If you thought getting SDCC tickets was bad, you don't know Jack. New York ComicCon FAN VER 2022 tickets went on sale today, and not to be outdone it was filled with far more problems than the SDCC open reg, pre-reg and Hotel sale combined. It was one of the most aggravating experiences I've ever had online. Here's how it went
19:45-10:20 pm EST
As hundreds of thousands of con goers logged on to get ready to buy tickets, almost ALL were graced with an error page. It seemed no matter what anyone tried...either using the "buy tickets" link via the email you received from NYCC, or trying to access newyorkcomiccon.com, almost ever person received a "Request Time-out" error page. Simply trying to buy tickets would not work. As it turned out, you either had to follow NYCC on Facebook or Twitter to be given an entirely different link to the "Virtual Queue". NYCC was aware of the issue with users unable to access the Virtual Queue and their only solution was to give out a new link on social media while they tried to fix it. If you weren't privy to this information, you were basically SOL. I on the other hand, happen to get into the Virtual Queue "splash page" very early...like "disturbingly anal" early...6 pm the previous day early, so wasn't timed out. I simply had the splash page up telling me to refresh at noon on May 13th. Luckily since this page was already loaded, refreshing just brought up the same page, with no errors. This is the page so many were trying to get to but failed. I was placed in the Virtual Queue at noon, however I attempted to run two other machines at 11:55. Both were plagued with the error page until I stumbled upon the new link via Facebook at 12:15 that got me into the queue extremely late on both machines. -Ouch
10:20-11:20 pm EST
My first Machine that got into the queue on time sat idle for at least 20 minutes. at 12:20 I was let in to buy tickets! Lord have mercy EVERYTHING WAS AVAILABLE!!. It was looking like my lucky day... I emphasize "looking". I attempted to purchase 2 '4day' badges, 2 '3day' badges and 1 'Saturday' badge. My group was all set. We were on the verge of getting everything we wanted..........until I hit the "get tickets"button. Upon doing so, the site simply hung for 5 minutes. I didn't dare touch anything. A refresh or "back button" may kick me out entirely . I know this sells out fast and I'm already in, no reason to press my luck.
at 12:35 or so my hung page went to 'no page'(above). I was completely booted from the server entirely. My happy day just turned to dread. After flipping out for 15 minutes I was finally refreshed by NYCC servers and sent back to the ticket purchase screen. Luckily everything was still available (right). Unluckily...hitting the "get tickets" button again, after making my selections, only proceeded to hang my page and ultimately boot me yet again. This was starting to get ridiculous. Its now 1 pm. An hour after the sale started and I've been hung twice, booted twice and two other machines were sidelined for 15 minutes and nowhere near getting in.
11:20-12:00 pm EST
at 1:20 or so I was refreshed again and again put back to the start of buying tickets. At this point '3day' tickets were sold out. I wasn't about to buy Friday/Saturday/Sunday at $150 when 3day was half the price (Plus I was planning on Spending all day Saturday at the con with partial time on Friday and Sunday based on my travelling so wasn't to thrilled with spending $100 for partial days.) So now my ticket options are limited due to no fault of my own. When I was first let in to purchase, everything was available.....now '3day' is gone. Now I'm getting scared. I go through picking tickets YET AGAIN knowing I'm just going to get hung and booted again. Well this time I make it past the first screen and made it to the shipping screen. Things are looking better, but I didn't get '3day' which I should have to begin with if the site worked...oh well. After selecting the shipping I clicked "purchase" at the bottom..... Can you guess what happened next?.... we'll youd be wrong.. THIS time, I made it all the way to the credit card screen!...but... I looked at the top of the screen and noticed my "session time". I had 15 seconds left to enter my CC info or lose my tickets and have to start over. Apparently while my page his hung by NYCC my session time doesn't cease, it continues to run when I cant even access the site!!! Low and behold... IM TIMED OUT.. SERIOUSLY!!!??? LET ME BUY MY DAMN TICKETS ALREADY. I'm then sent to the start AGAIN!
This time '4day' and '3day' are gone!. This must be some sick joke. Following Facebook and Twitter I'm hearing the scalpers are doing fine and already posting hundreds of tickets online for 10 times face value, while other users are having just as miserable as a time as I. How are scalpers getting through so easily and we're having such trouble? Is what they're doing effecting everyone else? Who knows. All I know is I'm getting SCREWED repeatedly.
12:00 pm EST and beyond
By 2:00 pm I was simply over it. I was aggravated, shunned, disappointed, pissed off, degraded, insulted, etc... The entire ordeal was made worse as I was the only one of my group able to even get in, so the fate of our attending was resting solely on my shoulders. No matter what, the site simply would not allow me to purchase badges. I made my way back to the ticket selection screen for the billionth time, saw only single day badges and sulked. I discussed it with my group and nobody wanted to pay the single day rates for all the days we'd be going. We were all dejected and simply agreed we'll skip this shit show and save our money for a rainy day.
Knowing we weren't going, I decided to stop taking screen captures and just kept refreshing my page, simply out of anger and spite. I refreshed and refreshed and refreshed. Viciously and vigorously while cussing and bitching. Then I noticed something!!!!....'4DAY WAS BACK!! I got back in touch with my group, explaining 4day was back in play and this may still be doable. Then comes more heartache when trying to select '4day'....Only 1 '4day' badge was available.. We needed 4.. So I did the only thing I could think of... I KEPT REFRESHING. That '4day' kept coming and going, coming and going.. still only 1 though when we needed more, but I didn't give up hope.. refresh refresh refresh and then........BOOM!!!!... 3DAY WAS BACK!!!
I grabbed 4- '3day' badges and made for the hills. I then added a few 'Thursday' badges to turn those '3days' into '4days'.... We were back in action! This was the closest I think we'd get to the options available at 12:20 when I first got in. The site was now stable and not crashing anymore so I cashed in on the stroke of luck. I grabbed the '3days' grabbed the 'Thursday's and picked up a 'Saturday' for a friend. My horribly terribly insanely frustrating adventure turned back around. It felt like a whole lot of bullshit for nothing. If the site worked as intended I would have been one of the first in, grabbed what I needed and been done with it. Instead it was a wild rollercoaster ride of misery to only end in a similar outcome.
After the sale, I reached out to NYCC and explained to them my situation. I supplied all the necessary screenshots they state you should get if you have any issue. I explained to them that I was in early and had the option to purchase 4day badges, but site issues caused me to get booted over and over. I asked if they could possible convert our '3day' and 'Thursday' badges to '4day' and reimburse us the cost difference. They flat out refused. They stated "No - we do not provide refunds or upgrades. Thanks." Considering the circumstance and my overwhelming proof in the form of screenshots THEY told me to capture, I expected maybe a little help, but I really cant complain. We got exactly what we wanted but spent $20 extra.
If anyone didn't get tickets at all, it looks like they'll be forced to buy badges off the thousands of scalpers that bogged the system and are getting away with selling for well over face value. CAPITALISM! YAY!
The sale was a complete mess. One of the worst I've ever experienced (even with eventual success) and I'm sure NYCC wont be lifting a finger to help anyone that got screwed due to site issues. That's the nature of the beast I guess. This made the SDCC Hotel sale look like a 'Bake Sale' but hey.. at least I got badges, right?
