FanimeCon 2026 Forums

Just for fun!

I absolutely LOVED the venue. I didn't go in previous years, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I loved it. My favorite part was the picture of Amber and Damien. <3

You don't know half the exaltation I'm feeling on reading that about the picture ;).

I love love LOVE the new venue. Very big and accommodating to the increasing number of attendees. More clear directions on how to get there from the convention center would be nice (had to rely on my smartphone for it). And the lighting seemed rather dim outside the dance floor. I'm not sure if this is the suitable place to give feedback on it (feedback thread will be up soon?) but here's mine just the venue alone. ^__^;

No worries.  We read everything.

The lighting was something we decided on and can be changed.  Our thought was to focus the action a little bit more on the floor in terms of lighting.

I liked it.

There was plenty of space, it wasn't too crowded at all, and the atmosphere was perfectly fine. I'd much rather see it in a very large room like this one than in the smaller (but somewhat more elegant) ballrooms of the Fairmont where it was in the past (or, even worse, actually inside the CC, like the first two years!)

I agree that it was slightly hard to find, though, and this was after I made a special note of where it was on Google maps before I left -and- looked for it on the drive in! Maybe something more than a single, slightly pathetic display of black and white balloons halfway between the CC and the location? Since you have to round a corner and it's kind of on the backside of the Tech, it might be helpful to have more useful signage. (I hope that display of balloons was you guys...we used it as a marker to find out way anyway, lol)

Was there no link to Google maps to the location on the website?  I know we said it was on the backside of the museum, and we did try to have a balloon trail; what survived of it anyway. 

If we do have it there again at least the people who went to the Ball will know where it is, and we will try to make it easier to find some how.  Maybe a small map in the program guide.

-Kevin

I think what we were saying in class in the J is "Across from the Fairmont, ugly orange (burnt umber) building, walk around". :).  But yeah a map would be good.

Our problem was more that we didn't realize that it was so far down and around the corner. We thought we had missed it, until I remembered that it wa son the -other- side of the Tech.

Better maps, better signage, I think that would help quite a bit. Now I know where it is, though!

Id like to buy the legend that decided to move it to parkside a beer.

We will see what we can do to improve signage and directions to the location of the Black and White Ball.  We did plan on having black and white balloon clusters that would lead the way from in front of the Civic Center to the entrance of Parkside Hall.  There were a few things that we didn't factor into place like wind, trees, clusters being moved, balloons blowing away, etc... but we will be all that much better prepared next year! :)  Thanks for all the feedback though.  Glad everyone liked the new venue.  Keep the feedback coming.

Oh and if you want to leave feedback about the Black and White Ball in general and not just the dance floor, they have set up a general feedback forum so all feedback for FanimeCon 2012 can be contained in one place.  Here is the link to it, http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,17422.180.html  Thanks again!

- Jim

And can't have a poll with the irony vote showing up :).

Just putting down what I said in the feedback thread...

Quote from: kookiekween99 on June 08, 2012, 10:13:14 AM
I'm not sure what you guys are planning to do with the expansion in 2014 and beyond, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in.

According to SanJose.org (http://www.sanjose.org/content/san-jose-convention-center-expansion-and-renovation-opening-fall-2013), the new ballroom has ~35,000 square feet of space. From the same website (http://www.sanjose.org/plan-a-meeting-event/venues/parkside-hall), I found that Parkside Hall has ~30,000 square feet of space. So it would be totally feasable to move Black and White Ball in there.

Another idea is to move Swap Meet in there. I'd prefer having it inside the convention center rather than having to walk to the Fairmont.

Or you might be able to do both. Have Swap Meet Thursday and Friday, then spend Saturday redecorating for Sunday's B+W Ball.

Just some suggestions from a fan. :)

lol...given our druthers, we'd rather have the ballroom for the entire weekend.  We run a set of evening classes plus private lessons for Friday and Saturday evenings, and we may have a further surprise for Saturday evening for next year.

Also no guarantee that the new addition will be done in time for next years Con.  I know it will be ready for 2014.

I loved the Parkside Hall!  Yes it was a couple minutes away from the CC, but it had a LOT more space than the Fairmont's Imperial Ballroom, and wasn't nearly as crowded.  Plus, due to the larger room size there wasn't nearly as much of a line, so you could pretty much go right in rather than spend 45 minutes in line like at the Fairmont.  I would love it if the ball was held there again for 2013 =).

Hoping that, considering the poll...

It was so much better this year! Minimal line, a better floor, room to dance...the only thing I miss from the Fairmont was the ice water. XD

I wouldn't bet on the convention center expansion being done in time, but Parkside is just fine.

keep it at Parkside, but have better directions by talking to the chairman and suggest adding a "Ballroom guider" staff? Have armbands that say B&W and make them point the way to the ball? Stand at mid-way points and guide them.

I don't know what all the fuss is about not finding it. I found it with in 3 minutes of walking around the coner.

Besides..if you couldn't find the Parkside Hall, you shouldn't be dancing just say'n  ;D

Loved it!