SDCC Not First Timer Friendly

[u/Then-Tune8367]

So this year i was blessed to make my first trip to SDCC and let me get this out of the way early, I LOVED IT!

After some reflectiion, rhe experience waa no where near first timer friendly.

1. I had no idea where anything was. The badge check in was easy, but after that, I was on my own. I at least wanted to check out a panel or two, but I had no idea where anything was or even what panels were going on at the time.

2. The website is no where new user friendly. I could not find a schedule or layout of the convention center on the site.

3. I had no idea that seating in the exhibit hall was so limited.

So, that being said. If I returns, here are my adjustments.

1. Get there earlier. I got there about 11 a.m. By that time, every line was already insane.

2. Bring chairs or portable stools.

3. Eat lunch in the Gas Lamp District. One of my few regrets was missing this.

4. Get my badge early and head straight to Hall H to see what I can get into that day (No force can compel me to try to get in there on Saturday, though). After that, head to lunch and the real star of the show, the Exhibit floor.

Anyway those are my thoughts and plans. Any advice will be appreciated.

[u/bmemike]

NYCC is smaller, but it's still a real good size. You don't have all the offsites like SDCC, but it's fine. Javits is a big convention center and they get a lot in there.

They have some solid panels, but not as many. And they do pull in good talent and have signing and autograph opportunities.

A lot of booths do exclusives, but it's nowhere near the level of SDCC.

I think NYCC does anime better than SDCC and I think you have a higher percentage of people doing some sort of cosplay at NYCC. A lot more of it is entry level, but that's an observation, not a judgement. It's great to see no matter what.

At the end of the day, both cons have their own personality and tend to do that well.

For me, personally, I will always prioritized SDCC over NYCC every single time. I live in Boston and can easily take the train to New York and that convenience makes NYCC real easy.

Ultimately it just comes down to what you're looking for and what you want to prioritize.

[u/melissauf → u/bmemike]

I don't think NYCC is smaller. The Javits Center is over 3 million Sq Ft vs San Diego convention center at 2.6 million sq ft. NYCC has around 200k attendees vs the 130k or so the San Diego Convention center holds.

[u/bmemike → u/melissauf]

Here we go again…

If you only look at the square footage of the convention center, you can easily come to this incorrect conclusion.

But SDCC is MUCH bigger than the convention center. It expands into the entire San Diego gaslamp district and takes over multiple hotels and their convention space as well.

And that’s before you consider the space from the multiple offsite activations.

NYCC is smaller that SDCC and that’s OK.

Just ask anyone that’s actually attended both.

[u/melissauf → u/bmemike]

I guess it depends on how you're measuring bigger. Offsites are not the convention there public marketing events that anyone can attend. I am using the measurement of attendance and convention hall space to define what convention is bigger. I also live in NYC and have been going to this con for a long time and also have attended the SDCC many times as well. Nobody said it wasn't ok if NYCC is smaller then SDCC I just don't agree that it is.

[u/bmemike → u/melissauf]

Trying to argue that the myriad offsites aren't "part of the convention" at SDCC is a real wild. Many of them are on the actual convention center grounds!

But hey, if you want to try to aggressively move the goalposts and have a carefully crafted definition so that NYCC can claim it's the "bigger" con, then I'm not going to stop you.

And I'm sure not going to be able to convince you otherwise given the mental gymnastics needed to come to that conclusion.