Except for the opening ceremony, I avoid the really massive events, have no interest in the Bingo, Carayoke etc. Also, having attended 38 of the 39 Conventions, I know what I have to do to get into the venues. Yes, the opening ceremony was very badly crowded, had to stand at the back two and a quarter hours, no seats, and I did what I usually do to try to find a seat in back.
I can readily understand that a lot of people must have been badly disappointed, having paid that much and actually seen that little. For years now, Convention attendees have needed to plan and attack the venues like a military campaign. Even the STH exclusive venues were wall-to-wall people. I long ago gave up on the autograph lines. There were long lines Thursday afternoon for the player meet-and-greet signups (those open at 1 p.m. Friday), but that has been the case for many years. The Saturday main ballroom events mean getting there ungodly early and staying several hours straight to the end. Don’t drink anything before you go.
I always thought it was a mistake to abandon the Hilton, but even that larger venue might not have helped much. All the same, I’d hate to have the Convention turned into an Auto Show or commercial show of the sort you have at McCormick Place. I am familiar with the Rosemont convention center, that would be a much better choice.
Of course, all this means that they deliberately oversold, have been doing so for years, and did so to a bigger degree this year than ever. It has always been in the back of my mind that it’s becoming dangerous, it would not have taken much, at certain times, to ignite a real disaster.
I’ll continue to come, it’s still fun, and I know the lay of the land.