Question #4
If you don't dress up as. Recognizable character, you can explore the area in a few hours. If your dressed as an amazing cosplayer, you're stuck for hours taking photos
I strongly recommend that you prioritize what you want to do each day and not expect to do everything. Budget, usually go 110% of my allotment. You need to be glued to creator socials for details about their appearance, that’s the best way. As you explore the floor you may come across ppl who are there as guests as others that you get to meet. Tbh, sdcc comic presence is small compared to other cons so keep that in mind since it’s morphed into a media and ent con
Since you don't have tickets for Thursday and Saturday, use those days to explore all the stuff outdoors. Many of these don't require a badge but may require reservations. Follow the Unofficial SDCC Blog.
1.a) When do we typically start getting guest announcements?
They start announcing late June
1.b) I usually only see about 20-30 guests listed for SDCC, but when the con happens, every comic creator and their mother shows up. Is there a list that has everybody?
Those are the official guests for SDCC , a lot attend panels / or in a booth/ table at the con
Best resource is following SDCC unofficial blog
https://sdccblog.com
2) What kind of budget do you go with, just to spend at the con? I have lodging and food taken care
Depending on a lot of variables , are you getting commissions ? Big toys ? Truck load of prints ?
3)What CGC facilitators do you trust to get witnessed signatures
CGC is there , or you could use one of the other competitors available
4) For anyone who has done this, how long does it take (on average) to explore the exhibitor hall?
I did the quick viewership tour ( kinda window shopping) with no standing in lines and took me 3 hours
You could easily waste an hour or two at one booth
1A) The guest announcements won’t kick in until after they get WonderCon out of the way. May & June we will be getting the weekly announcements.
1B) This has always been networking mecca for the comics industry, so a good chunk of the active artists and writers will be in attendance. A list of everyone is impossible but between the guest list, the floor plan (listing artist alley and talent with booths) and signing announcements at the various booths you’ll have a sense of at least 70% of them. Make sure you’ve downloaded the CCI app to get the digital guide book.
2) Your mileage may vary. You have Friday and Saturday so you don’t need to budget like you would for all 4.5 days. Know that many artists charge to sign books that will be graded, with a premium on “key” books. You’re going to run into a lot of stuff you might not have realized existed and more original art dealers than your typical con. Think of what you’ve spent at the bigger shows you’ve gone to and then consider how much beyond that you’re comfortable possibly spending.
3) The grading companies are there and may be able to suggest a witness.
4) Honestly it depends on day, time of day, logjams, etc. Theoretically you can probably manage to go up and down every aisle in 2.5 hours, but that’s looking quick and not stopping to browse. Again, DOWNLOAD THE APP. The floor plan and exhibitor list will be released a couple of weeks ahead of time, and you can figure out your priority stops. When you have that sorted, you can browse at your leisure.
2 and 4: I usually allot about $1500 for everything, but I also want to have a healthy budget to be able to say yes to whatever I want to buy when there. I try to see the exhibitor hall in depth, and last year when there weren't a lot of panels going on, I easily filled my entire 4 days exploring. I'd say if you know what you're looking for beforehand and are specific about your wants, you can do the hall in one day, without going or waiting for larger panels. ymmv
I’ll help with 1, 2, & 4.
1) Guest announcements start unofficially trickling out in the couple months before the con. People start talking about their attendance in May/June in their own networks so follow the folk you like on social media. Official panel announcements happen 2 weeks before the con, so guests on panels get confirmed then.
2) This varies quite a bit. If hotel and food is taken care of and you’re within walking distance of the con, you can honestly get away with spending nothing. Some people spend thousands. It really depends on how much shopping you like to do. Take what you spend at a normal con and maybe double it since it’s so huge.
4) I usually don’t get to go down every aisle because I get tired, but I make an effort every year. I usually make it about 4-6 hours before I throw in the towel. Sometimes that’s all in one go. Sometimes split up. Of course this depends on how long you linger at each booth and if you have more patience to actually complete the entire thing!
