dem1138 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 2 hours ago, nearmint said: Easier, and cheaper, to book one of the early bird hotels and take the con shuttle to the convention center. I'm all ears - how/when do you book one of the early bird hotels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearmint Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 4 minutes ago, dem1138 said: I'm all ears - how/when do you book one of the early bird hotels? This year they became available on March 23rd. I booked at the Doubletree by Hilton in Mission Valley, 6 miles from the convention center, for $205 per night. We stayed there last year and liked it a lot. No lottery, no having to list 6 choices, no hitting F5 for hours on a Saturday morning. Very easy. Only drawback is that you pay upfront and it's nonrefundable. BassGMan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem1138 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 (edited) 4 minutes ago, nearmint said: This year they became available on March 23rd. I booked at the Doubletree by Hilton in Mission Valley, 6 miles from the convention center, for $205 per night. We stayed there last year and liked it a lot. No lottery, no having to list 6 choices, no hitting F5 for hours on a Saturday morning. Very easy. Only drawback is that you pay upfront and it's nonrefundable. Oh I thought this would be for a closer hotel. I paid less than that for my own cottage closer to the con in a cool neighborhood with lots of coffee shops and restaurants and close to the trolley/train that goes right to the con. The only value to me with a hotel over an airbnb these days would be if it was much closer to the show at around the same net cost. Hotels upcharge for everything (including wifi) and you're a little trapped when they're off the beaten path. Edited July 13, 2017 by dem1138 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearmint Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 5 minutes ago, dem1138 said: Oh I thought this would be for a closer hotel. I paid less than that for my own cottage closer to the con in a cool neighborhood with lots of coffee shops and restaurants and close to the trolley/train that goes right to the con. The only value to me with a hotel over an airbnb these days would be if it was much closer to the show at around the same net cost. Hotels upcharge for everything (including wifi) and you're a little trapped when they're off the beaten path. I love airbnb. Just spent 9 days in one up in Canada, but I'd be nervous booking one for SDCC. They can cancel your reservation anytime, and then what? I don't mind being a bit away from the convention center because I have a car. I just buy parking closer to the convention center and use that if I'm not in the mood for the shuttle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem1138 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 1 minute ago, nearmint said: I love airbnb. Just spent 9 days in one up in Canada, but I'd be nervous booking one for SDCC. They can cancel your reservation anytime, and then what? I don't mind being a bit away from the convention center because I have a car. I just buy parking closer to the convention center and use that if I'm not in the mood for the shuttle. Speaking of that - how close can you get before the traffic gets bad? If you're taking an Uber to the con, where's a sensible place where they can drop you off and you can walk without sitting in traffic wasting time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearmint Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 1 minute ago, dem1138 said: Speaking of that - how close can you get before the traffic gets bad? If you're taking an Uber to the con, where's a sensible place where they can drop you off and you can walk without sitting in traffic wasting time? I usually arrive each day around 8:30 am, and traffic really isn't that bad. An uber could drop you anywhere in the Gaslamp pretty easily, then you just walk across the street to the convention center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem1138 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 13 minutes ago, nearmint said: I usually arrive each day around 8:30 am, and traffic really isn't that bad. An uber could drop you anywhere in the Gaslamp pretty easily, then you just walk across the street to the convention center. Great info, thanks. If you have a 4 day pass, how early can you go in? Can you get in at 8:30am? