Unauthorized San Diego Comic-Con Survival Guide

SDCC Pre-Sale Parking Goes On Sale April 19th @ 9am PT

doug — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:41:26 +0000

Your chance to purchase reserved parking in and around the convention center will go live April 19 at 9am PT. This will sell out almost as quickly as hotels, if not faster. The good thing is that the prices are cheap, but once they’re gone, they’re gone. Don’t expect to roll on up to the entrance super early on any given day and expect to get in. Won’t happen. There’s lots of extra parking around the area, but none of it as close and convenient as literally parking under the convention center. However, as always, remember that there is no overnight parking in these pre-sale lots.

And if you are driving but don’t have a downtown hotel or parking space, please consider parking outside the city and taking the trolley in.
But since the good people at SDCC Blog were kind enough to use my photograph from a few years back in their post (above – I own the Pop Culture Geek Flickr account), I figured I’d point you to them for an additional bit of parking tips that are quite handy.

SDCC 2013 Hotel Reservations Open Tuesday, Feb 26th 9am PT

doug — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:20:45 +0000

Minutes ago, Comic-Con International sent out notice to all registered folks that the San Diego Comic-Con hotel reservations will go live Tuesday, February 26 at 9am Pacific Time. This is a considerable jump in the schedule compared to last year, when they opened hotel registration in April, a few weeks after WonderCon 2012 ended. I was thinking that they’d do the same this year, but it appears they want to get it all wrapped up well in advance.

Click here to go to the Travel Planners landing page.

You can also call Travel Planners at 1-877-55-COMIC (1-877-552-6642) or 212-532-1660 at 9am PT on Feb 26th. Don’t bother trying to do it any sooner.

And to ensure that you know what their process and policies are, read this page closely.

And while they say there are more hotel rooms than ever, be assured that they will sell out within minutes. Follow their directions closely, but don’t just click on the link they gave you. Have the URL copied into a text document and ready to copy and paste into a browser address bar at 9am just to be sure. Last year, there were too many people claiming that poorly formatted links prevented them from getting on the site quickly and making their reservation, resulting in a poor reservation or none at all.

UPDATE: It now appears that you can go directly to the registration page itself with all of the fields available for you to fill out. HOWEVER, there is no way to submit the request. I’m guessing this is a way for CCI to let everyone know what to expect next Tuesday so that we know how the submission process will go down. Note that this year, you only get to choose 6 hotels instead of 20 or 12 like in the years before. Make sure you know which hotels you want most and how they’re titled to make selecting them quick and easy.

SDCC 2013 Badges Go On Sale February 16th 9am!

doug — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:02:03 +0000

I don’t need to say much else, but if you have a member ID, you probably just got an email that warned you that badges will be going on sale to the general public WITH MEMBER IDs on Saturday, February 16th at 9am PT.

The official site has a great list of tips on how to snag a badge without much hassle. Yes, it will be a bloodbath. Yes, they will be sold out within minutes. But if you take the time to read their instructions, you have as good a chance as anyone to get a ticket to Comic-Con 2013!

So take a deep breath, follow their instructions, and be ready for 9am Pacific Time on February 16th. I think a badge would make a great post-Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetheart, but that’s just me…

SDCC 2013 Early Bird Hotels Up for Grabs Jan 23rd!

doug — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 21:20:04 +0000

Before you freak out and ensconce yourself in front of your computer for the next few days so that you’re the first person to snag these rooms at 9am PT, be aware that they DO NOT INCLUDE DOWNTOWN HOTELS. These are for hotels in the outer reaches of the city, in Mission Valley and near the airport, which are not exactly enviable locations, but could be your best bet at a room if you’ve not had luck getting rooms downtown in the past. There are a number of rules associated with nailing down these rooms, though, so read Comic-Con International’s provided information carefully. Most important to remember is that these rooms are NON-REFUNDABLE!

There is currently no information on when downtown area hotels will become available as yet. I will send out a blurb on this site and my social media channels when I get that info.
SDCC Survival Guide on Facebook
SDCC Survival Guide on Twitter

More information is available on the official site.

