So I don't know how many of you went to the first FedCon in the USA this weekend. But I know I was disappointed. For those who didn't go:

1. Registration was terrible. People who had pre-ordered their tickets waited in long lines, while people who were just buying their tickets that day zipped right through. Why? Because the people in charge of tickets were disorganized and many people (such as myself) walked away with makeshift "temporary vouchers" because they could not find our tickets.

2. Several promised guests did not arrive, such as Anthony Montgomery. Now, from the rumors I heard from the staff members, he had a family issue to take care of. None of the actors were at fault in any way. They were wonderful. My problem was that I did not find out until this morning at his appointed Q&A time that he would not be coming. The staff were helpful, but ill-informed.

what I must make clear is that the only person truly at fault here was the guy who put it all together. Not FedCon, not the actors, not the staff.

3. I went to the John Billingsley and Bonita Friedericy Q&A, and they were wonderful. But they were cut short by the MC who announced that FedCon USA was CANCELED. At first it seemed an elaborate joke. But once he began talking in detail about refunds (which were also disorganized, big surprise), well...
Apparently the guy who ran all this had never run a convention before, did not have a business plan, and hinged the entire convention on an expected, though nonexistant flood of late-comers.

But many people were very helpful to us desperate fans, one of which had flown in all the way from Japan.

1. The hotel. Although they were the ones who had to kick us out because FedCon USA couldn't pay the rent, they let people who'd stayed there to check out without paying for any additional nights they'd purchased and without extra fees.

2. The actors, especially John Billingsley and Bonita Friedericy. Those two stood up for us, making those responsible come on stage and answer questions. And John himself told us that if anyone didn't get their refund, they should contact him and he will do what he can to help (JohnBillingsley.net). And the other actors were wonderful too, many of them staying in the one room the hotel allowed them to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. And some even honored the Gold Ticket packages, which included autographs, even though FedCon had declared them void, which meant they were essentially doing them for free for those people.

So there's my little rant about the first FedCon USA and my first convention, and why I was disappointed. But at least I walked away with two tng phasers with lights and sound, a Firefly orange knit hat for my friend, autographed pictures of John Billingsley, Garrett Wang, and Connor Trineer, as well as pictures with each, including Bonita Friedericy. None of which was thanks to the FedCon management.

According to Bonita, as well as several others, this is the first convention to be canceled like this, right in the middle, in at least 20 years. (This is not counting the Vulkon Sci-Fi Expo, which was canceled a month or two in advance.)

Apparently FedCon in Germany merely lent the name to the people of FedCon USA, and were not only in no way truly affiliated, but were shocked and angry by how it was handled.

Please note, I am not a spokesperson for either, nor am I completely and correctly informed. Most of what I know is from first hand expirience and rumors. Because none of us were kept well-informed, not even the staff members. They shifted responsibility back and forth amongst themselves, referring us to this person or that, sugar coated things, avoided questions, need I go on? They were unprepared. Underfunded. Inexperienced. This, however, was only the management. The rest of the staff members, the ones we interacted with personally throughout, were wonderful and as helpful as they could be.

Please comment, and share your convention expiriences, advice, and insight.

I hope nothing like this ever happens again.