Post by TheChamp617 on Aug 16, 2014 19:26:59 GMT -5
My write-up was pretty long so I just created a new thread for it lol.. this was pretty much my experience at the expo. The good and the bad:
I attended the Woodbridge Heroes event today. For the most part, it was a good event, but there were some communication issues with the security guards who were controlling everything. Basically, right when you enter, you pay for admission and at the admission table you get your autograph and photo tickets. You have the choice to get a picture they provide to get signed, or your own item. The tickets caused some confusion as they all said "$25", when some guests charged more, or less. Also, when they gave you a ticket it would randomly say “photo”, or “personal item”. If you ask for a personal item autograph ticket for a certain wrestler, they would just give you a ticket with the wrestler’s name, disregarding the fact you asked for a personal item. My tickets said “photo” which confused security and I had to explain that I wanted and paid for an autograph every time.
The wrestlers were supposed to start signing at two, but we got there at 1:30. We just paid for admission and walked around to see the concept of the expo. They basically use the parking lots in the plaza for it. We walked in from the back entrance, there were booths set up to the left, including the autograph booth for wrestlers. Koko, Bushwhacker Luke, Virgil, Buff Bagwell, Neidhart and Boxer George Chuvalo were already signing autographs.
My dad and I first looked around to see what else there was. There literally was a petting zoo area lol and Battle Arts Academy had their own area. Better yet, Santino was there! When we saw him we went to approach him but he was talking to his employees so we didn’t want to interrupt. We just stood off to the side and waited. Santino noticed us and even recognized us! He immediately walked over to us and shook our hands. He told me that I got taller since the last time and asked how old I was now. He asked me “when do you want to start training?” lol.. I got a picture with him and we went back to the car to get my stuff. It was cool that he actually recognized us.
I got my stuff from the car and went to the booth to buy autograph tickets for Scott Steiner, Ken Shamrock, Buff Bagwell, Koko B. Ware, and Virgil which came to $125. We went to the booth with the wrestlers and showed the security guard my tickets. I got to meet Virgil first, who really was all about the money. I had his page marked in the encyclopedia, but he took the book from me and said “I know exactly where I am!” He found the page and signed it. He told me, ”I’m also in this spot!” and showed me his other section the book (which I also marked), however, he didn’t want to sign it for free. I told him I had no money left (I actually had $20 in my wallet lol) and I thanked him and moved on to Buff.
Buff was really nice. I had a WCW card of his and a DVD cover I wanted him to sign. I had put them in the very first page of the encyclopedia (he’s not in it) so they don’t get bent. I opened up to that page and he signed both the card and dvd cover, and then also signed the encyclopedia. I didn’t really want him to sign in the encyclopedia, but I’m not complaining.. he signed three autographs for me and I only paid for one!
I then moved on to Koko, who wasn’t really talkative. He was signing using a Sharpie pen, not a marker. He signed my encyclopedia and then also signed a card:
This was before 2 o’clock, and all guests were scheduled to sign at 2, so we figured we’d wait around for Ken and Scott and get Santino to sign some things. As usual, he was more than happy to do so. They would actually provide pictures you could get him to sign, which they were asking $20! He signed my stuff for free.
We went back to the wrestler autograph booth and still nothing. UFC guys didn't even start signing yet nad it was already past 2. We ask the security guard where Scott was and the guy said “he’ll be here in 20 minutes at the most”. So we waited and waited and still nothing. Kevin Nash wasn’t even there signing yet. Where was Scott? It was raining off and on and my belt was getting wet, so we waited under a tent for Scott and Ken. After another 15 minutes I decide to check if Scott was signing autographs yet, and still nothing, but I did see Ken having his lunch. Word got around that UFC guys would start signing at 4, despite being advertised for 2. I put my stuff back in the car and would wait. I didn’t want to get them anymore wet.
After, we decide to go checkout the actual Woodbridge Heroes store. They had some wrestling stuff as well, but were way overpriced. Anyone want to pay $80 for a beat-up Macho Man LJN? I looked around and towards the back of the store, there was Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash! They were signing inside the store and no one said anything about where they were. I got my stuff back from the car and as I was doing so, Ken Shamrock started signing autographs.
I go to Scott first and the security guards there were so stupid. One guard told me to stand in line to the right, so I do that. Turns out, that wasn’t even a line for Scott and a different guard told me to go ahead, and told me that I can’t take pictures OF him. I wanted to take a picture of him signing the belt, so I asked him “you mean I can't take a picture WITH him, right?” which is actually what he meant . I gave my belt to Scott for him to sign. I set it on his table and tell him where I want him to sign it. However, the security guard thought it was upside down, so he turned the belt around. I told him that it was already perfect and I turned it back around. A guy sarcastically told the security guard “good going!” and the guard told him “I wanted to make it right side up”. It was already right! Lol.. and to make things worse, Scott signed in a spot where I didn’t want him to sign. He squeezed his signature in between Nash’s and Bret Hart’s and the actual buckle.. ugh.. I paid $30 for the autograph and he didn’t even sign where I wanted him to because of the damn security guard. He had already started signing before I could remind him where I wanted it. Nonetheless, I was still happy to meet him.
I thank him and say hi to Kevin then proceed out the store to meet Ken. Ken was actually really nice and down to earth. First, the event organizer JayTWarsh came up to me and my dad and wanted to see the belt. He was really impressed at it and took it to show to Ken. Ken told Jay that it's a fake because it's not that heavy (it's a commemorative!) They talked about it for a good bit. Ken signed my encyclopedia. I offered my hand for a handshake and thanked him. He wrapped my hand with both his hands and said “No. I thank you!” He did the same thing with my dad.
