CE16 Complete newbie questions re: Celebration Europe

These are total newbie questions, but I've never even been to a convention before and I'm going to Celebration Europe on the Sunday. I expect it's going to be pretty overwhelming, and I was wondering if anyone could help with the following questions:

1. I've pre-booked my ticket and got an email confirmation. Will I just need to bring my printed email confirmation along so they can scan the QR code? Do they use the payment card?
2. On the website it says the Exhibit Hall opens at 10am. How early should I am to be in the vicinity to queue to pick up my tickets?
3. How does getting into the main panels work? I NEED to be there for that future of the saga panel with Rian and Kathy!

I'd also welcome any general advice about how to make the most of the day - all tips/advice are gratefully received! Thanks!

 

1. We don't know yet as it's not been announced. Best bring a print out and the card just to be safe.
2. Same again. I'd hope at least 9am but nothing's confirmed. If you can pick up your ticket early (Thursday, Friday or Saturday) it would definitely save you time on Sunday and allow you to get into the main queue earlier rather than having to collect your ticket first.
3. Best guess based on the floor plan is that you queue for a Celebration Stage wristband in the main queue hall (I'm guessing this guarantees you entry into whichever panel you queue for) then the wrist band gives you entry into the Celebration Stage queue downstairs (which I'm guessing is guest come first served for the best seats but as long as you have a wristband you're good for entry). The smaller stages have their own queuing areas.

Making the most out of the day depends on what you want and on how busy the convention is. To give an example from 2007's convention (the last in London) - some people queued over 2 hours to get good seats for Mark Hamill's panel, I joined the queue just before it started and got in. Reports from Essen (the last CE in 2013) were similar, if you weren't bothered by where you sat you could get into pretty much all panels just before they started. That said, reports from Ahaheim last year were crazy with people queuing for hours for the major panels and some panels being capped well before they were due to start. The European events normally aren't this busy but we've also never had one when Star Wars was this popular so it's something to keep in mind.

The Future Filmmakers panel (like Friday's Rogue One panel) is being streamed into the other 2 main stages so they obviously expect it to be full.

Here's where the "depends what you want part comes in". If you have to be in the main room for that panel then you will have to queue for it, especially if good seats are important to you. No one knows how long for yet (we'll likely have a better idea once we know how the wristband thing works and a much better idea after seeing what queues are like for Friday's Rogue One panel) but be prepared for it to be a significant part of your day. Alternatively if you don't mind seeing it streamed in one of the other stages you'll have much more tine to see other panels and take in stuff on the show floor like the ILM VR experience or the official store or the art show, etc.

Best advice right now is keep up to date on discussions here, in Facebook, Twitter, etc. See what people are saying about queuing for panels during the weekend, then on Sunday keep checking social media for updates, I'm sure people will post queue updates, so you can judge when you think you need to be in the queue for that panel.

The official Celebration site is meant to be posting a navigation guide this week so hopefully that will help.

 

Thank you so much for all of this! I really, REALLY appreciate it, and this makes me feel much more relaxed about the whole thing. Just one more thing - can you go into as many events on the Celebration Stage as you want using the same wristband? Or is it just one wristband per panel for the main stage? The whole system seems a little confusing to me, but I'm sure I'll get to grips with it.

 

You're welcome

As for the wristbands I'm afraid I have no idea. I'd imagine one per panel but right now the only mention of them is in the floor plan saying "queue here for Celebration Stage wristbands", everything else is just speculation.

 

Can someone explain to me how the photo ops work? Like if I book Carrie Fisher, will I be given a specific time? I'm a bit confused and reading the official site isn't helping much

 

Yes, if you book a photo shoot with Carrie at say Friday, then at some point they will come out and announce that photo shoot with Carrie Fisher Friday is at maybe 2PM. And then you have to be there at 2PM (actually mostly they like you to be there 10 minutes before). And if you where planning to attend an other panel at 2PM, then you are just out of luck. You may be able to switch your photo shoot ticket to an other day (if they are being really nice and the other day are not too busy), but don't count on it.

Of cause the Friday and 2PM was just examples on my part, but that is basicly how it works.

Photo shoots normally goes quite fast once they get moving. There is no lengthly conversations. At most it is something like "Hi, nice to meet you. Can we shake hands / stand back to back / do thumbs up for the photo.(Click) Thanks bye".
Actually Carrie is likely to sit in a chair. She did the last two or three times. So major repositions is not likely to happen.

 

Quick update - registration (badge collection) times have been released.

Wednesday 8:00-17:00
Thursday 8:00 through Sunday 16:00 (yep they're open right through, I'd love it if the store was too but I seriously doubt it)

 

That's fantastic news, honestly. I arrive in London at 5:40 on Friday morning, so I'll be able to pick my badge up immediately? Great stuff

 

If I remember correctly, at some earlier Celebration(s) the store had been open on the night before for VIP ticket holders.

 

Thanks - are badges what you use to get into the event? So do you bring along your email confirmation to get a badge to enter? It all seems so confusing!

 

Thank you . I feel like I need to study a manual to understand everything about this event!

 

Actually you can always get out... especially if you don't have a badge.

 

Thanks for the update on ticket pickup! We'll be arriving in London at some point in the morning.

Edit - do we know where in ExCel the ticket pickup is?

 

Looking at the map I think it's west side of the Excel.

 

While I appreciate that it is very hard to judge and people really won't be sure of wait times until the day, am I likely to be alright picking up my ticket and getting in on Sunday morning? As in, if I arrive at 9.30am to pick up my ticket will I actually get into the exhibition hall at a reasonable time? I'd hate to get there on the day and find that I spend virtually all of my time waiting to get in. I could go to London on the Saturday and queue for my ticket then, but I'd prefer to save the train fare if that isn't absolutely essential.

 

I think you'll be fine going Sunday morning but I'd try and get their earlier if you can (maybe 8 if you can?) The last London celebration was that long ago it's probably not a good comparison but I've done comic cons there in the last year or so where it can take an hour or more to get through the queue to get in.

That said, read what people say about Friday and Saturday mornings then you can make a much more informed decision on Saturday afternoon.

 

Thanks . Unfortunately, the earliest train I can get won't arrive in London until 9, and it will take me another 30 minutes to get the DLR to the Excel Centre. I'll see what it's like on Friday and go to pick up my ticket on Saturday if I feel it's necessary.

 

Since the registration desk is open round the clock from thursday and you are not coming till sunday, then I don't think you will save many minutes by not picking your badge up on sunday morning.
I think, that sunday morning you will be able to walk right up to the desk and get your badge and then be in line all within a few minutes. Hardly worth taking time to pick it up saturday for.

 

That's encouraging. thanks! I probably will just get there as early as I can on Sunday - the only scheduled event I can't let myself miss is the Future Filmmakers panel, so it's not the end of the world if I don't get in right on 10.

 

This is true, when I said 8ish I was thinking more of the queue to get in the hall than the queue to pick up the badge.

 

I arrive on Thursday evening. Too late too pick our badges, besides I'm going directly to the #Cantina event.
Does the badge pickup on Friday not open until 10? If that's the case, how many hours early should I be?

 

Do you know how it works with the exclusives? Do they hold a certain number back each day, or will they sell them all asap? I really want that unmasked Kylo Ren Black Series figure, but I'm at peace with it if I'm too late (since I'll only be going on Sunday, and certainly won't be the first person through the door).