What’s with this empty space? Photo courtesy of Nicole Droeger Stephens.
We left the convention $400 down and underwhelmed.
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By Nicole Droeger Stephens
TAMPA, Fla. — I’ve been a fan of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise since its start in 2014. When I heard Florida’s horror convention, Scaradise, was hosting three actors from the second movie, I knew I had to book a visit.
I purchased Sunday, March 1, general admission tickets for my husband and me in February, the total coming to $80. I knew the convention upped the price closer to the event, so I was willing to pay. Celeb Photo Ops was hosting professional photo sessions with some of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” (FNAF 2) cast, including Matthew Lillard, McKenna Grace and Steve Ulrich.
The total cost of the session after tax was $310. The event was taking place at the Florida State Fairgrounds, meaning I had to purchase a $10 parking ticket.
I spent $400 just to attend, the kind of money I would expect for a Universal Orlando vacation. With prices and big-name actors like these, I expected a convention as action-packed as Tampa Bay Comic Con, where crowds were so huge I once waited 30 minutes just to get inside.
Instead, my excitement vanished as soon as I entered the Entertainment Hall and saw how empty and lifeless the event actually was.
I expected to walk into a room full of bustling crowds, vendors excited to converse and sell their products. I expected to see gory cosplay intricate enough to leave me feeling squeamish. I expected segmented areas full of decorations and activities.
The convention did provide all of those things… just very scarcely.
I was only able to ask two people for their photos of their cosplay. I cannot remember more than four costumes, which is pretty disappointing for a convention that markets itself as a top-tier horror con.
Instead of keeping the Entertainment Hall as a separate area for the event stage, the convention decided to place its vendors in the same room, forcing the crowd to hear every announcement and panel event taking place. Conventions tend to separate the entertainment stage from the vendors to retain guest attention.
Speaking of the vendors… did they even want to be there? Many of them seemed bored, sitting on their phones instead of interacting with guests. As someone with experience in the customer service industry, I understand how dreadful it is to be “on” the whole time for the public. However, if you’re an artist trying to market your work, why are they looking apprehensive whenever someone approaches their booth?
The guest autograph tables were efficiently organized and easy to find. However, it was awkward separating half the guest autograph stations in the main entertainment hall from the vendors and stage while placing the other half in a different room, one that would’ve worked much better for vendors to set up.
Speaking of this other room… my goodness, it was empty. This is where the big businesses would advertise their services, such as Busch Gardens marketing Howl-O-Scream. However, each booth had feet of empty space between them, and to be honest, there was nothing more to do than take a quick photo or wait in the long autograph lines.
Already, the event was becoming a buzzkill. Lots of empty spaces, weird organization, and unenthusiastic participants. But I figured most of my joy that day would stem from my upcoming meeting with the cast of FNAF 2.
Nope.
After $310 down the drain, 30 minutes in line and setting all of my stuff down on a table, I was rushed into the photo booth with my husband, barely having the chance to look Lillard or Grace in the eyes, and told to stand awkwardly between Ulrich and Grace. Before I can even think, I hear the countdown and watch the flash of the camera.
I turn around to say something when I see the worker is already pushing the other group in. Thankfully, Grace stepped forward to compliment our T-shirts (“Carrie” and “Fallout” themed), and this gave me the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shake her hand and say it was lovely to meet her.
And honestly, though the experience itself sucked, it was quite awesome meeting her.
Underwhelmed but still pleased, my husband and I waited in the exit line for our photo to print.
The only problem is… it wouldn’t.
As we were watching everyone from our group leave with their photos and noticing groups behind us were receiving their photos, we started getting worried. My husband asked the male worker for help, to which he quickly brushed off our concerns by saying it would print.
We waited longer. Still no photo.
My husband decides to go through a pile of unattended photos that weren’t claimed. Both the female and male workers snapped at us, saying it wasn’t there. We asked what’s going on, and they said they’re working on it. But… they didn’t tell us how.
So my husband asked the woman working the booth if she could search for our picture.
Her response, verbatim: “That’s not my job.”
I never wanted to yell at a customer service worker so badly.
We asked what we should do and who we should go to. With a bored stare, the woman pointed to the man, who suddenly began looking through a laptop and muttering that he was looking now.
When we finally received the photo (after the woman worker smudged it with her thumb), we quickly left the room. Then the convention. Then the whole venue, and we didn’t look back.
The Scaradise website said there are no refunds, not even for “illness, death, inclement weather, scheduling conflict, or any other misfortune.” They will only refund if they or a celebrity cancels an event.
Celeb Photo Ops does include a notice before and after purchase, stating: “A photo op is not a meet and greet. The process is very quick without time to converse with the guest or guests. It is a photo opportunity in the literal sense of the word.”
I guess it’s on me for assuming I’d actually get to have some sort of conversation. They were honest with their standards, but I just find them atrocious. $310 to be ordered around, briefly glance at the celebrities, and be dealt with rudely by staff?
What a backwards opportunity. It was a total waste of my money and time.
I cannot recommend this convention to anyone. Maybe it’s inflation, or maybe it’s my misguided view of how much things actually cost, but spending $400 for a con that felt more like a last-minute afterthought rather than a professional event is overkill.
I do want to highlight some cool booths and vendors. I want to show support for indie artists hoping to make a name for themselves in a niche they enjoy.
Morbid Visions, Creepy Clay Creatures. Photo courtesy of Nicole Droeger Stephens.
Horror and Sci-Fi Author Russel James. Photo courtesy of Nicole Droeger Stephens.
Got Caricature. Photo courtesy of Nicole Droeger Stephens.