It is time for the San Diego Comic Con and seeing as it is the largest gathering of Pop Culture fans, Hollywood Talent, and artists from all media formats, we have a few tips to help you prepare for, and enjoy your experience.
Get familiar with the schedule and maps.
To get a good seat for that must-see panel or be on time for the autograph and photo opps, you can’t waste a lot of time looking for the right room or venue. Comic-Con International’s website makes it easy to reconnoiter with the programming schedule and maps available on their website at https://www.comic-con.org/cci. They also have a new, totally redesigned official app available for iOS and Android. It works even without internet connection – which can be iffy in the convention center.
Bring a camera.
The San Diego Convention Center that houses the majority of the San Diego Comic-Con is packed to overflowing with cosplayers and photo opps. Every year veteran cosplayers try to outdo each other while rookie attendees bring fresh competition. And for a people-watcher like me it’s a fascinating parade of imagination and creativity. Best place to catch cosplayers? At the weapons check booth and you may be lucky enough to get some celebrity pics as well.
Wear comfy shoes.
The San Diego Convention Center which, including outdoor areas covers over 1.2 million square feet, so you’re going to be doing a lot of walking. This doesn’t include exhibits and functions that are held off-sight in Petco Park and nearby hotels and restaurants in the Gaslamp District.
Be patient.
Comic-Con brings in 130,000+ attendees and many of them will most like want to attend the same panels you do. Line management gets better every year, but to claim a seat in H hall, where the star-studded larger panels for movies and TV shows are held, be ready to camp out as early a 2 or 3 a.m. Don’t be surprised if there are already 3000 people ahead of you when you bring your blanket and pillow to the lawn queue where Hall H fans-in-waiting must gather.
Take time to enjoy the water.
Comic-Con is held during the peak of summer and there are few places that have better summer weather than San Diego in July. Couple that with easy access to the harbor and fresh air and there’s no excuse for not including mini-vacations by the water in your SDCC schedule. Also, enjoy some bottled H2O. Dealing with crowds, heat and long lines requires staying hydrated. Especially if you’re covered in makeup or paper mache masks.
You can enjoy the marina behind the convention center when taking in attractions in the park or the nearby hotels.
Don’t forget your health packs.
Conventions where hundreds of thousands of people congregate can make your surroundings a huge petri dish of germs. Arm yourself with hand sanitizer and don’t forget to take your multi-vitamins or add a banana, apple or orange to your meals. The convention is a multi-day affair which can quickly wear your immune system down if you are skipping meals or not getting enough sleep. Plus it would suck to get amped up to meet your favorite comic book artist or claim a seat at the Big Bang Theory panel and be too ill to enjoy the experience.