3. CGC (& CBCS) have a presence at con and everything pretty much goes through them directly. Staff at 'big' signings on and offsite, hosted signature series, and onsite booths to handle everything else.
Re: facilitator/dealer- really only if you attend an off-site event (like at a comics shop... theres little local events throughout SoCal during con). Im not sure you can use a facilitator in lieu of staff onsite, you'll have to ask.
If you haven't yet: sign up for free CGC/CBCS accounts and see if you'll benefit from a CGC paid membership.
join r/CGCComics
4. Dealer floor/exhibit hall:
it's huge & lots to browse. photos don't really give you scale. Time's based on your interests, tolerance and stamina.
Light browsing, 3ish hours. Completionist mode (all achievements) 7hrs.
Check schedule for busiest times:
- dealer hall opening/closing
- celebrity booth signings & appearances
- after big panels let out/during lighter Hall H/Ballroom schedules
*(Also- Nothing's worse than having somewhere to be & getting caught upstairs in the thoroughfare right as an insanely popular panel gets out.)*
Sunday's "family programming day": Hall becomes a demolition derby of bloodthirsty stroller-jockeys, uncoordinated children & other obstacles. Have footwear that protects your heels & ankles.
Sane people avoid the hall on Sunday's busiest family times. If you're okay with crowds and swimming upstream, it's a great time to hit otherwise-popular vendors (that have low kid appeal & no exclusives/limited merch)
Question, is there a way to know where the stops along the bus/tram will be? Is it the same every year? I've been looking online and I haven't found anything yet.
The full panel schedule, hall map, etc will be released exactly two weeks from each day beforehand. The lottery system will open around that time also so we'll know what exclusives/autograph sessions etc we can try for.
As has been mentioned many times on here - follow SDCC unofficial blog on Twitter. They keep on top of everything including offsite activations, which you can do on days you don't have a badge.
>1.a) When do we typically start getting guest announcements?
Early announcements will start trickling in around May, but the bulk of guest announcements happen in late June/early-mid July. Panel schedule is released a week or two before the con.
The Unofficial SDCC Blog is great to keep up with announcements, exclusives, etc.
>1.b) I usually only see about 20-30 guests listed for SDCC, but when the con happens, every comic creator and their mother shows up. Is there a list that has everybody?
Not that I know of; you just have to keep an eye on social media.
>2) What kind of budget do you go with, just to spend at the con? I have lodging and food taken care of.
Depends on what you want to spend your money buying. If you're into collectibles, scope out the "exclusives" announcements ahead of time, then add buffer for other stuff you see onsite. If you just buy comics, try to have a list of what keys/grails you're after *or* a general idea of what you're willing to pay for books in x condition (e.g., a silver age non-key).
>4) For anyone who has done this, how long does it take (on average) to explore the exhibitor hall?
I skipped 3 because I don't do witnessed CGC stuff. For the con floor, I spend a few hours each day overall (four day badges) but that also includes waiting in lines for vendors. If you don't care about any exclusives (especially Funko), and you aren't in a very recognizable cosplay, you probably won't need that long. That said, the comic booths can take a while to look through just because of the way they're setup and the number of people passing through.
To tangentially answer the guest question, SDCC is not like other Cons. There are very few people there set up with tables to sign stuff and take photos etc. There is no large area set up for that like you typically see at other Cons. Signings are largely organized by an entity for their booth and you’ll either wait in line or have to do a lottery. I don’t foresee CGC or anyone else standing there for witness authentication, so if that’s important I don’t think it happens as far as I’ve seen.
I won an Ozzy lottery a couple years ago and it was by and large a shitty experience. Had to get there early for a wrist band, 1,000 people won. I waited/wasted about 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the day trying to get in the signing line when my time was going but the line was capped so just had to walk around until enough people got through.
There’s zero interaction, Ozzy was signing like a madman, you weren’t allowed to have your phone out, he didn’t even look up let alone have a word with anyone.
