I know, you’re probably saying why should we buy a ticket to buy another ticket? Well, it depends on how much you really want the NYCC tickets. Probably for ReedPOP, it helped increase their Special Edition: NYC tickets sales. I wonder how well those tickets would have done if there were no NYCC tickets being sold there? In general, since I enjoy comics and conventions, I bought myself a weekend badge for Special Edition: NYC 2015 prior to the NYCC online sales launch. Coincidentally, I gave myself another chance at purchasing NYCC tickets.
So, I arrived Saturday morning and I was waiting outside by the water. If I remember correctly, I arrived passed 8am. As the minute, yes minute, went by the line kept growing and growing. I’m not sure how far back it went, but it definitely went passed the giant bottle sculpture that was along the path that we all were lined up on. Then it started to randomly rain…no, not everyone had an umbrella, but I had one. We must be seriously committed fans to be waiting in this weather.
At some point the line started to move and yes, it was still raining. When I arrived inside, like everyone else, we all rushed to get on the line to buy the NYCC tickets. Well, it got cut off. So much for waiting outside early. The staff told everyone to come back after a certain duration, which I cannot remember. We couldn’t wait around, I did a quick browse of the nearby booths. When it was time to go back to get the NYCC tickets, well…it was seriously crowded in an unorganized way.
Picture a mob surrounding a pot of limited gold. When I say “surround,” I literally mean closing in from all sides. There was no line, no organization and honestly, everyone in the front of the mob were ALL first in line. I thought someone was gonna get jumped! Alright, then someone from the staff stepped in and did something to tame the crowd.
Since we were encircling the entrance to the area where the NYCC ticket line was, it didn’t make sense to force everyone to get into single file. Instead that staff member pointed out certain people near the front and told them to raise their hands up. Those who were in front of the hands being raised were allow to proceed to the NYCC ticket line. Everyone else behind the hands, including the ones raising their hands, had to wait their turn to advance. This worked well, but of course, people were anxious about the tickets.
Well, I got my chance to wait on the NYCC line, but it was not quick, meaning it didn’t take an hour. I think it took at least two hours. Thank goodness I had my Nintendo 3DS XL with me and friends to talk to. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure I would have gone crazy. While waiting on line, I was looking to see if there are any updates on Special Edition: NYC’s Twitter account. Sure enough, 3 day passes were sold out. Then when it was my turn, about 15 minutes before 2:00pm, I bought a 4 day pass, which was my original intention. Soon enough when I looked at their Twitter account again, the 4 day passes were sold out. There was plenty of people left on the line.
As the day went by the tickets for the other days were gradually being sold out. So the only other chance was Sunday. My friend woke up and lined up pretty early to get his hands on the convenient tickets. I think he was on line at 7:00am . I arrived around 12:30pm and the line for the NYCC tickets was EMPTY! Now now, don’t go thinking that the tickets weren’t sold out: 3day and 4day were sold out before 12:30pm. So all the late comers, who wanted those tickets, lucked out. (not sure what you are trying to say here. It sound slike tickets sold out faster than Saturday from you are saying)
The other half of the line at #SENYC pic.twitter.com/3cXciLU4YO
— Lyntha Tye (@lynthatye) June 6, 2015
@SpEditionNYC need a better managemeNt system. Corner off where u actually want the next hour line 2 begin? #nycc pic.twitter.com/SNyB7n7goE
— Lyntha Tye (@lynthatye) June 6, 2015
Just reflecting on the past and thinking about the future, my experience in acquiring NYCC tickets will forever get worst. Unlike 2015, at last year’s Special Edition: NYC, I was able to relax and enjoy the con first and then later in the day get my NYCC tickets. I guess I can’t do that anymore, because this year, the ticket was the first and most important thing. I’m glad that I purchased a Special Edition: NYC weekend pass, because on Sunday I was able to cosplay and actually enjoy what the con had to offer. Since purchasing the NYCC tickets had been increasingly competitive, I would have no choice BUT to purchase a Special Edition: NYC weekend pass. Not only will I buy it for pure convention enjoyment, but it’ll be my back up to a foreshadowing online ticket purchase failure. However, I haven't heard news about Special Edition: NYC 2016. Perhaps it's not happening. If so, I wish us nerds much luck in this years NYCC ticket hunt.
© 2016 Linda Thai
Photography by Linda Thai
For more pictures, check out the Something Deeper: Anime, Manga and Comics Page on Facebook
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