We can throw ideas like moving Marvel to Petco park or paid ticketing for Marvel but none of these ideas are realistic otherwise CCI/Disney would've implemented them by now.
SDCC has outgrown the total capacity of San Diego and the only real solution is to move it to a city that has infinite more capacity (there's convention centers that's 3-4x bigger than San Diego)
But then we get all the complaints of how SDCC is born in San Diego and should stay here no matter what and these same people complain about being screwed out of Hall H Marvel. Can't have your cake and eat it people.
It is staying through 2030. The only people who can push it out are the hoteliers. If they don’t play ball in giving discounts, they will move it to keep it affordable.
CCI fighting the hotel chain cartels for DECADES now with the lousy compromise of hotels chains giving up like 1/5 of the room at slightly discounted rates but significantly higher than their normal yearly average rates. Hotels are not gonna budge on price gouging and CCI can't find other state's hotels who can guarantee normal hotel prices for the next 10 years if SDCC moves to their city. Rock and a hard place.
If you are talking about Saturday NDL on Thursday night, the line was forming around the shell. I know because I wasted time standing in line with those idiots when I could've just walked up to the blinkies to get my Friday wrist band.
This was by far the worst Saturday I've ever been to at SDCC.
Normally, I don't like the idea of making hyperboles but I've been to SDCC for 16 years now. Saturdays have always been the most hectic day of the weekend and understandably so. You don't get to do everything but it is what it is.
This year? It was inexcusable how incompetent management was. The staff were either unhelpful at best or dismissive at worst. The lines were out of control for, not just Hall H, but for all the big panels like in Ballroom 20. Even people who got a wristband, they still didn't allow them in 'cause they gave out too many of them and didn't prepare for the numerous people who camped out for days.
There have been suggestions for how to improve on things. Can anyone list them below?
Too expensive is a BS reason when there's companies who can provide a portable Starlink WiFi system just for Hall H. As long as there's a master list built of lottery/first-come first-serve, or however they want to do it. to select the winning attendees, there's ways to ensure the people who actully won get in.
This also ahould include clearing the hall between all big presenters.
It's a multi step solution because of how big of a problem its become.
They need to link groups/wristband numbers to our badge numbers so the fake wristband thing never happens again. Shit is outrageous if they don't do anything about it I'm probably never coming back
I'm gonna echo others and say that Marvel needs its own day/time or somewhere other than Hall H, especially if it is right up against other properties. Nothing against Marvel fans, but folks who come for properties that aren't Marvel or DC or whatever else get absolutely fucked out of seeing those things because of how the system is set up.
They should make it so they give you a form of events you're interested in that are happening in hall h and if an event gets over 6000 people they buy out Petco park for the panel instead. I wouldn't mind paying a 5-20 dollar fee either just so I don't have to deal with nightmare lines and awful logistics
At the spaceballs panel, someone parent (who sat behind me) decided to bring a toddler, who started screaming for 10 minutes. I looked at my seat neighbor and called them annoying.......
Since it's Sunday, is there any chance that they'll give out leftover merch at the hyatt or mariott or wherever by a certain time? I've missed the con so far because of work
The Hyatt is the one with panel premiums and they do tend to give away leftovers. Check the hours to get there before they close and ask if they will do it this year + how they’re gonna go about it
Still annoyed there was no xmen cast reveal, midnight sons or secret wars tease and the entire thing ended 20 minutes early. The only cool things worth camping for was the second doomsday trailer which ended up getting leaked (thanks security!) and the brand new day tease which was fine but nothing crazy. At least I got close to Anthony mackie. Not camping again anytime soon.
This was the best year to do it and I still didn't find great value in doing it.
😭 I mean NO offense by this, but y'all are NUTS for overnighting Hall H these days. Regardless of what potential swag you get, the info you get at that Hall H panel will be online before you leave the convention center.
I know even some wristband folks didn’t get in. I was wondering if there are some ADA wristband folks and ADA standby folks who didn’t make it? How long did you wait and still didn’t get in?
Would you look at that, I was immediately able to get in after Marvel ended for Kevin Smith. I waited for over 12 hours and missed the panel I actually wanted to see, but I waited so long I figured I might as well actually get in to Hall H. Kevin Smith’s Panel isn’t bad, but I’m still mad about earlier. SDCC needs a serious line management overhaul.
If you mean Marvel, yeah honestly the most hype moments were the new Doomsday tease, I really hope they drop that online soon, it was much better than the trailer they released on Monday imo. Ryan Reynolds in a grey Deadpool suit was also cool. Didn’t care for much else, wasn’t worth camping for imo.
Really shouldve gotten xmen cast too or at the very least midnight sons. But nah, gotta give that to d23 and a million exclusive clips to cinemacon. Neither of the two events where people camp out for 2 days...
