Visions Details

• Planning your trip to Chicago (the easy way). For assistance in acquiring discounted airfares (helpful around Thanksgiving weekend) as well as hotel and car rental reservations, please call Total Traveler Travel Agency at 1-800-822-0666. If you call the 1-800 Hyatt reservations number for a room at Visions and they tell you the hotel's filled, this may not actually be true. We've found that the 1-800 number sometimes can't tell the difference between a room officially rented and a room merely blocked out for the special Visions room rate! You will get the facts on room availability if you call the Hyatt Regency O'Hare direct at (847) 696-1234. Mention that you're with Visions to get our special room rate.
• The Visions Rookie Guide gives you a painless overview to conventions in general and Visions in particular. If you've never attended a convention before (or need extra ammunition to get your friend to attend his or her first con), you'll find all the answers to your questions right here. Best of all, it's free!
• Visions Registration for those who have signed up in advance opens Thursday evening around 7 p.m. Friday registration (for pre-registered and at-the-door memberships) opens at 8:00 a.m., with Opening Ceremonies starting at 10 a.m.. Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday; the convention wraps up approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday. Make your travel plans accordingly!
• Don't forget about volunteering! Visions always needs willing attendees to check badges, watch doors, and help with lines (among other things). If you work 12 hours, you can attend a special post-con party with the guests. Sign up before the con to get first crack at the plum assignments (as well as keeping our Operations Manager from panicking needlessly that no one's volunteering)! For more information, please go to the Volunteer Information page.

Access and Services for the Disabled

Visions will again be held on one floor. Visions attendees who are physically challenged (and one companion) will be given priority seating at all functions and will be permitted to go to the front of all autograph and photograph lines. Please go to the Operations Room (Desk) as soon as possible after you arrive to obtain special badges for you and your companion. If you require any additional assistance during the convention, please let us know at Operations so that we may do everything within our power to accomodate your needs. Please provide notice in advance if you need signing, an assistant, or if you have any other needs. We will do our best to accomodate your requests.

Photo/Audio/Videotaping Policy

Flash photography, audiotaping, and videotaping will not be permitted during the Variety Show. Videotaping will be permitted at all other functions (except the contributors party and Guest Luncheon) as long as the guests or other convention attendees do not object. Audiotaping will be permitted at all events, excluding the Variety Show unless otherwise announced at the event. Non-flash photography will also be permitted during the Variety Show.

Autograph sessions

Typically, every guest does one autograph session (usually an hour or so) per day, however, some guests have been known to add a second session (which might be limited to autographs only on photographs they sell). You will be issued a punch card with your registration packet. When you enter the line for that guest, your card will be punched. We wish to ask for your cooperation and limit yourself to one autograph. Everyone behind you in line will appreciate it also. When everyone asks for two autographs, the lines take twice as long. In the past, we've used a "ticket" system with mixed results. Will it be used this year? A decision has yet to be made - stay tuned.

Photograph sessions

Typically, every guest does one photograph session (usually an hour or so) per day. We tried providing lighting during Visions '97 and asked you to not use your flash. The result? A lot of underexposed pictures. Therefore, we are returning to the policy of allowing flash photography. Please have your camera ready *BEFORE* it's your turn, and take your picture(s) as quickly as possible - the folks behind you will appreciate it as much as you appreciated the person before you. The quicker everyone is, the more satisfied everyone is.

Gaming

Yes, Visions has gaming! We have board gaming run by Jackie Leeper (Visions Staff) as well as computer based gaming hosted by:

Admission to non-computer gaming is $10/day (Visions 98). Pricing for computer gaming has not been announced. If you would like to host a gaming event in our gaming area, please contact Jackie through the convention POBox.

Celebrity Luncheon

On Saturday we have a luncheon where each celebrity hosts a table of 10 fans. The cost includes a soft drink and a limited-variety menu. Because we cannot guarantee that a particular guest will be in attendance at the convention, it will not be possible to honor any requests to be seated at a specific guest's table. Sign up early to assure your place before the available seating runs out.

Fan Panels

If you want to make a presentation or host a panel discussion at Visions, we can provide you with a room and put you on the printed schedule. Just submit your panel request to us in writing no later than September 30, with the following information: the title of your panel, a short paragraph describing your panel, any special equipment needs you have (like a slide projector), your name, mailing address (snail-mail), phone number, and any special scheduling requirements (like "please don't schedule at the same time as crossed swords"). All requests, including schedule preferences are handled on a first come, first served basis, so please contact us as soon as possible. Please send your information to Lisa Albergo, in care of the convention p.o. box, or you can also find her on line at ausfooty@aol.com.

