34th Annual AMFS--Second Day

As a follow-up to yesterday. . .

LOCATION: Plentiful, well laid-out parking: no long walks to the entrances. I don't know if there was a greater turnout for a Saturday this year--or the magnitude of any other event at the hotel; but by 1030 there was nary a parking space to be found! It appeared to remain that way throughout the day, so that might have had an impact on the overall attendance. Regrettably, not much that can be done.

HALLS: Lighting in the Exhibit Hall was a C/B depending on your location. Not bad, but I've seen better-including the last venue. I couldn't help but get the feeling that the lights could have been "amped-up" some (i.e., dimmer switches?). We'll see what it's like tomorrow. . . I can't say it was brighter, but the eyes had adjusted by today. While still no better than the old location, it was not appreciably worse.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Excellent. Went to a friend's room, and it was very nice! Nothing extraordinary, but certainly above average.

FOOD: Over the weekend, I had heard the the food was good, but that the service left something to be desired. So as not to lose our parking space, we decided to try the in-house facility. Well, the food was EXCELLENT; and the service more than acceptable. A little pricey, as one might expect from a hotel restaurant, but nothing that would break the bank.

OVERALL: 4-4.5/5. Every new location is going to have a "break-in" period. This one is no different. Having said that, the staff was very professional and courteous; and the amenities were plentiful and conveniently accessible. I think AMFS made a great selection, and I hope things continue to evolve to the satisfaction of both parties. I stand by my original appraisal.

PS--There were six tables dedicated to Fantasy. That amounts to just short of one whole side of a row. By the time I left this evening (~2000), Fantasy entries had already spilled into the Saturday overflow tables. . . and some of the BIG guns had not yet arrived! By the time registration closed, Fantasy had occupied SEVEN full tables! It was impressive!!! Virtually all the genres were represented. Overall impression of the Fantasy Category? ALL good+ or better. Based on the feedback I received--and this was NOT targeted polling--it is a most welcome addition and a resounding success! Expectations are high for next year!