additional hour wait after its start time. 2.5 ... doesn't sound that bad? Put in the waiting in line to get in, waiting in line to get tickets, it totaled up to approximately 12-13 hours of wait time.

As for your security:

It's a $#@!ing joke. After seeing what a !@#$ty job they did at S.K.I.N., some of our group members decided to test them and brought in pocket knives concealed in various locations to the S.O.S.. I'm sure that they decided to stop checking at SOS because of the complaints brought fourth at SKIN, but i'm sure they wouldn't have got caught either way.

Just next year, please don't bother unless you do a complete search on us, because it's useless! I'll give you some of the more obvious locations our group did:

• Inside shoes
  
• Inside Jackets
  
• Inside Underwear

There's a lot more craftier ways to conceal weapons. If a group really wanted to kill the performers or someone inside, it would've been easily done. all in all, give it up.

More on this later as we're off to exploit more flaws of AX