QUOTE:
I had a few comments and suggestions I'd been thinking through:
1. The wait can be discussed to death as to how it happened, so rather than focusing on it, I thought about ways to improve it for those who had to wait. I don't mind waiting in line, but as someone with health issues, I mind standing in line for 2+ hours in a hot hallway while Y-con staff are screaming at the top of their lungs around and at us to "hug the wall" constantly. It damaged the experience for me.
So, with that in mind, an idea for next year might be to have a waiting area that isn't the hallway set aside, for the next seating, with ... seats. As we were called in by groups, there was no real point to keeping us in a locked-in line, when there was a huge lounge area off to the left of us most of the time. Maybe rearranging the seating there pre-event, and having a roped off access to that hallway, might better serve the purpose. Have one seating in the cafe, the next seatin gin the "lounge" waiting to be called, and the third, if they feel like waiting, out in that outer waiting area by the artists' alley area, where they can be called when the next group is seated.
2. Our hosts were fabulous and sweet, and we enjoyed them. But our sandwiches were warm and soggy, and we never got our second drinks at all. Still, we enjoyed the cafe part a lot, and I give it rave reviews for the effort everyone put in. I'd simply suggest reviewing food preparation, and to some extent, presentation. I didn't expect, when paying 90-some dollars for our table, to be eating off of paper plates and drinking out of paper cups. Even clear plastic would have improved the appearance, especially after the long wait.
3. I can't suggest enough the use of signboards for passing information. I found it true of the entire convention that it lacked informational signs, but a nice signboard indicating which seating was up, and where guests should wait would have saved EVERYONE a lot of frustration and stress.
I was in this group. After 2 and a half hours in line my back hurt so bad I could barely walk, if it hadn't been for the two cosplayers behind me massaging my back I'd have likely had to be taken to the hospital. That's really not made me excited for the con next year. Consequently, I was so sore the next day I dared not stand in line for tickets and had to miss the AMV contest, which is one of the reasons I attend cons.
WHITE BOARDS people! They are cheap and can often be found in second hand shops. They would have been so much better for giving information than a screaming volunteer.
On the plus side, the bishies at our table were adorable and articulate and very enjoyable!
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