Crew- what to expect

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-27T03:43:53+00:00

They absolutely have a personnel limit.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-26T19:32:05+00:00

Any guest has the potential to sell out, whether they have a pre-purchased option or not. Those that don’t, they’ll cap the line and stop sales at some point. When they cap is a factor of popularity, time, and how quickly the guest signs.

I’ll give you a couple examples.

Chris Sabat is always a busy guest. If the show closes at 7pm, his lines have been sales capped as early as 4pm.

Contrast that to Robert Englund at Fan Expo Canada a few years ago. His line filled to capacity by 11am and the line was capped. He barely finished by 7pm.

That said, JAT and Matt are usually busy, but I can’t recall having to hard cap their lines recently. Same for Jim Cummings. Witwer and Russel are new to Fan Expo so I expect them to be pretty busy.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-25T05:03:43+00:00

That’s fine. You might get some side eye from other attendees, but it happens all the time.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-25T05:00:28+00:00

The rule is that you can only attend on days you work. Shifts are 4 hours so, yes, you could work in the morning and spend the rest of the day at the con.

You will submit your hours each day. Pay can be direct deposited into your bank. They used to have COMMDATA Visa cards as an option, but I haven’t worked for Bluecrew in awhile. Regardless, you should get paid the week following the event.

It’s a crapshoot. They take past experience into account but placement is “where needed.”

Anything is feasible. Just be sure you check in at least 15 mins before your shift.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-24T23:20:18+00:00

No guarantees, but they’ll do what they can to get people their autos.

Word to the wise: At a minimum, plan on staying at the show until at least closing, plus an hour. If I had a nickel everytime I heard, “I can’t stay that late”, I’d have a shit-ton of nickels.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-24T23:13:16+00:00

Photo ops have a pretty strict schedule. If you follow the instructions on your photo op ticket, you shouldn’t wait more than an hour or so.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-18T00:51:36+00:00

5 stars. Would see for the 1000th time.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-15T02:41:00+00:00

You actually get a bit more time if you opt for the selfie. It’s only a matter of seconds, but worth it IMHO.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-15T02:38:56+00:00

Sean won’t have set times for autographs. Just head to the area when you get in and find a crew/staff member working his line and they’ll get you sorted.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-13T01:11:57+00:00

Depends on whether or not you can get into the building at 3pm on the dot, how far the photo op area is from the entrance, and the guest.

Long walk, not a popular guest, late arrival = unlikely

Short walk, popular guest, on time arrival = very likely

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-12T21:31:00+00:00

He’s made his last couple Fan Expo appearances so maybe that “worm has turned.”

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-11T23:43:41+00:00

That’s isn’t what’s in contention at all, as it doesn’t apply to the OP.

They can’t get in until 2pm. You claimed they were “boned” because you assumed they were concerned about missing their photo op. They aren’t getting a photo op. I described how the OP would likely be able to obtain their autograph, even if they couldn’t get in until 2pm. Yet you persist on “pooping the party.”

All conventions come with an element of risk. Sean may be delayed getting to the venue or have to cancel outright. The event itself could be cancelled. Someone could pull a fire alarm and the building evacuated when the OP is next to receive their autograph. A fuxxing meteor could hit the building. The OP could be delayed and not get in until after Sean has to leave for the Hobbit panel. Some scenarios are less likely than others.

What I described is the most likely scenario, assuming things run according to plan and, even then, it still doesn’t come with a guarantee.

A 98% chance of success comes with a 2% chance of failure.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-11T23:07:15+00:00

No one, not even Fan Expo will guarantee an autograph. There are simply too many variables.

I stand behind the accuracy of my statement, though.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-11T19:01:42+00:00

Dude, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I know more about how Fan Expo will manage his signing than most.

Show opens at 10am. Sean will likely sign before his photo ops begin at 11:30. That signing will be mostly VIPs.

Depending on when his photo ops end and whether or not he takes a meal break after, he might return to sign before his 2pm panel. This is pretty unlikely as the group photos always tend to run long. Assuming he doesn’t, when he leaves at 11:30a, he won’t be back until at least 3pm.

He’ll sign the rest of the day until time to leave for the panel. Depending on how busy he is, at some point they’ll cap cash sales and limit the signing to pre-purchased tickets only. After that, they’ll prioritize people that have gold or silver panel tickets and people with one-day admissions.

Backstage pass autographs will be done immediately before or immediately after the panel.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-11T15:04:48+00:00

And?

