Comic Con Survival Tips: The Best Tips to Survive Your First Comic Con

As a veteran to the pop culture convention, I can tell you that Comic Con is no joke.  The two years I went completely kicked my ass.  I came home from both trips and was diagnosed with pneumonia. You laugh. But believe me, getting tips on how best to survive Comic Con can save your life (well, at least save you Comic Con experience).

Comic Con is for legit fans only.  You’ll be sacrificing sleep. Eating horribly (if at all). Experiencing immense frustration when you can’t get into the panels you desperately wanted to attend. Your legs will hurt from all the walking. Your ass will hurt from sitting on the ground for so long. You’ll wish ill upon the makers of your smartphones and their annoyingly short battery life.

Did I mention it’s completely worth it?

I won’t be attending the Con this year, but GIVE ME MY REMOTE has Comic Con covered.  Both Korbi Ghosh and Marisa Roffman will be covering the panels, press rooms, red carpet and celeb-filled parties stuffed into the four days that CC lasts. If you see them, please stop and say Hi!

Stay tuned for GMMR’s full Comic Con schedule including exclusive live chats taking place during the panels!

But for now, here are some of my favorite Comic Con survival tips that I’ve aggregated from a few different sites. Those sites are listed at the end of this post. Please be sure to check all of them out for more great Comic Con ideas.

If you’ve been to the Con and have others to share, please, help your fellow TV fan by including your survival tips in the comments.

• Plan your schedule in advance.
  It’s overwhelming, but the sooner you figure out where you’re going to be and when, the better. If you’re not much a planner, pretend that you are. Being spontaneous doesn’t pay off when panels fill up fast.

• Accept the fact that you can’t see everything.
  You’ve got to be realistic about this. While ideally we’d all have those Harry Potter Time-Turner thingies—seriously, how useful would that be?—the truth is you’re going to miss some of what you want to see. Cry a little, then move on.

• Make a schedule that conflicts with itself.
  Know what you want to see or buy, and if you can’t do your first choices, always have a backup plan ready. Be prepared to not do, see, or acquire everything you want this week. It’s you versus 126,000 other people. The official Comic-Con site has a great tool for preparing your schedule.

• Arrive early. Like, really early.
  Showing up at 6 a.m. for a 10 a.m. panel is not unreasonable. (Nor is sleeping out on the curb the night before.)  There will be a line, trust us. And while we’re not all morning people, it’s easy to make friends when you’re all punch-drunk from lack of sleep and can bond over CHUCK.
  

• The Best Things Come To Those Who Wait
  And wait and wait. Lines are a fact of life at Comic-Con. So make the most of it and bring something to read, a game to play, a sketchbook for doodling.

• Be Reasonable About Line Cutting
  Please, don’t get annoyed with people cutting the line. It’s a necessity that groups may split up, or people get into place with new friends. With the enormous lines, you do what you have to. But remember line etiquette –- never assume you are given a cut, wait for the person in line to invite you.

• Meet Your Fellow Geeks
  While waiting in line, don’t be afraid to chat with the people around you. They came to the same con as you, and are waiting in the same line. You most likely have something in common. If Comic-Con is nothing else, it’s a social event. There’s nothing wrong with making new friends.

• Commit to a room.
  If you can, pick a room and stick with it. Most of the TV panels are in Ballroom 20, just to give you a hint. Lines get long, and if you want to get a good seat for the True Blood panel, your best bet is sitting through a few panels you’re less excited about.

• Can You Hear Me Now?
  Take your cell phone – this is the best way to communicate with others in your party if you get separated or want to do different things.

• BYO – Bring Your Own
  Bring water and snacks with you – Suggestions: Small botted water that you can refill from the drinking fountains, fruit and/or nuts, cookies. If you buy food on site – the best bargains are the Pizza Slices sold in the Mezzanine, the individual Pizzas sold in the exhibit hall, or the Greek Gyros sold by one of the carts – the prices are more than outside – but not to bad for these items – avoid the hamburgers and hot dogs.

• What to wear?
  Layers, layers, layers. If you’re not planning to dress up like your favorite comic book character, be prepared for the hot summer weather outdoors and the air conditioning indoors. Comfy shoes are a must for getting around, and avoid wearing flip-flops if you value your piggies in the slightest…

• Have your camera ready
  You never know who will be walking by you at your time at the convention. You could walk into the restroom and bump into your favorite actor or actress, writer or artist. You could take a quick picture with them or take a picture of the hundreds of people in costume. If you snag a pic with your favorite TV star, writer, pop culture icon, send it over to GMMR and we will post it and share it with other TV fanatics. Email your pics to us at info(at)givememyremote(dot)com.

Related: Check out some fun videos we took at our favorite Comic Con panels of years past.

• Remember that celebrities are people, too
  There’s a good chance you’re going to run into someone famous outside of a panel. Mostly, they are cool with autographs and photos, unless they’re in a rush. Either way, keep in mind that they enjoy personal space and not being groped. Make any requests politely.

• Pack something to eat
  Food in the convention center is pricey, and you’re going to need replenishment after six hours on your feet. Remember, passing out from low blood sugar during the Supernatural panel doesn’t necessarily mean Jensen Ackles will give you mouth-to-mouth.

• Backpack It
  Bring a small backpack for your snacks and freebies – also, a lot of the booths hand out carry bags to put stuff in that you pick up for free or purchase.

• Ship it Home
  In the convention center, there is a UPS store. Ship your goodies home. Don’t try to lug them back on the plane or train (automobile is acceptable of course). Whether it’s an expensive collectible or a souvenir you want to cherish, don’t ruin it by stuffing it into your bag and the overhead compartment.

• Practice good hygiene
  This next one isn’t so much for your survival as for every one else’s. It might be a sensitive subject, and we wish we didn’t have to say it, but unfortunately we do. Please, please, make sure you bathe, apply deodorant and wear fresh clothes every day you come to the convention. You can do whatever you want the rest of the time, but when you’re stuck in close quarters with us, have the decency to smell nice, or preferably, not at all. If we can convince one sweaty, stinky attendee to change his or her ways with this advice, then our work here is done. We wish we were kidding about this.

• HAVE FUN!
  Comic Con is stressful and can be very frustrating, but remember that you are there for the love of pop culture. Have patience with yourself, your friends, your fellow Con attendees and the people running the show. It’s a massive undertaking that’s not easy. Be respectful!  Have an amazing time!!!

A special thanks to About.com, TV.com, Airlock Alpha, LATimes.com and IGN.com for sharing their tips. Click on over to each of those sites in order to get more valuable tips!

Share your tips below!