Guest Panels

Typically, all guests do one Q&A session (usually an hour or so) each day. Here's your chance to ask "that burning question". It's a safe bet that all of our guests have been asked "What's your favorite episode?", so rack your brains to come up with some really imaginative questions!

Lost and Found

We still have several items which were left behind in our "Lost and Found" box after previous conventions. If you believe we might have something belonging to you, please send us a written description of the item and we"ll let you know if we have it and make arrangements to get it back to you.

Thursday Video Room Hours

Many attendees last year didn't realize that our video rooms are open on Thursday (Thanksgiving) evening to help entertain those early arrivals who aren't attending the Contributors Party with the celebrity guests. The rooms will be open from approximately 6:00 p.m. to midnight.

Dealers Rooms

The Pro Dealers room is the room with dealers who typically sell merchandise for a living. The Fan Dealers room is the room where fans like you, can sell items from their personal collection, or things they've made themselves. Both are certainly worth a look-see, especially if you're shopping for Christmas gifts! See below for hours, and look here for pricing information.

Charity Auction

All Charity Auction proceeds go to charity. Lambs Farm, a home for mentally and physically challenged adults here in Illinois, is the primary beneficiary, and in some cases, guests request that proceeds of certain items go to their favorite charity. Auction item are donated by members, guests, dealers, and other "anonymous" donors. We try to have all items available for viewing in the art show. Payment can be made with MC/Visa, personal checks, and cash.

Typical Visions Schedule of Events

Unlike some other conventions, the celebrity guests spend almost all their daytime hours interacting with the fans. On each of Visions' three days, each guest typically does at least one Question & Answer session, one autograph session, and one photograph session. However, exact appearance times are not worked out until the last minute, so a complete agenda is generally not available ahead of time.
The following schedule is approximate. Please check the schedule in your registration packet for the latest places and times for any particular event.
Registration Thursday 7pm-10pm [for pre-registered only], Friday 8am-5pm, 6pm-9pm, Saturday 8am-5pm, Sunday 9am-2pm
Opening Ceremonies Friday 10-11am
Closing Ceremonies Sunday 4:30-5:30pm
Panels, Autographs, Photographs Friday 11:15am-5:15pm, Saturday 9:30am-6:30pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
Dealers Rooms (Pro & Fan) Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
Video Rooms 1 & 2 Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday 10:30am-2am, Saturday 8am-2am, Sunday 8am-4pm
Contributors Party Thursday 8pm-10pm
Masquerade Friday 7:30pm-11pm??
Celebrity Luncheon Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm
Charity Memorabilia Auction Saturday 1:45pm-4pm
Celebrity Variety Show Saturday 8:30pm-11:00pm??

Costume Contest

There is a Costume Contest followed by a fan variety show on Friday evening.

Mysterious Theatre 337

MT337 is a meeting of two popular television shows, Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Doctor Who. Three guys sit in front of the big screen to watch a Doctor Who story, and the audience is treated to their hugely witty and immensely amusing remarks.

Celebrity Variety Show

On Saturday evening we present a variety show. This consists of a performance of some kind by many (hopefully all) of the celebrity guests -- singing, dancing, stand-up comedy, dramatic reading, or whatever. Not everyone who attends the convention is interested in this, which is why we make it an optional event. Tickets can be obtained at the con itself, but people are let into the hall in the order their tickets were purchased, so earlier purchase by mail gets you better choice of seating. Tickets are $25 for Visions '98, and the purchase of a membership is not required. Please see Audio/Video policy. Please be aware that some material may be "adult" in nature. We do not recommend this event for younger and more sensitive attendees.

Contributors Party

Looking for a way to get a lot of autographs and photographs early? Looking for a way to spend a few minutes with a particular guest? Wondering how you can go above and beyond to help Visions pay the bills? Then the Contributors Party is for you! Admission is only $60, all guests who have already arrived, attend it, and it takes place on Thursday evening from 8-10 pm. You do NOT need to purchase a membership to attend the party. Cheese/veggie trays will be provided, and a cash bar will be available. Please be aware that smoking is allowed at this event.