Celebration tip: Navigating the autograph hall

Jaders have a lot of con experience, but one thing we haven’t had much to do with over the years has been the autograph area. So we asked Celebration vet Justin LaSalata, the U.S. News Editor for JediNews.co.uk, to give our readers the rundown. Updated 3/20/15 for Celebration Anaheim.

Temuera Morrison signs at Celebration V. (Jenny Elwick / Official Star Wars Blog)

One of the main highlights of a Celebration is the opportunity to meet the actors/actresses from the Star Wars saga, and once again Official Pix will be heading up the Autograph Hall for Celebration VI. For fans who have never had the chance to experience a Celebration, or are just getting into Celebration autograph collecting now, here is a brief overview of what to expect from the Autograph Hall at Celebration Anaheim.

Autograph hall setup
The setup for a Celebration Autograph Hall is pretty straight-forward. There will be long runs of tables where each celeb has their designated “signing spot” featuring a large photo of the character they portray in the film(s) hanging behind them. You’ll be able to stroll down the middle of the area and see all the celebs who are currently at their respective tables, as well as see how long the lines are (if any) to wait for their autograph. The exception to this is the Special Guests (Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Ian McDiarmid, etc), who will have their own separate booth area usually marked off with dark curtains to prevent fans from snapping pics of them (more on that later).

Aside from the special guests who have their own dedicated autograph coupons, standard autograph coupons will cost $10.00 each. If a guest has a $20.00 price their autograph, you will need to purchase two $10.00 coupons accordingly. If a guest has a $40.00 autograph price, you will need to purchase four $10.00 coupons for that guest, and so on and so forth.

Autograph tickets
Each signer requires an autograph ticket, which entitles you to one signed item of your choosing (photo, poster, action figure, etc). Tickets prices range from $20 for a standard guest all the way to $125 for Mark Hamill. Online autograph ticket ordering has ended as of the time of this post, so you will need to visit the Official Pix ticket sales area to purchase them accordingly. Included in the ticket cost is a complimentary 8×10 photo marked with the CVI logo that will be available at each signer’s area. Normally there are multiple photos to select from for each celeb. Here are the available 8×10 photos for each signer. All you need to do is hand in your autograph ticket when you approach the table and select which photo(s) you would like to have signed. Remember, you need an autograph ticket for each item you would like signed. In addition, Official Pix will have TONS of photos available for purchase at their main booth area if you don’t like the supplied celeb photos and want to have them sign a different one (the photos at the OPX booth are not free and will not have the CVI logo on them). Also sold at the OPX booth will be an exclusive Celebration Anaheim 8×10 photo binder with protective page sleeves, which is VERY popular among fans and sells out FAST.

Lines
Yes, there will be lines. Not all celebs will have lengthy lines to deal with, but be prepared to do some line waiting, especially for the Special Guests. For the Special Guests, OPX will have numbers printed on their autograph tickets based on when you purchased them. They will have a board placed at each Special Guest’s designated line that will indicate which ticket numbers can enter the line. According to OPX, they will start each day with numbers 1-200 and increase that number accordingly to keep the queue line full for each Special Guest as the day progresses. If the Special Guest leaves the signing area such as for lunch or to attend a panel, OPX will have a sign indicating when the celeb is expected to return back to their signing table.

Jedi Knight/Master VIP badge holders
For fans holding these very special CVI admission badges, you get some special “perks” when it comes to the Autograph Hall area. VIP badge holders received Express Checkout and Autograph Line Passes for the Special Guests, which grant you access to a dedicated line just for VIP badge holders. (Jedi Knight badges holders get 3 Fast Path autograph line uses and Jedi Masters get 6 uses.) These passes allow you to bypass the main queuing line and significantly reduces the amount of time spent waiting for an autograph. They do not replace the mandatory autograph ticket for each Special Guest, so you’ll still need to purchase a ticket for each guest accordingly.

Photos with the celebs
For some fans, taking a pic with a celeb is more valuable than having them sign a photo or poster. You will be able to do so with most of the standard guests, subject to how many people are waiting in line and if the particular celeb is willing to do so. There will be an OPX volunteer at each signer’s table who will take the pic of you with the celeb. The exclusion to this once again is the Special Guests (and a few standard guests), who do not allow photos to be taken at their respective tables. For these guests, fans will need to purchase a photo-op ticket from Epic Photo Ops. You must purchase your photo opportunity on site at the Epic Photo Ops booth area.