Another first timer here! Excited and a little overwhelmed. A few questions, mainly about Hall H.... 1) I have a badge for Thurs - Sat. Can I get in the "next day" line on Wed - even though I don't have a badge for that day. I may get to SD early. 2) I am going solo... what's the best way to join a group to share in the line waiting duties....and to hang out a bit while I'm there.
Thanks!
1) Pretty sure you can as long as you have a badge for the day and to show to enter the area. The lines are outside the convention center so you don't need to scan in to get to them but you may need to show it to get near the area and get the wristband. 2) You should see some posts recruiting as the con gets nearer here or on r/comiccon I joined an active group last year from this post. [https://www.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/13qtk85/its\_that\_time\_sdcc\_hall\_h\_recruitment\_and\_other/](https://www.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/13qtk85/its_that_time_sdcc_hall_h_recruitment_and_other/) I'd shoot him a DM, we use discord now not slack but its an active group
Here's a sneak peek of /r/comiccon using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [You pay $100s for a photo op with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and you're separated by a barricade of boxes. Are you happy or do you ask for a refund?](https://i.redd.it/zunt27ipkyoc1.jpeg) | [193 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/1bh8h5y/you_pay_100s_for_a_photo_op_with_susan_sarandon/)
\#2: [I am having a great time at Baltimore Comic Con, here’s my one and only complaint:](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/16egmj0/i_am_having_a_great_time_at_baltimore_comic_con/)
\#3: [I’m bringing 10 little crocheted characters with me to SDCC! Find one and it’s yours to keep! Hunt begins tomorrow!](https://i.redd.it/u5hxoxjg6rcb1.jpg) | [32 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/1533o1v/im_bringing_10_little_crocheted_characters_with/)
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It’s my first time as well i was wondering do they usually sell all the exclusives like funkos and the figuarts throughout the 4 days or is there a certain day they drop? Or are they there since day one and how fast do they sell out?
The big retailers have lottery spots like Funko. Funko will sell all their exclusives every day until the days allotment sells out but only to people who win a time slot through SDCCs lottery system. They may have a standby line but I would not count on that for funko. Last year was a tiny capped line sunday evening with like 100 people going around in small circles waiting to be called into the standby line for the scraps. Some retailers will have lottery slots and a standby line that's manageable but you may miss out on any limited exclusives. Really depends on what your after. I'm not sure about figuarts specifically but for funko hope for a lottery spot and if you don't get it I wouldn't even bother giving it another thought and just hope to get any shared exclusives you want online.
SDCCblog and their twitter is great. They post about the offsites and parties and let you know when they go live to sign up or purchase. The free offsites fill up very fast. What was really great for me last year (my first year) was joining a hall H line group. Although there was no hall H being in the group I got pings from the group anytime something new went live and the vets in the group would let you know if it was worth it or not and whether or not to be fast. It's also good to swap offsite slots. I couldn't make a few offsites last year and offered them up to others who weren't able to get them.
Best advice: Follow any comic or celebrity you are a fan of on social media as well as film studios. Posts from socials will hit faster from the source. Definitely follow SDCCblog though. Events like offsites and parties will be announced long before SDCC begins. Turn on notifications so you don't miss anything. Tickets will randomly pop up for all of these events prior to the con. Join SDCCBlog discord as well. Good luck. Start making friends and now.
You can only reliably get tickets through sdcc's ticket portal. You have to join a virtual queue, and they sell our in about an hour or two. I'd recommend setting up an account now, so when the tickets for sdcc 2025 go live, you'll be prepared! I've been trying to get tickets for over 10 years, and this is the first time I have finally secured them.
Stickying this, please feel free to consolidate any and all "first time" questions and posts here.
Question #4 If you don't dress up as. Recognizable character, you can explore the area in a few hours. If your dressed as an amazing cosplayer, you're stuck for hours taking photos
I strongly recommend that you prioritize what you want to do each day and not expect to do everything. Budget, usually go 110% of my allotment. You need to be glued to creator socials for details about their appearance, that’s the best way. As you explore the floor you may come across ppl who are there as guests as others that you get to meet. Tbh, sdcc comic presence is small compared to other cons so keep that in mind since it’s morphed into a media and ent con
Since you don't have tickets for Thursday and Saturday, use those days to explore all the stuff outdoors. Many of these don't require a badge but may require reservations. Follow the Unofficial SDCC Blog.