Comic-Con 2013 Early Bird Hotel Sale Opens Wednesday, January 23!

Sale can be accessed directly from this page on Wednesday after 9:00 am Pacific time. The information provided below is to better prepare you for when the sale opens.

If you know you will be attending Comic-Con, and you want to save money AND get your room in advance of everyone else, here’s your chance!

We tried this program last year and it proved very popular so we’re doing it again! A limited number of hotel rooms will be made available in the Mission Valley and Airport areas. Please note: NO DOWNTOWN HOTELS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE EARLY BIRD SALE.

You must pay for the room in advance and there are no refunds or exchanges. This special Early Bird Hotel Sale is only available BEFORE general housing opens and remember, all rooms are prepay, no refunds.

Please note: reserving Early Bird hotel rooms does NOT guarantee you a badge. If you do not currently have a badge for 2013, we caution you about purchasing prepaid, non-refundable hotel rooms (on the off chance you were unable to eventually secure a badge, you would not be eligible for a refund on your Early Bird hotel reservation)

Shuttle service will be available on Wednesday, July 17 from 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm. 24-hour shuttle service begins Thursday, July 18 at 7:00 am and runs through Sunday, July 21 at 7:00 pm to help fans enjoy every hour of Comic-Con and the nighttime fun.

Some of the hotels in Mission Valley will also be offering special incentives for those booking early. Be sure to review the list below for details.

Rates are listed for 1 or 2 people in each room. Additional people in the room may increase the room rate.

SDCC Survival Guide at the Las Vegas Comic Expo – Sept 29-30

doug — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:54:27 +0000

I’ll be making an appearance at the Las Vegas Comic Expo this weekend, selling off the final few copies of Unauthorized SDCC Survival Guide while also hyping the magazine I work for, Geek Magazine. I’ll have all sorts of Geek swag to give away, so even if you already have the book, swing by and say hi and you could walk away with a magnet, a copy of Geek, or the very awesome, very limited Starship Smackdown posters that were originally available only at San Diego Comic-Con 2012.

You can find me at booth #412 in the center of the room. And if you’ve ever seen me at a convention before, once again I’ll also have my pals from Spaceboy Studios hanging out and hawking their cool art. Luis has some amazing new art prints he’s never made available before this show.

For more information on the show, including tickets, hotel reservations, and a massive guest list that includes Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Thomas Jane (Punisher), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Bob Layton (Iron Man), Scott Lobdell (Teen Titans), and 100 more amazing comic creators, go to lasvegascomicexpo.com.

The show takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, right on the strip. Tickets are only $25 per day or $40 for the weekend. There are also VIP packages for $150 that include a ton of exclusive items that you can get anywhere else.

Comic-Con Pre-Reg Sells Out in an Hour – Registration to Start in 2013

doug — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 17:04:57 +0000

For those of you who were at San Diego Comic-Con 2012, this morning was your chance to pre-register for Comic-Con 2013*. Within an hour, all of those tickets were snatched up. Registration for the rest of the world will begin in early 2013. This will presumably include those of you who didn’t get tickets this morning, so all hope is not lost!

For those of you who went through the process today, how was your experience? Did you find it easier, harder, or the same as the process you went through for 2012? And, more importantly, did you get what you wanted? If you want, please feel free to leave tips and advice here or on the Unauthorized San Diego Comic-Con Survival Guide Facebook page for those who will be going through this same process in 2013.

As for me and the Survival Guide, this is the time I take to hibernate and prepare for next year, with very few posts in between. But I’m still open to answering questions and giving tips that you might find useful until the frenzy begins anew in 2013. Comment here or on the Facebook page if you want to discuss anything related to surviving future Comic-Cons or the culture in general. I’m also now very busy as the web editor for Geek magazine, so if you’re in the mood for discussing all things geeky, not just Comic-Con, you’ll find me there as well.

* Pre-registration notifications were sent out by email from Comic-Con International on or around August 1st to all attendees of San Diego Comic-Con 2012. If you didn’t get yours, make sure you check the spam folder in the email account you used to register last year.

