Essential Tips To Survive San Diego Comic-Con

Most of you might be getting all of the news from San Diego Comic-Con from the comfort of your own [...]

By Joe Schmidt

Most of you might be getting all of the news from San Diego Comic-Con from the comfort of your own home or workplace. We envy you.


Because Comic-Con International might be the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience providing monumental memories, it's also its own kind of hell to endure.

The lines are long, the hotels are pricey, the people are plentiful, and the food? Well, just avoid the food from the convention center.

You might have heard horror stories of trying to get into Hall H, or people attempting to get their hands on a rare exclusive, and the amount of time required to attempt either. And while "wake up four hours early and camp overnight" is sound advice for seeing the panel you to see or buying the toy you want to buy, it's hardly essential to the overall experience.

Comic-Con is a grueling four-day experience and if you don't prepare correctly or spend your time wisely, you might end up a miserable mess regretting the experience.

That's why we've come up with these essential tips to help you survive San Diego Comic-Con. You might know all of these already, you might not. But be sure to share with your friends who are going so they don't suffer like so many before them.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

This one is obvious, but consider both how large the convention center is and how many lines you plan to stand in.

Whether you're trying to get into an overcrowded panel or waiting to get that Power Rangers exclusive from the Namco-Bandai booth, you're going to be doing a lot of waiting in line. And consider that not everyone has the luxury of staying in a hotel right next to the convention.

Consider that you're going to be on your feet for a majority of the time and while you might get a few moments of reprieve at a panel or in a line that won't move, those moments are outnumbered by the times you're standing.

Comfortable shoes are paramount, otherwise your feet and your back are going to hate you by the time you start traveling home.

prevnext

Find The Good Bathrooms

When roaming around the main floor of the convention center, you might be tempted to relieve yourself in one of the many bathrooms by the main entrances.

Don't.

While there are a ton of restrooms at the con, so many of them look and smell as if a sewer rat was injected with PCP and went on a frenzy before its hear collapsed and no one bothered to clean it up.

There are bathrooms on the upper levels which are slightly more tolerable, with the most usable ones being down the halls where some of the smaller panels are taking place.

Remember how we warned against eating the food at the convention center — this kind of goes hand in hand with that. If you can, hold it and go to one of the many restaurants nearby, or even the hotels that bookend the convention center's sides.

prevnext

Bring Aloe And Sunblock

Make sure to wear sunblock, even if it's cloudy.

San Diego is typically sunny and even when the clouds are out the UV rays still manage to break down the skin over time.

While you might spend most of your time indoors, a lot of traveling will be made while the sun is out. The line to get into Hall H is outside and even though there are tents for shade, the entire area isn't covered and there's a chance you'll have to spend some time in the shine.

There's also not a general store in the immediate area, so while you might find a vendor that carries sunblock, should you get burned you'll be out of luck finding aloe.

If you have sensitive skin, make sure to bring some with you otherwise you might be miserable before the weekend hits.

prevnext

MOST IMPORTANT: The 5-2-1 Rule

This one has been passed around from con to con, almost like a legend, to the point that whoever thought of it has since been lost to time. And while it may seem like it goes without saying, trust us: not everyone follows these rules and at least someone suffers.

Either way, it's valuable advice.

The best way to survive SDCC, or any other convention, is to live by the 5-2-1 rule. That means at least:

  • 5 hours of sleep.
  • 2 big meals.
  • 1 shower.


Every day.


It might seem obvious, or it might not seem like enough, but it's really easy to stop taking care of yourself when you're in the thick of the hustle and bustle of the con.

But take it from the pros; if you stick to the 5-2-1 rule, you'll be setting yourself up for success at the convention for the entire weekend.

prevnext
0comments
Start the Conversation

of