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| Source: saltlakecomiccon.com |
It's that time of year again, and you know what that means. That's right, it's Comic Con time in Salt Lake City, and I am very excited to go and have some wonderful nerdy fun with friends and family!
With each year, Salt Lake Comic Con has been getting bigger and bigger, which also likely means that each year brings in a lot of newcomers to the Comic Con scene. It can be pretty overwhelming to a first-timer at Comic Con, so here are 10 tips I learned over the years that will make your experience even better.
1. Register Early
Whether you have a pass for all three days or just one day, it's probably a good idea to register and get your wristbands early. The lines for registration can take forever, and if you're here for only one day, it's not a great way to spend your limited time. Here are the times for preregistration to get you an early start to the day. You can also register early on Thursday.
If you bought your tickets early and have already received your wristbands, make sure to activate them before you go. Then you can just go right in!
2. Buy Autographs and Photo-ops Before
Is there a celebrity you're dying to meet and get a picture with? Are you so excited to get your favorite actor's signature? Well, then you should buy your autographs and photo-ops ahead of time before Comic Con even starts. Doing so will help you avoid the lines to buy them, though you still may have a long line to meet the celebrity.
3. Plan Your Day around Panels
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| Salt Lake Comic Con 2014 source: saltlakecomiccon.com |
One of the cool things about Comic Con is all of the free panels that you can go to. They offer everything from celebrity Q&As to cosplay tips to discussions of how superheroes are contributing to pop culture.
Make sure you look through the different panels being offered that day and see which ones you'd like to go to. (Note, to any aspiring writers, there are often several panels that give you tips on writing that are very interesting.)
4. Download the App
I normally don't push people to download apps, but this is a fantastic one to get. The Salt Lake City Comic-Con app gives you access to all kinds of helpful information. It gives you a map, list of celebrities and vendors, and more.
My favorite part of the map is the master schedule. With this feature, you have access to the entire list of panels and events that are happening each day. The best part is that you can save the events you want to go to and even set up an alarm to remind you of when that event is coming up. I've found it really useful when I was planning my days and deciding what panels I wanted to go to. This app will make your experience at Comic Con ten times easier.
5. Drink Water and Eat Food
At these types of events, it's really easy to forget to take care of yourself. There's just so many exciting things happening that things like food and water become a second thought. My first time at Comic-Con, I nearly passed out because I had barely eaten all day because I was so distracted.
Bring your own water bottle that you can refill at drinking fountains. Bring snacks too to keep you going through the day. (They will allow you to bring food and drink). Definitely eat lunch (you can eat at the convention center, which can be a bit pricey, or you can go a couple blocks to City Creek to grab some food. There are quite a few good options in that area.) Just make sure you're taking care of your body while you're having a blast.
6. Set a Spending Budget
This one seems a bit like a no-brainer, but I often forget to do this, and the next thing I know, I've spent a lot more money than I should have. The exhibit and vendor floor is an awesome place full of amazing things you could buy. For me personally, I'm a sucker for art and usually walk away from each Comic Con with at least a few new pieces.
It's a good idea to set a budget so you don't go overboard on spending, which can be really easy to do at Comic Con.
7. Cosplayers, Bring an Emergency Kit
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| Source: saltlakecomiccon.com |
If you're cosplaying/dressing up at Comic Con (which you totally should, it's awesome), it's a really good idea to bring an emergency kit. This has some things that can fix up your costume should it get accidentally damaged. This kit could included safety pins, duct tape, superglue, etc.
Also if you've painted your face, you'll definitely want to bring your makeup to do touch-ups because you will need them. You'll be walking around for 8+ hours, so it's good to have some things to keep your cosplay pristine. Now if you forgot to bring one and you do have a problem, they do have a station where they can help you fix your costume.
8. Bring a Backpack
This is something I've found to be super helpful. Having some kind of bag, whether it was a backpack or a purse was great since it gave me a place to store a water bottle, some snacks, and any emergency supplies for my costume. You can also shove things you bought into there to free your hands up.
9. Carpool, if Possible
Parking around the Salt Palace Convention Center can be a pain around Comic Con time (and expensive). For those of you that will be driving up from cities near Salt Lake, carpooling is a great way to save on gas and money. Parking just one car split different ways is much cheaper than parking multiple cars.
10. And Finally, Relax and Have Fun!
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| Source: starwars.com |
It's true that Comic Con can be a little stressful sometimes, and things may not go according to your plan. Maybe you won't be able to get into the panel you wanted, or maybe traffic made you late to some things. Maybe the crowds will be a bit heavier than you expected, or maybe your cosplay has having some issues.
But just keep in mind that that's just part of the experience and part of life. Don't let a few setbacks keep you from enjoying your time at Comic-Con!
Alright I hope some of those tips helped you out. I look forward to seeing you at Comic-Con!
Later folks!
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