Advice from SDCC first-timers for first-timers

 18 JULY 2025

When I moved out West, one of my immediate goals was to hit up San Diego Comic-Con. I still remember clearly my first impressions (and oddly, the first person I spoke to was one of my favorite artists who remains a friend today.) But that was a long time ago and so much has changed! So in that sense, some of the best advice a first-timer can get will be from other first-timers - or second- or third-timers.

Here's one big difference for modern tenderfoots: when I lived in NY, my impressions of SDCC came from photos I saw in the back of comic books. Few non-nerds had heard of it and my expectations were minimal. In fact, I had to persuade my girlfriend of the time that it wasn't just stacks of back issues in a civic building basement. Today, the SDCC brand is massive and first-timers usually show up with many expectations. They also have a lot of rich and well-informed resources to prepare them.

Nevertheless, nothing teaches like personal experience. Here's a round-up of tips from first-timers.

Learn the basics and read the Toucan blog. 

A few years ago, I remotely mentored a friend's daughter. I tried not to be smothering but in retrospect, I wish I had been more hands-on with her - because she and her friends thought the Con was just walking around and looking at cosplayers. They had no idea they were supposed to go up and get their bag and books - or that CCI had a website with a helpful blog or that there was a huge SDCC online community.

I hate to criticize CCI but I do think their website-first comms approach is a little outdated. A lot of people these days, especially younger, expect information to be fed directly to their phones and socials. They don't always make the effort to proactively go to a website. You have to be where your audience is and for that reason - along with a surprising number of first-timers who don't follow CCI or SDCC influencers - I think they could massively elevate the attendee experience through more frequent email and SMS micro-campaigns and graphic-driven social campaigns. Today, for instance, I asked a first-timer if they'd seen CCI's helpful Hall H video and they were baffled. Yes, they should follow CCI but they don't and you don't know what you don't know - like how overwhelming SDCC is until you show up.

Okay, I'm done making unwanted suggestions. First-timers - look at CCI's website and check out their many resources on A) programming and B) the convention center. You don't have to memorize every room location but understanding the location of Hall H, Ballroom 20, Indigo Ballroom, and the Exhibit Hall and Marriott will go far in helping you understand where to go. Otherwise, it's easy to get turned around and frustrated.

Build your day around 1-3 must-haves.

Sometimes it might even just be 1 if you're chasing an SDCC white whale. It's adorable when first-timers fill up their schedule back-to-back with activities because they think it's a 3-minute walk between panels and locations. But you'll be walking long distances and the lines are ungodly. Just because Panel 1 ends at 1:00 and the next one doesn't start until 1:30 doesn't mean you'll get in. You might - but if it's a hot ticket panel, you might not.

Pick your top priorities and then forever hold your peace. If you try to be the ultimate SDCC achiever, you're setting yourself up for failure.

But don't be afraid to pivot.

This isn't a contradiction! Sometimes your dream panel turns out to be a dud; go ahead and seek greener pastures. Or sometimes someone opens the door to a better offsite or event. SDCC is volatile so don't be too rigid.

Learn how to navigate the convention center.

That includes A) going in the evening hours when it empties out B) choosing the bathrooms at the back, as they are often less crowded and C) using the lobby to make your way from one end to the other, rather than trying to push through the crowds. Also: don't clog the aisles! Keep it moving. Finally, if you see an item you want to return to, take a photo of the booth floor number.

Order groceries.

Now that we live in the glorious age of Insta-cart and Whole Foods delivery, it's really easy to fill up your room with things for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Not only will it save you money, it more importantly saves you oodles of time - the most valuable currency at Comic-Con.

Read the Panel Descriptions

One first-timer noted that a lot of great panels suffer from bad titles. This is true and I'll admit I am guilty of moving right past a boring panel title, only to be startled when my friends mention someone amazing I missed in the programming. 

Put yourself out there.

2 of the happiest first-timers I ever spoke to had a mindblowingly successful Con - all the right parties, incredible celebrity photos, generous swag. Their secret? Speaking up, asking questions, asking for advice, being friendly. Doing this opened a lot of doors for them. I'd be remiss if I didn't add that they were both gorgeous, which I suspect played a role in their good luck - but it's good advice to follow.

Follow line etiquette.

Study the Hall H rules and understand that while you can hold spots in line for a few people, you cannot be by yourself for hours and then have 9 people join you just as you're walking into the room.

Ultimately Comic-Con is what you make it - but preparation is your friend. Be open to adventure, be flexible enough to let go of whatever isn't working out, and make the most of what does happen. If you can do that, you'll have an incredible time.