Fan Expo Canada 2009

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

August 28 to 30, 2009

Once again, I made it to Fan Expo again but for only for the Saturday and the Masqerade. The previous years of trying to make it for two days and communiting for 4 to 5 hours when I didn't have a place to stay overnight just did me in.

Satuday August 29th, 2009

The one difference was instead of getting home around 3-4am, I left London at that time to get into Toronto as early as possible. REAL Early. Getting to Front street around 6:30am. The place was quiet compared to usual daily tussle of Fan Expo.

The Lull before the Crowds

I entered MTCC early just to scope out the place and largely the weather outisde made it inhospital.

Where is everybody?

MTCC before the crowds

I got there so early the cleaners were still active bringing a floor sweeper through the doors of Dealers Room. Security was around so I kept clear to get the one shot.

First in line

The storm of crowds starts with a trickle

Still crowds slowly as time past.

Lineups continue...

Not long the crowds came... and came they did.

Making a Break for it ... NOT!

I usually head to hotdog trucks outside of MTCC but even there and back were heavy lineups no matter what I did.

Gaming Section

...

Gaming contiued in rooms as well..

Chaotic ... the drink

Once again Chaotic was at Fan Expo... this time as a branded energy drink. With last year's big push, this was another attempt to brand the card game. Still it wasn't enough and Chaotic passed away. Not surprising considering card games here in North America has a hard time making it big like Magic the Gathering. It took years for magic to get where it is with many pitfalls. No company should be expecting to make that type of success must realize it a long haul.

Dealer's Room ... the BIG Room

Dealers Room has row after row of dealers.

The Lull before the Masquerade

It was time for Timmies and a well deserved break before the masquerade line up. I still made use of my walk as there was still the occassional cosplayer to snap a photo.

By this time, the drizzle and fog were LONG gone from downtown Toronto.

Time I headed back the sun over the tracks walkway was starting to hide behind clouds and skyscrapers. Time to desend into the South Hall and the waiting line up for the masquerade.

Masquerade

The Line Up before the show...

The line of seated people waiting for the masquerade to start snaked throughout the halway with no real boundary where the lines where. As always the handling of letting people broke down as 501 stood on both sides of the door and the entire line broke down into chaotic rush for the doors. Poorly handled there is no need for the line up. They could have opened the hall an half an hour early but they claimed they needed time to setup. AnimeNorth had the 404's open up their masquerade so majority of people were already seated an full hour before the masquerade.

In Hall 'G'reatness...

Once again the masquerade was in Hall G which I grown to love. No balcony like the theatre but it seats far more. If only if main floor seating was sloped upward to give better view but it was offset with projector screens on either sides.