Hey all. I just got home from Fan Expo Canada, and unfortunately, after the problems were amplified from last year, I think it was my last time going.
I had a 4 day VIP pass this year because last year, even with Ultimate, I spent more than half the con waiting to meet celebrities and felt like I missed the bulk of the con. I thought VIP would make a major difference. Allowing me to skip lines for panels, photo ops, and autographs, which at the time sounded awesome, but honestly, it barely mattered. I think it would have been a game changer IF they didn’t oversell like they did. It was nearly impossible to get from one area to another without spending an hour and a half navigating the crowds, even on Thursday (supposedly the least busy day). I missed more than half the panels I wanted to see simply because I couldn’t physically get there in time. Speaking of panels, I don’t understand why people were being let in 30–40 minutes early. If a panel starts at 1:00, why am I expected to spend nearly an hour getting there, waiting to be let in for 20 minutes, and then sitting through a loud waiting video while playing on my phone for 40 minutes? Let people in 15 minutes before the panel and move on. The panels themselves were fine because the guests were interesting, but I could do without all the gimmicky games. I’d much rather have an actual interview than watch someone roll dice or pull questions out of a chicken (that was strange). VIP was especially disappointing because meeting celebrities was the main reason I bought it. Last year I met six celebrities; this year I planned to meet five but four cancelled, leaving me with one celeb experience. I understand cancellations happen, but several of them were announced extremely last minute. The celebrity lineup also felt lacking, especially when it came to gaming and mid level guests. So overall I ended up paying for VIP just to skip three lines the entire 4 days.
The lounges were fine, but considering the price of VIP, they could have been bigger and offered some basic snacks.
My biggest concern, however, was safety.
I had 0 bag checks minus the *ONE* day they checked mine (and “checked” is generous. He opened the main compartment and looked in and then waved me along),I went through 0 metal detectors, and had none of my cosplay props checked all weekend. That is incredibly concerning at an event with thousands of people, especially when attendees are carrying (fake?) weapons or wearing cosplay that can conceal things. Whatever security measures were in place are simply not good enough. The “security” (the dark green shirts) they hired were cause for concern. Several couldn’t tell me where basic things like exits or bathrooms were, and I saw many of them on their phones the whole day. Volunteers weren’t much better when it came to directions or handling situations. At a convention this crowded, staff should be able to communicate clearly, direct people, and respond to emergencies. They did not ONCE do those things. The security was a problem last year but somehow felt worse. The crowding also created serious accessibility issues. I saw people in wheelchairs getting stuck and shoved through crowds, people with mobility aids struggling to move without getting toppled into, and service dogs constantly being bumped into or approached by children. Artist Alley was so crowded that you couldn’t stop at a booth without people running into you. I literally left with bruises from being hit by people throughout the weekend. At one point, I was wearing my main cosplay (which includes a tight mask) and got squeezed so tightly in Artist Alley that I couldn’t breathe and almost couldn’t remove my mask. I’ve worn this cosplay many times to many different cons and have never experienced that before. I also saw ambulances and people being taken out on wheelchairs or gurneys on multiple days. It was dangerously overcrowded, and I’m shocked something more serious didn’t happen.
Artist Alley was also a disappointment. I saw an absurd amount of AI generated work and felt like there was a severe lack of one a kind pieces and art. Like I love crochet, but when it feels like every other booth is selling the same types of products, it takes away from the experience. I want to see things that feel unique and genuinely worth buying and carrying around at a convention.
Overall, I left feeling exhausted, disappointed, and like I have wasted a lot of money. Usually I leave conventions with bags of Artist Alley purchases, celebrity photos/autographs, cosplay pictures, and great memories. This time, I mostly left relieved that nothing serious happened to me. I don’t think I’ll be back next year unless Fan Expo makes some significant changes, particularly regarding crowd control, accessibility, staffing, security, and the VIP experience. I’m just really disappointed.
TL;DR: Fan Expo was overcrowded, poorly organized, and felt unsafe. Staff and security were unhelpful, accessibility was lacking, VIP wasn’t worth the money, the celebrity lineup was disappointing, and Artist Alley was lacking originality. I hope they make significant changes before I consider going back.
