Author Topic: Tips/Advice for First Timers and Veterans  (Read 244974 times)

Offline psithi

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #45 on: March 06, 2012, 01:37:26 PM »
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Last year for Warehouse 13 I stayed in line for three hours and didn't get in. Three hours in the sun in a costume. So if it's a popular panel I don't care what room it's in you have to get there four hours in advance. You know the popular panels, the TV and movie ones.

What room was that panel in?

Ballroom 20

Offline Trev

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #46 on: March 06, 2012, 01:57:04 PM »
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Last year for Warehouse 13 I stayed in line for three hours and didn't get in. Three hours in the sun in a costume. So if it's a popular panel I don't care what room it's in you have to get there four hours in advance. You know the popular panels, the TV and movie ones.

What room was that panel in?

Ballroom 20

So then this just supports my point that the only rooms you need to be 3-4 hours early for are Hall H and Ballroom 20. If you avoid those 2 rooms, you don't need to be at any panel more than an hour early.

One important thing to know and part of a lot of people's strategy is that the panel rooms are not cleared between panels. This means a lot of people will sit through 2 or 3 panels just to make sure they have a spot for the panel they really want to see. Again, this is mostly an issue with Hall H and Ballroom 20.

Last year for the first time I saw folks camping out for Ballroom 20. Crazy.

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Re: Tips/Advice for First Timers and Veterans
« Reply #47 on: Today at 05:49:56 AM »

Offline alyssa

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #47 on: March 06, 2012, 05:12:09 PM »
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This will be my tenth year attending this epic show. In addition to bringing tons of patience and smiling faces, it makes it a happier event for everyone when we all remember to bring respect for each attendee's fandom preferences. I generally bite my tongue when someone starts making negative comments about a particular genre of the popular arts; however, we all need to me mindful not to hurt someone's feelings. Healthy debate is fine (such as Star Wars versus Star Trek or Batman versus Superman): It's when attendees cross the line by loudly belittling certain fans that it becomes frustrating. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks.  ;)

this bears repeating,
it is truly upsetting to me when one group belittles another because of what they like...it brings back too many memories of days gone by when i was belittled because i liked comics-
<off soapbox>
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Offline psithi

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #48 on: March 07, 2012, 12:31:49 AM »
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Last year for Warehouse 13 I stayed in line for three hours and didn't get in. Three hours in the sun in a costume. So if it's a popular panel I don't care what room it's in you have to get there four hours in advance. You know the popular panels, the TV and movie ones.

What room was that panel in?

Ballroom 20

So then this just supports my point that the only rooms you need to be 3-4 hours early for are Hall H and Ballroom 20. If you avoid those 2 rooms, you don't need to be at any panel more than an hour early.

One important thing to know and part of a lot of people's strategy is that the panel rooms are not cleared between panels. This means a lot of people will sit through 2 or 3 panels just to make sure they have a spot for the panel they really want to see. Again, this is mostly an issue with Hall H and Ballroom 20.

Last year for the first time I saw folks camping out for Ballroom 20. Crazy.

Right. You can judge for yourself which panels will be the most crowded.

Offline Sprzout

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #49 on: March 07, 2012, 10:45:28 AM »
Here's the thing on panels - It's honestly a gamble on whether you're going to get in to a particular panel unless you're willing to camp out the entire day in a room.

That being said, last year my wife and I walked straight into Hall H at 1pm ON SATURDAY, perhaps the busiest day of Con, catching the tail end of the Knights of Badassdom panel, the Snow White & The Huntsmen, the Oz panel with Patrick Stewart, and An Evening with Kevin Smith.

That may have been due to poor scheduling on CCI's part, Disney pulling the Avengers panel to move it to D23 instead...Not exactly sure...

Some tips that I can throw out there from my nearly 20 years of attending:

Use text messages to get something through to friends - they use less of the cell network so they tend to go through when the network is being loaded down with calls.