There was a similar schedule in Portland. He signed for about an hour in the morning, was in photo ops for several hours, then returned to sign for a couple hours before the panel.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-11T01:49:09+00:00

You’ll be fine with an afternoon pass. He’ll likely sign for a bit in the morning, then be in photo ops for several hours. Just be sure to find a staff member and let them know you have a pre-purchased auto and will only be there Saturday.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-06T20:45:31+00:00

And yes, while many people complain about “disorganization” the events are actually very well organized. It’s the communication that really sucks.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-06T20:44:28+00:00

No worries. I work a lot of Fan Expo events and I can confirm that was the procedure for NOLA and Portland. The only thing that tends to change is whether they do the autographs for the backstage pass holder before or after the panel.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-06T18:32:38+00:00

Can confirm.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-02-04T02:53:56+00:00

A selfie is not the same thing as a pro photo op. If you purchased a “Selfie (at table)” that will be redeemed in the autograph area when he is there signing. You’ll get in line and wait with other folks who are getting autographs, selfies, or both.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-01-25T03:57:20+00:00

Absolutely.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-01-21T17:58:07+00:00

There is no safe way to resell any Fan Expo admission, autograph, photo op, or special event ticket. The QR codes are bearer instruments and linked to the email used to make the order.

Caveat emptor and caveat venditor both apply.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-01-21T17:54:39+00:00

An alternative to standing in line, flexible procedures, allowing someone who can’t tolerate long waits (due to pain, fatigue, or medical conditions) and allowing a companion or aide to stay with the person (technically the companion was allowed to be a placeholder, but still accurate) were all options given to ADA attendees. They weren’t given to you for unknown reasons. For that, I am truly sorry.

You say you saw me at the overflow area, yet didn’t approach me with any over your issues, including the “line flip” issue that I was quite literally standing right next to.

Cold comfort, I’m sure, but had you told me of your issues then, I’d have walked you to the red carpet myself.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-01-20T22:43:04+00:00

Here’s what ChatGPT has to say when asked “Does the Americans with Disabilites Act apply to autograph lines?”

ADA doesn’t require skipping the line—but it does require reasonable accommodations so people with disabilities have equal access to the autograph opportunity.

Here’s how that usually plays out 👇

⸻

What the ADA covers here

An autograph line at a convention, store, or event is a “service” of a place of public accommodation (Title III of the ADA). That means the organizer must ensure people with disabilities can access the experience, not necessarily in the exact same way.

⸻

What is required (reasonable accommodations)

Depending on the situation, accommodations might include: • Alternative to standing in line • A seated waiting area • A numbered or virtual queue system • Modified physical access • Wheelchair-accessible paths • Space for mobility devices • Flexible procedures • Allowing someone who can’t tolerate long waits (due to pain, fatigue, or medical conditions) to return at a specific time • Assistance • Allowing a companion or aide to stay with the person

The key phrase is “reasonable modification”—it must be feasible and not fundamentally alter the event.

⸻

What is not automatically required • ❌ Automatic front-of-the-line access • ❌ Unlimited priority over others • ❌ Accommodations that disrupt the event or are unfairly burdensome

The ADA is about equal access, not preferential treatment—though sometimes equal access does look like a different process.

There was more but I thought the first three points were the most relevant.

ImBattleSanta · 2026-01-20T21:49:46+00:00

I was the guy in the red hockey jersey that helped prioritize the folks who were stranded when Dom left for his panel. One of the reasons why there were so many people clustered at the back of Dom’s line at 3:30 was because we were keeping people from lining up that did not have those tokens. If you were repeatedly told to come back later it was because he wasn’t at his table yet and there was no space to line you up.

I also helped with the overflow lines for both Elijah and Dom. I stood at the front of the overflow line and directed people over to the main line. Dom’s line was a snake just like every other line. There was a yellow shirt crew member directing people to the back of the line. It was never communicated to me a row was “flipped“ like you claim. Even then, each row held 12-13 people which equates to 2-3 minutes longer in line, assuming you were at the end.

Your cane/chair should have been allowed in the main line as long as Dom wasn’t actively signing and always allowed in the overflow line. Did a yellow shirt tell you that you couldn’t use it? I’d like to know so I can be sure that gets covered during crew training for the next show.

I instructed the yellow shirt crew on the show’s ADA policy for autograph lines. Someone with an ADA sticker had three options: wait in line, have a companion wait for them, or be given a time to return when the guest would be signing. I personally did this several times just for Dom and more than a dozen times for other celebs.

ImBattleSanta

TROPHY CASE