Registration at Anime Expo has always been a problem, with failing computers, not enough stations for registration, and long lines in the sun without shade. This year, they turned it around; with reports on Facebook stating that badge pickup for general attendees was not a matter of hours, but rather minutes.
The exhibit hall, as well as the other halls at the Los Angeles Convention Center, was expanded to help alleviate with the flow of traffic, as the aisles were more open to walk through but of course, the crowds still build up at the very front. Past the initial glut of attendees, the middle of the hall does open up for more room to walk. Of course, this still does not address the fact that Anime Expo is getting extremely crowded with the continued attendance growth. So when multiple panels get out at the same time, navigating the halls is definitely a challenge.
The autograph system was also entirely revamped for 2015. Firstly, the entire raffle situation was removed entirely in favor of having a set number of both priority and standby tickets. If you wanted more than one Guest of Honor, you simply had to line up once more to get another ticket at the main booth. Autographs, along with E-Gaming were moved from West Hall to the South Hall, which helped disperse the crowds in the area.
Up until now, going to Anime Expo as a general attendee, can be very taxing, considering the high volume of events they have to offer. For the four-day attendee, there is a lot of planning you have to go through, to ensure you can hit everything on your schedule. Most panels, and events can happen back-to-back, regular attendee’s will need to line up at least three to four hours in advance, to ensure that the line does not get capped as you arrive. Some ticketed events may overlap with a panel or two, so depending on what events you want to attend, you may have to end up skipping a panel, or concert; As long as you line up early for events, you can usually get away with making it to everything on your schedule.
For Anime Expo’s Premier Fan Package, which was introduced in 2011, there were also improvements to ensure that they too had a smooth experience. Badges to Premier attendees were mailed out in advance, which aided in cutting down time spent to pick them up. To continue adding to the premier experience, the “Premier Fan Lounge” was introduced as a perk; the quiet and private lounge itself provided complimentary drinks, charging stations, comfy seating and free swag bags. Of course, despite all the freedoms and perks Premier fans can enjoy over general attendees, such as priority seating and an extra hour of shopping on Day One, the cost of this VIP experience is becoming very expensive at $275 per attendee. The price for 2016 has jumped to $375 – which is $100 more – but will offer early access to the AX hotel block to make reservations. Despite the rising costs, these badges are just as coveted as a San Diego Comic Con attendee badge.
Compared to last year, Anime Expo has taken leaps and bounds to actually improve the stability of their convention, and make sure that it is a smooth experience for attendees. As attendance continues to grow, it’s getting much harder to regulate the crowds and clear out panel rooms so that programming starts on time. While it’s not perfect, I am excited to see what SPJA can bring to the table for not only 2016, but for the upcoming future.
