I’ve never been entirely satisfied with the MCEC as a con venue; yes, it’s a short walk to/from Southern Cross for mine, but when it gets busy, it quickly becomes cramped and difficult to move around. This was well-and-truly brought home by the fustercluck that was the first Melbourne Oz Comic-Con; you legit could not move, and it was best just to find a spot & wait it out until the crowds thinned. Melgeddon from 2010 to ‘12 was never as bad, but it had its moments. (Also, for some odd reason, the ‘11 & ‘12 expos coincided with a parenting expo, and 2011 also saw – of all things – a Telstra AGM take place at the venue.) So when the venue change was announced, I was kinda relieved; no more boxed-in feeling!
It also helps that, given Supanova is usually held that the Showgrounds, regular con-goers would know where the amenities et al were. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to find a power point quickly & easily when I needed to charge my phone! On the whole, there’s more space, and even though it got crowded at points, you could duck out easily enough. It was nice just to be able to relax, breathe, and let the experience wash over you. So yeah, definitely a much improved experience compared to previous years.
Always glad when a change in the show is for the better 🙂 For me it wasn’t so great as there was no where to really relax comfortably but my main concern is for the cosplayers and attendees who have different needs 😉
In general I got feedback as well that the venue was good for those on the attending side 🙂