14 tips for SDCC first-timers

20 JULY 2026

If there's one thing that is absolutely adorable in the days leading up to Comic-Con, it's the questions asked by first-timers. Their eyes see everything in a whole new way; it's perfectly logical to them that we might have to register in advance for panels or that a box lunch might be provided. 

If that's you - stumbling through the SDCC forest on your newborn legs like a baby fawn and trying to avoid horrific mistakes - here are a few things other first-timers have told me. 

Build your day around 1-3 priorities.

Sometimes it might even just be 1 if you're chasing an SDCC white whale. You can't get everything you want at Comic-Con, and it's really easy to get distracted or delay buying something that sells out faster than you thought. Pick your top priorities and then forever hold your peace.

But don't be afraid to pivot.

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 and you'll want to be flexible.

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. And speaking of clogs, don't fill up your schedule with back-to-back panels - you'll need to factor in transit time and lines. 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.

Finally, if you see an item you want to return to, take a photo of the booth floor number. Take a photo of the item too and see if it's available elsewhere.

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. Ralph's is an obvious choice for getting groceries delivered. Not only will you save money, you'll be able to cram in more action when you don't have to stop and travel outside the Con to lunch.

Consider canceling - or adding - a night at your hotel.

I am someone who jets out on Saturday quite a bit - so if you're not in love with Sunday, it's not too late to shave off a night at your hotel and pocket the savings. It's also nice having an extra day to recover.

If you want to go in the other direction, booking Sunday night is not difficult to do and often inexpensive. Why would you do this? So you can relax, spend some time at the beach or zoo or Balboa Park, or just go out and annihilate yourself Sunday night and sleep in the next morning.

Be realistic about lines.

Predicting lines is voodoo beyond my pay grade, but some things are obvious - like Hall H for Saturday. A few tips:

Don't make a blanket decision to line up days in advance. As a first-timer, you'll want to be judicious with your Con time - especially if Hall H turns out to be less than enthralling or (it happens) you snooze off during the panel. And sometimes people are forced to disperse after already investing hours in a line, or the official line is started elsewhere.

Ask around. Hall H is sometimes walk-in; smaller rooms sometimes have terrifying lines. Just ask your community and people will try to help. 

For the Exhibit Hall, it depends on how desperate you are to buy certain items. I haven't lined up for this in years so I can't speak precisely to this, but hardcore collectors line up early - especially since there are no other Con activities they're sacrificing. If you are dying to be in the first few hundred who get into Preview Night or the Exhibit Hall, you'll need to join these people.

The same applies to offsite lines. I know some of you enjoy spending 9 hours in line and whether that's worth it to you is your call. But every year people complain bitterly about waiting in standby only to never get in or find out the offsite was middling at best.

Don't get caught up in Exhibit Hall Fever...

...I say hypocritically, falling victim to it every year. But I'm not as bad as I used to be, and you can restrain yourself too; it's easier than ever to quickly check whether an item is available online or less "first edition" than the seller claims. 

Don't be afraid to ask for volume discounts but aggressive haggling isn't much welcomed. You can take it up a notch on Sunday, when vendors want to unload as much product as possible. Go ahead and ask about getting a deal if you don't see anything advertised. Just be respectful about it.

Be nice to cosplayers.

The general etiquette is to ask first. However, if someone is already posing for 6 cameras, there's no harm in jumping into the mix. In terms of taking pictures with cosplayers, give them some distance. You'll likely be in a humid, crowded environment and cosplayers may not want sweaty strangers pressing up against them. (Would you?) 

Start shipping things home mid-Con.

It keeps your room tidy and helps you pretend you haven't gone that much over budget. There's a FedEx in the convention center and at the Marriott next door, with some other options in the Gaslamp. 

Put yourself out there.

There's a common thread in first-timer reports: the ones who communicate with others tend to get invited to great parties, receive free tickets, take celebrity photos, and generally find doors swinging open for them. Extroverts really do win the race at SDCC.

Wherever you find yourself, there will be something to talk about. Attendees tend to be pretty friendly and laidback, so just turn around and get it started. Ask about a surprise offsite or live art show. SDCC is one nonstop information exchange. 

If you are looking to hook up, there's no real secret there. You'll go to events and bars and your hotel lounge/pool and  hit the apps just like you would normally. There are events around town that put the odds in your favor, but you won't necessarily meet a lot of Con people there. Most of us are sprawled on our hotel beds in the wee hours or soaking our aching feet.

Don't creep out celebrities.

Never in my life have I seen people obsessed with celebrities like SDCC attendees. It's like listening to a big family gossip about scandalous relatives, until you realize they've never actually met any of these people. If that's you, no judgement, (well, not much), but do restrain yourself from panting, gasping, following, begging, and petting them - all things I've witnessed to my abject horror.

Be polite and respectful and of course you already know this. I feel like the best celebrity encounters are drunken actors in Gaslamp bars, but I know many of you have well-honed tricks like waiting in certain areas of the convention center or lingering by certain booths after signings are over. Don't get arrested. 

Stay connected to news and media.

It feels delicious to simply step into the convention center and be enveloped by the beautiful chaos whirling around you. But you will want to stay connected to the outside world - social, Hollywood Reporter and Collider, other culture blogs and forums, and your favorite influencers. 

I know most of that coverage is for people who aren't there but it's your best bet for finding out about things you'd otherwise miss. Booths, screenings, parties, sleeper exclusives - you don't want to read about it all when it's too late.

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 something amazing I missed in the programming. 

Finally, consider trying something new. 

You will never have an opportunity as rich as SDCC to explore a new hobby. If normally you're just into cosplay, sci fi, comics, anime, collectibles, indie films, writing, gaming, a certain fandom - jump the fence and try something different. The Con is a great place to get introduced to something you might normally bypass. So many people discover a whole new obsession this way.

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.