Fan Expo is a connected series of conventions that are designated to be for the fans. they have tours and numerous cities in the US and Canada.
I recently attended Fan Expo Dallas from June 9th to the 11th 2023. Here are some thoughts about the con itself some things I saw there some things that are doing well and some things that are problematic.
First things first, Fan Expo Dallas for the past couple of years has had a highly enthusiastic group of attendees. Their Friday attendance by itself is larger than some cons have on Saturdays. and their Saturdays the attendance is extraordinary. there are fans of all backgrounds ages and other demographics that are in attendance. The panel area is a really great size, and by using a well that sound system and two large video screens it is possible for fans to attend to actually enjoy the panel even if they’re not in line asking the questions. Also, the line for questions from the celebrities on the panels was well-organized and well-maintained.
The exhibition Hall itself is a really good size and is utilized a lot. Once you get to the actual Expo itself the staff that check the badges and maintain the exits handle the engine exits very well and normally have been very well informed and assisting the customers coming into the con. also, the lines to get tickets or passes as you may need them are clearly marked and for the average everyday ticket user and people purchasing passes for the show these lines are well maintained and the staff is very good at guiding you where you need to go.
Also, the celebrity attendees were very well structured. Bringing in actors from newer franchises, established folks from older franchises, and those who were just fan favorites from voice acting and other genres of fantastic media gave The fans a lot of options to pick and choose who they wanted to get pictures or autographs with. also, from a personal point of view, it was nice that there was a separate Press Room with a good Wi-Fi connection that enabled me to do some work while I was attending the show itself.
However, they’re also a few negatives with this convention I have to mention as well. going back to the Press Room, with podcasters, mobile journalists, and videographers all needing to recharge devices are plugged in if they’re heavy power usage, there is only one active and open Outlet. This caused some minor issues for a couple of folks who are using their devices quite a bit to take pictures and videos on the floor. Also, as this room is not always checked on as others are, there have been a few folks who although they were not press members, took advantage of the room and use it placed either rest or eat. One person even came in to organize their Comics boxes of things they had just bought on the floor but utilized an open table because he thought it was a quiet room to do that in.
The reason this person felt compelled to use the Press Room, was because the fact he had no room to do that anywhere on the floor. As much space as the convention floor had, seating was a nightmare. There’s plenty of open, or what they would call negative or non-used space,in different places in the Expo center. However, that space was not utilized. I don’t know if the lack of dedicated seats or chairs from the convention center itself was a problem for the organizers. But, it became quite the issue and also at times almost a hazard during the con. For example, groups of fans were sitting in the platform area right outside the convention doors at times when people sat actually surrounded the stage and the information booth which made it times problematic to get to. Also, in the celebrity area, people were sitting on the stairs leading down to the food court, autographs, and photo booths.
The celebrity area was basically chaos, especially the photo area, I think it boiled down to horror stories that were being shared about wait times, so everyone piled in. While Joseph Quinn, Hayden Christensen, and Rosario Dawson seemed to be overwhelming in the amount of fans waiting, most of the others were reasonable, but there was not enough space allocated. This, to me, falls to a lack of communication between the photo op people and the organizers. It was busier in that area than it was last year. The number of attendees far outweighed expectations, I am sure.
As the crowds in artist alley and The vendor floor were virtually endless.
The lack of a working a/c in the building probably increased the demand for seating and without enough volunteers and staff to keep it from happening, people sat on steps, in front of fire exits, etc.
-Wayne Kelley, Houston, TX
I myself almost tripped over one person I didn’t see because, I was trying to pay attention to someone else coming up the stairs, as they were dodging someone sitting on the stairs. The issue with this for me is if the way people are clustered for the autograph of photo lines was considered an issue for the fire marshal, which we told multiple times by the line handlers, then the stairs being crowded by people sitting on them should have had the same consideration. I do know that there is a VIP lounge and that one could pay for the extra money to just have a place to sit with that access, but, with all of the families and congoers attending, there could have been more chairs, tables and even a couple places maybe some shelves for the cosplayers, busy moms with kids, and other attendees.