Make sure you check out everything going on outside of the convention center and across the street. In past years, NBC had a carnival as a part of the Heroes TV show, game developers have had exclusive game demos (Microsoft had a booth in the parking lot behind Petco Park that they were showing off Gears of War 3, Fruit Ninja Kinect, and some other game that I forget), and sometimes you might run into celebs. I saw Robert Englund outside of Seaport Village enjoying a cocktail one year, stood in line with Erin Grey at a Greek food restaurant, and ran into Matt Groenig on the way back to the parking garage.

Which leads into my next tip - if you happen to see a celeb and they're eating or visiting with family or something similar, not necessarily the best time to ask them for an autograph or picture with them. Would you want to be bothered when you're in that situation? Be kind and considerate.

And, please, if you are going to take pictures of people in costume, don't stop them in the middle of the aisle to ask them for a picture. Step to the side, leave the aisle open for people to walk by when you're taking your pictures.

And if you are someone who likes to take pictures, make sure you bring an extra memory card for your camera, possibly a spare battery; there's a LOT of opportunity to take pics and you don't want to have to throw away pictures to take more, or worse, run out of juice when you see someone famous or a great cosplay...

Offline Trev

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #50 on: March 07, 2012, 12:28:43 PM »
This panel thing is a real conundrum for me because I avoid Hall H and Ballroom 20 almost exclusively. Never set foot in Hall H nor even stood in line.

What I would say is prioritize according to your goals. If your goal is to get into that new show, movie, or game panel and hopefully get some swag, then make sure you are in line plenty early -- and spending 1/2 to a full day in one room just to see that panel is probably time well spent. But if it's a panel that you are marginal about, then i say roll the dice. Show up 45 min to 1 hr early at most and see if it you can get in. Hell, roll in 10 min late, hope it's not at capacity, and just walk straight in the door and grab a seat or stand in the back. This approach has consistently worked for me, but there is no panel that I'm not willing to walk away from to spend time on the floor or grab some food or a drink with friends.

Prioritize your con according to your likes and if that panel is the sole reason to be there, then by all means enjoy your camp out and the experience. There's nothing at all wrong with that. But if this is your first SDCC I would say try to see as much of it as you can and don't get wrapped around an axle if you miss a panel. There are sooo many panels (like 300 or so), that you may just end up wandering into something and discovering something new. I know people who show up exclusively for Hall H and spend every day in that room the entire day.

And I know for the twi-hards, if they were to get there and miss that one panel, it would be a very expensive trip completely wasted. So they camp out for days to make sure they get into that one panel. Kudos to them for their devotion to that property.

Offline Sprzout

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #51 on: March 07, 2012, 12:41:16 PM »
Good point on the walking in on a panel - I was trying to see Family Guy a few years back and sat in a room to see it, only to have Neil Gaiman come in to the panel before.

His talkback was absolutely wonderful, and I realized that the man was truly a storyteller - not an author, but a storyteller in that he was able to put inflection in his voice, pause for timing and effect...in essence, it was one of the best panels I'd sat through during the entire Con.

Sometimes, just sitting through what you may think is going to be a boring panel turns out to be an awesome one, and you may walk away with a new love for their art. :)

However, if you do plan to leave the panel early, try to do so without disturbing everyone around you, if possible. If you know you're going to cut out early, it might be to your benefit to sit on the outside aisle, if possible, so that you don't have to step over everyone else in the row. :)

Offline alyssa

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #52 on: March 07, 2012, 12:46:05 PM »
well said, trev & sprzout!
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Offline Transmute Jun

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #53 on: March 07, 2012, 12:47:51 PM »
That's a good point to always try for a panel, even if it's last minute. For example, last year on Friday morning my friend and I lined up at 3 am to get badges for 2012. By the time we were done with that purchase and had gone back to our hotel and changed into our cosplay for the day, it was 9:30 am. We had wanted to go to the Big Bang Theory panel in Ballroom 20, but we knew that it was far too late to get in line at that point. So we went to our second chice, which was the Captains panel in 6 BCDF. Since William Shatner was hosting it, we knew it would be crowded, but when we got there they were letting people in... and the line still snaked around forever outside and then through a 'cattle herding' area and then around the back of the building. We figured it was worth a try anyway. So we got in line and walked slowly through the whole thing... and got in! Sure, we were about 5 rows from the back, but we got into the panel and enjoyed it, and got to participate n the longest 'Khan!' yell of all time. ;)  If we had just looked at the line and not tried, we would never have been able to see this panel.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2012, 12:49:22 PM by Transmute Jun »

