San Diego Comic Con is just around the corner (just 4 days from now) and have been going for many years so I like to consider myself somewhat of a veteran of what expect and how to plan for the 4.5 days of awesomeness that is Comic Con. I have had the joy of meeting many people there and I tend to think of Comic Con as nerd summer camp. With the size and changes that Comic Con has gone through over the past 5 years, many people who are fortunate enough to be first timers or even second timers still have trouble experiencing a fun and enjoyable Comic Con. Below I will list 10 simple tips that I feel will help make sure that your Comic Con experience will be a little less stressful and more enjoyable.
10. Look at the programming schedule. So many people are just so happy to be there that they don't look to see what time events or panels will start or in what ballroom they will be at. Full programming is already out so create a tentative schedule of what things you wish to do. Then get acquainted with the map of the convention floor plan as well as how to get to off site events. Then when you get your schedule constructed...
9. Be prepared for lines. Like any theme park, lines will be the crux of getting into an event or panel or being frustrated that "the ballroom is full" or "the line is closed off". For most popular panels expect anywhere from 1-3 hours of wait time. This is the same for autograph lines and exclusives. Do not be shy to ask where a line will start or when it will start.
8. Have something to read/keep you busy. Lines can take a long time. Some people enjoy conversation and some people prefer to be left alone. I prefer talking with people in line, you're all there for the same reason anyway. But if you prefer to not be bothered, have a book, comic, tablet, nook and if you are listening to music bring headphones.
7. Eat. It's amazing how people forget to eat when all these events are happening at one time. I suggest buying food off site as the food in the convention center tends to be overpriced and bland. The Gaslamp has many wonderful restaurants and bars.
6. Do not walk the main center aisles, if possible. Most of the traffic will occur there and if you are trying to get from one booth to another and want to move quickly and less impaired, use the end aisles. Not only is there less traffic but you may also find some nice booths.
5. Do not bring personal items for autographs. Most booth signings will only allow for their specific item, usually a poster, to be signed. You could bring stuff for those at the autograph area under the sails, but they normally charge for the signature.
4. Have a poster tube and documents folder. For a lot of the things you pick up, you will probably want to keep it safe and neat and that means having something to put it in. Forgot to mention a bag or backpack is also nice to hold personal items or freebies such as keychains, buttons, shirts, etc.
3. Keep your camera handy. You never know when you may run into a star hurrying to a booth or just walking around the gaslamp. If you want a picture keep it close by.
2. Phone management. Most of us will be using our phones for many tasks. With over 100,000 people, phones can be hard to hear and batteries can drain quickly. A backup battery or secondary energy source will benefit you. Also have twitter alerts on as information moves quickly.
1. Hygiene. Please shower and maintain clean hygiene. There are lots of people and some places are close quarters. Be considerate. Thanks. The best freebie I ever got from a booth was a travel size deodorant from the Mattel booth 2 years ago.
I hope these tips help. I will be putting up other informative posts before the con starts. Then I will be posting my reviews of each day hopefully a week after the con.
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