Good morning, folks.
 
Deep into the planning stages of this year's fanfest weekend and just wanted to solicit some feedback from you guys on a scheduling idea.
 
In recent years, our fanfest has kicked off on Thursday night and provided 3 days and 4 nights of fun. That has worked well, but it seems Friday is so jam-packed with two autograph signing sessions and the first day for everything else. So I'm considering a slight change, and I'd like to know what you guys think.
 
What if we kicked things off on Thursday morning, adding almost a full day of fanfest activities that would open at 10 a.m. (9 for VIPs) ?
 
One thing I haven't told folks is that we'll have an hour of exhibition matches each day during fanfest. Over the course of the weekend, we'll have our first-ever Future Legends Training Camp (complete details to follow soon,) and each day Thursday through Saturday, we'll open up the camp to any VIPs that want to checkout an hour of exhibition matches, most likely between 11 a.m. and 12 Noon.
 
The camp and exhibition matches are just a couple of the new things we'll offer this year.
 
But getting back to the Thursday opening, the idea is that because of the new additions to the schedule and because Fridays are soooooo hectic anyways, I'd like to split up the two Friday autograph signings and instead, have one on Thursday and one on Friday.
 
We're not taking anything away. It's just with the extra stuff on the schedule, it sorta makes sense to spread things out and make a full day of things on Thursday.
 
I'd appreciate your comments and feedback. Thanks!

Quote from macwfan1957 on Jan 10^th, 2013, 11:34am:

 
This is exactly the intent. To add more, different things to the daytime schedule, yet spread things out over a fourth day so everything is not quite so rushed. I hope everyone likes it. Thanks!

personally i don't like it for a few reasons....
 
i fly down on thursday...under this new idea, id have to fly down on wednesday, another night hotel to pay for and another night away from my family...
 
not knowing what else you have planned for fanfest on thurs and fri, i feel like spreading it out over 2 days will leave me with way too much downtime...friday is a little hectic sure but its always manageable...i'm mostly an autograph/ photo op guy (and i probably need less of the photo ops since ive done all of these since '06);  if you have 1 auto session on thurs and 1 on fri, im just basically hanging around most of thurs and fri with nothing to do...at least on fri, the day is jam packed for me...

I'm not really for it either, I wouldn't want to come down on Wednesday night. An extra night in the hotel is an added expense that would take away from money that I would spend there. I was planning on driving down Thursday morning and having a little time to rest before having to and visit with friends. I had been thinking about booking a room so it would be nice to know a schedule soon.
 
I also read that this would be the last fanfest in Charlotte, I hope not. It's a three hour drive but we know the area well enough to get around and do some other things. Rockville and Atlanta were a longer drive and my wife didn't know where anything else was so she stayed at the hotel rather than shopping between signings and the Q&As.
 
We have enjoyed every year but, Charlotte and the way things have been scheduled in the past have worked well for us.

I can see both sides of this.  Personally, the only knock I have is the extra night's hotel cost.  In past years, I've ended up having to leave on Sunday and missing some stuff.  I'd planned on not leaving until Monday morning this time to make sure I got everything, so I was already looking at 4 nights, so I'm not really crazy about adding a 5th, though I could always continue doing what I've been doing and still end up with the 4 I had planned on staying.
 
On the plus side, I have ran myself into the ground on previous Fridays.  This  year probably wouldn't be as bad, since I don't expect to have the funds to go crazy in the vendor area like I have previously.  Still, I do like the thought of not finding myself worn down and fighting low blood sugar like I have in previous years (that last part is my own fault, but I get so caught up in things that it has happened) or crashing so hard that the friends with me in Atlanta were beginning to grow concerned.
 

yea, im not really for it either. unless u did like the below poster said & have the activitys late thurs.
 
Quote from John63 on Jan 10^th, 2013, 12:05pm:

As long as Fanfest happens my friend, feel free to schedule it any way you like. I'll be there!!
 
Oh, and one more thing. Dusty, please.

Turns out my bro that Im picking up at the airports got no problem flying in wednesday instead of thursday so if need be we are set...still don't know how registration is gonna be if fest activities will start thurday morning. Registration is a time consuming undertaking in itself. How's that gonna go before Thursday morning?Unless registrations moved to Wednesday afternoon

Quote from StompingGround on Jan 11^th, 2013, 11:47am:

 
Problem I have with that is hotel check ins at 3pm. Personally id rather not get there only take out stuff ill need for thr first signing ( going for the 2pm signing you quoted ) then having to go back to my car afterwards when hotel check in starts , to finally get things settled in the room

if theres a fanfest do what you must i will adjust i just need a vacation before i kill my worthless boss so if you wanted to start tuesday and go thru sunday even better more time away from my crap a$$ job why not go sunday to sunday even better in my mind friend wrestlers photo ops time to mingel hell yea lets do a 7 day fanfest keep me away from my every day hell

Personally I am fine ether way. However it does seem that many do come in on Thursday so an autograph session Thurs afternoon/evening would be awesome.  
I normally come in on thurs but unlike some I do live rather close so it didn't hurt me any. I say go with what the majority wants and I'll be there.

Quote from John63 on Jan 11^th, 2013, 6:55pm:

 
  I've been to every fanfest in Charlotte since '05. I always arrive 1-2 days early to unwind and do other things. Every single time I've checked into the Hilton around noon....a couple times around 11:30am. I never had a problem with an early check in or having to wait for a room or having to pay extra. On the flip side, I've asked for a late check out..usually an hour after the scheduled check out time and, again, I've never had a problem or had to pay any extra fees.  

Quote from downboy on Feb 10^th, 2013, 8:05pm:

 
There will be daytime activities on Thursday for those that are here and want to take part. There will be no autographs on Thursday, as I had suggested previously there might be.