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[citrus]

I am looking foward to this year's AX and I know that it's gonna be WAY better then fanime 2015. As much as I admit I had a very good time at this year's fanime I know I'm going to enjoy Anime Expo 100 times more. Even a couple of the industry panels I went they were all promoting AX and the awesome guests they're getting.

Though what I am worried about is how AX is going to run this year. They've screwed up a lot of things before the convention is starting. Communication wise they're doing a better job but it's still very bad. And to those that went to AX 2014 it was the worst year I ever experienced when it came to organization and was also the year when AX had lied a lot, send MANY attendees to the hospital, abusive and clueless staff and pretty much everything you can think of was bad. if I wasn't a premiere fan that year I would most likely have the most horrific vacation ever.

What I'm hoping this year despite the online screw ups that it'll be executed fairly well this year. The only thing that I'm really anxious and dreading is on how I'm going to get a premiere badge for 2016.

To those that are going to AX share your thoughts in what your looking forward to this year as well as your worries. 

[echoshadow]

I'm on the fence on going to AX, but if I so go it would be the first year I will not be going as a primer badge holder. I got to tell you, even with it, it was a mess. It felt like I was a normal attendee. The only perks where to get seats for the "main events" before they went live. That was it. There where soo many last year it was a joke.

The only reason why I didn't get it was their new system for primer badges. Years before if you bought it, you'll get an email if you would like to get one for next year. This year they screwed long time primer badge holders, and raised the price $220+. So I'm not happy about that being I was going 4+ years a primer badge holder.

Anyway, by the looks of it they have a shit ton of stuff to do program wise, definitely a full days worth to the point where your splitting hairs on which panel you want to see.

As to the people that got heat stroke, it's on them. (There where 4 that I know of) the rest could have asked kindly for the person to hold their place in line to cool off.  Or the should have prepared for being out side on a hot day.  The con can't hold anyone's hand when it comes to their personal well being.

Besides that hope it goes well. As usual the people in charge of their social media are complete idiots, (personal opinion ) so let's see how messy things get. Or not if I don't go.

On thing I highly want Fanime staff to notice is their use of Guidebook. Even if your not going download the app and play with it as if you where there. You'll clearly see why every other con uses it. It may cost a bit but highly worth it. (Sure better than the pocket book, sorry but it's the truth)

[citrus]

I'm on the fence on going to AX, but if I so go it would be the first year I will not be going as a primer badge holder. I got to tell you, even with it, it was a mess. It felt like I was a normal attendee. The only perks where to get seats for the "main events" before they went live. That was it. There where soo many last year it was a joke.

The only reason why I didn't get it was their new system for primer badges. Years before if you bought it, you'll get an email if you would like to get one for next year. This year they screwed long time primer badge holders, and raised the price $220+. So I'm not happy about that being I was going 4+ years a primer badge holder.

Anyway, by the looks of it they have a shit ton of stuff to do program wise, definitely a full days worth to the point where your splitting hairs on which panel you want to see.

As to the people that got heat stroke, it's on them. (There where 4 that I know of) the rest could have asked kindly for the person to hold their place in line to cool off.  Or the should have prepared for being out side on a hot day.  The con can't hold anyone's hand when it comes to their personal well being.

Besides that hope it goes well. As usual the people in charge of their social media are complete idiots, (personal opinion ) so let's see how messy things get. Or not if I don't go.

On thing I highly want Fanime staff to notice is their use of Guidebook. Even if your not going download the app and play with it as if you where there. You'll clearly see why every other con uses it. It may cost a bit but highly worth it. (Sure better than the pocket book, sorry but it's the truth)

I don't blame you for feeling like that. It clearly sounds like you've been attending AX way longer I have and I been going only since 2012. 2013 was the year when I simply had it with AX's bullcrap of waiting in line for hours and hours on end for panels I really want to attend. There were a couple of panels I wanted to go to but then after the last minute the staff just gave many attendees a big FU saying that the panel room is full and they can't get inside. Even though they WAITED for a fair amount of time. They should have CAPPED the line and actually count instead of telling us we can't go inside at the last minute or the start of the panel.

During 2014 was even worse. It was extremely fortunate for those who bought a premiere badge because at least the premiere line was easy to keep track of. But if you were a general attendee. You would be directed in circles and get different answers from different staff. By the time you get in line. You were either pointed to the wrong one or by the time you get into the so called "right" line it would be capped and you could not get into the panel. And you know what the bullcrap part was? I been into a few panels and while it was busy inside I saw many of them had PLENTY of seats for people that wanted to get into the panel. But no, the staff just told the attendee's to "Come back another time" or "check a few minutes later." But no they were either lazy or incompetent that they didn't check the room to see if there was enough space

I maybe a premiere fan but if feel extremely bad for the general attendees that could not get in the panel even though they WAITED for a hours on end. The reason why I even got a premiere badge in the first place was because I was sick and tired of waiting in the lines and in the scorching sun for hours where I almost got heat stroke and I thought I was prepared but I apparently wasn't. ( I didn't bring enough water and I thought I had enough) I also wanted to get priority access to all panels and get a really good seat so that I be able to ask my question to the guest. And I absolutely hate it I would never get to ask a question and be cut off. I am a panel enthusiast and this is the main reason why I bought the badge in the first place. I love not being able to wait in line have more time to do things at the con. And while I get a free ticket of my choice to an even. It's simply doesn't make up for the amount they are asking for the badge. I payed 250$ and waited for hours At-con just to secure a premiere badge but the amount of suffering and money I spend to get the badge I really feel like it might not be worth it anymore. It just gets more expensive to buy and harder to even get.