SDCC 2012 Events Guide – Saturday

doug — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:00:19 +0000

This is a collection of events taking place outside the convention center Wednesday and throughout the week at San Diego Comic-Con.
This same information can be found in the official iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch mobile app so you can take it anywhere!
Note that not all events are open to the public and dates, times, and locations are subject to change.

Saturday Events

Superhero Pub Crawl
12pm-9pm – Taste & Thirst 715 4th Ave
Tomato Battle
4pm-6pm, Market Creek Events and Venues, 404 Euclid Ave
register online
Aquabats Super Show
6:30-9:30pm – House of Blues 1055 5th Ave
$20-$60
War of the Worlds: Goliath screening, after-party
7pm, Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15, 701 5th Ave
Breaking Bad screening, after-party
7pm, Reading Cinemas Gaslamp 15, 701 5th Ave
after-party @ Hotel Palomar 1047 5th Ave
WGW West Animation/Video Game Writers Reception
7-9pm, Hard Rock Hotel
Marion Call Concert/Space Art Show
7-9:30pm, Space Travelers Emporium 1947 30th St
20th Century Fox TV cocktail party
7-9pm, Saltbox, Hotel Palomar 1047 5th Ave
Haunted Hotel
7-11pm, Fri/Sat only
NBC’s 3rd Annual Blogger Party
7:30-9:30pm, Hard Rock Cafe, 801 4th Ave
INVITATION ONLY
ZAGAT Comic-Con Basement Party
10pm-2am, YouTube Fan Lounge, 315 7th St at K
RSVP
Wobble: Invaded by Unicorns
10pm-4am – Spin 2028 Hancock St
Hollywood Babble-On: Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman
11pm-1am – House of Blues 1055 5th Ave
EW/Syfy/Ubisoft Comic-Con Party
TBD – Float @ Hard Rock Hotel
INVITATION ONLY

SDCC 2012 Events Guide – Friday

doug — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 23:00:44 +0000

Friday Events

Superhero Pub Crawl
12pm-9pm – Taste & Thirst 715 4th Ave
Gotham Group/Dark Horse Brunch
1-4pm, Rama 327 4th Ave
Workaholics Happy Hour
2-5pm – Hard Rock Hotel
Sega of America presents Sonic Book 2012
5-10pm – House of Blues 1055 5th Ave
$20
Zombie Walk
5:30 – Gaslamp 4th Ave & Broadway
Con of the Dead: Zombie Walk After Party
6-9pm – Voyeur 755 5th Ave
INVITATION ONLY
Haunted Hotel
7-11pm, Fri/Sat only
He-Man.org’s SDCC Power Party
7pm-2am 708 4th Ave
Free in main bar, $40 VIP
Roddenberry’s Comic-Con Party 2012
7pm-12am – Fluxx 500 4th Ave
RSVP
Warner Bros TV Comic-Con Party
7-10pm – Hard Rock Hotel
INVITATION ONLY
Adult Swim Dethklok concert
7pm – USS Midway, 910 North Harbor Dr
FREE, RSVP (sold out)
2012 Steampunk @ Comic-Con Party
8pm-12am, Automotive Museum, 2080 American Plaza
Cotton Tail Massacre Art Event
8-10pm – buy tickets for location
$20, 21+ private location 1 mile away
Eisner Awards/Michael Davis World After Party
8pm-1am Analog Bar 801 5th Ave
Marked Men IV Party
8pm-1am HMS Providence 1492 N Harbor Dr
White Collar Fan Party
8-10pm The Lime 653 5th Ave
Ticket holders and INVITES ONLY
Walking Dead 100th Issue Black Carpet Event
9pm-1am Petco Park
INVITATION ONLY
FX/Maxim Comic-Con Party
9pm-2am Andaz Hotel Rooftop
INVITATION ONLY
The Devil’s Carnival screening
11:55pm-3am Gaslamp Theater 701 5th Ave