That's it guys! Thanks for looking and reading!
I attended the Woodbridge Heroes event today. For the most part, it was a good event, but there were some communication issues with the security guards who were controlling everything. Basically, right when you enter, you pay for admission and at the admission table you get your autograph and photo tickets. You have the choice to get a picture they provide to get signed, or your own item. The tickets caused some confusion as they all said "$25", when some guests charged more, or less. Also, when they gave you a ticket it would randomly say “photo”, or “personal item”. If you ask for a personal item autograph ticket for a certain wrestler, they would just give you a ticket with the wrestler’s name, disregarding the fact you asked for a personal item. My tickets said “photo” which confused security and I had to explain that I wanted and paid for an autograph every time.
The wrestlers were supposed to start signing at two, but we got there at 1:30. We just paid for admission and walked around to see the concept of the expo. They basically use the parking lots in the plaza for it. We walked in from the back entrance, there were booths set up to the left, including the autograph booth for wrestlers. Koko, Bushwhacker Luke, Virgil, Buff Bagwell, Neidhart and Boxer George Chuvalo were already signing autographs.
My dad and I first looked around to see what else there was. There literally was a petting zoo area lol and Battle Arts Academy had their own area. Better yet, Santino was there! When we saw him we went to approach him but he was talking to his employees so we didn’t want to interrupt. We just stood off to the side and waited. Santino noticed us and even recognized us! He immediately walked over to us and shook our hands. He told me that I got taller since the last time and asked how old I was now. He asked me “when do you want to start training?” lol.. I got a picture with him and we went back to the car to get my stuff. It was cool that he actually recognized us.
I got my stuff from the car and went to the booth to buy autograph tickets for Scott Steiner, Ken Shamrock, Buff Bagwell, Koko B. Ware, and Virgil which came to $125. We went to the booth with the wrestlers and showed the security guard my tickets. I got to meet Virgil first, who really was all about the money. I had his page marked in the encyclopedia, but he took the book from me and said “I know exactly where I am!” He found the page and signed it. He told me, ”I’m also in this spot!” and showed me his other section the book (which I also marked), however, he didn’t want to sign it for free. I told him I had no money left (I actually had $20 in my wallet lol) and I thanked him and moved on to Buff.
Buff was really nice. I had a WCW card of his and a DVD cover I wanted him to sign. I had put them in the very first page of the encyclopedia (he’s not in it) so they don’t get bent. I opened up to that page and he signed both the card and dvd cover, and then also signed the encyclopedia. I didn’t really want him to sign in the encyclopedia, but I’m not complaining.. he signed three autographs for me and I only paid for one!
I then moved on to Koko, who wasn’t really talkative. He was signing using a Sharpie pen, not a marker. He signed my encyclopedia and then also signed a card:
This was before 2 o’clock, and all guests were scheduled to sign at 2, so we figured we’d wait around for Ken and Scott and get Santino to sign some things. As usual, he was more than happy to do so. They would actually provide pictures you could get him to sign, which they were asking $20! He signed my stuff for free.
We went back to the wrestler autograph booth and still nothing. UFC guys didn't even start signing yet nad it was already past 2. We ask the security guard where Scott was and the guy said “he’ll be here in 20 minutes at the most”. So we waited and waited and still nothing. Kevin Nash wasn’t even there signing yet. Where was Scott? It was raining off and on and my belt was getting wet, so we waited under a tent for Scott and Ken. After another 15 minutes I decide to check if Scott was signing autographs yet, and still nothing, but I did see Ken having his lunch. Word got around that UFC guys would start signing at 4, despite being advertised for 2. I put my stuff back in the car and would wait. I didn’t want to get them anymore wet.
After, we decide to go checkout the actual Woodbridge Heroes store. They had some wrestling stuff as well, but were way overpriced. Anyone want to pay $80 for a beat-up Macho Man LJN? I looked around and towards the back of the store, there was Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash! They were signing inside the store and no one said anything about where they were. I got my stuff back from the car and as I was doing so, Ken Shamrock started signing autographs.
I go to Scott first and the security guards there were so stupid. One guard told me to stand in line to the right, so I do that. Turns out, that wasn’t even a line for Scott and a different guard told me to go ahead, and told me that I can’t take pictures OF him. I wanted to take a picture of him signing the belt, so I asked him “you mean I can't take a picture WITH him, right?” which is actually what he meant . I gave my belt to Scott for him to sign. I set it on his table and tell him where I want him to sign it. However, the security guard thought it was upside down, so he turned the belt around. I told him that it was already perfect and I turned it back around. A guy sarcastically told the security guard “good going!” and the guard told him “I wanted to make it right side up”. It was already right! Lol.. and to make things worse, Scott signed in a spot where I didn’t want him to sign. He squeezed his signature in between Nash’s and Bret Hart’s and the actual buckle.. ugh.. I paid $30 for the autograph and he didn’t even sign where I wanted him to because of the damn security guard. He had already started signing before I could remind him where I wanted it. Nonetheless, I was still happy to meet him.
I thank him and say hi to Kevin then proceed out the store to meet Ken. Ken was actually really nice and down to earth. First, the event organizer JayTWarsh came up to me and my dad and wanted to see the belt. He was really impressed at it and took it to show to Ken. Ken told Jay that it's a fake because it's not that heavy (it's a commemorative!) They talked about it for a good bit. Ken signed my encyclopedia. I offered my hand for a handshake and thanked him. He wrapped my hand with both his hands and said “No. I thank you!” He did the same thing with my dad.
That's it guys! Thanks for looking and reading!
