Complaints.

[urisco]

I agree with the hotel issue (sorry that was too long to quote).

While I didn't have that specific issue, I had issues with late check out.

The website stated it was 3 p.m, but I was told by hotel staff on Sunday that it was 2 p.m. And when I called the front desk around 2:30, I was told that they weren't doing late check due to the con. (At least I think that's what she said, it was hard to hear. But she did say it wasn't happening due to something going on).

Did anyone else have that problem?

Are you serious =/. When I reserved my hotel room at the hyatt I called I did not reserve online infact I did not even check out the website except to see picture's of the room. I was told over the phone that checkout was at noon so 12pm no one told me that checkout was at 3pm. If that was so I would have stayed longer btw I believe that in the programming guide it mentioned that checkout was at 12pm for the hotel?

Also I actually got dropped off since I did not want to pay for parking but my two friends did not so I will ask them about if they got charged extra for parking and reply back here on the forums if they had an issue with that also. Obviously there are some major issue's with the hotel giving people false information though.

[Kellin]

My 2nd comment is the gymnastic kids can we get something to separate us further from them so we don't bother them and they don't bother us? Most of them were really nice and a few of them actually came up to me and asked me if they could touch my "soft big hands" because I was in a lugia gijinka costume. It was really cute since they were little kids and I believe they were just walking past us to get to their area and there parents seemed happy also. But at about 1-2am not sure of exact time me some friends and random people were just lounging around the convention center and they started yelling at us about "do we dress like this every day! Why do you look so weird" and one of the kids kept trying to come down the escalader. Most people were just ignoring them but I have to admit they were pretty annoying since everyone was just relaxing also the people sitting around were telling us that they had been doing that on and off for hours. I wonder where their parents where why were they even wandering around up there that late anyways? My point is somehow can we be separate further from them so it doesn't cause any issue's in the future.

Wanted to chime in here and let you know that there were so many gymnastics kids there because they rented out the huge room on the 3rd floor of the convention center for their own special event. If they were harassing you then you should've considered letting security/customer service know. If not, then they had every right to be around as much as we did.

[vashgunfighter]

Well a lot of it comes from who is available and willing to come. There are many variables that go into who comes to Anime Milwaukee.

I know people want variety (as do I) but at the same time there are also people who request that we bring back the same guests as before. (I know Vic Mignona and Todd Haberkorn have been said before and Todd has already been here, two years in a row in fact).

But keep the suggestions coming, this is how we make the con better.

I would personally like to see Todd Haberkorn again (was hoping he'd come last year), but yeah....people are going to request Vic Mignogna ALL THE TIME. You could invite him for 10 years in a row and people would still complain about how they didn't get a chance to see him and can't you bring him back one more time blahbleeblahbleeblahOMGEDWARDELRIC111bleeblah.

Most people I've seen are not requesting the same guests as the previous year. And frankly, if you see a handful of people on the forum clamoring for the exact same guests year after year, you have to remember that this forum is only a small sample of your attendees, and chances are most of us would like variety (although there's nothing wrong with bringing back an extremely popular guest). You've got to find a balance, basically.

If you're finding that the new guests you're pursuing consistently aren't willing to come...well...might wanna investigate why that is.

Remember it's not necessarily that guests aren't willing to come. There are a variety of reasons why a guest might not chose to go to a particular con.

Sometimes it's because another con go them first. Sometimes it's because they have to work, or may be they already went to 2 or 3 cons that month and are tired. I know in interviews some VAs say they can only do a con or 2 a month because it takes up so much energy. They need to be able to work come Monday like everyone else .

I can understand where you guys are coming from though. Guests are one of the big things that draw me to a con. That's actually why I joined staff, because I wanted to work with the guest department. I'm not there yet, but still.

Since a lot of people are bringing up this same issue, we'll definitely be talking about it.

