Venue question

JeiCos

Hello. I went to PAX in 2017,18&19, and was wondering if anyone knew anything about how the event is going to be run this year in terms of things like going outside and re-entering the building. The way they handled it in 2019, made me not want to return. Going outside was a main thing for me as I film events like this, and to get some of the cosplayers in the videos, being outside is basically required because it's far too dark inside to see most of what's on camera (I get permission first, but it's near impossible when it's all in the dark inside). Since they barricaded the park off in 2019 and forced attendees to go all the around the building and get back in line (we had to wait a good 45 min just re-enter) it made people not go outside in their cosplays, and there were basically no photoshoots for cosplayers because of it. I tried joining and posting asking this in the PAX West facebook group, but my post has been in the review stage for almost a month. So I decided to try here. Does anyone know if they are gonna do the same thing as 2019? This is the one thing stopping me from going.

SkeleVader

We won't know until PAX releases more info, but they had the security check for 2021 last year so I would expect it to be the same this year.

JeiCos

The security check at the door wasn't a problem so I don't mind that, but not letting people back in from the 4th floor doors was ridiculous. It made it so there were no cosplayers outside the entire time (went Fri & Sat in 2019). We straight up didn't bother going Sunday like we normally did, because I we normally do Sunday badgeless and just get more cosplay showcase video clips, but since they made it so no one wanted to go outside, that made it impossible to get any more filming done.
In 2021, did they also barricade off the park and tell people that if they went into the park area, they had to go all the way back around and get back in line? I assume that's what you're saying, but just making sure.
My main issue with waiting for info is that by the time they actually DO put out that info, there likely won't be any badges left. So it's completely pointless to wait.

Bluemeane

They let people in and out the 4th floor doors last year because there was so few people. May happen again this year. But if it gets busy again they won't as it is just too hard to staff, and keep watch on, as well creates a pinch point with people coming and going there and the escalator.

JeiCos

Bluemeane wrote: »

They let people in and out the 4th floor doors last year because there was so few people. May happen again this year. But if it gets busy again they won't as it is just too hard to staff, and keep watch on, as well creates a pinch point with people coming and going there and the escalator.

They let people in and out of those doors in the year I'm talking about too, that wasn't the problem. The problem was, if you walked out to the courtyard area outside the 4th floor, they had those steel barred barricade things, they were about 1/3 the way into the courtyard. If you went past them to take photos in the park, they wouldn't let you back in that way, and forced you to go all the way around the building and get in the main front line where they did the metal detectors and bag checks.this made it so that no one wanted to use the park for cosplaying at.