r/fanexpo

He is a domestic abuser with a track record of hate speech. He has no place at this convention, just like Mike Tyson had no place last year. Why platform a rapist? This sends a terrible message to people and is completely tone deaf.

I've gone so many years but I've always just go down to their underground parking for the exchange. If there is a day just to pick up the badge before the con, I'm willing to trek down to Toronto just to get it to avoid the underground.

Hey everyone, I have a couple questions about the backstage pass with the hobbits for anyone that may know

1: does the photo op come with a digital copy included or do I need to add that on when I get to the con?

2: how do I know when my photo op time is? Because it’s a package it’s not showing me a time for the photo specifically

Thanks in advance! I hope everyone enjoys fanexpo next week 😊

Hi! This will be my first FanExpo. I've only been to NFCC a few times, and while it's crowded it's not the biggest/most crowded event I've been to but still expecting FanExpo to be chaotic!

Crowd wise, I've read that all days are now pretty much chaotic and busy, not just Saturdays. With John Cena being there on the Sunday, I'm expecting for Sunday to be as chaotic or worse than Saturday.

Questions:

- Thinking of attending Friday to shop around (looking to get a lightsaber), does Friday get so busy it would be recommended to get there when doors open and line up early (hour or two before doors open)? or can you arrive midday with no issues?

- Have some photo ops already purchased and possibly getting some there so I'm assuming that most of Saturday and Sunday will be spent in lines, although I've read that for photo ops having time slots, security only lets you line up 15 minutes before?

- At the con, are photo ops all cash? And how much do they increase the price compared to their prices online?

- Can you still buy the photo ops online the day off or before? Or as soon as the con starts on Thursday you can't buy online anymore and you'll have to do it in-person there that day?

- Are times for photo ops emailed to you? I'm assuming if they are, it's done very close to the start of the con? (Would like to plan and see what other photo ops I could buy)

- Food wise, it's sounding like bringing my own lunch/dinner might be the way to go? Planning on bringing snacks and water to have while in lines and walking around. Some suggest going to Simcoe Place across the street or to the food court in Union Station to save since the food options in the con are very limited and pricey but I've also read that switching between buildings when it's busy is a nightmare and there could be issues too with the building reaching fire capacity and not being let back in for a long time.

- I haven't been able to find a list of prohibited items on the website (I've possibly missed it) but wondering if I can bring a small tripod stool to sit on for when waiting in lines?

- Any good places to sit down and rest? Only have a 4-day pass, so can't access the lounge they have for VIP and Ultimate.

Tips I've gathered from other threads:

- Wear light clothes, gets hot with the amount of people in the con even with A/C

- Bring a portable fan

- Wear comfortable shoes

- Bring deodorant, extra shirt, body/wet wipes etc.

- Cheaper and more food options outside the con (Simcoe Place & Union Station or other food joints around the area)

- Bring snacks & water bottle (can refill at con)

- Can leave the con as many times as you want

- Keep in mind that previous years the buildings have hit fire capacity and have left people waiting outside for a while

- Can take a while to walk and switch between buildings, plan and keep switching to a minimal

- Do artist alley first/early as it gets extremely crowded to the point of can't move since space is very tight

- Bring a tote bag for shopping

- Keep valuables like phones in zipped pockets or strapped to you and in sight at all times, lots of pickpocketing happening

- Bring cash. Some vendors have Square to pay with card but wifi signal can be spotty

- Bring portable charger

- Have to activate your badges that are used to get in and out of the con, buildings and panels!

If haven't gotten shipping to get them delivered, you have to pick up your badges before (https://fanexpocanada1.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/53640470983059-How-do-I-pick-up-my-pre-purchased-ticket-s)

To activate, scan the QR code on the back of badge.

If it hasn't shipped to you on time before the con, you can get a replacement badge at the con at a fee.

Any other tips are very much appreciated, would like to be prepared! Thank you!

So im going to fan expo in Toronto in a few days and was just wanting to see what people think about this. This is my first time going to fan expo and obviously my first time cosplaying there, for my cosplay im wearing pretty much a spandex black mask. You can still hear me perfectly fine you just cannot see my face at all especially with a hood over. I was just wondering if its bad etiquette to go to artists alley and purchase stuff with the mask on or not, if that makes sense. Id prefer to keep it on but I dont want to rude or weird. Thanks for reading and hopefully responding!

