Fantasy Events - Cardiff - Star Wars Extravaganza - Sunday 17th December

Date: Sunday 17th December 2006
Location: Marriott Hotel, Mill Lane, Cardiff
Event: Star Wars extravanganza - Fantasy Events

Website: [link=http://www.fantasyevents.org/cardiffdecember2006/cardiffdecember2006.html]URL[/link]
Forum: [link=http://fantasymaniauk.proboards56.com/index.cgi?board=csd17]URL[/link]

Looks like the guests from Newport are booked for this one too, which will be great.

So ...

Meet on Sunday, anyone up for a meet on Saturday too? Have a Christmas do?
I'll start looking into places for me to stay.

 

I will be there rain or shine and we can then discuss plans for a Welsh Contingent for "Celebration Europe". Anyone got any ideas related to what people might like to do for a night out? Is the 16th (Sat - night before Con) better or would people prefer something after the event (Sun)....?

 

I'm up for the Saturday meet and Sunday as I have a room to stay in now. (My sis is at Cardiff uni and is leaving on the 15th)

 

I have been checking on a few things - travel wise it's a 4-5 hour train journey for me, but you lot are worth it

I have found a hotel that is perfectly placed for me so I can be there both Sat and Sunday night, near both train station and convention venue (I'll post details as soon as I have booked - EmacuSibio, I'll email you about that )

A few ideas for this meet - aside for Christmas meal, how about a little ice skating?

http://www.cardiffswinterwonderland.com/

Maybe a good idea to book tickets in advance - http://www.cardiffswinterwonderland.com/ww_tickets.htm
Would be £7.50 (I think Skate hire is included in that price)

And because this will be a pre-Christmas meet, how about a "FF-UK Chrimbo Gift exchange" - something SW maybe, no more than £10 each, and we give out randomly to the FF-UK member's present?

More ideas to come

Edit: Posted our possible attendance [link=http://fantasymaniauk.proboards56.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=csd17&thread=1161632947]here[/link]

 

Update:
I am now booked into the Travel Lodge Cardiff Central - [link=http://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_hotel/hotel/hotel_id/81/CardiffCentral]here[/link]

Gift exchange idea:
Sorry didn't explain fully, each person would buy one gift, then we pass them around. So we don't get them going back to the people who bought them, we'd mark each gift with the name of the person who bought it.

 

Scouting: I did a bit of scouting in Cardiff this Wednesday and found something that might be interesting for us to go to on the Saturday...

http://doctorwhoexhibitions.com/cardiff/about.html

It is slightly away from the city centre but its set in the Red Dragon Centre which has quite a few restaurants, a Odeon cinema and a bowling alley. Its near the bay and the Wales Millennium Centre, which is the setting for the new TV show 'Torchwood'. Its £4 to get into the Dr Who Exhibition, but if you have a blue peter badge you get in for free.

[image=http://www.cardiffbay.co.uk/images/wmc.jpg] [image=http://doctorwhoexhibitions.com/images/cardiff/about5.jpg]

There is a train station right near the bay, but I cant find any train times atm for the 16th. If all else fails, its not that far a walk. I've drafted up a quick map to show where things are...

[image=http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/9071/cardiffmapbi9.jpg]

 

Looks cool. I am expecting to get to Cardiff for 2-3pm, I can only sign into the hotel after 3pm mind, then I can dump my stuff.

What does everyone else think?

 

Just wondering where everyone stood on this, who is able to come, who isn't?

I'll be able to come Saturday and Sunday as I've got a place to crash in Cardiff.

 

I'm up for this till Odj, will go book my train ticket today. I know Stevie79 is coming.

Can we get a headcount of people definitely coming, and who can make a Saturday and Sunday.

1. timbolton (Sat - afternoon onwards/Sun all day)
2.
3.
4.
5.

 

1. timbolton (Sat - afternoon onwards/Sun all day)
2. odj_310388 (Sat - 12pm onwards/Sunday all day)
3.
4.
5.

 

Hey!
I'm going to that too. It'll be my first proper Star Wars event. Is this held every year at the same place?

 

Welcome to the boards (I guess you saw my post over on the Fantasy Events boards?)
The event is held twice a year, though let's see what happens in 2007. There were also two similar events held in Newport during 2006.

