The CCD want to ensure queueing can take place safely before special auditorium events. They have asked us to implement a system to deal with potential lines before the Special Events open. As a result, Dublin 2019 will have a Box Office for some events in the Auditorium. Going to the Box Office only applies to:
- The Opening / Retro Hugo Ceremony (Thursday, 20:00/8pm)
- The Orchestral Evening (Friday, 20:00/8pm)
- Masquerade (Saturday, 20:00/8pm)
- The Hugo Award Ceremony (Sunday, 20:00/8pm)
You will not need to go to the Box Office for anything on Second Stage, on Programme, at Point Square or in any other performance space.
We will not be giving out tickets from the Box Office – instead, you will be given a wrist band. Wrist bands are free and will denote which entrance you can use to enter the Auditorium and at what time (please do not line up earlier than the time allocated as you will only be turned away).
The wrist bands will allow access from the Third Floor (Auditorium Stalls) at 19:00/7pm or 19:30/7.30pm or the Fourth Floor (Auditorium Circle) at 19:00/7pm or 19:30/7.30pm. Performances start at 20:00/8pm, so there is plenty of time to get everyone into the venue. Once inside, seating is unallocated so you can choose where you want to sit (some areas will be reserved for Award Nominees or Presenters, but staff inside the Auditorium will help you find a free seat). We do of course ask that you don’t leave seats open, as we are expecting to have a full house for all these events.
A few more points:
- The Box Office will be open from 13:00/1pm – 16:00/4pm on the days of Events. It will be in the ground level lobby of the Convention Centre Dublin, next to Registration.
- We will only be allocating wrist bands for that day’s event. There will be different coloured wrist bands depending on the day.
- You may collect up to 6 wrist bands at a time for friends and family, but please do not over-collect – Once we have run out of wrist bands, the auditorium is considered full and we cannot let people in without wrist bands. It would be a great pity to turn people away if there were still seats available.
- If you find that members of your party cannot attend, we will have one of the Box Office desks open from 18:30/6.30pm as a Returns Desk (or you can bring the surplus wrist bands back to the Box Office whilst we are still open). If we have run out of wristbands earlier in the day, it will always be worth checking the Returns desk to see if any have become available (Return Wristbands will be dealt with on a first-come-first-served basis and there will not be a Reserve List).
- People with Accessibility needs can approach Access who will have an allocated number of wristbands available.
- If you do not have a wristband, you will not be able to enter the auditorium, so please don’t lose yours!
- If you arrive late with a wristband, you will still be allowed to go in but may have to wait for a suitable break in the performance.
We realise that this is not the usual way of doing things at a Worldcon and we apologise for any inconvenience caused, but as long as everyone is aware of how the new system operates it should still lead to a great evening of entertainment.