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortboxed Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 42 minutes ago, dem1138 said: Great info, thanks. If you have a 4 day pass, how early can you go in? Can you get in at 8:30am? Expo hall opens at 9:30am. If you're not trying to line up early to get in, then just wait to stroll in after 9:30am once the masses have been let in. Just grab some breakfast and wait until the front doors are open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGMan Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 4 hours ago, nearmint said: Easier, and cheaper, to book one of the early bird hotels and take the con shuttle to the convention center. Yes, this will be my third year doing that. About $250 per night at Sheraton San Diego Marina three miles away. Easy cheesy, get it done early and no stress, no mess. No hotel phone raffle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGMan Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 1 hour ago, shortboxed said: Expo hall opens at 9:30am. If you're not trying to line up early to get in, then just wait to stroll in after 9:30am once the masses have been let in. Just grab some breakfast and wait until the front doors are open. Exactly. Hall opens at 9:30 so if you want a full day plan on arriving about 9:45. Lining up before 9:30 is an utter waste of time, and you'll only be let in a few minutes before those who waltz right up at 9:45. Sometimes they even let the masses in up front right at 9:30 too. Much of the time people stand in lines can be completely avoided if not being so eager to get a few minute jump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justafan Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 3 hours ago, BassGMan said: Exactly. Hall opens at 9:30 so if you want a full day plan on arriving about 9:45. Lining up before 9:30 is an utter waste of time, and you'll only be let in a few minutes before those who waltz right up at 9:45. Sometimes they even let the masses in up front right at 9:30 too. Much of the time people stand in lines can be completely avoided if not being so eager to get a few minute jump. Is there any benefit to being among the first of the masses to be let in? Might the only advantage for getting in line before 9:30 be to try and be among those in first to enter to be able to go start lining up for some high demand early panel, show exclusive, or something with limited availability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimelyFinds Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 If anyone has an extra badge for Friday, please shoot me a pm. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortboxed Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 1 hour ago, justafan said: Is there any benefit to being among the first of the masses to be let in? Might the only advantage for getting in line before 9:30 be to try and be among those in first to enter to be able to go start lining up for some high demand early panel, show exclusive, or something with limited availability? Yes, exactly. Some booths have exclusives that people will camp out overnight for. There's also panels in the big rooms like Hall H, Ballroom 20, 6BCF, Indigo, etc that people camp out or line up early for. Same goes for autographs. If you're not interested in any of that and just want to walk around the expo hall or attend smaller panels, then no need to line up before the doors open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGMan Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 55 minutes ago, shortboxed said: Yes, exactly. Some booths have exclusives that people will camp out overnight for. There's also panels in the big rooms like Hall H, Ballroom 20, 6BCF, Indigo, etc that people camp out or line up early for. Same goes for autographs. If you're not interested in any of that and just want to walk around the expo hall or attend smaller panels, then no need to line up before the doors open. That is one of the reasons people line up before the open, but many have lined up for hours in advance and ended up disappointed as well. Yes, if you go stand in line hours in advance of the open you MIGHT have a better chance of lining up inside (yay, another line!) at a booth before others but there is no guarantee. A few things to think about. Plenty of people are roaming around and getting in line at vendor booths before the show opens. Other dealers, dealer helpers, and others who have somehow just got in. Believe me, plenty of people get in before the open though most have some kind of connection. Sometimes the masses that crowd up front who all arrive at 9:30 are let in at the same time they start letting in the line of everyone who has lined up in advance. For example, you get in line (I think in flag pavilion) around 8:00 am, and as the first of this line is slowly starting to be let in, sometimes they open the doors in front also at 9:30 and the masses pile in. Other times they wait until 9:45 or so until much of the upstairs line has already filed in before opening the main doors. I've seen it both ways. Also, for