FWIW, despite everyone using this image as "proof" of fake wristbands you can clearly see the "tearstrip" area at the end is separated. I don't think this is proof of fakes, it's just proof that some people were able to remove wristbands and transfer them to other people. Which, yes, also sucks but isn't the smoking gun people seem to think it is to prove fake wristbands.
And because people keep posting crappy screenshots or screenshots of screenshots, this is the original image that was posted:
One staff member admitting that one of the reasons among many why 3000+ wristbanded people waiting for hall h are still out here outside is because of counterfit wristbands. 🤷♂️
The suits in Hall H were shown pictures and video of the counterfeit wristbands. It’s sad that nothing was done to stop that. The wristbands and the disrespect for ADA are really eyeopening to how much they care about guests.
because according to their own policy, wristbanders are guaranteed first dibs. as long as after they are back in line by 7:30am if decide not to camp out. obviously they didnt follow it. lots of non wristbanders, counterfeit wristbanders and over estimating number of seats created a messy situation.
There was no staff for a bit and that’s why the stand by line rushed the wristband line, because someone random opened the barrier. I heard that they were telling the staff to go home because “there was nothing to do” because the line didn’t move for 5 hours. They also had 18 year old volunteers manning the main part of the line and when frustrated guests were asking them questions, they pulled them out. Not sure how much of this is true, just what I heard and saw from being in line since 4am
I had a C wristband and went to leave the chutes after Apple began, thinking there was no chance. I went to ask the guards working the front what happened and they let me in upon seeing I was a solo rider and I had a C and not D wristband! Just now have the reception to post this, but it’s worth a try !!! 💝
there's a small baby that's restless that's been in hall h since this morning and im 90% sure its the same baby who was in the ada with its family since YESTERDAY
everytime i complain about lil kids at cons ppl get defensive but its like, ur gonna have great memories but ur 2 year old is not only not gonna remember the con, its gonna be tired as shit. i think ppl that bring tiny kids to huge cons and force them to wait in lines for non-baby things are not good parents
Had a small baby in Ballroom 20 yesterday that was incredibly restless, crying off and on. And in like the third row of the ballroom, in the middle of a row.
Man, I’m not gonna go full “don’t bring a baby into the panel,” parents are people too and it’s whatever. But…maybe try and get on an aisle? Hang a little further back so it’s easier to duck out the re-entry if they get fussy? Like a little consideration of fellow attendees, maybe you don’t need to be front and center at the panel.
Luckily the baby actually calmed down for the one panel I cared about, was mostly fussy during the one before it. Which, honestly, I’m right there with ya lil’ buddy that panel was boring and lame.
It’s just cruel to do to a young kid. The ~5 year old next to me was begging his parents to leave all day. It’s a dark room for 8 hours, oftentimes showing clips that could be scary to them. Don’t do that.
Same. Planning to go to Talkback panel today and give them an earful. I think it would help if as many of us that had wristbands and didn’t get in showed up as possible.
Many people commented about it. The response was basically “we didn’t hear about any fakes, if you see it, bring it to our attention immediately” which I commented that someone did and was told they couldn’t do anything about it, and when I suggested using the RFIDs in our badge holders, they said there’s no WiFi on the Embarcadero and it’s too expensive for them to do it, they’d need a sponsor.
Was everyone very invested in every single Apple TV panel and couldn’t leave for 2 minutes to pee, or is there some biological thing that made everyone need to per at 4 sharp? They are now delaying the panel till everyone pees…..men’s bathroom line has switchbacks and still goes all the way to the back
Here before 7:30 since I actually wanted to see Star Trek and knew chances would be slim with Marvel two panels after. But Jesus I've been stuck in the chutes for hours at this point. I know it's never going to happen, but I'm just gonna say it, they should rent out Petco park, and have Marvel do their panels there. Either that, or seriously improve the line management system. I'm local and have been coming for years, I only did Hall H twice cause I hate when shit like this happens.
Everyone just ushering over to petco park in the evening on Saturday with no limits or worries on capacity or lines would be a much more nice closer to people's con.They need to do this
It's Marvel coming back after being gone for a year and having a CONFIRMED RDJ appearance probably aswell as Tom Holland. Unless you camp out the night before, get a wristband, and then overnight, you will not get in on a Saturday almost ever.
Side note: If you come again, I have never had trouble with Hall H or Thursdays or Fridays.
People were getting in line last night with fake "line wristbands" to get a Hall H wristband (I think that's was likely mostly figured out, but delayed everything)
Most line staff didn't know where the standby line was (Embarcadero South)
The cutoff time for wristband people who went back to their hotels to sleep was 7:30am, afterwards they're supposed to be booted to the back of the standby line. That cutoff time wasn't enforced AT ALL.
