I'd like to try something like Shoreleave. I've only experienced the two ends of the con spectrum: Anal Retentive Creation and "hey, who's up for a nine hour wait for something less than we promised you?" Gatecon. I hate how regimented everything seems at Creation but I do appreciate knowing I'm going to get the photo I purchased and that I won't get a lesser photo than the first 150 people due to lousy planning by the organizers. I liked Gatecon better because it was entirely fan-run but there was a lot of waiting around in halls and frustration.

I can understand being upset over Jared canceling; those Gold Passes are expensive. Of course, I'd have been going for Misha so I would have been perfectly happy. ;) It is, alas, the danger in booking a con. I've had Amanda and Michael cancel -- but one of my favorite cons was the SG-1 one where all the mains canceled. Dan Payne & Alex Zahara were fabulous and there was a lot less craziness.