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SDCC 2012!!!!
ctowner1
Posts: 481
3 weeks from tomorrow I take off from NYC to SDCC!!! My first one!! Totally psyched! How about some comments on strategy/plans for this year's show/meetups/etc?
I'm staying at the Holiday Inn at the Bay - 1.1 miles from the show. Flying in Weds around 2pm, and leaving Monday morning.
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L nny
I'm staying at the Holiday Inn at the Bay - 1.1 miles from the show. Flying in Weds around 2pm, and leaving Monday morning.
e
L nny
Comments
Too bad the Padres are on the road (as they usually are during the show)
I'll be at SDCC, I'll be at the Hyatt.
Tilted Kilt on Wednesday night after preview night. That's the place to be. It's tradition at this point!
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L nny
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L nny
Thursday, July 12
10:30am Battlestar: So Say We All
12:30pm Spotlight on Mark Schultz's Unlikely Career
2:00pm Before and After: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Star Trek: TNG's Journey into High Definition
2:00pm The Sergio and Mark Show
3:00pm Graphic Novels: The Bookstore Crowd
3:30pm The Future of Superhero Studies
3:45pm The Walking Dead
4:00pm Abstract Studio: Terry Moore
5:30pm Batman's Biggest Secret: The Bill Finger Story
6:00pm The 7th Annual Comics Podcasting All-Stars
Friday, July 13
10:00am Remembering Jerry Robinson and Joe Simon
11:00am Siegel and Shuster and Finger
12:00pm CBLDF: The History of Comics Censorship
1:25pm AMC's The Walking Dead
2:45pm Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A session
34:30pm 50th Anniversary of Marvel Superheroes
4:45pm The Writers' Room with Jonathan Ross
5:00pm Old Masters Art Lessons for Comic Artists
6:30pm Spotlight on Jeff Lemire
6:45pm AMC's Breaking Bad-
8:00pm Syfy Presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards
Saturday, July 14
10:00am That 70s Panel
11:45am Quick Draw!
12:45pm DC Comics: Before Watchmen
2:00pm Will Eisner and the Graphic Novel
3:00pm A Wrinkle in Time
8:30pm HBO Presents the Comic-Con Masquerade
Sunday, July 15
10:00am The Annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel
12:30pm BBC America's Doctor Who
12:30pm Darwyn Cooke and The Man Called Parker
1:30pm Spotlight on Alison Bechdel
2:15pm Buffy Turns 20: Celebrating 20 Years of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
of this list, nothing is a MUST see, but what I think I want to see are:
Thursday, July 12
4:00pm Abstract Studio: Terry Moore
6:00pm The 7th Annual Comics Podcasting All-Stars
Friday, July 13
11:00am Siegel and Shuster and Finger
Saturday, July 14
10:00am That 70s Panel
11:45am Quick Draw!
Sunday, July 15
10:00am The Annual Jack Kirby Tribute Panel
12:30pm Darwyn Cooke and The Man Called Parker
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L nny
Additionally, I'm taking preorders (limited to 10) for 9x12 inked sketches that I'll draw at the show.* $50 gets you the character of your choice. I'm not sure how many slots will be open at the show, so slotting ahead of time really helps me schedule.
*Due to a ton of work, and being behind on a couple of commissions, I'm not taking preorders for artwork done prior to the con.
Wednesday - Tilted Kilt after preview night. It's tradition! Check the address for Tilted Kilt (310 10th Ave) before you leave for it, in the past Google Maps has gotten the location wrong.
Thursday - Podcasting Panel, and dinner after. Talk to Bob.
Saturday - Drink 'N Swap at the Hyatt, organized by @Trev. Bring some trades you don't want, and spread the comic love. Or just show up and hang out. You don't need to bring anything to enjoy the fun. Also, the Hyatt is a great "convention bar", so lots of good people watching. I'm staying at the Hyatt this year, so if anybody is coming straight from the con and wants to stash some stuff in my hotel room for the evening while we're at the bar, feel free.
Any insight from you experiences from this year or previous years would be helpful.
It will be SDCC or Emerald or Heroes for my first American con
Con hotel rates tend to be $250-$350 a night, maybe a few outliers from there. Non-con rate is a crapshoot, especially close to the con where pretty much every room is reserved for the con. If you are willing to drive in or take the shuttle, you can get a marginally better deal and if you miss out expect to pay closer to $400/night in town. I used to book a room at the Hyatt in like Jan or Feb as a hedge, but couldn't even do that this year. Basically looked at rooms as soon as they were avail on the hotel website.
There are sometimes tix+hotel package deals. There wasn't this year, but there were the year before. Usually they are tied to staying in Mission Valley and taking the shuttle in. This year, CCI helped out mission valley by selling 'early bird' packages that were pre-paid and included breakfast at a few of the hotels in mission valley. It wasn't that good a deal bec. it was only marginally cheaper than just booking a room yourself and not having to pay anything in advance -- getting you more flexibility. For folks who were going to stay in Mission Valley regardless, I guess it was an ok deal.
Lots of people share rooms. The rate of the hotels pretty much dictates it for a ton of folks. It creates a flood on hotel resources though, so be prepared to be patient. When a hotel that usually has 60-70% occupancy and most of those 1-2 people per room is flooded with 100% occupanncy and 2-6 people per room (many not listed on the reservation), it can create problems.
I book my flights pretty much as soon as I know I'm going and they are available. Usually in Jan or Feb. You can get good prices then, too. Though you may occassionally miss a sale.
It's such an expensive trip, I like spreading it out over the year in terms of cost. Year before I buy my tix ($175 this year), then in Jan I book my Flight ($300-$400), then the hotel deposit (this year it was two days -- $600 with taxes), and by the time the con actually arrives, the only thing I have to 'pay' for at the time is the remainder of the hotel. Plus all the fun things -- books, food, fun.
There are some deals to be had, if you are willing to put in the time and be a little patient. In the past, I have stayed at the Sheraton by the airport for a little over $200/night. There is a shuttle from all the major hotel areas to and from the con, and they run very frequently, so taking the shuttle isn't too painful.
I'm in the same boat as Trev, I've paid off my hotel deposit, and I've set aside money for travel and parking. I'll just have to pay off the balance of my hotel after the con is over.
Is there generally a regular late night place where people hang out Or its all over the place?
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The Bayfront or the Hyatt are the best hanging out bars. I expect I'll be in those plenty. Maybe @BadDeacon and I should switch rooms . . . :)
There are some good daytime spots too. Tin Fish is one of my favorite places to hang in the middle of the day. It's right across from the con, good food and beer, and great people watching.
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L nny
I remember staying at the Kilt somewhat later. People start trickling in between 8:30 and 9:30 usually, since the hall is open till 9 on preview night, then we get dinner, drinks, chat, talk comics, and what not, so getting out of there between 11 and 12 is possible.
In addition to the Bayfront and the Hyatt, I'd like to check out the Trickster bar one of the nights.
Sorry, @Trev, I'm not trading rooms :)
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@Trev, sure, no problem. I assume that is a "frequent customer" thing? Will that work? They won't say, "you're not Trevor!!" when I try to check in and cancel my reservation for trying to cheat the system, forcing me to sleep in my truck every night?