Now, admittedly, I was the extremely fortunate winner of this year's HBO Game of Thrones #TaketheThrone sweepstakes and nearly all of my accommodations were arranged on my behalf by the amazing folks involved in doing so (Thank you again!) However, despite feeling like Charlie in the Comic Factory, there are some universal truths and best practices I realized over the course of my wife and I's 4 supremely memorable days in San Diego from July 24-27, 2014.
1. Your first day goal should simply be getting familiar with the grounds
Navigating the crowds and the convention center will be overwhelming on Day One. When you check in, you'll receive your bag, your souvenir guide (which autograph-signing-booked celebs are obligated to sign at no charge, FYI) and the Event planning guide. Your goal should be to know how to, for example, find the route from the Exhibit Hall to the Sails Pavillion, where you'll find event planning information. Determine where the lines for events you will want to participate in will begin. The best answers to your questions will be given to you by staff members wearing the SDCC/CCI badges on their polos. Although other Comic Con vets will also provide valuable answers and I found them to be honest and very willing to help. By your third and fourth day at the Convention Center, you'll be directing the weekend-only attendees on the ins and outs.
Across the street from the Convention Center
2. Skip the Hall H line
If it's your first time at the granddaddy of all Comic Cons, I strongly suggest that you skip the Hall H line. At least as long as it runs as efficiently, or rather inefficiently, as it currently does. There is so much to see throughout the convention center, so much to see in the world "Outside the Con" that the thought of spending an entire day waiting in line to hopefully get into Hall H to view a Panel you're interested in (which will be posted online for viewing later that same day anyway) is just a wasteful way to spend your weekend. In 2014, The CCI introduced a wristband system for organizing the line queue, but it seemed to have mixed results, whatever the reason(s). Now, I expect that the CCI will continue to tweak and/or enhance the Hall H experience, and it would be certainly worth planning to spend a few hours of your time to a panel of your favorite show/movie/creative talent, but I feel no loss of joy in having avoided the lines this year.However, if you like camping in parking lots with some number of 150,000 of your new closest friends, then Hall H would be the place to do so.
3. Be ready to start your day as early as possible
The convention center opens at 8 AM, but other attendees anxious to get a jump on the Ballroom 20 Line or lines for limited autograph signings will somehow arrive long before that time. The Con also closes at 7 PM, so plan your longer, multi-course dining for the evening hours, allowing yourself to spend more time at the event during "business hours."4. Try as many local restaurants as possible...
The Gaslamp District is FULL of great restaurants. There are multiple cafeterias in the convention center, but your money will be better spent and your trip will be more fulfilling if you venture outside for your food needs. I can say that I enjoyed Lucky's Lunch Counter across from PetCo Park for a couple of meals. Toscana was close to the convention center and good for an Italian lunch. TinFish seems to be a favorite of the locals and the Convention regulars and it's just across the street from the convention center, although it was one of the more difficult restaurants to get seated in quickly. Stop in Rockin' Baja Lobster if you need to rest your legs and eat some Mexican food. The list would go on much longer. Just pull up your Trip Advisor or Yelp app and start walking.5....But also bring snacks and a backpack
Even if you avoid the epic lines of Hall H, you will still encounter lines everywhere. Just think "theme park" and you'll be mentally prepared. Beef Jerky, protein bars, chips, fruit, bottled water, etc. are all necessities of surviving the Con. There are multiple Starbucks inside the convention center, but they also carry long lines, so if you are like me and are used to coffee as fuel, enjoy a cup in your room before you head out, or pick up a cup of coffee before you arrive at the convention center.6. Be prepared to meet more of the creative minds in the comic book world than you expect
One big oversight on my part was not bringing more of the comic books, books, art, etc. by my favorite artists and writers to ask them to sign. For example, I purchased a Hellboy graphic novel for Mike Mignola to sign, and another copy of Savage Dragon #1 when I realized Erik Larsen was at the convention as well. Both of which I had unfortunately left safely at home. Both were very accessible within the exhibit hall and it was rewarding to meet the creative minds behind the worlds I like to escape to. I wasn't the only one who failed in this account, as people around us during a George R.R. Martin signing even realized that they hadn't brought their Song of Ice and Fire books. Thankfully, he was selling nearly every book he had played a part in writing or editing.