Another issue, that I myself experienced, was the fact that it seems there are way too many managers making decisions for autographs and photo lines. It appeared that there’s quite a lot of staff that do not communicate or know what’s going on. For example, on Saturday I had an autograph ticket for Danny Trejo. Earlier a couple of friends of mine and I had purchased a photo opportunity with Mr Trejo and I went from the autograph line to the photo line as instructed by those who work there. I went back to the autograph line and was given a number ticket and told to come back in an hour and a half which I did Once I got back to the line I was then told that the agent for Mr Trejo had called ‘End Of The Line’ and I had basically no chance to get in line to get the autograph that night. I was given a different colored number ticket and told my Saturday purchase coupon would be good for Sunday. I went back to the line on Sunday and spoke to someone that first had no idea what was happening with the tickets. He went and asked someone else, and got further information, then came back. He said we’d be treated in the VIP line and wanted us to come back around 11:00, Mr. Trejo would be signing then. I walked around and stayed close to the celebrity area. On a hunch, I had I went back to the area around 10:45 and found out Mr. Trejo had arrived at 10:30 and begun doing autographs. when I got in line again I was told to go to the VIP section and they would bring me back when they had the opportunity. I went to the VIP line why did my turn and someone come along the line and was asking everybody what they were there for when I showed him my ticket he sort of understood but he wasn’t really sure what was going on but he was nice enough to take me back to the line for Danny Trejo. Then once I showed my blue ticket, I was put in with the VIPs and was able to get my autograph. ( by the way, Mr. Trejo and his team did a really good job of not only helping the fans with autographs but helping us to get them out quickly, and Mr. Trejo was a delight not only taking a picture but getting an autograph. ) Now since the night prior I was told all I had to do is show my blue ticket I’ll be put in line with the VIPs, then the next day I have to find someone who recognized being on the floor tonight prior with a different celebrity booth had to find that information, and then instead of going straight to the VIP line. I was bounced back and forth a couple of times, after the previous night being sent back and forth from the autograph line, why was it so hard? Talking with some of my buddies that also attended the show, as well as just talking in general to people at the show, this was not an isolated incident.
In fact, quite a few people waiting in line got frustrated and some demanded a refund. A few fans left, even though they paid for photos or autographs. These folks let it be known that they felt that they didn’t matter, and we’re not happy with the customer service issues.
The layout also upset a few people. For example, the traffic flow in the vendor’s area was at times difficult to get through, and with artist alley shoved all the way in the back it was hard to get to any tables and quite a few times traffic came to a standstill. Quite a few times nobody could move in that area due to uncontrolled autograph lines. There were dealers, fans, or whoever had brought large stacks of books for a featured artist to sign, and that led to blockage.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Fan Expo, especially Fan Expo Dallas. When Wizard World was going strong I attended their conventions as much as I could, sometimes twice a year in different cities. Wizard World merging with Fan Expo really brightened up my heart, because in quite a few ways that Expo reminds me of Wizard World. This is one of the only touring or chained fan-based conventions left after everything that’s happened. I myself want to see this convention succeed.
However, I also think that unless customers are given the opportunity to, for example:
-sit in an area where they won’t get run over
-See better communication amongst the management and teams maintaining the autograph and photo lines
-Experience better navigation or access throughout the vendors and artist area
With the current economic climate, some fans will no longer feel they will have to pay to go to such a show. I think that fan expo, especially Fan Expo Dallas, has a great opportunity for growth and to continue to bring celebrities that people have been looking for to meet the most unique experience there is.
But, for those fans who are already upset with the way things are as far as the entertainment industry is going, I believe some feel that Fan Expo is another heartless corporate entity that only cares about the money and not the customers.
I think they were overwhelmed and pivoted as quickly as possible, despite the issues, I enjoyed the con and plan on attending next year. I have gotten some fantastic feedback on other shows in the state and hope that Fan Expo makes more of an effort to use the areas that allocated more efficiently next year.
-Wayne Kelley, Houston, TX
I personally don’t believe that, but these are things I hear because, in the course of my job, I go everywhere looking for a story while I’m on the floor of a show.
And as both an entertainment journalist and a major nerd/geek/Comic book fan, the story I really want to see that Fan Expo and its customers continued on Happily Ever After.