Posted in: Movies | Tagged: comic con, san diego, vicki isitt

Con Virgins: A San Diego Beginners' Guide By A Beginner

Published Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:25:11 -0500

Last updated Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:30:56 -0500

Vicki Isitt wants to give you the tips that the seasoned pros might have forgotten about:

I've seen a lot of articles written recently from long-time veterans of San Diego Comic Con for those attending for the first time, but having been myself for the first time two years ago, here are some helpful tips that the pro's tends to forget but I found essential.

1) Be prepared to queue: Don't expect a nice, one hour wait to see the panel of your favourite TV show or film. If you want to get in the first few rows be prepared to join the queue at 4am at the latest, but some people queue for days.

2) Buy a rug or a fold up chair: This is an absolute must. You will be queuing. For hours. The pavement is not comfortable.

3) Bring a source of entertainment: It's a long wait, and while it's nice to chat to those around you a pack of cards, access to internet, or any other form of game-based entertainment will be needed to get you through hours of queuing and the gaps in between panels

4) Don't think that after a quick dinner you can head back to the hotel for an early night, all ready to rise at dawn tomorrow. You will meet people. Nice people, who will invite you with them to the next bar they're hitting. And you'll want to go. You'll drink shots and strange cocktails and arrive back at the hotel at 2am with your alarm set for 4am. It will happen. Embrace it.

5) Remember that whatever you buy it's got to fit in your suitcase on the way home. Although you can have two carry on items remember that when you buy an expensive piece of large artwork it's got to survive the plane journey back to wherever you came from.

6) If you want to see a panel that starts about 11am or 1pm, get in the room as soon as it opens in the morning otherwise you run the risk or either not getting in at all, or being stuck right in the very back row and spending your time staring at a TV screen because the stage is so far away.

7) You will likely be queuing from very early hours of the morning until 6 or 7pm, so bring enough food to last for hours and plenty of water.

8) A final reminder to not leave your bags unattended. I know it seems simple but the amount of people that pop off to use the bathroom or meet their friend and leave all their belongings unattended is ridiculous, so keep your belongings close.

But most importantly enjoy Comic Con!

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