General Hospital Fan Club Weekend July 22 - 25, 2010          Airtel Plaza Hotel          Van Nuys, California Frequently Asked Questions (With Answers!)

2010 GHFCW At a Glance    Transportation     Hotel     FAQ     Order Tickets     Scrapbook of Past GHFCW Events   Reviews of 2009 Events

If this is your first time to join us for this exciting weekend and especially if this is your first fan event to attend, it is understandable that you have many questions and concerns.

In this FAQ, we will attempt to answer as many of the questions we most often encounter as possible.

HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I PLAN TO STAY?

That depends on your time allowance and your budget.  The full GHFCW runs for 4 days, Thursday through Sunday evening.  If you were to attend every event, you would arrive by early afternoon on Thursday and leave on Monday.  The main luncheon is on Saturday and is the event you will especially not want to miss.

CAN MY FRIENDS AND I SIT TOGETHER AT THE LUNCHEON?

Tickets that are ordered together and have the correct amount of money included to purchase those tickets at member and non-member prices accordingly will be seated together upon request if at all possible.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO GETS WHAT TABLE FOR THE LUNCHEON?

The seating arrangement is assigned based on the date the ticket was received and the ticket order's ability to be processed.  Providing incorrect payment amount, no return address or no self addressed stamped envelope or no printed order form will delay ticket order processing and seat assignment, as will sending your ticket order requiring a signature. Orders will not be processed if they are sent with a signature confirmation and will instead be returned to the sender.  Please read the directions on the ticket order page carefully. 

MY NAME IS NOT ON THE CHECK IN LIST, BUT I ORDERED TICKETS!  WHAT DO I DO?

The lovely lady on the right hand side of the above photo is Linda Howard.  She will help you with any seating problems.

I'VE HAD SOMETHING COME UP AND CANNOT ATTEND THE GHFCW, BUT I HAVE ALREADY ORDERED TICKETS.  CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK?

Unfortunately, all ticket sales are final and no refunds are provided.  If it is prior to June 1st, you may be able to sell your ticket to another GH fan as these tickets sell out quickly and are in great demand after being sold out.  No ticket changes may be made after June 1st.

CAN I PAY FOR ALL OF MY EVENTS WITH ONE CHECK?

No.  You may pay for several tickets for the same event with one money order, but separate events require separate registration and separate payment.

WILL I GET AN ACTUAL TICKET FOR THE EVENT?

This year we are going green. You will receive a confirmation/ticket upon the arrival of your order via email.  Your name and that of any guest will be on a list at check in.  ID must match this list unless changes have been approved by Debbie Morris, fan club President.  If the confirmation/ticket has been altered in any way you will not be admitted into the event.

CAN I SHARE MY LUNCHEON TICKET WITH MY FRIEND AND GIVE HER MY WRISTBAND HALFWAY THROUGH THE EVENT?

Absolutely not.  Event wristbands are non-transferable and anyone discovered sharing a wristband will be removed from the premises without payment refund.

I HAVE SEVERAL THINGS FOR MY FAVORITE ACTOR TO SIGN.  IS THAT OK?

Because of the number of fans who attend this event, we regret that we must limit each guest to one photo and one autograph per actor.  This allows the lines to move quickly and lets fans see a number of actors instead of just a few. If you wish to get more than one item signed you can moved to the back of the line and go through again.

CAN SOMEONE TAKE MY PHOTO WITH THE ACTOR IF I COME ALONE?

Absolutely.  There will be line attendants at each line who will be happy to use your camera to take your photo with the actor.  There are no guarantees on how great the photo will turn out since all cameras are different, but our staff will do their best.

DO YOU HAVE A PLACE WHERE I CAN RECHARGE MY DIGITAL CAMERA IF IT DIES?

Unfortunately, we do not offer this service, so please make sure you bring extra batteries for your camera if you suspect you will need them.

WILL THE ACTORS TALK TO MY FRIEND AT HOME ON MY CELL PHONE?

No.  The actors are not allowed to accept cell phone calls from fans while they are at the event.

BEFORE I BUY A TICKET, I WANT TO MAKE SURE [insert actor's name here] WILL ATTEND.

There are never any guarantees as to which actors will be able to attend any of the events.  We have historically had excellent participation from the GH actors, but there are always some who are unable to attend due to other personal or professional obligations.  Sometimes, an actor plans to attend, but has an unexpected problem come up at the last minute.  We, the event staff, never know for certain who is going to attend the event until the last minute, so we are unable to promise that particular actors will attend.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAIN LUNCHEON AND THE INDIVIDUAL ACTORS' EVENTS?

The main luncheon is a huge event that many of the GH actors currently on cast attend.  This is the time to meet a good many of the cast at once and mix and mingle with a lot of GH fans.  The individual actors' events are tailored specifically toward the actor hosting the event and their special guests, so while the luncheon is focused on the entire show, the individual events are focused on one or two particular actor(s). 

HOW LONG SHOULD I EXPECT TO WAIT IN LINE TO SEE AN ACTOR?

This, of course, varies according to the popularity of an actor.  Some actors have exceptionally long lines and it is not unusual to wait for quite some time in that line.  Other actors have shorter lines.  It is important that you weigh out the value of seeing one actor versus many actors.  If everyone will abide by the "1 autograph, 1 photo" rule, the longer lines will move much faster.

IS IT OK IF I HUG THE ACTORS FOR MY PHOTOS?

Actors are very gracious about photos and typically do not mind giving a hug for the photo.  It is important that fans, even in their enthusiasm, remember that these actors are people and may be made uncomfortable by inappropriate touching or remarks.  For the comfort of our actors who have kindly given of their own time for our events, we ask that fans behave in an appropriate and respectful manner.  Below is an example of a photo that is within the comfort zone of most actors.  We want our actors to enjoy our events as much as the fans do and as such, we ask that they be treated with dignity.

WHAT IF I ARRIVE LATE TO AN EVENT FOR WHICH I AM REGISTERED?

Sometimes, this is unavoidable.  After the check in lines have cleared and the event has started, usually the doors and check in lines will be closed.  You may enter the event and it is guaranteed that if you do, you will be approached by a staff member.  Explain to them that you are a late arrival and they will make sure you are checked in.  Depending on how late you are, you may or may not be able to still get food if food is provided for the event.  Unfortunately, there are no refunds, full or partial, for late arrivals.

WHY IS THE GHFCW NO LONGER HELD AT THE SPORTSMEN'S LODGE?

For many years, we enjoyed the tradition of hosting our events at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City.  Unfortunately, the business was sold and as a result, the Events Center is being discontinued.  We are very excited to have found the Airtel Plaza Hotel for our new venue and we are confident that our fans will very much enjoy all it has to offer.