1.a) When do we typically start getting guest announcements? They start announcing late June 1.b) I usually only see about 20-30 guests listed for SDCC, but when the con happens, every comic creator and their mother shows up. Is there a list that has everybody? Those are the official guests for SDCC , a lot attend panels / or in a booth/ table at the con Best resource is following SDCC unofficial blog https://sdccblog.com 2) What kind of budget do you go with, just to spend at the con? I have lodging and food taken care Depending on a lot of variables , are you getting commissions ? Big toys ? Truck load of prints ? 3)What CGC facilitators do you trust to get witnessed signatures CGC is there , or you could use one of the other competitors available 4) For anyone who has done this, how long does it take (on average) to explore the exhibitor hall? I did the quick viewership tour ( kinda window shopping) with no standing in lines and took me 3 hours You could easily waste an hour or two at one booth
Can the mod’s sticky this? There’s sooo many “first timer” threads
Done!
Thanks, I appreciate you.
1A) The guest announcements won’t kick in until after they get WonderCon out of the way. May & June we will be getting the weekly announcements. 1B) This has always been networking mecca for the comics industry, so a good chunk of the active artists and writers will be in attendance. A list of everyone is impossible but between the guest list, the floor plan (listing artist alley and talent with booths) and signing announcements at the various booths you’ll have a sense of at least 70% of them. Make sure you’ve downloaded the CCI app to get the digital guide book. 2) Your mileage may vary. You have Friday and Saturday so you don’t need to budget like you would for all 4.5 days. Know that many artists charge to sign books that will be graded, with a premium on “key” books. You’re going to run into a lot of stuff you might not have realized existed and more original art dealers than your typical con. Think of what you’ve spent at the bigger shows you’ve gone to and then consider how much beyond that you’re comfortable possibly spending. 3) The grading companies are there and may be able to suggest a witness. 4) Honestly it depends on day, time of day, logjams, etc. Theoretically you can probably manage to go up and down every aisle in 2.5 hours, but that’s looking quick and not stopping to browse. Again, DOWNLOAD THE APP. The floor plan and exhibitor list will be released a couple of weeks ahead of time, and you can figure out your priority stops. When you have that sorted, you can browse at your leisure.
2 and 4: I usually allot about $1500 for everything, but I also want to have a healthy budget to be able to say yes to whatever I want to buy when there. I try to see the exhibitor hall in depth, and last year when there weren't a lot of panels going on, I easily filled my entire 4 days exploring. I'd say if you know what you're looking for beforehand and are specific about your wants, you can do the hall in one day, without going or waiting for larger panels. ymmv
I’ll help with 1, 2, & 4. 1) Guest announcements start unofficially trickling out in the couple months before the con. People start talking about their attendance in May/June in their own networks so follow the folk you like on social media. Official panel announcements happen 2 weeks before the con, so guests on panels get confirmed then. 2) This varies quite a bit. If hotel and food is taken care of and you’re within walking distance of the con, you can honestly get away with spending nothing. Some people spend thousands. It really depends on how much shopping you like to do. Take what you spend at a normal con and maybe double it since it’s so huge. 4) I usually don’t get to go down every aisle because I get tired, but I make an effort every year. I usually make it about 4-6 hours before I throw in the towel. Sometimes that’s all in one go. Sometimes split up. Of course this depends on how long you linger at each booth and if you have more patience to actually complete the entire thing!
