Creation Stargate Convention Vancouver - 27.04.-29.04.2012

[MylittleEli]

oooooooo...any tips for a newbie?

I remember when I was a newbie....and I had never even heard of Gateworld when I went to my first convention!!

As for tips, just make your list ahead of time, and make sure to think about what you wanna wear for photos ops since your stuck with them forever! You don't wanna be stuck in some ugly shirt you have to look at forever and saying "why the heck did I wear that!!?".

And in my opinion it pays to have a camera with decent zoom. A basic point-and-shoot will be fine, but if you really want to be able to see faces later and have pics worth while, you'll want to zoom right in, even if your in the front row!

Finally, introduce yourself to EVERYONE! We are all there to have fun and meet each other and realistically thats really the best part of the whole weekend. If your shy don't worry, everyone is really friendly and no one is judging anyone. Also there is a lounge on the same floor as the convention if you need some liquid courage! But seriously, we all don't bite and would love to meet new peeps

[Vecturist]

oooooooo...any tips for a newbie?

Pack clothing you can layer - the weather is unpredictable sometimes. Also I tend to find the temperature inside the hotel tends to be on the cooler side so I'm usually bundled up with a sweater or sweatshirt.

Creation will sell pictures for autographs but sometimes there maybe only 1 or 2 choices for a particular guest. You can bring your own artwork to have signed or the MGM website has a pretty good library of images you can print out. Sometimes photo ops may be printed out in time to have them autographed, but I wouldn't count on it. Invest in a binder or heavyweight envelope and plastic sleeves so your autos and photo ops don't get bent.

[Geoi McKay]

snowflake, you crack me up. I'm usually always in my own little world too, so I totally get it!

Thanks for all the great advice, guys. I hadn't even thought about bringing a binder for my autos and stuff.

Is the closest costco/wal-mart type place that one behind Vancouver Studios? Oh, I could look that up myself. Geez, lazy, haha. I'll need to go shopping before I check-in. Since the TSA is such a pain in the bum now, I won't be packing my shampoo, soaps, or toothpaste. Still hoping I won't have to check my bag. I'd rather it not leave my sight.

[AnnieS]

Geo I can take you to the nearest Wal*Mart if you need to go. I work for them so know where the closet is. Or there is a Zellers or a Shoppers Drug Mart in Metrotown. And 2 grocery stores across the way as well.

[Krisz]

oooooooo...any tips for a newbie?

Carry a bottle of water with you. You can refill it from jugs supplied by the hotel just outside the convention hall. It's easy to get dehydrated in all the excitement. At my first con I remember getting a migraine the first day and I think dehydration was partly to blame. Ever since I've had water with me and sipped it throughout the panels and whilst wandering around I've been fine.

Take time out to sit somewhere quiet too whenever you can, it helps with the energy levels, and of course don't forget to eat meals as close to regular times as you can. It may seem obvious, but honestly it's so easy to be caught up in excitement with all that's going on, and realise when you start feeling like crap that you've missed a meal or haven't drunk enough water.

A good bag/backpack to hold all your stuff is a must, one that sits neatly under your seat and doesn't fall over emptying all your stuff into the aisle or under the person's feet behind you or as someone is just walking past!

With regards to protecting photos and posters, Creation sold some really good stiff plastic A3 sized wallets one year and that holds all my photo ops safely and stops them getting bent. They didn't sell them last year so I recommend you get one before the convention if that's how you want to protect your pictures. I don't know how I did without that before I bought it!

Updated seating chart....

[AnnieS]

I am hoping they have that snack table again. They didn't lastyear since it was a auto table. That was good for the munchies with fruit and baked goods and drinks.

[picardythirds]

Wow! Thank you everyone for all these tips - I will try to keep them in mind
And keep'em coming. One can never be tooooo informed.

To summarize (let me know if I've missed any good bits!)


To PACK

-dress in layers
-underwear
-make sure you plan what to wear for the photo op

-camera with decent zoom
-bring a water bottle
-picture(s)/artwork of guest to be autographed
-protection for said picture/artwork
-backpack/bag to hold stuff & can sit under a chair
-snacks

General Info
-eat!!!! (not really a problem)
-pre-register

I do come from around the Vancouver Area so that'll help

Is the closest costco/wal-mart type place that one behind Vancouver Studios? Oh, I could look that up myself. Geez, lazy, haha. I'll need to go shopping before I check-in. Since the TSA is such a pain in the bum now, I won't be packing my shampoo, soaps, or toothpaste. Still hoping I won't have to check my bag. I'd rather it not leave my sight.

Usually when I travel I get the travel-sized versions of my shampoo & stuff at CVS/Wallmart and they do comply with the TSA regulations as long as they are in a large (1 quart) plastic bag. That said, the hotel should have shampoo, soap, and other niceties like that. However, if you want, as someone has already said, there is a zellers (it's pretty much a Canadian Wallmart...but smaller) in the mall, not to mention a great dollarstore by the bus loop which is right across the street from the hotel. Less than 5 minutes walk, one should think. There's also a Superstore there, which I think is even closer.