This ^ a lot of variables go into this. Remember, too, that we've only been on the radar of companies and VAs for a few years. We've also taken that first difficult, financially painful step of separating from a university only just recently. We don't have the conveniences that afforded us but it also frees us to do a lot more than we could. Regardless, with all the aforementioned factors plus this transition, I'd like to think our staff did a good job ensuring we still had some good guests. The staff also acknowledges we need to cycle in new guests to keep things fresh. There's already things we're working on that will hopefully give you a reason to be so excited, you throw your money at the computer screen upon reading the announcement and wonder why next February isn't sooner! lol

[vashgunfighter]

We'll probably be having a chat with the hotel in the near future but, generally, the hotel's behavior is beyond our control (we'll see about what we can do about those issues). That goes for the gymnastics kids as well. There's not much we can do about that if we're sharing the con space. I've had similar experiences at ACen since they were having a prom there. You get the ones who are cool with it then you get the not so nice ones. The best thing you can do is tell FAC or AMKE staff or just ignore it.

As for late night food, again, beyond our control. The night life for Milwaukee is very adult friendly. You'll find mostly bars and clubs are open late but people under 21 can't really utilize this unfortunately. There's a similar problem no matter where you go in Milwaukee. Short of opening our own restaurant, there isn't much we can do about that...and before anyone asks, no, we don't have the money for that lol it'd be cool but noooot within the budget. Still, it's something we can discuss and see if there are any solutions. As a fellow insomniac who's up at the wee hours of the con, it'd be nice to find more food choices. Granted, I can walk into a local pub for a burger until 2 AM (though most close their kitchens before then I think) but after that? Pretty much just shrug and go to George Webb's or wait til morning. We'll discuss it for sure =)

Parking, I know, is expensive. We will do what we can but, as it has been said, it's parking in a metro area on the weekend during special events. Trust me, the staff feels your pain, too. We have to pay the same rates and we're there for a few extra days lol we understand and are looking into any options available.

[urisco]

My 2nd comment is the gymnastic kids can we get something to separate us further from them so we don't bother them and they don't bother us? Most of them were really nice and a few of them actually came up to me and asked me if they could touch my "soft big hands" because I was in a lugia gijinka costume. It was really cute since they were little kids and I believe they were just walking past us to get to their area and there parents seemed happy also. But at about 1-2am not sure of exact time me some friends and random people were just lounging around the convention center and they started yelling at us about "do we dress like this every day! Why do you look so weird" and one of the kids kept trying to come down the escalader. Most people were just ignoring them but I have to admit they were pretty annoying since everyone was just relaxing also the people sitting around were telling us that they had been doing that on and off for hours. I wonder where their parents where why were they even wandering around up there that late anyways? My point is somehow can we be separate further from them so it doesn't cause any issue's in the future.

Wanted to chime in here and let you know that there were so many gymnastics kids there because they rented out the huge room on the 3rd floor of the convention center for their own special event. If they were harassing you then you should've considered letting security/customer service know. If not, then they had every right to be around as much as we did.

Oh I didn't mean anything about them not having the right to be around I believe the same thing. I just meant if there is any possible way to separate them from us more like maybe put something up so there not trying to walk down the escalators at 2am? That way no one will go by them either sort of just blocking us off from them and blocking them off from us even a sign would be nice and could possibly help out since I know there were some issue's with them last year. Just something saying the con is this way and the gymnastics thing is this way that way there no confusion. Since I did see a few con goers accidentally going up there then coming down which may be bothering them. I'm not sure if they were using those escalators though if they were that obviously wouldn't work but a sign seems like it could help depending on the wording of it. That may keep the little children away when they decide to wander since they might think we shouldn't go over there. Even though they technically didn't come down. They seem like they come very often to the hotel though. Just something to if their is any possible way to notify them that hey were going to be here your going to be here lets not cause any trouble for each other if that's even possible.

By separating them further from us though I in no way meant they had no right to be there, I think there was a misunderstanding due to my choice of words, sorry about that.

I would consider them yelling down at us on and off for hours to be harassment and I did think about reporting it somewhere but they looked like they were 10 years old maybe and it was 2am. I only witnessed this going on for a little while so of coarse I only saw some of it I'm not sure if they were for sure for sure doing it on and off for hours but it had to of been a good hour that they were doing it. I admit that yes someone should have reported it and that if this happens again next year I will defiantly do that since it was pretty annoying.