Going to FanExpo for the first time ever! I've been reading up on the "what to expect" posts in preparation for it, but I'd love to get some input from those who have been there?

For context, we have the following photos/autographs pre-purchased:

• Hobbit Photo
• Hobbit Autograph
• An Evening with the Hobbits
• Cena Photo
• Cena Experience
• Jim Cummings Photo

We also want to attend Toon'd In and maybe a couple other things happening during the week. Are we going to spend the entire expo in lines? How early are we going to have to line up for the above photos/autos?

Aside from all of that, we are packing comfortable shoes, water bottles, mini backpacks, a poster tube, cash, power banks .. is there anything you feel is a must-have?

And one last thing .. are the after-hours events worth it?

Hi. I would like to go to Fan Expo in Toronto on Sun August 30th and was wondering if anyone else is planning to go that day.

Is Thursday the only day he’s doing a panel? My eyes hurt after scanning thursday and Friday. Also, with panels, is there usually an opportunity for a Q&A from the audience?

Hey guys considering a send in with official pix. Has anyone done a send in with them before using a rolled poster? They are saying to attach stickie to the back to the back of the poster with my info, but I'm having trouble visualizing how that stickie will stay on.

So as the title states, I am planning on going to fan expo Toronto on Sunday. Is it possible to buy tickets in person at the door as I don’t have a credit card (only debt or cash) to purchase them online? Also if so, will they be available and how much money will it cost?

I’m also from Ottawa so this event is quite far from me as I cannot drive. Because of this I plan on taking a shuttle bus there and back.

I am also planning on bringing my own food to save costs and to avoid potential allergic reactions as well.

Is there anything else I should know or bring? This may be my first time going.

I am admittedly completely new to this. Never been to any kind of expo/con/fan experience ever in my life.

My spouse's favorite movies in the entire world is Lord of the Rings. As a gift to her I got us passes for FanExpo Chicago on Friday, autographs for Elijah and Sean, and the Evening with the Hobbits panel.

I looked and looked and didn't see anywhere that listed what time we should be there for the autographs. Or if there was even a designated time specifically for autographs. We got to the parking ramp about 5:30, and got to the area where they were at 6. The "handlers" told us that Elijah just left and wasn't coming back and that they had not seen Sean at all that day.

I went to ask for my money back and they said since the talent didn't officially cancel there are no refunds.

If this was completely my fault I will accept that, but if they never specify a time what do we do? Get there when the doors open and go wait in line hoping they show up at some point? Is it normal to prepay for an autograph and not get one? Is it luck of the draw even though you paid for it?

She was crying because excitement had been building for a few weeks that she would meet them for a brief moment. It sucks losing $190 but her disappointment was soul crushing for me.

How soon do you start planning? How do you get the word out? Where at the venue do you look at? Do you reach out to Fan Expo for help?

Fan Expo Chicago was awesome! Lots of great cosplay and artists spreading messages of unity and resistance.

Saw people talking about their experiences with Fan Expo this year, so I got inspired and decided to talk about my experiences with everyone I met. For context, I only went the Saturday and Sunday for Fan Expo Chicago.

SATURDAY:

Lance Barber: I got to the convention a little early so I decided to meet Lance Barber. You may know him as George in Young Sheldon, but I mainly know him as Pondy in IASIP. It was $80 dollars for a combo, and he gave me about 2-3 minutes for his autograph. I also made him laugh when asking for my quote. He is such a funny guy in person, and was very genuine with everyone he met. I definitely recommend meeting him if you’ve ever seen his work. Thank you for your time, Lance.