those in-demand exclusives, I have heard quite a few times that they are sold out of that day's allotment even before the open. What am I saying here? Sure, go spend an hour or two in line before the open and it MIGHT increase your odds to get some nifty exclusive, but no guarantee. With so much to do there I usually advise that our time is more valuable than a nifty toy, but that's just me. Do whatever suits you. Just remember, if you aren't so eager you really can avoid most lines at the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerrysComics Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Hi Boardies, See you in San Diego, I'll be bringing thousands of DC comics from the Jerome Wenker collection that were just processed and this will be their first showing. the following is a list: Alan Ladd #1-9 ALL AMERICAN MEN OF WAR #22-117 ALL STAR WESTERN #1-11 All Star Western #58-119 All-Flash #1-32 Aquaman #6-63 Batman #151-300 BATMAN annuals #1-7 BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE #1-9th BINKY #72-82 BINKY'S BUDDIES #1-12 Bob Hope #1-32 Challengers of the unknown #1-23 Congo Bill #1-7 Dale Evans #1-24 Danger Trail #1-5 DARK MANSION OF FORBIDDEN LOVE #1-4 DATE WITH DEBBI #1-18 DATE WITH DEBBI #1-11 Date with Judy #21-79 Dean and Jerry #1-40 Detective Comics #251-350 FALLING IN LOVE #51-143 FIRESTORM #1,#3 FLASH #125-200 FORBIDDEN TALES OF DARK MANSION #5-15 FOX & THE CROW #24-108 Frontier Fighters #1- 8 G.I. COMBAT #44-175 Gang Busters #1-67 GIRLS' LOVE STORIES #35-180 GIRLS' LOVE STORIES #33-160 Green Lantern #1-100 Hawkman #1 HEART THROBS #47-146 Hopalong Cassidy #86-135 House of Mystery #1-36 House of Secrets #1-25 it's Game time #1-4 Jimmy Olsen #1-57 Jimmy wakely #1-10 LEAVE IT TO BINKY #62-71 Leave it to binky #1-61 legends of daniel boone #1-8 lois lane #1-30 Mamy loves of Dobie Gillis #1-26 mr. District Attorney #67 Mutt & Jeff #1-103 My Greatest Adventure #1-26 Mystery in Space #51-75 New Fun 1-6 More Fun #7-8 OUR ARMY AT WAR #33-230 Pat Boone #1-5 Picture Stories From the Bible all picture stories history #1-4 Real Fact #1-21 Rip Hunter #1-6 Robin Hood #7-14 Romance Trail #1-6 Rudolf 1950-1962 Scribbly #1-15 sea devils #4 secret hearts #1-27 Star Spangled #1-130 Strange Adventures #1-54 Superman #121-150 Superman A#1-4 Tales of the Unexpected #1-68 TITLE issues Tomahawk #1-78 TV SCREEN CARTOONS #129-138 Western Comics #1- 50 YOUNG LOVE #39-126 YOUNG ROMANCE #125-208 also two low grade copies of Amazing Fantasy #15 over 40 Good Girl Comics including 75% of the Millie the Model run. Broadway Blackouts, Farmers Daughter, Patsy Walker #1 and many others. lots of new Golden age comics as well. Best Regards, Terry O'Neill Terry's Comics thirdgreenham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 15 hours ago, justafan said: Is there any benefit to being among the first of the masses to be let in? Might the only advantage for getting in line before 9:30 be to try and be among those in first to enter to be able to go start lining up for some high demand early panel, show exclusive, or something with limited availability? A lot of the high demand exclusives require tickets and people get there in the early morning to get a ticket for the right to buy the product. In general, there aren't many free for alls for anything really popular. For the panels, there are lines that start the night before and the real keeners stay in line the whole day even though you get a wrist band that night. Even with the wrist band, you still have to arrive early in the morning the next day to be in the line when they eventually let people into the applicable halls. It's one thing if the panel you want to see is early but if it's a later panel, people just tend to stay there the whole day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Addendum to above If you do have Preview night, it is a free for all on that night for the exclusives though. aardvark88 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awax Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 9 hours ago, greggy said: Addendum to above If you do have Preview night, it is a free for all on that night for the exclusives though. That's the night I push you out of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 Just now, Awax said: That's the night I push you out of the way. I have a dealer's pass so I won't be getting of that junk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunky Brian Posted July 15, 2017 Share Posted July 15, 2017 BunkyBrothers will be there, have two booths, # 5521 This year will be bringing 60 long boxes of mostly SA BA, priced from $6.00 to $60.00 !! All neatly bagged, boarded, graded, and priced. BRING YOUR WANT LISTS! PLEASE STOP BY AND SAY HELLO, BRIAN KENNY AND BOBO shortboxed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
