Comic-Con 2011 badge info

[Hanzo07]

For those planning on attempting to buy passes for next year's Con while at this year's, this article in today's local fishwrap is an eye-opener:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011 ... ?comic-con

I went thru the line today, and just managed to get in. I got the 4-day w/o Preview, as they had already sold out of the day's allotment of w/Preview.

Sounds like you'll need to get down there before 6am (at least) to have a shot. If they run the line the same as today, it'll start at the Hyatt, and run south run along the walkway behind the convention center (next to the water).

Good luck!!!

[Mayhem]

Yeah, Kris sent me some reports earlier about just how crazy the queue had been this morning for buying a pass for next year. I could scarcely believe it. One guy said he got there before 6am and there were already well over 1,000 people queuing at that point, if not close to 1,500. My friend Erik who was hopefully going to buy himself and myself a four day pass didn't get there in time, and he is definitely going to be getting up much earlier tomorrow to have another attempt!

I presume this is because the organisers are limiting the number of four day passes sold on site (I've heard 10,000 mentioned as a total across the con and apparently only 200 passes with preview night were available today) to make more available online later in the year. With that and the price increases, I guess they are really trying to thin the supply/demand to a more manageable ratio level.

[Todd Shogun]

The whole thing was a mess and a HUGE failure on Comic-Con's part. I bought a 4-day w/o Preview (by choice), but have other friends who were shut out because they could not get there early enough. I got lucky because a good friend of mine was camping out at 5am and got me in line around 7:30am after my son woke up. I bought mine early Thursday morning and heard the disaster grew exponentially each day thereafter. If you are disabled, have children, or are staying too far away to camp out at 3AM to get in line for the 2012 pre-reg, then CCI doesn't care about you, bottom line. If you have friends who are willing to camp out for you then that's the way to go because that was realistically the only way I could do it with my 4-year old. They say they did this to be "fair", but it backfired in a huge way and left thousands of people totally disappointed and angry. I've typically bought next year's pass at the current con and never had any problems. So try to fix something that isn't broken?

The pricing for next year was of course disappointing, but never give into buying 4 individual day passes over the 4-day, even though it is slightly cheaper. You have to wait in line for hours every day to pick up your individual day pass for that day. Preview night was cool when it was free but now that they are charging extra for it, forget it. 4-day at $150 isn't terrible.

[Mayhem]

I was going to ask how you got on Todd, given I know you always buy for next year at the current show. I perhaps should have sent you a message asking if you could buy me a pass for next year... depends if you could have spared the $150!

Just to dispel one point you said though, you can pick up all your relevant single day passes on the first day you have a pass for at the convention centre, so you only need to queue on that day. Don't know if that was introduced this year, but it's mentioned on the SDCC website. So if you have four singles (see below after the quote), you just queue on Thursday and that's it.

For single day badges, you may only pick-up your badge on the day you have purchased the badge for. If you have purchased multiple single day badges, you may pick them all up at once at the San Diego Convention Center, after Wednesday, only. Multiple single day badge pick-up will not be available at the Town & Country Hotel. If you choose to pick up your multiple single day badges at the Convention Center, you will have to wait in the general attendee line first for your badges, and then wait in a second line for multiple badge holder pick-up. You may only pick up your multiple single day badges starting on the day of your first badge, (ie: You may pick up your Friday and Saturday badge starting on Friday only. You may not pick these up on Thursday).

My mate Erik got there early enough on Friday but not early enough to get the four day passes, so he bought himself and myself a set of four singles. I might still try to get a proper four day pass when the online sales start, but at least I have this. Just have to wait for the confirmation email. When does that normally get sent out Todd?

There is a "reason" for the madness in part. From what I hear, they limited the on-site sales because there weren't enough available to buy online for this year's show, so they reduced it from 40% (apparently the percentage sold on site in 2011) down to 10% of the total. Hence online sales for 2012 will account for 90% of the pass sales. And the online sales won't be until next year apparently so that it is a lot more certain that the people who are buying the passes are definitely going to attend. Instead of it being people buying passes just in case and then returning them because they can't go.

On one hand I can see why they did this, because it could have ended up as a cycle of only the people attending the con would be able to buy passes for next year's con. Unless you had someone buy one for you while there. On the other hand, perhaps they reduced the number available too much.

[Mayhem]

Interesting rumour I heard today: there will be no on-site sales for 2013 at the 2012 show. They will be 100% online. Oh joy, joy, joy if true...

[bookdriver]

I don't have to worry about passes as I go as an exhibitor, but this pass situation is really getting wild. I've observed all the news and complaints about online sales and the hotel reservations. It seems their computer system can hardly handle it so it seems crazy to go strictly online. I have a terrible fear that comic fan attendees may be losing out relative to movie/TV fans who are attracted by all the general media coverage.

I don't mind the movie and TV presence as I can still see almost all my favorite comic creators. However, if only a relatively small number of comic fans get passes, will all the comic artists and retailers make sufficient money at the con? I'd hate to see attendees who are only there for movie and TV panels and picking up free promotional material.

While not very democratic, I think the con staff should set aside a good number of passes, review the names and addresses from the last 10-15 years and simply make snail mail offers to repeat attendees. This should preserve a strong comic flavor and avoid a strictly movie/TV crowd.

Best,

Steven

[Todd Shogun]

Just to dispel one point you said though, you can pick up all your relevant single day passes on the first day you have a pass for at the convention centre, so you only need to queue on that day. Don't know if that was introduced this year, but it's mentioned on the SDCC website. So if you have four singles (see below after the quote), you just queue on Thursday and that's it.

My mate Erik got there early enough on Friday but not early enough to get the four day passes, so he bought himself and myself a set of four singles. I might still try to get a proper four day pass when the online sales start, but at least I have this. Just have to wait for the confirmation email. When does that normally get sent out Todd?

Thanks for clarifying Mayhem. So that isn't as terrible as I had thought.

I have no idea when the confirmation emails go out. I haven't gotten mine yet.

I read your latest post about the 2012/2013 pre-sales. That just plain stinks, but at least it does increase your chances for actually purchasing online.

So it looks like we'll be seeing you at next year's show? excellent!

[Mayhem]

Hopefully... I'll need a job first as I won't be able to afford everything next year otherwise... best get on with that...