 

Ah excellent. Yeh, it must have been your post that I saw on that site! =]
How much do the actors normally charge per autograph, and are you able to have a picture with them?
I havn't been to any kind of convention for a good few years.
These forums are an awesome idea. Nice to be talking to some like minded people! =]

 

Most are very relaxed about it all and if you ask kindly I'm sure they'd have a picture with you. The one I went to in Bristol with Tim and Welshguy it varied from £5-£20. The £20 one was David Prowse greedy begger , £10 was Jeremy Bulloch and £5 was some guy who was a stormtrooper.

Glad to see a new active member and hope to see you there!

 

So that is three people so far, plus I know Stevie79 will be going, so another Welsh poster (infrequent that he is, will have to give him a nudge). Is that Galvathing coming to say hi to us?

Also Sakara will be there with the professional Star Wars ala Imperial costuming group "UK Garrison" Should be fun to see those lads and ladies again

As I said above, I am there from Sat around 3pm ish, so are we going to meet for that day too? And gift exchange - still on? If so I need to get one this weekend.

So, any more takers?

Edit: Prices above are about normal for a show, and yep, the stars are usually happy for pics to be taken. I have a few stars I'll be chatting to

We need to work out a meet time for Sunday - are we going for the early bird?

 

I'd say yes to the meet on Sat, I'll be getting in a bit earlier than you Tim but I've goto dump my stuff off at my sisters flat first so that'll take a hour or so (goto find the damn place, only been there once before ) and I'm getting in about 12:50 so I could hang around in my sis's flat and be back in the city centre for 3pm? So meet at Tims hotel at about 3ish?

Gift exchange sounds alright to me, I wont be getting anything to expensive though as I'm not exactly loaded at the moment.

 

Cool
I'll get signed in, then we can wander

Forgot to say, EmacuSibio is still intending on coming, I have spoken to him

 

I would have met up with all you guys on the Saturday, but gotta work - meh! Hopefully see some of you in there on Sunday though. Are you doing the early bird?

I have been to that Dr. Who in Cardiff bay a few times. Its not that bad. Its about 4 quid to get in, and they give you a wristband so you can come and go all day as you please. And entrace to the exhibition also entitles you to free parking, for those bringing their landspeeders! =]
Theres a couple of food places, cinema, and a bowling alley, with pool tables, arcade machines and the like in the same place as the Dr Who joint (the red dragon centre).

The bay is a bit off the city centre though if you don't have your car.

 

Ok, just practically said the same thing as odj! Me = *slaps head* =s =]

 

I'll PM people my moby no. if they so wish, may help when trying to find us.

We could always do the gift exchange on Sunday night.

So ... what's the plan -

Saturday: 3pm+ meet and Evening meal? So far only Odj and I seem to be able to attend.
Sunday: Fantasy Events and Evening meal with possible gift exchange?

Sunday 17th December 2006
DOORS OPEN 10.30 (Early Birds) 12.00 (General public)

EARLY BIRDS - Adults £8.50 / Under 12s £5.50 / Under 9s free
GENERAL PUBLIC - Adults £6.00 / Under 12s £4.00 / Under 9s free

DOORS CLOSE at 4.30
-------

I'll go for the Early Bird but does anyone attending want to go for later - we can meet you outside if so.

 

u have an interesting guest list, but I dont know if Ill be able come

 

I'm going for the early bird. =]

 

heya
yeah ill be there!,with the UKg, probably doing Padme for the last time, so if any of you ever wanted a pic with me in that costume...that'l be your last chance hehe

 

Wow! I really enjoyed it! =]
I didnt manage to get everyones autographs, but I did take time to talk to most of the guests. They were more aproachable than I thought. I chatted with Jeremy Bulloch, and all that lot at the back of the room for ages, and they genuinly awesome guys.
Dave Prowse on the other hand. I'm glad I met him, but you could tell he was just there for the money, which is a shame. He was awfully grumpy, and engaging in any sort of conversation seemed to be too much of a chore. I don't know if he's always like this, or just had an off day.
I did look out for some of you guys, but I didnt recognise anyone from your pictures on here. We'll have to have a meet soon after Christmas.

 

No worries , you have the details to contact people for the next meet (I'd recommend check your PMs a day or so before a meet if you can, usually I can't as I'll be travelling down). I'll post some pics from the event in a day or so, apologies for not doing before - it was a fun meet, chatted to lots of people.