Sam Raimi: Saturday was mainly dedicated to meeting Sam. This is the man who got me into Spider-Man, and superhero movies in general. During our photo op, I told him he’s the reason I love Spider-Man. He seemed really happy about that comment, and I got an amazing photo with him. Apart waiting almost 4 hours for my physical photo, I got it and went on with my day. (I’m sure everyone there was aware of printer problems, I want to thank the workers for dealing with all of that. It was definitely out of their control and they did everything they could)

For his autograph, one worker in particular helped me so much and I have to thank her as well. She gave me a posted note with her name on it, and told me to find her after my photo op. So after my photo, I found her and she put me right to the front of the line. I also want to add that Sam’s line for autographs was LONG. It got all the way to the photo op area. I got a signed Spider-Man 3 poster, he even added my name to it with “Be a Hero!” He even remembered my comment, and said he was really touched by it. That was definitely a moment I’ll never forget, and to that one worker who helped me out, I thank you tremendously! And thank you Sam for everything.

Elijah Wood & Sean Astin: I had a duo photo with Frodo/Samwise and decided to wait for that. This was my first time going to Hall G for the weekend and I didn’t expect to see that many people. I got in line for the photo, and waited some time in line. I got my photo op with them, and both of them were such great people.

SUNDAY:

Dean Norris: I had a scheduled photo op with him, and autograph. I got my autograph early since he was already at his table. One person in front of me was getting the Lego Mineral Collection signed, which was pretty funny. I got an 8x10 signed with his famous “im ASAC Schrader” line. He is definitely one of the highlights for the weekend, purely because I love Breaking Bad, and Hank is one of the funniest characters in the show. Such a kind person, and definitely loves meeting fans. Thank you for your time, Dean.

John Rhys-Davies: This was someone I wanted to meet if I had time in between other commitments. I waited only 10 minutes for my signing, and paid $50 extra to get a special print of Gimli to get signed. In total it was a $200 combo, but I would pay so much more if I knew how sweet John was. He took the time with everyone to sign, have a chat, and was so incredibly kind to everyone. We had a great talk about integrity and being good, and even complimented my beard. If you see John at a convention, absolutely take the time to meet him. One of the nicest guys I met that weekend. I also want to add that at his table, I discovered he was the voice of Man-Ray in SpongeBob. Something I never knew and thought was incredible. Thank you for your time, John.

Billy Boyd & Dominic Monaghan: I had another duo photo op with Pippin/Merry, and ended up waiting for that after Dean. I was the first person in our line, and got my photo first. I thought it was funny that during this photo op, Elijah Wood was sitting on his phone while we got our photos taken. Also, photo ops were working normally that day so I got my physical copy immediately.

4 Pack Hobbit Autograph: This was the main reason I was here for Sunday. I was getting my Lego Shire Box signed by all 4 hobbits. I got there early and claimed my autographs immediately. That’s when I learned that I have to wait in each individual line. No big deal, but I just have to do a bit more waiting.

Elijah Wood: His line was surprisingly short early on, so I ended up getting his autograph first. While the interaction was brief, he did tell me his favorite scene was the Mines of Moria sequence. He even added “Frodo” to his autograph, which was a nice touch I wasn’t really expecting. It was an honor to meet you, Mr. Frodo.

Sean Astin: He was next since his line was pretty packed. His line got capped because he was going to a photo op session soon, but thankfully I was line already. It was another brief interaction, but he did also add “Sam” to his autograph. My whole family loves Sean, so I get to brag that I met him. Thank you for your time, Sean.

Billy Boyd: He was the next hobbit to sign my box, and this was definitely my favorite of the bunch. Billy is such a nice guy, and definitely one of my favorite characters in LOTR. He said his favorite scene was him singing in Return of the King. He also added “Pippin” to his autograph, and also added my name to it. That was also something I wasn’t expecting. Thank you for your time, Billy.

Dominic Monaghan: The final hobbit I needed was Merry. I ended up going to his line after our photo op, since I already had 3/4 autographs. Him and Sean were the only people I didn’t ask what their favorite scenes were. But Dominic added “Merry” with his autograph, and was another kind person to meet. Thank you for your time, Dominic.

Overall, it took roughly 3.5 hours to get all 4 of their autographs, which I was expecting to be longer. But it was definitely an unforgettable experience. I hope everyone else who got to meet them enjoyed their time as well!

The only celebrity I couldn’t meet that I wish I did, was Karl Urban. His lines were unfortunately too long to wait, and other photo ops would’ve interfered with it. But it was definitely a fun weekend, and can’t wait to do it again next year.