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #54 on: March 07, 2012, 01:16:43 PM »
Yes the major rooms like Hall H and Ballroom 20 receive the most attention and most crowds do not underestimate other "smaller" panels. These can also be filled up rather quickly because the room capacity is smaller. Try to plan accordingly to make sure you can attend the panel.
 The walk up method can work sometimes and with some luck. I too have been able to enter Hall H for a panel with no or little waiting.

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #55 on: March 07, 2012, 01:24:24 PM »
  Hall H is constantly monitored by a Fire Marshall who will control the flow of attendees into the room. He/She will only allow people to enter while the lights are on so during a preview showing when lights are down no one is allowed to enter. This makes it for a slower process to get in during the panel. The Fire Marshall is all powerful and rules with an iron fist.

Offline Rainer

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #56 on: March 07, 2012, 02:08:03 PM »
If you are in a particular room well ahead of the session you actually want to see, please, please, please be respectful of the panels that are being conducted while you are waiting. All too many times, I have been surrounded in Hall H, Ballroom 20, or Room 6 by attendees chatting with their seatmates or on their cellphones while the panel was running!  Although I gave them the evil-eye and held my hand up to my ear to hear the panelists, some people were slow to get the hint. ;)

Spending the whole or better part of the day in one of the big halls does require planning:  Bring some extra padding to sit on  for when you are waiting in line and for the chairs in the hall (they can be quite uncomfortable after several hours).  I have some small pillows from the dollar store that I have taken to numerous conventions for this very purpose (I call them my cushies for the tushies). It can become quite chilly in some of the rooms after you have been out in the sun waiting to get in for your panel. It pays to carry a light jacket or blanket to help keep warm. I also take in an insulated bag that doubles as a seat while waiting in line.  I try to bring food that is not too noisy to open nor too noisy when being eaten. ;) I bring a water bottle and I do refill the bottle at the fountain. If you are by yourself (and this happens to me quite often), I make friends with those in my row when I need to visit the restroom in order for my seat to be saved. I am more than willing to return the favor for others in my row. At the end of the panel and you do need to leave for other parts of the convention, please, please, please pick up after yourself:  Leave no trash behind.

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #57 on: March 07, 2012, 02:14:17 PM »
+1 to the seat cushions! I spent 8 hours in Hall H on a Saturday to see all the panels and my behind/back was not happy with that. The seats are tolerable for short stays not 8 hour marathons.
  The a/c system is really strong in hall H so if you are the sensitive type to cold bring a light blanket as Rainer stated.   

Offline psithi

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #58 on: March 07, 2012, 05:24:12 PM »
They won't let you sit on the floor while in line. This is tantamount to torture when you have to wait 5 hours in a line. So BRING A CHAIR. I can't emphasize this enough.

Offline Sprzout

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Re: TIPS/Advice for First Timers List
« Reply #59 on: March 08, 2012, 01:43:36 AM »
Something else to add, for those coming to the Con with kids - the crowd will swallow them up without a second glance.

2 years ago, my brother and sister in law came out and went to Comic-Con on Sunday, and brought my niece, who wanted nothing more than to see Phineas & Ferb and the Nickelodeon booth. In the process of walking the floor to those booths, we got separated from her multiple times.

What we taught her was to just go to the end of the aisle or the corner of the nearest non-congested intersection, and wait there for one of us to come collect her. This was usually quicker than telling her to go to a set place in the convention center to meet up with us. Now, granted, this may not work for every kid, but it works for most, and prevents them from having a panic attack/meltdown over being separated.

Much as I would like to say that holding your kid's hand and keeping them next to you will work, people push and shove sometimes to get where they're going and kids get separated from your holding hand.