Escapade 2012 Review Notes

[escapade_team]

Thanks to Denise Raymond for leading the Escapade Review panel, and to Naked Bee for taking extensive notes. Below is my best attempt to order them. Let us know if this list sparks any other ideas for you.

Hotel Feedback

• Hotel staff was generally helpful & friendly (as usual).
• Wireless was unreliable (few people continued to have problems after Saturday, Internet popping up & down)
• In-room TVs are archaic.
• During the vid show (Saturday evening), no internet access.
• Lack of hot water (4^th & parts of 5^th floor). Turn it on, wait 5-10 minutes, and it was still tepid.
• Ice machines not working on 3 & 5. Ice machines only installed on odd floors. Had to order from room service.
• Service in the restaurant was improved from previous years.
• Restaurant staff was great about splitting checks, adding extras to an existing table, etc.
• Ray’s team was awesome (speedy, friendly) doing the room change on Saturday evening.
• Herbal tea was very nice.
• Request extended pool hours.
• Kristina was great as the bartender on Friday night. Personality & service.
• Good brunch today. Nice to have ham. Fruit was fantastic.
• Specify black tea at breakfast (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, something like that)

Infrastructure Issues

• Put a clock in the con suite (big, circular, easily visible)
• Larger TV in the alt programming room, or add projector to tech room.
• Could we get a screen, a display screen.
• Speakers didn’t get to tech room. TV’s built-in speakers were inadequate
• Maybe add clocks in the panel rooms.

 Friday Party Feedback

• We still remember the chocolate fountain (fondly)
• At the party, instead of appetizers (or in addition) maybe desserts (fruit & chocolate)
• Should there be music at the party? Maybe one room with music & one without.

 Vidshow Feedback

• Adore the noisy overflow vid room.
• There was loud conversation in the big room. Didn’t have an announcement about the rules in the big room..
• Can we add the vid trailer that warns people how to behave in the vid show?
• Loved the second vid show, also alt time

 Programming Feedback

• Love the amount of vid programming & panel programming.
• Vidwatching 101 was good panel choice.
• Most of the panel mods did not introduce themselves. This should be standard.
• Everything ran on time. Yay!
• Art show gallery call panel was great. This should be a regular part of the convention.
• Zine Library Tour had 5 attendees. Was cool. Saklani would be willing to help in the future. What would make them more attractive to people unfamiliar with them?
• Some people would like a lunch break every day. Others prefer closely packed programming.
• Kandy likes Friday off, likes dealer break on Saturday.
• Panel mods should end panel on time (start wrap-up at 10 minutes to the hour).
• Have someone whose job is notifying time to end of panel (hold up a sign that says 10 [or 5] minutes left)

 Things to Add

• Information piece to people leading tech panels, request: what do you need?
• Can we add more zine history?
• Escapade signature drink (Vulcan sunrise). Create a new one each year. Make a little flyer.
• Maybe we could have a tech mentoring room, with sign-up times.
• Con-com could wear something to identify them. (badges a different color, different lanyard, funny hats)

 Other Feedback

• Swap meet: don’t bring VHS tapes
• Jencat was missed.
• List of zines in library is on the website, but is too obscure.
• Publicize the list, get people to look at it, and add comments. Mark which are available online.  (NOTE: Dail will give list of Pros zines to Kris, who will create a rec list)
• Possible to lend zines outside the convention? Let’s discuss logistics. Rental of zines? Mail lending service?
• Is it possible to offer more scholarship funding? Maybe active fundraising to offer more help. (auction fanworks, or something like that?) Talk to Aral about this.
• Need an endowment.
• Maybe check out Thousand Oaks hotels (closer to LAX, maybe good features, but far from beach)
• Convention trip is too expensive for college students (hotel + airfare + registration + food for the weekend)
• 2 college students would fit on these hotel beds. The guest room size is not the limiting factor here.
• Ocean is a big draw.
• Should there be an Escapade wiki? No, put it at Fanlore.
• Jenn is susceptible to gently nagging (e.g. scan program books)

Kudos

• Thank you Escapade staff!
• Aphrodite’s = awesome.
• Volunteering is fun & easy.
• Hotel continues to be located on the beach. J
• Bring a friend promotion was useful.
• Tweeting was effective.
• Great job of pre-con convention sharing. Yay, Dail!
• PB was more friendly this year. Very nice!
• Also, graphics were very nice
• Loved the hot food from Dail & De.
• Dail: post the edamame salad recipe.

Mirrored from Escapade 2013.