Comic Con 2012 Planning

[AnnieS]

Well have decided to possible go to next years Comic Con in San Diego, CA. Have never been and would so appreciate any veteran attendees help in planning (advice, what to see, etc).

I know that the dates for next years event is July 11th (preview night) to July 15th, 2012.

Also planning on adding a day or two on either end for sightseeing as well and travel.

[Scary Kitty]

Get ready for some massive sticker shock on badge prices. During at-con pre-registration for 2012, prices were as follows:

4-day with Preview Night: Adult $175, Junior (ages 12-17) Senior (age 60+) and active military with ID (does not apply to dependents) $87

4-day without Preview Night: Adult $150, Junior/Senior/Military $75

Single day
- Thursday, Friday or Saturday: Adult $40, Junior/Senior/Military $20
- Sunday: Adult $23, Junior/Senior/Military $11

I'm assuming these prices will remain the same when online registration opens to the general public sometime in the fall.

Book your hotel room now. Don't wait until Comic-Con opens up hotel registration; it's always a nightmare.

As far as sightseeing in the area, it depends on what your interests are. Some things, like Seaport Village and the Gaslamp Quarter, are within walking distance of the convention center, while other attractions may be further away. A lot of things can be reached via the light rail trolleys, like Old Town San Diego. You may want to start with the San Diego Convention Center website, which has info on the center itself as well as local hotels, restaurants and other venues and services. Hope that helps.

[AnnieS]

You must have never been to Creation's conventions. $175 for 5 days is much cheaper that one of Creations's Stargate Conventions. I payed nearly $400 dollars for this years event in Vancouver (and I only got the Silver package. And that didn't include all the autographs and photo-ops that didn't come with the package. 7 autos were included).

Though the website helps. Thanks for that. And went to one of my local travel agenices today and found a guide book with San Diego info. Including a train trip from Anaheim to San Diego (starting at $29 dollars Adult). May fly from Vancouver to Anaheim and do the train trip to San Diego. Never been to California. So a great way to see the state for a bit.

[AnnieS]

This is why I am starting my planning now. Still have a year to go before the next Comic Con. So plenty of time!!!!

[Scary Kitty]

You must have never been to Creation's conventions. $175 for 5 days is much cheaper that one of Creations's Stargate Conventions. I payed nearly $400 dollars for this years event in Vancouver (and I only got the Silver package. And that didn't include all the autographs and photo-ops that didn't come with the package. 7 autos were included).

Though the website helps. Thanks for that. And went to one of my local travel agenices today and found a guide book with San Diego info. Including a train trip from Anaheim to San Diego (starting at $29 dollars Adult). May fly from Vancouver to Anaheim and do the train trip to San Diego. Never been to California. So a great way to see the state for a bit.

Oh, I've been to plenty of Creation conventions over the years, so I'm very familiar with their higher prices. But for Comic-Con, this is a pretty hefty price hike over the previous couple of years. They're doing it to discourage people from buying up the 4-day passes but only going for one day to see a particular panel/star. The organizers' reasoning is quite understandable, but added to the 2011 registration breakdown that happened earlier this year and the unprecedented restrictions during at-con pre-reg for 2012, a lot of long-time attendees are pretty disgusted by the whole thing. *shrugs*

Train trip from Anaheim to San Diego? I assume you're talking about Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner. I've been taking the Surfliner to San Diego for Comic-Con for the past couple of years, and I love it! Sure beats a two-hour drive both ways with my hands glued to the wheel the whole time, LOL!

Note that the closest major airport to Anaheim is John Wayne Airport (airport code is SNA) in Santa Ana. Instead of backtracking to Anaheim to pick up the train (unless you want to see Disneyland or catch a baseball game at Angel Stadium), you're probably better off taking a taxi/shuttle from John Wayne to the stations in either Santa Ana or Irvine, which will put you a couple stops further south on the route. That may not be such a bad thing, as most of the rail line through Los Angeles and northern Orange County is in industrial areas; the really good coastal scenery south of LA comes up after San Juan Capistrano. Alternatively, you can fly into LAX and take their Flyaway Shuttle to Union Station to pick up the Surfliner there, which may be more convenient depending on how your flight schedule shapes up.

[ScifigirlSG]

I liked it better when the convention was in the convention center only therefore selling a limited number of tickets. Since they've expanded to several hotels and the convention center, they have to jack-up the prices to cover the extra space used in the hotels.

[Scary Kitty]

I liked it better when the convention was in the convention center only therefore selling a limited number of tickets. Since they've expanded to several hotels and the convention center, they have to jack-up the prices to cover the extra space used in the hotels.

There's that, too. The hotels that host that off-site programming do participate in contributing blocks of rooms for the convention attendee pool, so I wouldn't be surprised if CC gets some sort of bundling deal for both the rooms and programming spaces. But even if they do, I can't imagine it's that much of a discount.

[ScifigirlSG]

Also...there's probably been a request for 24hr gaming rooms for the gamers, but the CC can't stay open all night resulting in the use of hotels. I know it's like that here in Phoenix for Phoenix Comic Con.

[AnnieS]

Oh, I've been to plenty of Creation conventions over the years, so I'm very familiar with their higher prices. But for Comic-Con, this is a pretty hefty price hike over the previous couple of years. They're doing it to discourage people from buying up the 4-day passes but only going for one day to see a particular panel/star. The organizers' reasoning is quite understandable, but added to the 2011 registration breakdown that happened earlier this year and the unprecedented restrictions during at-con pre-reg for 2012, a lot of long-time attendees are pretty disgusted by the whole thing. *shrugs*

Train trip from Anaheim to San Diego? I assume you're talking about Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner. I've been taking the Surfliner to San Diego for Comic-Con for the past couple of years, and I love it! Sure beats a two-hour drive both ways with my hands glued to the wheel the whole time, LOL!

Note that the closest major airport to Anaheim is John Wayne Airport (airport code is SNA) in Santa Ana. Instead of backtracking to Anaheim to pick up the train (unless you want to see Disneyland or catch a baseball game at Angel Stadium), you're probably better off taking a taxi/shuttle from John Wayne to the stations in either Santa Ana or Irvine, which will put you a couple stops further south on the route. That may not be such a bad thing, as most of the rail line through Los Angeles and northern Orange County is in industrial areas; the really good coastal scenery south of LA comes up after San Juan Capistrano. Alternatively, you can fly into LAX and take their Flyaway Shuttle to Union Station to pick up the Surfliner there, which may be more convenient depending on how your flight schedule shapes up.

Yes that was the train I was mentioning. There was an ad in the travel guide and thought why not. Might do the LAX to Union Station route. Was investigating the train trip and found I like that route. Plus the shuttle sounds like a more cheaper way to go. Thanks for the suggestion.

As for the hotel situation. I am hoping to find roommates. Will make the cost easier to handle. Have done this for all the conventions I have stayed in a hotel for.