SDCC 2012 Events Guide – Thursday

doug — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:00:30 +0000

Thursday Events

VH1 Dawn of the Con Party
5:30-11pm @ Petco Park
hosted by Rob Zombie
Technicolor w/ Paramount, Summit, Producer’s Guild
6-9pm – Yard House 1023 4th Ave
Free, open to all
iFanboy/Graphicly cocktail party
6-9pm – Andaz roofdeck – 600 F St
Free, open to all
W00tstock 4.0
7-10pm – Balboa Theater 868 4th Ave
All ages, but contains mature content
Dexter: the Game Party
7pm – Omni Hotel 675 L St
INVITATION ONLY
Pop Thursday Goes Comic Crazy
7pm Museum of Photographic Arts 1649 El Prado
Trek Nation screening and Q&A
7-10pm Birch North Park Theater 2891 University Ave
Scholastic Graphic Novelists Event
7-9:30pm – Manchester Grand Hyatt 1 Market Pl
Geek & Sundry VIP Cocktail Party
7-9pm – Belo 919 4th Ave #100
INVITATION ONLY
IGN/Lionsgate Expendables 2 party
7:30pm – Hard Rock Hotel
INVITATION ONLY
Legend of Zelda Symphony
8-10pm – Embarcadero Marina Park South
5th Annual Munky King Bash
8pm-1am – Basic 410 10th Ave
Patton Oswalt comedy show
8-10pm – Spreckles Theater 121 Broadway Suite 600
Heavy Metal 35th Anniversary Celebration
8-11pm – Haunted Hotel 424 Market St
INVITATION ONLY
eOne/HAVEN party
8-11pm – Sidebar 536 Market St
IMAX REMIX
8:45pm – Reuben H Fleet Science Center
1875 El Prado, free with RSVP
Stan Lee’s Comikaze 80′s dance party
9pm-5am, Spin Nightclub 2028 Hancock St
The Fresh Yard X Armory Kick Off Party
9pm – El Dorado, 1030 Broadway
Capcom/IGN Resident Evil 6 party
9pm – Hard Rock Hotel
INVITATION ONLY
The Kings of Con
10:30pm Keating Hotel, 432 F St
INVITATION ONLY
Warner Bros/DC Comics VIP Reception
TBD – Michael J Wolf Gallery 363 5th Ave #102
INVITATION ONLY
Radical Comics Comic-Con Party
TBD – San Diego Marina
Contest winners and Invite Only

SDCC 2012 Events Guide – Wednesday & All Week

doug — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:00:18 +0000

Wednesday Events

Transformers: Fall of Cyberton
6:30pm-10pm – Stingaree 454 6th Ave
Doug Loves Movies
7:30-9pm – The Tipsy Cow 770 5th Ave
HitFix Kickoff Party
9pm – Hotel Solamar 435 6th Ave
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 party
10pm-1am – Float @ Hard Rock Hotel
INVITATION ONLY

All Week Events

History Channel Cross-Country Cookout
5:30-8pm – 100 Island Ave
outdoor truck – Thurs-Sat
Tr!ckster 2012
DAILY – Wine Steals 795 J St
Walking Dead Escape
10am-10pm – Petco Park
Thursday – Saturday
Gam3rCon
10th Ave Theater – 930 10th Ave – Times vary
DAILY – See site for prices
Nerd HQ 2012
DAILY various times and guests
Culy Warehouse – 335 6th Ave
Extra at Comic-Con stage – Warner Bros
Bayfront Park (behind the CC)
FREE Thurs-Sat – Batmobiles, Kevin Smith, Bacon Bros
Grimm @ the Tin Fish – NBC
Props & Tour – 170 6th Ave
FREE
Revolution – NBC
Ferris Wheel, Props – Gaslamp Sq Park – 1 Park Ave
FREE
WIRED Cafe
11am-5pm Thurs-Sat
Omni Hotel – 675 L St, 6th floor
Cartoon Network Exhibition
11am-5pm DAILY
Jett Gallery 989 W Kalmia St
Darkness & Light
7-11pm – Michael J Wolf Fine Arts
DAILY – 363 5th Ave #102