Stargate Atlantis: Joe Flanigan at Chicago convention

[wraithfodder]

Well, got this email today from Creation Con...

Great news for our fellow Stargate fans as today we are happy to announce that one of our favorites, JOE FLANIGAN, the star of STARGATE ATLANTIS, will be part of the fun of Creation Entertainment's upcoming Official STARGATE SG-1/ATLANTIS CONVENTION coming to Chicago on AUGUST 21-23, 2009!

Joe joins already announced AMANDA TAPPING and PAUL McGILLION (with lots more to come!)

NOW is the time to grab your top of the line GOLD WEEKEND PACKAGES which set you up "deluxe-style" for the entire weekend. Check out the details at http://www.creationent.com/cal/sgchi.htm and keep watching for more announcements!

CHICAGO, IL AIRPORT AREA
Fri., Sat. & Sun. August 21-23, 2009
Wyndham O'Hare
6810 N. Mannheim Rd.
Rosemont, IL 60018

I would love to see Joe again, but man, $389 for gold, $55 for the autograph... plus I'd have to pay airfare to get there ($200 minimum I'm sure) plus transport to the airport on my end(not cheap no matter what, alas).

Ah, to win Powerball. With the economy in the state it's in, heck, blowing that kind of money for a con is a bit extravagent (looks shiftly at ancient car, which would probably fall apart the weekend before I'd go)

Comments

[grammarwoman]

I'll do my best.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't have to worry about transport to the hotel - they have a free shuttle, since they are literally at the back end of O'Hare. If it's the Wyndham I'm thinking of, it's right next door to the Allstate Arena, across the street from a runway. Walk across the parking lot & there's a Target strip mall on the corner of Mannheim & Touhey w/ an IHOP, Chilli's, Panda Express...

But, the hotel itself - SUCKS. Very Anti-American attitude last time I was there a couple of years ago. They were trying to transform themselves into an exclusive hotel catering to the Arabic & Jewish high end travelers.

I don't think that's a con the evil one's friend will be dealing at, because Creation likes to play games w/ their dealers and this gent won't play that game. (Besides, most of his merchandise is geared for the anime and/or gaming crowds anyway...)

Creation = overpriced & massive attitude

[timespirt.livejournal.com]

I would love to go to that. Creation is always so expensive and then there is the hotel for 3 days. Rather drive than fly, especially these days. A lot of accidents happening out there.

[leesa_perrie]

That sounds extortionate to me! Chevron 7.2 (okay, not an official con, but Joe and Jason should both be there (plus Major Davis, Skaara and Apophis from SG1), I think the gold tickets were less than £200 - the normal pleb ticket that I got was around £80 for the weekend and INCLUDES one autograph from each of up to six guests! Extra autographs are £15 for Joe and £10 for everyone else, and the photographs are are the same price!

I wonder what the prices were at Pegasus?

Of course, you'd have to fly to the UK, so that'd probably be more expensive, but man, £55 for an autograph? I can get the more expensive con tickets as they're likely to have more SG1 and SGA guests attending (and more of the major cast at that too), but that's steep for an autograph!

[jessica7070.livejournal.com]

I'm going to try to make it.. I'll gladly drive the 8 1/2 hours too!! But, the price though.. yikes that's steep.. convincing someone to come along with me is going to be hard!!

[jessica7070.livejournal.com]

another thing.. my birthday is aug 22nd so.. this just may be a sign!!

[vecturist.livejournal.com]

I have mixed feelings about Creation's cons. They're very business first, fun second and expensive, but the Burbank con was convenient for me. However, I think the cons in the UK are a better deal - I'm going to Chevron 7.2 and splurged on the most expensive package - £195 (or $370 with the exchange rate at the time). That includes autographs, photos with each of the guests (plus a group one), and a cocktail party with the guests. Chevron does base seating on what type of ticket you got, but seats aren't assigned - you are assigned a row, which I think I like better.

Luckily plane tickets are cheap (I paid $620), but it's a huge time commitment, since I live in Phoenix and fly from LA (12 hours nonstop LAX to London).

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I meant for me to get to an airport to fly to Chicago. Nearest airport is an hour away and the ways to get to airport are $100 or more. ;)

I've heard Creation charges a ton to get official merchandise, to the point many dealers just go 'no thanks'.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Having done real conventions over the years, I don't have the highest opinion of Creation (I think the fact they outright lied to me once is part of it). Real conventions have real programming - not just "buy this at auction" or do a trivia contest and win something you've already bought ;) Now, Comic Con is a real convention.

But everything I've read on the web, fans DO enjoy the UK cons a lot. You rarely hear anybody talking about the Creation cons, which is bizarre in itself.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that pesky lack of money is annoying when it comes to going to cons :(

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, in some instances, it's cheaper to fly to the UK than the midwest!

[leesa_perrie]

Can you get a last minute flight and time off work for next weekend?! I can find you a b&b/hotel!!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

if you win, take me with you!!! :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I really need to get a passport....

[jedi40.livejournal.com]

DEAL! Same goes with you.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Must start playing tomorrow!

[jedi40.livejournal.com]

Powerball is tonight and Weds. So get a few tickets for tonight and keep your fingers crossed.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

nah, already went out today. relaxing now. will get some for wednesday, or heck, even ordinary lotto would make me happy if i won a million!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Cocktail parties? All I've ever seen at the NJ cons were 'dessert parties'. Ice cream, cookies if you're lucky. What do you get at cocktail parties??

[vecturist.livejournal.com]

I'll tell you in about a week! From what I understand, there will be alcohol, but it's for the 100 people who purchased the top-tier tickets. It's supposed to last an hour or so with the guests moving around the room - they aren't tables, so people will be standing around chatting.

Chevron will be my third con (I've been to Creation's Burbank con and Pegasus3), so I guess I'm not totally up on what a con is. I will say it seems the UK cons generally focus a little more on the con as a social event (there are parties every night for everyone) and seem a little more relaxed in the handling of guests (who seem to have a few more chances to interact with attendees). What's also interesting for Chevron are the guest encounters - there will be 2 auctions with 20 slots for each of the guests, people can bid on (it's on paper - everyone who wins pays the lowest winning bid amount) a 45min- hour long tea.

Apparently the talks will also be multiple guests on stage together - so Joe and Jason together!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I've been doing cons for... a while ;) A true convention has guest talks, autographs, photo sessions, but also actual panel talks with other guests. Not just auctions of the same stuff at every con (which is basically waht Creation does) or the usual trivia contest. Comic Con, although massive, is a good example of a variety of things to do. Plus Creation's dealers room are pretty pitiful (at least the ones on the east coast). Wow, parties every night for everyone? Don't see that here.

Creation has also sewn up the US market, for the most part.

[jedi40.livejournal.com]

Not much left over from the reg lotto when you have to pay the State and Gov taxes on the win.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Gah, taxes...grrrr...

[jedi40.livejournal.com]

I hear ya....

In the long run you get a bigger pay out with powerball in a lump sum.