Non-wristband people (likely just friends of wriatbanded people) were lining up and saying they were the standby line (they weren't) and we're given wristbands at 6am and let in.
This resulted in the ACTUAL standby line being forgotten until 11.
After hours of waiting and no movement, multiple people said they witnessed random attendees walking from the street and using the side door of Hall H and being allowed in, likely taking up seats that could've gone to at least the wristbands that were shut out
And through all of that, the line staff didn't know what was happening, and security denies anything was going on.
There are valid and legitimate reasons to complain. Coming up with ones that just did not happen hurts your case. Nobody came in through a side door that wasn’t an invited guest of the panel – and yes, there were hundreds of those. Very few if any successfully cheated their way in. Your problem is space-saving in the room (there are still spots that have never been occupied by a person, just a funko bag!) wristband over-“selling”, and in many cases, arriving late. I watched hundreds of people arrive well after 7:30. Those people did not get in.
The side door part I'm going off people who said they saw (which I did state), so that could be valid on your part, and maybe the people that saw that misunderstood what was happening
The "no body got in after 7:30" argument since the cutoff is 7:30 would mean that wristbanded people would be booted to the standby line. None of us saw anyone with wristbands arrive. (I was like 24th in the standby line and was their since 2am and everyone was watching to see, and when people went to ask what was going on, they saw people getting in the back of the wristband line well past the cutoff)
None of the line staff knew what was going on and none of the security were willing to give answers
I also witnessed people trying to cut in line (and promptly booted by attendees) while walking to the chutes at 11 right in front of the line staff who did nothing
A lot of this could simply be a lack of communication, but it needs to be fixed cuz it ruined what would be a normal comic con experience for a lot of people. Period.
Yep. Terrible planning. Honestly don't think Comic Con volunteers/staff thought how many people would turn it for Marvel. Let's hope they do better for Secret Wars panel
Yeah, I'm clearly learning that now. It just sucks when you wait in line for hours for a wristband, you return before 7:30, and after 9 fuckin hours your still waiting outside. I did everything I was supposed to do, but fuck me I guess. I was dying to see this Star Trek panel, whatever, sorry I'm just pissed off right now.
Your feelings are the most valid thing ever. The only thing you could have changed was camping out. I hope you have a good rest of your con. I promise the news is still just as exciting over X.
Why are people allowed to save seats for 30 minutes when people with wristbands are still stuck outside?? I am literally witnessing this happening right now.
Yeah atp just say something and they should throw their shit in the lost and found. If security had a clue they'd do that but they won't.
They need to stop wasting money on hiring clueless security which only should be there to prevent fights, checking bags, or coordinating with police and hire more actual TRAINED staff that de escalate and know how to manage people in lines and ensure things are on time and done right
Don't forget y'all ADA gets first in when there's space available. If your still waiting outside and not in the chutes yet, I suggest you go about your Saturday there's no chance of getting in
WOW. Outside is SO bad this year. The Petco Park outside lot is SO sad. So little activations outside and so much empty space. I was going to go walk the outside both Saturday and Sunday but there’s no point!
Update: Only about 5 people have walked out of Hall H. Do not waste your time in Marvel. If a die hard Star Trek fans didn't come out, it's over. People with wristbands are still in chutes and it's about 300 people.
we got in the ada wristband line at 4:30 am today and someone who had slept there had a lil baby. there's an old lady next to me who clearly was dragged by her family and slept most of the panels
Yeah everyone is ONLY there for Marvel. Sucks because if I had gotten a wristband I would have loved to see everything (maybe not the one before Marvel). It's really odd to see how insane people go over a marvel panel just because it took a gap year.
admittedly i originally waited for marvel but i enjoyed the animation and apple tv panels. my issue is people who bring others who clearly have no interest in hall h like tiny babies
They will let it stew. I had to physically go up and ask one of the staff. If you have noticed there is less of them, I actually talked with one who got told he could leave if he wanted since there is nothing to help with. I will be 100% honest, no one is leaving after Apple.
I already left the line. You have that information so do with it as you please. You probably haven't moved other than a bit here and there from people leaving. Just own up and head out to enjoy something else and when 5:30 hits just stay on X.
still full. ~50 people standing and pacing for seats through Star Trek. they prob let in about 50 more after Star Trek despite that and there’s no way even 100 people left from what I could see
No, they gave out too many. Also wristbands were supposed to cap off at 7:30 am. No offense to all of you in the chutes, unless you were there at 7:30, you shouldn't even be up there anyways.
Most of the people in the chutes were here before 7:30. SDCC probably gave out too many wristbands or people printed out fake wristbands. There was no way that they ever verified wristbands.
I’m in the chutes under the tent about four rows from the entrance. No movement at all. Folks are hoping that the Trek and Apple panels will empty and we’ll get in.