Gonna add this onto the comment down bellow I've been to acen plenty of times and yes there is always a prom going on =/ and some of them do bother us while some of them just ignore us and some of them are just curious and ask questions. Like you said you get the bad and the good ones.

[Tsunade]

When we checked out at 9am Sunday morning I was told we had a late checkout ????? Nobody told us that when we checked in, and I specifically told her that. Also got an email from them for a survey and I intend to tell them again because I specifically asked for late checkout when I made my reservations.

Turned out OK cause we beat the crowds for elelvators/ bell hops. Loaded the car and went back to the con but they need to get their stories straight.

[ATLAWEFA]

This is more of an issue we had with some convention staff, and volunteering. A friend of mine was volunteering Sunday 12-4, and we had to leave by at least 4:30. When she was finished with her hours a staff member signed her badge but didn't let her leave. She said she was escorted to where the closing ceremonies were held and told to sit on the floor and wait until the ceremonies ended to give her badge to someone. At that time me and the rest of our friends sat wondering where she was, when I found her she was of course in the back of closing ceremonies sitting on the floor surrounded by staff members like body guards or something. I told one of them that I really needed to take her and leave, but he told me that if she leaves she has to pay for the weekend badge even though she did all the hours she signed up for. I had to keep repeating myself, he just really didn't seem to understand that I was angry for keeping her there longer than needed, that we had to leave.
She seemed to be the only volunteer that was kept like this, it was very unfair and unneeded for them to keep her longer then her original hours. I just ask that she could be treated a little more fairly because I found this kind of ridiculous and unnecessary.
but rly this was the only problem I had with the actual AMKE staff, any other problems were with the hotel themselves. Overall I think you guys did a fantastic job this year, and I only hope for better next year ^^

[Mukai-sama]

I only really have two complaints about the con for this year, but all in all, this year was SPECTACULAR!

Firstly, when we went to go check into the hotel, one of the employees there told us that we had to put down $200 as a security deposit. This was really out of the blue as the hotel didn't tell us anything about a security deposit. As my mother and I argued with the woman handling our room, this other employee came over and informed us that it was actually only $100 for the security deposit.

I don't know why this other employee was trying to make us pay more for a room, but it was very frustrating, especially considering that we didn't have that much money on us to begin with. I don't know if this was a common problem with the other attendees, but this was just my own experience.

My second complaint stems from an incident that occurred on Saturday. My friends and I were really looking forward to the Pokémon Artist Rendezvous being hosted on that day, but when we got there at 7 (a half hour before the panel even began), some attendees/other people (I wasn't sure if they were con staff or businessmen) shooed my friends and I out of the room and informed us the panel was closed because no one showed up.

You could imagine our confusion considering that, as I've mentioned before, the panel hadn't even started yet.

By around 7:15, people were beginning to show up expecting to show off their artwork of Pokémon, or just to talk about it, but they were disappointed and confused when they heard from my friends and I that the panel was cancelled.

As I wasn’t about to let a week of drawings go to waste, I decided that we should hold our own Pokémon Rendezvous in the craft room next door. Several more people joined, totaling to about 15-20 people by the time the cancelled panel was supposed to begin.

When the room the Rendezvous panel was supposed to be in was empty, our spontaneous panel moved in, my friend hooked up his laptop to the projector, another of my friends gathered up some drawing supplies and we moved in.

We continued hosting the panel for about maybe 2 hours and ended up with a total of 42 people that showed up along with the vice-chairman of AMKE (though I’m not entirely sure if it was him or not).

My point is please don’t assume that no one is going to show up for a panel before it even begins. I felt insulted by the panel being cancelled because I spent an entire week drawing Pokémon sketches to show off to other Pokémon fans, and it was as if my work was just going to waste because someone didn’t want to wait for people to show up.

