Guide to SDCC – Part 1 – Packing and Arriving
Zack Young | July 12, 2010 | 11:30 AM
Description: With hundreds of Comic-Con tips floating around the web I’ve decided to mix ours up. It is divided into four parts (Packing + Arriving, Panels, Shopping + Exhibit Hall, and Outside the Convention) and one will be posted daily. In each part I won’t just list out some tips, I’ll also give a strategy of sorts to that part of the convention and provide commentary. Enjoy!
After months of scheduling, packing, and anticipating you finally get off the plane in San Diego and think “what now?” Do you rush out to get passes, relax in your hotel room? Eat? And what if you forgot something important? Let’s just relax and start at the beginning.
Packing For Your Trip:
Though it seems simple, this is one place where many attendees make mistakes. Even if you’re planning to attend SDCC for only one day, you are going to need a lot of stuff. Sure, people will remember their clothes and toothbrushes (hopefully), but what makes Comic-Con packing different? Well here are some essential packing items that many attendees might forget about:
- Poster Tube – Many free and exclusive posters are given out during the con and unless you plan to purchase a tube there or risk having to fold your new posters, bringing one of these tubes is a must.
- Deodorant – Sure, the stereotype of every attendee being a stinky mess is over-exaggerated. When you’re packed in a room with thousands of sweaty attendees though, you’re not going to come out smelling like flowers.
- Good Shoes – Walking from panel to panel, out to get food, and through the exhibit hall can get mighty tiring without proper footwear.
- Money – Unless you’re super short on cash, there’s probably something that you’ll just have to have. Be prepared for it.
- Back Up Batteries for Every Gadget You Bring – Heck, even books need batteries these days (Paperbacks? Pshh. Try a nook).
- Food – Planning to snack on the convention food? Bring some Tums. Or you can just save yourself trouble and money by bringing your own snacks.
- Headache Medicine – Even without the Twilight panel, Harry Potter fans will get mighty rowdy.
- Sun-Screen – If you plan to walk around San Diego or wait in the Hall H line this is essential. People who plan to beat the heat and stay inside can probably skip it though.
- Suitcase – I just listed a lot of stuff. Plus all the free swag you will probably get. Make it a big suitcase.
Arriving in San Diego for the First Time:
4-Day Attendees -
I would suggest arriving Wednesday afternoon/morning. This makes it super easy to head over to your hotel (most have an airport shuttle) and just kick back. Unpacking, a swim in the hotel pool, or a nice meal are all awesome ways to prepare you for the madness that is about to begin. Though Preview Night won’t begin until 6 or 7ish (once the doors open it becomes a haze), it’s good to be there at least 20 minutes before you want to get in line just in case badge pickup takes a long time. People who want to get a lot of free stuff or purchase a very limited item during preview night usually arrive hours in advance but if you just want to stroll around and don’t mind coming out somewhat empty-handed, feel free to not arrive early.
1-Day Attendees -
If you’re flying/driving to the con for only one day it is better to try and park somewhere not-too-close to the convention center and walk or take a taxi over. Unless you buy a parking pass in advance, the limited parking close the con is insane. Also, try to get to the convention as early as you can to pick up badges and get in line for panels. Since the 4-day’ers don’t have to pick-up passes they have a time advantage.
Arriving at the Con Each Day:
People looking to jump right into the lines for Hall H or Ballroom 20 should head straight over to them as early as they can. Unless you arrive at 2 AM there will already be people waiting to get in so don’t expect a spot in Hall H if you get there 15 minutes in advance. Ask security guards if you don’t know where these lines are and then head to the mass of people to sort out where the end is. I would suggest getting to Hall H or Ballroom 20 at least an hour in advance to get a seat, if not more. If you’re looking to head straight into the exhibit hall or one of the smaller rooms you can go to one of the main doors outside the convention center. The ones where security and large groups of people are forming is where you will probably find an entrance. Once the con starts all of the doors will open, but if you arrive early they usually open a select few first. Like I said earlier, just follow the crowds. Sometimes security will usher people into a large hallway to wait for the doors to open but it is pretty random and still best to get there early so you can figure out the opportune spot to get in based on what room you want to go to.
Come back tomorrow for the guide to panels!