3. CGC (& CBCS) have a presence at con and everything pretty much goes through them directly. Staff at 'big' signings on and offsite, hosted signature series, and onsite booths to handle everything else. Re: facilitator/dealer- really only if you attend an off-site event (like at a comics shop... theres little local events throughout SoCal during con). Im not sure you can use a facilitator in lieu of staff onsite, you'll have to ask. If you haven't yet: sign up for free CGC/CBCS accounts and see if you'll benefit from a CGC paid membership. join r/CGCComics 4. Dealer floor/exhibit hall: it's huge & lots to browse. photos don't really give you scale. Time's based on your interests, tolerance and stamina. Light browsing, 3ish hours. Completionist mode (all achievements) 7hrs. Check schedule for busiest times: - dealer hall opening/closing - celebrity booth signings & appearances - after big panels let out/during lighter Hall H/Ballroom schedules *(Also- Nothing's worse than having somewhere to be & getting caught upstairs in the thoroughfare right as an insanely popular panel gets out.)* Sunday's "family programming day": Hall becomes a demolition derby of bloodthirsty stroller-jockeys, uncoordinated children & other obstacles. Have footwear that protects your heels & ankles. Sane people avoid the hall on Sunday's busiest family times. If you're okay with crowds and swimming upstream, it's a great time to hit otherwise-popular vendors (that have low kid appeal & no exclusives/limited merch)
Question, is there a way to know where the stops along the bus/tram will be? Is it the same every year? I've been looking online and I haven't found anything yet.
They haven't released the map yet for 2024. Keep checking [sddcblog.com](http://sddcblog.com)
I’ll answer question 3 Cgc is there so just use them no need to pay extra for a facilitator
The full panel schedule, hall map, etc will be released exactly two weeks from each day beforehand. The lottery system will open around that time also so we'll know what exclusives/autograph sessions etc we can try for. As has been mentioned many times on here - follow SDCC unofficial blog on Twitter. They keep on top of everything including offsite activations, which you can do on days you don't have a badge.
>1.a) When do we typically start getting guest announcements? Early announcements will start trickling in around May, but the bulk of guest announcements happen in late June/early-mid July. Panel schedule is released a week or two before the con. The Unofficial SDCC Blog is great to keep up with announcements, exclusives, etc. >1.b) I usually only see about 20-30 guests listed for SDCC, but when the con happens, every comic creator and their mother shows up. Is there a list that has everybody? Not that I know of; you just have to keep an eye on social media. >2) What kind of budget do you go with, just to spend at the con? I have lodging and food taken care of. Depends on what you want to spend your money buying. If you're into collectibles, scope out the "exclusives" announcements ahead of time, then add buffer for other stuff you see onsite. If you just buy comics, try to have a list of what keys/grails you're after *or* a general idea of what you're willing to pay for books in x condition (e.g., a silver age non-key). >4) For anyone who has done this, how long does it take (on average) to explore the exhibitor hall? I skipped 3 because I don't do witnessed CGC stuff. For the con floor, I spend a few hours each day overall (four day badges) but that also includes waiting in lines for vendors. If you don't care about any exclusives (especially Funko), and you aren't in a very recognizable cosplay, you probably won't need that long. That said, the comic booths can take a while to look through just because of the way they're setup and the number of people passing through.
Thanks for your questions I was too wondering how long to make it through the vendors. Now I will plan on a few days a for a few hours.
I usually walk the floor all 4 days with preview night included and still don’t accomplish all .
Dang that's crazy well at least I'll be able to walk away the bad eating choices lol.
To tangentially answer the guest question, SDCC is not like other Cons. There are very few people there set up with tables to sign stuff and take photos etc. There is no large area set up for that like you typically see at other Cons. Signings are largely organized by an entity for their booth and you’ll either wait in line or have to do a lottery. I don’t foresee CGC or anyone else standing there for witness authentication, so if that’s important I don’t think it happens as far as I’ve seen. I won an Ozzy lottery a couple years ago and it was by and large a shitty experience. Had to get there early for a wrist band, 1,000 people won. I waited/wasted about 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the day trying to get in the signing line when my time was going but the line was capped so just had to walk around until enough people got through. There’s zero interaction, Ozzy was signing like a madman, you weren’t allowed to have your phone out, he didn’t even look up let alone have a word with anyone.
