With San Diego Comic-Con fast approaching, and many of you already starting your 2013 preparations, we wanted to take a step “inside” the San Diego Convention Center to give you a look at some of the rooms and locations in which you’ll be spending most of your time.

Today’s look is at the infamous Hall H. Site of some of the biggest Comic-Con stories in recent years. Infamous for its miles-long lines and overnight camp-outs. Devour of souls. And no, we’re not exaggerating, so you need to get yourself in convention shape. As always, we’re here to help.

First off, Hall H is the convention’s biggest stage for programming events (read: panels). It’s actually connected to the exhibit floor but walled off for SDCC, and at 64,842 square feet it can pack in 6,130 attendees, or about 5% of all folks who attend the convention on a daily basis. That math is staggering, when you think about it: For all the preparations, overnight line camping and long waits, only one person for every 20 will be able to grab a seat for the big Marvel Studios or Warner Bros. Studios panels. Survival of the fittest, for sure.

And about that line. It can grow to fill the entire Plaza outside of Hall H, and all the way down the marina. And back. In a hurry. By our estimations, walking the line under the Plaza tents will set you back over a mile; and the overflow line down the marina is nearly an additional two-thirds of a mile. Who said you don’t get your exercise at Comic-Con! At its most condensed state, the line in the Plaza alone could nearly fill Hall H to capacity.

That brings us to an interesting point. In years past, people look at the line down the marina and think, “There’s no way I can get in that panel!” Well, that’s not entirely true. First, it all depends on the time of day. Early in the morning, SDCC security allows folks in line a little more space

for their belongings – sleeping bags, chairs and such – but when the line is getting ready to move they tell people to pack it up and close the gaps between themselves and their fellow geek brethren. That’s what we commonly refer to as line condensing. Last year we were along the common area along the marina but when the line condensed we made it all the way to the middle row of tents on the Plaza. Once the line condenses, however, your chances of making it inside dwindle the farther away you are from the Plaza tents. The numbers we measured above also speak to this: The line along the marina might look longer, but it’s actually the line on the Plaza that’s the longest, by nearly a half-mile.

People think the line is the big story, but it’s only half the adventure. Once inside, it’s a mad dash for a quality seat that most will undoubtedly be warming over the next several hours. Attendees enter the Hall along the back wall, to the left of the stage. This is good in that all the seats are spread out across the Hall from the entrance. The bad news is that there are several aisles and a lot of room to cover to get to that perfect seat.

The entire Hall can be split into separate front, middle and rear sections, each with aisles along the left, right and split down the middle, as well as between each section and along the side walls. There’s screens on each side of the stage, as well as hanging projection screens over the middle and rear sections. All screens display the direct feed from the many official cameras stationed throughout the hall, as well as any footage shown during the panel. That means you’ll be able to see what’s happening on stage from any seat in the house, but be prepared and get a set of portable binoculars or use your camera’s zoom lens for a natural view of the panel.

The seating arrangement inside Hall H isn’t the most optimal. First, it’s flat, so no auditorium or stadium seating. This means it can be difficult to see the stage when seated behind someone particularly tall. Second, it’s wide, meaning if you’re in the back and off to the side, you’re more likely staring at a panel guest’s side profile or looking off to one of the hanging projection screens. And third, about those hanging projection screens. If you have even a moderately decent seat in the middle of the Hall, chances are you’ll be sitting directly under one of the screens, or close enough that you’d have to stare directly upward during the entire panel to see anything. Not particularly good if you’re behind Mr. Potato Head (see above). Last, for those expecting to stay in Hall H over several panels, the seats ain’t comfy. Don’t expect padded movie seats; these metal folding seats with a modicum of padding are way too close to each other and to the row in front, meaning for folks even remotely wide or tall, or for those carrying a lot of gear with them, it’s going to be a loooong day.

Once you’ve scored a seat, don’t fret it if you’re unhappy with it. Always keep an eye out between panels for people leaving the Hall to grab their recently-vacated seat. Just know you’ll be competing with others in the room trying to move up too, as well as fresh folks entering from the line outside.

Restrooms are located in an alcove along the rear right wall – beware, they can get pretty rank towards the end of the day. And about those restrooms – you’ll be needing them frequently, because with the dark concrete and metal surroundings it can get quite drafty in there. We recommend wearing pants to any extended stay inside Hall H, so you don’t miss any big announcements because of another bio break.

For those staying over several panels, you can thankfully leave with a bathroom pass to roam the convention center lobby for a Starbucks, avoid the Hall H bathrooms, and seek out a valuable outlet for camera and phone charging. But a word of warning: With a bathrooom pass, you need to be back before the end of the panel or you won’t be allowed back in. If you didn’t bring along snacks, there’s the standard convention junk food vendor in the lobby, where you can find nutritious goodies such as nachos and hot dogs. That should cover the major food groups, shouldn’t it?

Hopefully that’s everything you need to prepare for Hall H. Got any other tips? Let our readers know in the comments.