[ST] Arisia going to 4 days

[Donna M. Dube]

I just want to inject my .02 here. I have been reading this thread with 
interest. I have been involved in some capacity with Arisia since the 
beginning, I've been Masquerade director, masquerdae judge, I've run the 
con suite, been Art show director, Assistant Events div head, and 
logistics staff, now I choose to work as art show and masquerade staff, 
so I'm not new to Arisia.

I think going to four days is not a good idea in the current hotel we 
are using.   Also I'm with the majority of the dissenters here, Not 
everyone gets that day off work. I did because I asked for it and my 
boss happens to be a vendor at Arisia, but my partner didn't, he had to 
get up and go to work Monday morning.
Sure Balticon does a four day con, but that's Memorial Day, it's a major 
holiday that everyone recognizes. MLK Day isn't.

This year, despite being just staff, I was so burned out on Sunday 
afternoon from the crowds, taking stairs, frustration with the 
elevators, and not being able to sleep in the hotel (despite paying for 
my room) due to a severe allergic reaction to some fragrance the hotel 
was using in the guest rooms and restrooms that I had to leave at 3PM. 
Normally I stick around for the first truck loading on Sunday, but 
everything just conspired against me this year.  I have already decided 
that IF I attend next year, which I am still thinking I may not due to 
the overcrowding issues) I will not be staying in the hotel, thus I will 
likely not be around for tear down again.

I know I was not the only person feeling the way I was by Sunday 
afternoon. The crowding alone was sufficient to exhaust me and several 
other people I have spoken to.

Some things to think about...
What kind of things would be planned for later on Sunday?
Could we get people to sit on Panels that late in the con or will they 
be burned out too?
Do the con attendees, (not just staff, but joe random con goer) want a 
four day Arisia?
Do we have enough staff members to make sure nobody gets burned out by 
working the first 40 hours of the con straight and not getting a break 
thus are trashed for the rest of the con? (yes people do this)

Remember, technically for some of the dedicated staff the con starts 
with the loading of the truck on the Wednesday before the weekend. For 
many, Like myself, We come in after work on Wednesday or Thursday and 
work through the weekend.
How many people take Thursday, Friday and Monday off work already and 
would they be willing and able to take Tuesday as well?
The same dedicated volunteers who load the trucks before the con are 
usually the ones unloading on Monday morning/afternoon after.  Burning 
out your volunteers one year could easily lead to having fewer 
volunteers the next.
Are we prepared for the extra cost? Extra food for the con suite, green 
room and staff den? The longer a con goes on, the more likely people are 
going to run out of cash and be eating in these places more.
Extra hotel costs?  Extra rental costs? equipment, trucks etc?

Just a few things that need to be discussed before it is written in 
stone that Arisia will be a four day con.

I think going to a four day con needs to be talked about. But it's not 
something to be jumped into without serious consideration of the impact 
it will make on the entire convention and convention staff and 
attendees. I think trying to do it in a too small hotel is a bad idea. 
Crowds burn people out and when you have to fight a crowd whenever you 
are in a public area of the hotel it's going to tire people more easily 
and the loss of critical tear down staff will result.

just my two cents...

-donna.