Also as an FYI, there is a Best Buy in the neighbourhood (a little farther, but walking-distance) just in case you forget camera, SD cards, stuff like that.

Thanks again!

[Hoschi]

Official Final GateWorld Dinner Sign-Up
Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8pm
Earl's -- 4361 Kingsway (just around the block from the hotel)

It's officially time to start planning for what will (sadly) be the final official GateWorld dinner in Vancouver. Our home for the past several years (Sammy J Peppers) closed their doors, so I was tasked with finding a new and last home for us that was nearby and could accomodate all of us. It wasn't an easy job.

Prices for menu items are mostly comparable to previous years. Attending the dinner does not mean you HAVE to eat. The potential size of this year's group -- between forum members, special guests (some are con guests, some are NOT), and Stargate crew -- means that eating may need to be staggered no matter how we do it. Rest assured though, between the spacious lounge area we'll have, the cast and crew drop-ins I'm setting up, potential prize giveaways and the later closing time (11pm)...we're all going to make this final dinner one not to forget.

To sign up, simply reply to this post, add your forum name in the appropriate area, and remove the quote tags. It's as simple as that. Please also indicate if you plan on bringing guests (+1, +2, etc.). Extra guests are fine, but only forum members can win any potential prizes we giveaway.

Finally, Earl's has stated that giving them a menu list of our choices is unnecessary. However, as an aid to both them and us, we're doing it anyway. After reviewing the menu off their site, please PM Mamasue9 with your items. She'll be keeping tabs over the next 10 weeks.

Can't wait to see all of you in Stargate's hometown one final time!

Earl's Official Website

GUEST LIST:
Doublecut
mamasue9
Dr. Carson Beckett
Camelot7414
Krisz
Geoi McKay
Snowflake + 2(maybe 5)
silvercomet
Scarym1
[B]AnnieS + 1 maybe
Nynaeve69 +1
MylittleEli
SabrinaB
Starbird
Clairec007
Jian
picardythirds
nakedwesley
knightie
Vecturist
SGAFan + 1
Hoschi

Reposting with all names on


Edit: Sorry I just copied it and all the pretty colours were gone *stupidme*

[Lea]

Official Final GateWorld Dinner Sign-Up
Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8pm
Earl's -- 4361 Kingsway (just around the block from the hotel)


Earl's Official Website

GUEST LIST:
Doublecut
mamasue9
Dr. Carson Beckett
Camelot7414
Krisz
Geoi McKay
Snowflake + 2(maybe 5)
silvercomet
Scarym1
[B]AnnieS + 1 maybe
Nynaeve69 +1
MylittleEli
SabrinaB
Starbird
Clairec007
Jian
picardythirds
nakedwesley
knightie
Vecturist
SGAFan + 1
Hoschi
Lea

Reposting with all names on

[Geoi McKay]

Geo I can take you to the nearest Wal*Mart if you need to go. I work for them so know where the closet is. Or there is a Zellers or a Shoppers Drug Mart in Metrotown. And 2 grocery stores across the way as well.

Aw, Annie, that's so sweet of you! I may or may not need to grab a pay-as-you-go cell phone. Mine won't work up there. I already asked. Do they carry those at the other stores that were mentioned? I know they do at Wal-Mart and Best Buy. Even our Dollar General has them.

OMG, just reading all these posts gets me all amped up again! Hurry up, April!

[doublecut]

To everyone thinking of Red Robin on Thursday night pre-con....you CANNOT make reservations, so don't try. We will need to coordinate ourselves prior with party size and I will call ahead a couple days early to let them know they may need extra servers...but there really isn't much we can do until we're in the door waited to be seated. If someone wants to make a seperate Red Robin list, do it. It'll make things easier as we get closer.

More importantly, a 4th guest just confirmed for the Sunday dinner. At this rate, we may have as many guests as the con itself by the time it happens...lol. And almost all of them aren't part of the con anyway.

Also, the latest ticket winner has less than 24 hours to confirm. Assuming I don't hear from them...ticket winner #5 gets picked this time tomorrow....

Lesson to all: if you enter a contest...check your PM's. Two of the people picked entered and then never logged into the forum again... (sigh).

[RinkRat]

Hey doublecut!

I am hoping to get a PM from you tomorrow at this time..............

On another note,
Have you checked out the Calgary Comic Expo page?
The entire cast of ST:TNG will be here this year as well as Amanda Tapping and a few others. The bad thing is, it is the same weekend as VanCon. :-(

[Geoi McKay]

Ooh, last night I dreamt that I won the tickets and I was trying to decide which of my friends to give them to! Then I woke up and realized I don't have any friends. Haha... Well, not that are into Stargate, anyway.

[Scarym1]

Only 85 more days to go until I fly out to Vancouver.

[AnnieS]

Hey Doublecut what do we look for when you check your email??

Oh and there is also a Staples just down the street from the hotel. Way closer than Best Buy. And along with the Real Canadian Superstore. There is a second grocery store directly across from the hotel, which has a Tim Horten's and McDonald's in there (great for a quick meal or breakfast). An yes forgot about the Dollarama store at Station Square, also across from the hotel.

And not sure but they may cary pay-as-you-go phones at Zellers and Staples.