[ATLAWEFA]

I only really have two complaints about the con for this year, but all in all, this year was SPECTACULAR!

Firstly, when we went to go check into the hotel, one of the employees there told us that we had to put down $200 as a security deposit. This was really out of the blue as the hotel didn't tell us anything about a security deposit. As my mother and I argued with the woman handling our room, this other employee came over and informed us that it was actually only $100 for the security deposit.

My second complaint stems from an incident that occurred on Saturday. My friends and I were really looking forward to the Pokémon Artist Rendezvous being hosted on that day, but when we got there at 7 (a half hour before the panel even began), some attendees/other people (I wasn't sure if they were con staff or businessmen) shooed my friends and I out of the room and informed us the panel was closed because no one showed up.

I had a problem similar with your first one! I was actually wondering if anyone else had any problems similar to ours. What happened was when we went to pay for our rooms (we got 2) with my friends card we were told we only had enough for one room. When earlier in the day we had given the money to our friend, went to his bank then transferred the money to his card. We were positive we had enough to pay for both rooms so at this point we were very very confused and even more confused when all they did was look at us looking equally as confused. Then when we strung up the money to pay for the second room they then told us that there was a $100 deposit so that was why we didnt have enough. I was rly confused why they hadn't told us that in the first place, that there was a 100$ deposit. I really don't see why the Hyatt didn't have their stuff straight this year because last year was fine, this year was just a disappointment with how they manages certain things :/

Also with your second one, this didn't happen to me but I definitely feel for ya. I'd be angered at that too. I mean I did see some panel rooms that were quite empty only having like 5-10 ppl attending but they still continued. :/ Obviously they were very impatient and unorganized.

However the fact that you took initiative and made it your own panel is pretty impressive! I don't think I'd ever be able to pull that off Maybe you and your friends could run that panel next year! ^^

[NarumiKenshin]

I only really have two complaints about the con for this year, but all in all, this year was SPECTACULAR!

Firstly, when we went to go check into the hotel, one of the employees there told us that we had to put down $200 as a security deposit. This was really out of the blue as the hotel didn't tell us anything about a security deposit. As my mother and I argued with the woman handling our room, this other employee came over and informed us that it was actually only $100 for the security deposit.

I don't know why this other employee was trying to make us pay more for a room, but it was very frustrating, especially considering that we didn't have that much money on us to begin with. I don't know if this was a common problem with the other attendees, but this was just my own experience.

My second complaint stems from an incident that occurred on Saturday. My friends and I were really looking forward to the Pokémon Artist Rendezvous being hosted on that day, but when we got there at 7 (a half hour before the panel even began), some attendees/other people (I wasn't sure if they were con staff or businessmen) shooed my friends and I out of the room and informed us the panel was closed because no one showed up.

You could imagine our confusion considering that, as I've mentioned before, the panel hadn't even started yet.

By around 7:15, people were beginning to show up expecting to show off their artwork of Pokémon, or just to talk about it, but they were disappointed and confused when they heard from my friends and I that the panel was cancelled.

As I wasn’t about to let a week of drawings go to waste, I decided that we should hold our own Pokémon Rendezvous in the craft room next door. Several more people joined, totaling to about 15-20 people by the time the cancelled panel was supposed to begin.

When the room the Rendezvous panel was supposed to be in was empty, our spontaneous panel moved in, my friend hooked up his laptop to the projector, another of my friends gathered up some drawing supplies and we moved in.

We continued hosting the panel for about maybe 2 hours and ended up with a total of 42 people that showed up along with the vice-chairman of AMKE (though I’m not entirely sure if it was him or not).

My point is please don’t assume that no one is going to show up for a panel before it even begins. I felt insulted by the panel being cancelled because I spent an entire week drawing Pokémon sketches to show off to other Pokémon fans, and it was as if my work was just going to waste because someone didn’t want to wait for people to show up.

Off chance question,

What was the Vice-Chair of AMKE/person you thought it was wearing?
If it was a Rainbow Dash outfit, you were correct. If not, not sure who that would
have been =D