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Good Shoes – Walking from panel to panel, out to get food, and through the exhibit hall can get mighty tiring without proper footwear. (this is so true. I have microtears in the ligaments of my feet and forgot my orthotic insoles and i was in uber pain all week. ouch)
Food – Planning to snack on the convention food? Bring some Tums. Or you can just save yourself trouble and money by bringing your own snacks. (unless you happen like pretzel hotdogs everyday)
I am purposely underpacking my bags to leave room for all the stuff i bring back.
Happily, for the crowd avoiders among us (me being one!), staying home and avoiding the lines and watching on Twitter, YouTube and the increasing number of live-feeds is a good option. These things get better every year. (I’d subscribe to exclusive convention live feeds if they actually provided them. Pity they don’t…hint, hint!)
Sure, I don’t get swag, but I have enough of that.
This may be redundant, but do the line ups for Ballroom 20 start outside or in the convention centre? How early can you actually start lining up for these things?
You can get a collapsable gym bag or carry-on bag that’s flat and closes with a zipper. Stick this in your main suitcase and you’ll have a second suitcase to bring home all of your swag and stuff you buy in. Just make sure you’re not on an airline that charges for checked bags.
I’ve also shipped items home in the past. Pack a small thing of packing tape and use your sharpies for labeling. For a box, you can check at the freebie table or elsewhere in the exhibit hall and you can usually get a box. I’ve shipped dvds and comics at media rate to save on costs.
Alas, I won’t be there this year. First time in ten years. But I hope everyone else has fun.
I am fully behind the personal Hygena tips. If you tweet me or run into me @ comic con & ask me for some offical Hygena Soap, I will provide!
Fighting crime & grime, Who wants to be a Superhero / Hygena
If you’re waiting to get in the exhibition hall first thing in the morning, get in line up in the Sails Pavilion. That’s the line that, in the past, they’ve let in before they open the doors downstairs. The line is usually in the autograph area.
@Tonya – usually the Ballroom 20 line is inside & outside; I’ll explain. You do have to go inside and upstairs to the upper level. Last year the line was outside on the terrace. I’m not sure what time they open the doors to let you upstairs, but I’m usually there by 8 every day and by that time they’ll let you up. I’m certain it’s much earlier than that, last year I talked to some people in line for an autograph drawing who said they’d been in line since 6.
First time goer. I only have passes for Thursday so my question is how do I get my badge to get in but also stand in line early for Hall H? I’m going with my girlfriend but one of us can’t pick up both badges right?
@Coldpizza – I’m a first timer too, but if I’m reading this correctly on the Comic Con website, Thursday badge holders and 4 day pass holders can pick up their badges Wednesday night off site at the Town and Country hotel. So both you and your girlfriend would need to pick them up, but you could do it Wednesday night, thus making it easier to line up earlier for Hall H.
Here is the link on the Comic Con website about it: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci10_addlsvc.php#nonpreview
Good luck!
To Tonya – The Ballroom 20 line is on the Bayside Terrece outside. I’ve been told if you arrive earlier than the center opens, the like starts outside on the cityside.
To Cold Pizza – Alize idea is good (and the safest bet) but another alternative is to line up for Hall H Thursday morning well before they give out the badges and once badge pick up opens, switch off and collect your badges one at a time. The Hall H line is outdoors and they won’t check you for a badge untill you try to enter the center.
Since we arrive Wednesday night at 10 I guess we’ll try the switch off idea. But is the badge pick up line long too? Also does anyone know how comfortable the Hall H seats are. I’m guessing we’ll be in there all day long.
How late will the Town & Country be handing out badges until on Wednesday night? We might stop by there on the way in from the airport to pick them up.
Ok , so the Hall H line is outside..
How soon before the first event (which is at 10am, I believe) do the people in this line actually start entering the center?
Around 30 minutes before the first panel usually. Though it can range from 60-15 minutes.
For Hall H: If you get there 30-60 minutes before the first panel, you will be at the end of the line that is behind the hotel next door. I’ve seen lines go on forever for that room. It’s a huge room and subsequently, a huge line.
Some folks show up several hours early. Last year I was up at 7 am and looking at the end of the line that went behind the entire convention facility, past the connected hotel and down the bay a bit.
awesome, so i can bring my own water bottle and soda into the convention center instead of paying big bucks and eating crappy food there? plus can i bring my own lunch? i’m going all four days. i learned from today i really need to hydrate and wear good shoes.
What time does the con open everyday? and what time do people usually start falling in line to get in to the hall?