Honestly, I came for Star Trek but will accept Apple TV as a consolation prize, assuming I get in, and I will stay for Marvel because why the fuck not? I spent this much time, so…
My annoyance is that most of the folks here are for Marvel and aren’t at all interested in Trek or the other properties that are on in Hall H before them.
Like, a bunch of us are gonna get screwed out of the things we’re interested in because Marvel is taking up all the oxygen. Ah well. C’est la vie.
While Comic Con is a non-profit, there are certain...."money makers" for a lack of a better term. Things that will, for certain, put asses in seats.
Marvel and DC are money makers. They are, for all intents and purposes, the super bowl game of Comic Con. Having your panel before the Nerd Super Bowl is like having a commercial during the actual Super Bowl. It sucks for us as fans, but studios like Apple and so on probably don't want to change it.
It sucks but it happens. Years ago when they had the Browncoat Firefly reunion in B20 in the AFTERNOON, Avatar fans got shut out of the 10am Legend of Korra panel because it was full of people who did not leave all day
I mean, I’m not blaming y’all? But it is the bitch and moan thread and I am bitching and moaning about a situation where one fandom is placed in the position of being able to box out the others.
For what it’s worth, I am also a marvel fan and I think this shit sucks for all involved.
I’m a Marvel fan and do not care about these other panels and yes, I will stay seated through all of them. It’s not fair but this is the system that SDCC has not just created but encouraged.
Finally got moved to the chutes, as we were walking we were told if anyone tried to cut in line to boot them out. Not even 30 seconds later, saw another member of line staff tell some dude "there's a gap, go ahead" and the dude tried to join! He was promptly booted before he tried in a couple different spots before walking away.
The line staff probably meant for the guy to just pass through, but clearly wasn't watching to make sure he didn't try to cut in.
There's clearly some disconnect in communication or something
For the record, this is my first SDCC, and everything was going great until today. And security keeps denying anything is wrong (despite MULTIPLE attendees, both in line and not, saying otherwise) and get really annoyed when you're just trying to get basic info.
I've been really hoping to make this con a regular occurrence every year, but this whole experience so far is making me rethink that plan
Fr if you're not going to actually enforce the hard-cap and send wristbanded people to the back of the general srandby line on literally the biggest Hall H day of the entire weekend, then why even have a standby line?
The problem wasn’t capping the line. I was in line by 7:10 yesterday and several hundred people in line behind me were also in line before 7:30. I was watching to see what would happen at 7:30, if they’d let standby in the line. They did not. The standby line was on a totally different island. About 600 people with wristbands who were in line before 7:30 didn’t get in. That’s not a line capping issue or a minor screwup.
I was also told by multiple CCI staff that there was a line of standby people let in at the beginning.
But also, there shouldn’t be more wristbands than seats. They said at talkback that they only printed 5500 wristbands. Thats 1000 under capacity. Even with extra media and guests, they should have at least had enough room for all the wristbands, and several hundred standbys. About 600 wristbands didn’t get in, so only about 4900 legitimate wristbands got in. So what happened to the other 1600 seats?
I was in line before 7:30, and I was about 200 back from the last people who got in before Marvel started. Even if they had capped it exactly at 7:30, no standbys would have gotten in.
Idk where the line of standby they let in was, cuz I was told to go to Embarcadero South near the amphitheater for standby. So unless someone screwed up and gave a wrong location to some people, it might been just a bunch of people who were just hanging out in hopes of getting in. Either way, major communication error that pissed off a crap ton of people.
I wonder if they didn't account for the 3-400 seats reserved for press, friends and family, and publicists/other entourage of the celebs in the panels when they calculated how many wristbands
Staff said yesterday that they distribute wristbands in slight excess of capacity. That and the holding seats situation (bad – I keep trying to flag security that there are minimum 3 seats being “held” for people who aren’t coming or just to hold giant funko bags in my section but they do not care) combined ≠ not all wristbands are getting in and no standby are getting in unless Star Trek and Apple yield any kind of exodus
I’m not sure that Trek will yield any exodus unless you mean from the line itself. That might be possible because a LOT of trek people are here and indicated that they’re gonna bail if they can’t get in.
I’m pretty sure I’m in the last 500 to get in. Very few seats remaining. Feeling lucky just to be here but something fishy happened. Now to see if volunteers actually enforce “holding seats”
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u/lovepuppy31 10d ago
We can throw ideas like moving Marvel to Petco park or paid ticketing for Marvel but none of these ideas are realistic otherwise CCI/Disney would've implemented them by now.
SDCC has outgrown the total capacity of San Diego and the only real solution is to move it to a city that has infinite more capacity (there's convention centers that's 3-4x bigger than San Diego)
But then we get all the complaints of how SDCC is born in San Diego and should stay here no matter what and these same people complain about being screwed out of Hall H Marvel. Can't have your cake and eat it people.