7. Book a hotel as close to the Convention Center as possible
This may require quick decision making as I'm sure they fill up early, but the less need you have for public transportation, the better. The closer your room is to the heart of the action, the easier it will be to check in and change clothes, if necessary, to drop off some of your purchases, avoid public restrooms...you get the idea. More importantly, you'll be surrounded by loads of fellow convention-goers and one of the most rewarding parts of the convention is...8. Meet as many like-minded people as possible
...meeting people who like the same stuff you do! You are going to be surrounded by people who'd rather be driving a Tardis or a Delorean, can identify houses of Westeros by their sigils, and who also know of casting decisions for sci-fi/fantasy/comic book films which are still in pre-production. Embrace that! You may even want to make up business cards of a sort with your social media handles on them to keep the conversation going. You'll also meet many vendors who will want to give you free stuff. Take whatever is offered, as many of these will be SDCC exclusives. |
| Thank you George R.R. Martin...waiting in line for the limited signing drawing paid off! |
9. Despite the massive crowds, nearly everyone is just trying to enjoy the moment
I'm from Central Florida and am very accustomed to visiting our various theme parks with throngs of people with varying levels of stress and objectives, and often, a basic lack of manners. I found that in much of my time in the middle of the "herds of nerds," the other attendees were full of "excuse mes" and niceties and no one was in a huge rush to go nowhere in particular. You know how your eye is wandering and soaking in all the amazingly cool things around you? Yeah, that person next to you is doing the same thing. Slow-moving crowds and lines are simply a recurring theme.10. Be prepared to charge your mobile phone
You're going to want to continually check in on Twitter or the Comic Con app to keep up to date with what's going on at the Convention and where you may see some of your favorite stars or talent. This will be advice that you'll see on other "Surviving the Con" themed blogs or articles, but absolutely bring an extra phone battery for your Android device and definitely bring a portable charger for any phone you use. I had two charged batteries, and a portable charger, and returned to my hotel at night with a "connect your charger" warning on my display. There are a limited number of electrical outlets available for emergency power-ups if you bring a wall adapter and I also saw a portable power stick vending machine, so while you do have options, I advise that you make it a priority to bring your own power solutions.11.Thoughts on cosplay and respecting the cosplayers
It was refreshing to see just how much the city of San Diego was a "judgment free" zone and you could let your proverbial "freak flag" fly. There were countless immensely talented cosplayers and at least 9/10 were more than gracious in granting requests for photo ops. For the rest of us civillians, it's important to respect reasonable boundaries of acceptable/unacceptable behavior or ogling the cosplayers so that admiration doesn't quickly digress into perversion. Due to this attention, I saw most of the cosplayers endure/experience an even slower crawl through the event than even the average attendee. However, if you do show up at the Convention Center in costume it seems odd to be surprised at receiving such attention as you may be as close as most will get to their favorite fictional characters.
12. Follow Comic Con veterans and "experts" on Twitter
As I mentioned in #9, Twitter is an important tool in staying connected to the comings and goings of celebrities you're interested in, and key events both inside and outside the convention center. If you're already on Twitter, then you probably already follow many of the comic book creators, actors, directors, and illustrators/artists whose work you are most enamored with. Outside of them, I suggest the following accounts which helped me "survive the Con."@HallHLine Just what it sounds like, the sights of Hall H Line
@Ballroom20Line Yup, you guessed it, "the second most demoralizing line at SDCC"
@Comic_Con official Comic Con account
@The_Con_Fluence contributor to SDCCblog.com and Convention regular
@thenerdmachine They run "Nerd HQ" at Petco Park. Admission is Free and a change of pace from the Convention Center
@OutsideComicCon Keeping you up to date with other events happening outside
@Crazy4ComicCon Tony B. Kim, a Con veteran and very helpful and informative blogger
@thenerdygirlie "everyday cosplay" enthusiast and fangirl genuinely interested in sharing her advice and passion for the event
@SDCCsurvival SDCC Survival guide website
@ComicConGeek "Anything and everything about Comic-Con"
@SD6ComicCon Local San Diego News outlet with some coverage of the event
Please add more Comic Con wisdom in the comments section. It was one of the best vacations of my life and I know that I need to find a way to get back every year!