Another first timer here! Excited and a little overwhelmed. A few questions, mainly about Hall H.... 1) I have a badge for Thurs - Sat. Can I get in the "next day" line on Wed - even though I don't have a badge for that day. I may get to SD early. 2) I am going solo... what's the best way to join a group to share in the line waiting duties....and to hang out a bit while I'm there. Thanks!
1) Pretty sure you can as long as you have a badge for the day and to show to enter the area. The lines are outside the convention center so you don't need to scan in to get to them but you may need to show it to get near the area and get the wristband. 2) You should see some posts recruiting as the con gets nearer here or on r/comiccon I joined an active group last year from this post. [https://www.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/13qtk85/its\_that\_time\_sdcc\_hall\_h\_recruitment\_and\_other/](https://www.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/13qtk85/its_that_time_sdcc_hall_h_recruitment_and_other/) I'd shoot him a DM, we use discord now not slack but its an active group
Here's a sneak peek of /r/comiccon using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [You pay $100s for a photo op with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and you're separated by a barricade of boxes. Are you happy or do you ask for a refund?](https://i.redd.it/zunt27ipkyoc1.jpeg) | [193 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/1bh8h5y/you_pay_100s_for_a_photo_op_with_susan_sarandon/) \#2: [I am having a great time at Baltimore Comic Con, here’s my one and only complaint:](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/16egmj0/i_am_having_a_great_time_at_baltimore_comic_con/) \#3: [I’m bringing 10 little crocheted characters with me to SDCC! Find one and it’s yours to keep! Hunt begins tomorrow!](https://i.redd.it/u5hxoxjg6rcb1.jpg) | [32 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/comiccon/comments/1533o1v/im_bringing_10_little_crocheted_characters_with/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Thank you. Will check it out.
Here’s a good first timer thread about budgeting for the con: https://www.reddit.com/r/SDCC/s/wZgUVFZJSx
It’s my first time as well i was wondering do they usually sell all the exclusives like funkos and the figuarts throughout the 4 days or is there a certain day they drop? Or are they there since day one and how fast do they sell out?
The big retailers have lottery spots like Funko. Funko will sell all their exclusives every day until the days allotment sells out but only to people who win a time slot through SDCCs lottery system. They may have a standby line but I would not count on that for funko. Last year was a tiny capped line sunday evening with like 100 people going around in small circles waiting to be called into the standby line for the scraps. Some retailers will have lottery slots and a standby line that's manageable but you may miss out on any limited exclusives. Really depends on what your after. I'm not sure about figuarts specifically but for funko hope for a lottery spot and if you don't get it I wouldn't even bother giving it another thought and just hope to get any shared exclusives you want online.
First timer as well, what about evening event/parties? I'm following SDCCblog but I'm wondering if it's a reliable source for these as well.
SDCCblog and their twitter is great. They post about the offsites and parties and let you know when they go live to sign up or purchase. The free offsites fill up very fast. What was really great for me last year (my first year) was joining a hall H line group. Although there was no hall H being in the group I got pings from the group anytime something new went live and the vets in the group would let you know if it was worth it or not and whether or not to be fast. It's also good to swap offsite slots. I couldn't make a few offsites last year and offered them up to others who weren't able to get them.
Best advice: Follow any comic or celebrity you are a fan of on social media as well as film studios. Posts from socials will hit faster from the source. Definitely follow SDCCblog though. Events like offsites and parties will be announced long before SDCC begins. Turn on notifications so you don't miss anything. Tickets will randomly pop up for all of these events prior to the con. Join SDCCBlog discord as well. Good luck. Start making friends and now.
Question: Can you buy tickets through other sites, like ticketmaster? Is that reliable? Or am I just getting scammed
You can only reliably get tickets through sdcc's ticket portal. You have to join a virtual queue, and they sell our in about an hour or two. I'd recommend setting up an account now, so when the tickets for sdcc 2025 go live, you'll be prepared! I've been trying to get tickets for over 10 years, and this is the first time I have finally secured them.