Guide to San Diego Comic-Con 2018 Online Open Registration: Tips to Get Prepared

It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! Not only is the holiday season upon us, but so is San Diego Comic-Con Open Registration 2018.

SDCC 2018 Online Open Registration will happen on December 9, 2017 at 9AM PT. So dip into that holiday fund and get those badge buying fingers ready!

Whether this will be your first time attending SDCC or you’ve been there from the start, we know how grueling it can be waiting for the official sale to begin. We also know that it’s best to have a strategy in place for making sure you get a chance to score a golden ticket.

That’s why we’re offering up some tips to help you gear up and be prepared. So what can you do to help yourself prepare for the big day? Here are our top tips:

Learn the Process – If you are not familiar with the Comic-Con International badge sale process for Open Online Registration, we’ve put together our SDCC 2018 Open Registration Visual Guide & Tips post to help you through. Not only is this informative guide great for beginners, but it is also an excellent information source for those veterans who want to brush up on the details of the badge buying process. There is a lot to know and you can never be too prepared.
Registration Code Set to Ready – For the past few years, Comic-Con International has been using the registration code system. They will be e-mailing out a unique Registration Code to everyone who is eligible for this sale at least 48-24 hours before the sale begins. You will need to input this code to enter the waiting room. Once this code is sent, you can find it listed in the Online Open Registration email, or you may also retrieve your personal code through your Member ID account under the “Registration Info” tab. Have this code handy on the day of the sale. You will need to input this code to enter the waiting room. Please Note: the code that is sent is unique to you, so no sharing that code!
Stay Informed – Make sure you’re following both The San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog (on Twitter and Facebook) and Comic-Con International (on Twitter and Facebook), and that you have push notifications turned on for both. We will post any info as soon as we have it.
Ditch The Mobile Phone: Expo Logic’s waiting room system is not formatted for mobile devices. If you do happen to use a mobile device, there is no guarantee it will work properly, so don’t chance it. Get to a computer and hunker down for that big cheerio spoon in the sky.
Prep That Tech – Make sure your computer is fully prepared. Check your Javascript & cookies, as they must be enabled to function in the Expo Logic Registration waiting room. Make sure your computer is running CCI compatible browsers:
- Firefox: Any version
- Google Chrome: Any version
- Internet Explorer: Version 11
- Safari: Version 7 or later
- Microsoft EDGE: Any version

In the past CCI has provided a link that will help you verify if your browser settings are compatible with the Expo Logic waiting room (it should theoretically be located on the link to the Expo Logic Registration waiting room that will be sent with your registration code e-mail), so be sure to take the time to use the link to check your PC and make sure it passes the Comic-Con International test. And remember not to run multiple browser tabs. Two different browsers is acceptable on one computer, but multiple tabs within the same browser may cause issues. Last of all, remember to make sure the power saving setting on your computer is turned off.

Set Your Alarm and Prepare – Make sure you’re set up and ready to go before 9AM PT on the day of the sale. Have your link, your code, your credit card, and anything else you need set up before that time. Although there’s no need to rush into the room when it opens at 8AM PT, you will still want to make sure you are signed in before the 9AM cut off time. All attendees who are in the waiting room at 9 will be randomly sorted – regardless of when they entered the room. But if you miss that 9AM cutoff time, you’ll be placed behind everyone else at the back of the virtual sorted line. Make sure you’ve read all of the information about how the sale will work beforehand so there are no surprises. And set that alarm, as we’ve heard of those who have accidentally slept through the sale. You don’t want that to happen, as this is very likely your last chance to get a badge for this year.
Buying Group Assemble – Ever since CCI revealed the randomized waiting room, being the first to click or having a faster internet connection no longer matters: Your place in line will be determined by a random mathematical formula. Since CCI allows each person to buy badges for up to three eligible attendees, have each eligible person in your group enter the waiting room and see who gets to the checkout process first. If you don’t already have friends in the same boat, we recommend the Friends of CCI forum to help find a badge-buying buddy. There is strength in numbers, and working with people you trust will make it that much easier.
Shut Up and Take My Money – Make sure all your funding is in place. While working in groups is the best way to increase your odds at getting a badge, there’s one drawback: you’ll only be able to use one credit card during check-out. That means that if a group of three people are each trying to buy badges and working in a group, whoever gets to the front of the line first will have to pay for all three badges on a single credit card. Because there’s no way to know who will get in first beforehand, each person has to have all of the funds ready to go.
Communication System Check – If you’re working in a team, it’s very important to develop a system for how to communicate where you are in line, and to coordinate the purchasing process. If you get to the front of the line first, and your friend wants a four-day badge, but Saturday is sold out, then what? We recommend using AIM, Skype, a group chat, or (gasp!) an actual phone, as e-mail and Twitter can be slow, and you might not want to share your personal information over social media.
Have a Backup Plan – When it comes to SDCC Registration, there are no guarantees. Bookmark, copy and paste the e-mail link, and have purchasing info printed and ready to go! One year, the links e-mailed out didn’t work, but copying and pasting the link did. Just assume that when dealing with badge sales to one of the largest, most-coveted events all year long, glitches can and will happen. If we hear about any of the errors, we’ll be online live with our Annual SDConCast Open Registration Show, featuring live coverage, the highs and lows of the sale, success stories, tips, and much more.
Don’t Forget To Screenshot – Remember that glitches can happen, so if a problem arises, screenshot it. You may need them. Although there is no guarantee that CCI will be able to help you out if a technical issue or error arises, they have been known to help those with issues in the past. So it is worth well worth grabbing a screenshot if problems occur. It’s also worth taking a screenshot of your purchase page after you’ve completed the purchase, as it can take hours or sometimes even days for the final badge confirmation e-mail to be sent to you. If anything goes amiss, you’ll be glad you have proof that you were victorious over the badge sale.
Tick Tock Watch The Clock – When it is your turn to check-out, you will have 15 minutes to enter all your information and check-out. Remember, badge inventory will be held for you in the shopping cart while you are making your purchase. Expo Logic and CCI are effectively holding all options for you, so there’s no need to hastily enter your credit card. You’ve got time to talk to your badge-buying buddies to confirm things, and you’ve got time to check your bank balance. Entering everything in 30 seconds or five minutes isn’t going to be the difference between you getting a four-day badge and you losing one. But be mindful of that 15 minute window.
Don’t Refresh Or Hit The Back Button: CCI has made it explicitly clear that either refreshing or hitting the back button on your browser after the 9AM kickoff time can send you to the back of the line, or cause the waiting room to behave “unexpectedly”. Neither of those are particularly good options. However, if you do receive an error message, we recommend taking a screenshot of your error message, and then weighing your options for next steps. CCI has stated that if you close the window, rather than refresh, and re-enter, that you won’t lose your place in line.
Double Check WiFi Connections – Finally, you want to be sure that your internet service is working properly. The last thing you want is issues right before or in the middle of the sale. Also be sure that your internet provider bill is up to date and paid. You do not want your internet failing because of something that could have been prevented. Hey, it can happen.