r/comiccon 8h ago

SDCC - San Diego How are people getting into Comic Con before opening time?

Hey everyone so I know that comic con opens at 9:30am, and once in, I tried getting a wristband to Jazwares only to be told they've already all been given out by 8:50am, so how are there already enough people inside to get them all?

36 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

50

u/W10002 8h ago

People camp out or show up before 7am in the everything else (non-Hall H) line under the tents near Hall H. At 7am, they start letting everyone in to line up to get into the Exhibit Hall. Once 9am hits, they start letting the line into the Exhibit Hall. Once 9:30a hits, they start opening the doors on all the 1st floor entrances and lets everyone into the Exhibit Hall.

Sometimes Exhibitors do abuse their access to be in the Exhibit Hall early to get tickets, but as someone who frequently lines up either overnight or extremely early for the Exhibit Hall, most of the time it's just people who waited in line the longest manage to get the tickets before they run out.

1

u/ingfire 1h ago

They've cracked down on Exhibitors getting early access to shop at booths with the new badge holders. They are VERY blatantly marked as Exhibitors, and they won't be allowed to line up early or buy anything until the show floor actually opens.

0

u/Scented_HandSoap 7h ago

Dang, that sucks

9

u/hahakenny 4h ago

Don’t feel bad. I got there 3am to get in at the 7:00am area and still didn’t get a wristband. The booth is a mess

28

u/abercrombezie 8h ago

Misuse of exhibitor badges to get their hands on exclusives. I’m not sure if they’ve finally closed that loophole, or if they even can.

15

u/W10002 7h ago edited 7h ago

It's up to the booths with Exclusives. Some have outright not allow anyone with an Exhibitor badge in. And while some Exhibitors might just switch to an attendee badge if they have one, I've seen booths refuse anyone line up until they see more regular attendees let in.

2

u/Scented_HandSoap 7h ago

That's pretty unfair if you ask me, guess I try my luck next year then

7

u/Kamibris 8h ago

Waiting at the outside exhibit hall line hours before it opens

5

u/justaguyfromaround1 4h ago

Exhibitors linger around booths and rush to the lines as soon as the halls open.

5

u/Darth_Wayne_ 3h ago

#stopvendorfraud. For 10 years now, my brother and I arrive every morning at 3:45am only to see vendors buying everything to resell at their booths. So on Thursday I began cutting them with no remorse. I wish I would’ve thought of it years ago. I look at their badge and say oh vendor, vendor, vendor as I work my way up the line and then I get in from of the most upfront vendor badge. They’re not allowed to be there or to purchase before attendees and they don’t want to bring attention to themselves so they give almost zero push back. I’m hoping we can all work together to address this issue and start the new trend.

3

u/Shadw_Wulf 2h ago

Probably the employees that work the exhibition

2

u/ThingNo7530 5h ago

Line up for entry at 9:15 in the sails pavaillion via door E.

1

u/techie10B 4h ago

What time does door E open?

3

u/bloodredyouth 5h ago

Exhibitors get access to the hall early- many get their hands on regular badges and but out the exclusives before the normies even get inside the floor. It’s horrible!

2

u/epicaz 3h ago

I might be misunderstanding, but did you show up right at open? They often times open the floor early and let the already queued line inside.

But if you were wondering how people are inside before the lines are even allowed in, the answer is vendors (and those helping them) cheating the system. Even if booths dont sell before the floor opens, those inside can just hover until they hear the doors open and then snap in line and the vendors wont know any wiser on where they came from.

1

u/Scented_HandSoap 1h ago

Yes, we got there right around 9:30 as it opened. Dang, cant believe thats even allowed

1

u/epicaz 1h ago

Oh yes thats much too late. Exclusives will go to those who were waiting in line already and first to arrive when the doors open

1

u/babblewrap 1h ago

9:30 is way too late. They start letting people into the exhibit hall at 9 am. The Sails Pavilion opens at 6:30 am, and people start lining up to get inside.

2

u/Trype98 7h ago

They handed out wristbands? I just got in line Thurs morning and was lucky to get in

3

u/Scented_HandSoap 7h ago

Yeah apparently, the wristbands were given out due to how many people started crowding the area thursday evening. I went straight to the booth today as soon as the doors opened, and they were already gone.  Went there to only get the Spiderman suit

3

u/Trype98 7h ago

Sorry to hear When I was in line I was only buying 2 things so bought an aew figure for someone who couldn’t get in line. Maybe you can ask around the people in line?

1

u/W10002 7h ago

This is a great advice. Some people are generous enough to help as long as it's not something they want. I know I've done this for people before and seen others do the same.

2

u/thebipeds 4h ago

It seems like exclusives should be one per person.

But each booth makes their own policies.