I just only hope that AX BETTER keep they're promise and fix all the things they said they would.

Fanime could learn a thing or two from AX. For one they could get better guests and more better programming instead of the same crappy panels that they have over and over again. (I am so sick and tired of seeing repeat guests like Giles Patterson hogging all the panel rooms and the fact that barely anybody attend his panels last time I checked. And seeing the same My Little Pony Or Homestuck panel that has NOT changed at all.) Even though, I had a better time at Fanime this year. I still feel like they're not gonna change and all our feedback might go in vain. Don't have the resources? Then try harder getting more resources.

In all honesty even though AX pisses me the hell off it's not all bad and the difference is that they have a lot more programming then Fanime will ever hope to have. It may be an unfair comparison but the thing is. Fanime can do BETTER. There's a reason why everyone say's 2011 was the best year for Fanimecon.

[cutiebunny]

I am looking foward to this year's AX and I know that it's gonna be WAY better then Fanime Animazement 2015...I know I'm going to enjoy Anime Expo 100 times more.

Had to fix that as Fanime is not applicable for me.   But I disagree with that statement; Animazement was far superior to AX.  I look forward to Animazement every year.  AX just feels like a horrible family reuninion; There's one or two things I want to see, and I spend the rest of the time wanting to avoid everything else.  Nope, not looking forward to AX at all.  Several of us are tossing around the idea of this being the last AX we attend.  It's just too big and too expensive for what you can accomplish.

While I'm not worried about being trampled again while heading to autographs like I was last year, I am concerned with AX's autograph handling.  Waiting outside the autograph room to be one of the first 100 or so to get a guarantee ticket means that people will be lining up at crazy hours.  I may actually beat the amount of time I'll wait in line for an autograph this year.  My record is 8 hours.

I've said it before in other threads, but you can't compare Fanime to AX.  Attendee size notwithstanding, AX is purely an industry convention.  The majority of guests announced are being sponsored by companies, often in lieu of paying for their booths in the dealer's hall.   This is a trend that many conventions are slowly incorporating.

Though what I am worried about is how AX is going to run this year. They've screwed up a lot of things before the convention is starting. Communication wise they're doing a better job but it's still very bad. And to those that went to AX 2014 it was the worst year I ever experienced when it came to organization and was also the year when AX had lied a lot, send MANY attendees to the hospital, abusive and clueless staff and pretty much everything you can think of was bad. if I wasn't a premiere fan that year I would most likely have the most horrific vacation ever.

I've been going to AX since 2008.  The first rule about AX is that management will always F it up.  It was very bad last year.  I had hoped that AX would have learned how to handle autographs after the "Running of the Otaku" in 2010, but it was repeated on Day 1 last year.  I had to run to get to the autograph line, and even then I was cut off after the seiyuu spent a couple of minutes per person to chat, meaning that, if you weren't the first 10 people in the line, you got nothing.  After Day 1, most of us gave up. The panels were all filled to capacity and the wait time for the "K: Missing Kings" event was four hours long for regular attendees.  I had a Premier badge in 2014 and I have one this year as well.  It's really the only way to get anything done.

The second rule about AX is that even numbered years are horrible.  2010, 2012, 2014....all really bad years at AX due to management and staffing issues.

What am I looking forward to seeing at AX this year?  Other than KISS (well..Gene..) and the "Waifu Wars" at the AX charity auction this year, I'm looking forward to this convention once again reminding me as to why this will be my last year at AX. 

And Pollo Campero.  That's a mandatory stop on Day 0.

[echoshadow]

Yeah they should have capped the lines. One thing that pissed me off staff wise is watching guys counting people outside running around like a mad man and double counting because the person in charged of the panel has zero idea how many seats the room has. Mean while that person is siting inside only talking in the radio not even bothering to see the line.

Besides that I really do enjoy AX more just because of the attendees. Fanime has always sufferd from packs of only friends handing out with only friends. Good freaking luck tying to a few words in. Where as AX I feel it's more friendly. I meet all my con buddies at AX and only 2 people from Fanime, so go figure. 

But yeah it's still up in the air. So I'm not really hype about it. As far as Fanime guest relations, it's Fanime. I will never expect any big names coming. If they do, it will only be one. And it would be the bigest event Fanime had. But really I just want info from Fanime to relase their programing schudule at lest a week before. It still blows my mind how little programing Fanime has and they still think it's ok to be released two days before the con. And even then it's still screwy.

[Angelx624]

I can't go cause I need to save for PMC in August!! D: But next year I'm hoping to finally return to AX

Have fun, though! XD