Dave Gordon writes…
I realise you want to put a positive spin on the Wondercon experience, but have you considered that someone who's 6' 3" may have a different experience in a crowded room to someone who's not that tall. I touched on this once before, years ago, when I thought you may not be getting the standard visitor experience at Comic-Con where, for much of each day, you have a seat reserved for you. I guess being tall is not your fault, or even cause for criticism (jealousy, sure), but it has to colour your experiences and consequently your opinions. I would think that having your head "above the crowd" doesn't seem as crowded as not being able to see more than a couple of feet.
I'm only posting because I thought you may have been having a dig, consciously or unconsciously, at the guy who sells more stuff on less crowded days. It's rather jarring to hear someone who normally takes great pains to present a balanced view, seeing both sides, dissing someone with an honest opinion reinforced by evidence.
No "dig" was meant, consciously or unconsciously, about that dealer. I said his view "makes sense, I guess." I'm curious if others have the same experience.
Yeah, I know my experience at Comic-Con or WonderCon may not be precisely the same as someone else's. Being tall probably gives me some advantage in a crowd. Then again, being wide puts me at some disadvantage. Others can squeeze through some gaps between people that I can't navigate.
You know the folks who really have trouble getting around a comic convention hall? I mean, besides the ones with disabilities and impaired mobility? The ones who commit themselves to starting on one side of the room and walking up and down every single aisle in sequence. There will always be a few rows that are jammed, often because the exhibitors stage games and demonstrations intended to attract congoers to mob around their booths. I skip those aisles. If I forced myself to plunge down each one at the precise moment I arrive at it, I'm going to hit logjams.
Actually, my biggest problem getting around a convention is that wherever I try to walk, there's often some photo op — someone in a costume, one or more folks with cameras — who just stop for pose-'n'-shoot, not giving a damn about impeding traffic. Sometimes, they're conducting video interviews and such without the slightest concern that they're inconveniencing others. And my second-biggest problem is dodging cosplayer weaponry. If you could ban these categories of blockage, moving about any convention floor would be a breeze.