O.C, CA Official Comic - Con 2003 Planning Thread - UPDATE 5/1/03

Comic-Con International

Date:July 17-20
Where:San Diego Convention Center

I have spoken with Justin who is head of exhibits. Who will be helping us with our application. I have also filled out the application for exhibitors and will be sending it in the next couple of days.

This thread will be the planning thread for this event. So post any questions or ideas here.

 

Want me to bring my laptop so we can show the website? (Offline version)

 

That would be a great idea!

 

Ah! Planning for Comic-Con already! Ah!

On a more serious note, I also have a laptop that I take every year that we can use if we need it.

Also, I don't know if anyone has thought of getting a room or not (I don't think they're available to get yet anyway). I usually get a room with a friend at the Hyatt. This year, when the time comes, if I may suggest, we should get a room at either the Hyatt or Marriott. Depending on how many people can make it down (I'll be there all 4 days ) it won't cost much at all and we'll all have a place to crash.

Anyway, just throwing some ideas out so we have something to go on later.

Heh, between us, SDSWS, and the 501st, we can probably take over downtown San Diego

 

Yesssss I am so totally going to comic con this yr!

Last yr I went with 4 friends, hopefully all of them and more will be coming with me this time

I was just wondering about the booth... I would like to work it and stuff, but not everyday. I am more than happy to buy my own way in too, I have lots of $ from my job and not much bills. I was just hoping I could definitely help out.

 

Ok here are some details I remember SD planning for and talking about so I'll list what I remember from their thread on this for the last one.

Our booth: We will set up a schedule for it. I plan on being there all 4 days. I will be pre-registering for it. It doesn't matter if you'll be there all 4 days or just 1. You can work the booth whenever you get a chance. As time groes closer we'll make a sign up sheet for our booth with the times by hour for sign up. We'll also need to find out who is pre-registered as it becomes closer. We will get only 2 or 3 exhibitor badges which allow those people to get in for free which have them. The other people who don't get the exhibitor badges will need to pay to get in or if you volunteer you can get in free also. I think you only have to volunteer for a min of 4 hrs a day. Again as it gets closer to the date I'll have more details. This is only preliminary info for right now, but I wanted to get the planning thread up so we can start with the ideas.

I think 2 laptops would be great. We can use one to have our website up on to display while there as previously mentioned and another for other uses as well. I will keep everyone updated with info here on this thread in regards to when you can pre-register for the con.

A hotel is a great idea also. Even if people don't want to stay the night. We should chip in so we have somewhere to rest for the day when we need a break.

 

The Marriot is closest to the ConCenter so i might stay there....if i can even go. if i can get my next three costume ideas done i can bring those to SD to exibit. how does that sound?

 

That sounds really cool! Yeah, the Marriott is right next door. Remember though, you pay a little more for that. Not as much as I was about to type in, but a little more. For the 2001 con, the Marriott, with a 2 bed room with double beds (assuming I'm reading this right) was 182 per night. That's the same as a 1 bed room with a city view. The Hyatt was 161 for a 1 or 2 bed room with double beds. It's 181 for a 2 bed room with triple and quad beds. As long we avoid the bay view at the Marriott, we'll probably be ok (that gets into the $200 range).

Probably the biggest worry though will be parking. Last year there was so much construction going on that finding free street parking was very difficult. The hotels have parking, but they usually charge more than the con does per day (some will give you the con rate if you tell them you're there for that and you'll also get the in and out privileges). Anyway, I only mention that since it will possibly be cheaper for everyone if one person parks at the hotel and then everyone else finds street parking. You can usually find a spot within walking distance and then the person with the car at the hotel can help you with any luggage you might have.

Looks like current rates for Marriott are $300 per night for 1 king or 2 doubles with a city view.

 

I think all 4 days will be good for me. I can pay if needed, and I'd love to help at the booth (*is reminded that I need to get working on my BF version 3 costume!*).

Hotel room sounds cool.
Possible idea for the laptops, one has the offline website, the other has a 'sign up' type deal where people can sign up for more info or membership.

I've never been to a comic con (yeah, really!) so should be fun!

 

hi guys;

i would like to work the booth. given my medical condition it would be the easiest thing for me to do. [holds hand up] i volunteer! i also have a laptop i can bring. as it doesnt have as much power as the newer ones [its only a p1] but it would be perfect for signups and such. i will plan on staying all 4 days. we talk about rooms and carpooling at the next meeting. looking forward to this as i missed the last one.

 

Well, I'm definitely interested in going, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to go all four days like I would like. I went this last time, but only on Sunday. It was still a great experience!

 

I definitely am going to go all 4 days.

I already told Shawn this but just thought i'd let the rest of you know: The banner, getting an 8 ft by 3 ft from kinkos cost SD FF about $180. My bf's brother works at Kinkos, so i talked to him about getting one through him. He couldn't remember exactly how much his store sells them for, but said it was right around $180. The good news is, he gets a 25% employee discount that he said he'd just LOVE to give me Which is awesome since that will save us almost $50! whoo! And I am sure he'll make sure we get a really good job done on it

I am sooo excited for Comic-Con!

 

We will start taking donations for the banner at our next meeting. Also once I get the new graphic for the T-shirts I'll put the graphics up in the store. Then all sales from the shirts will go towards our banner as well until we get enough money for it.

 

For those of you who have never been to comic-con, I suggest you check out this thread
http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=8221305&replies=15

It offers good advice on how you can survive comic-con by those of us that have been to it before.

 

why you young whippersnapper; i was going to conventions when you were at home playing with star wars figures...wait a minute...you still are...lol...i havent been to one in over 10 years so i am looking forward to this...i assume we will give this a big discussion during our next meeting...

 

Yes we will be discussing this at the next meeting a little more in depth. Remember though, it not till July so we have plenty of time to plan it.

 

Yesss, yesss, plenty of time to plan for precioussss! Oh sorry, I think I got a little Gollum in me

 

Remember everyone the have a costume contest as well. So if you want to make a costume for the contest you might want to start thinking about that now.

 

Hmmm, my laptop can also serve as a 'digital camera dump' as weel as the offline site if needed. I'll probably take several hundred images there. (I took 2,986 images when I went to Oahu last July for 5 days!) So, would we all be renting a room together? Or individually renting a room?
I'll keep an eye out for some good 'sign up' database programs for the other laptop.

 

We can talk about the rooms at the meeting as well. I won't be staying there, instead I will drive back and forth.

 

You're gonna hate driving back and forth. I did that one year. I'll never do it again. I didn't want to come back on sunday, but I had to as I had bid on an item in the art sale and it was going up for voice auction. The other bidder didn't show, so I got the item, but it sucked having to drive back. It's really nice to be able to stay at the con all day and then crash at a hotel because you're to tired to do anything else. Don't have to worry about falling asleep on the way back home.

Regarding separate rooms or individual. I figure we can start with one room and if we have enough people we can get 2. Maybe we can even get adjoining rooms. I have a sleeping bag and am willing to sleep on the floor if it's necessary to get everyone in the room. One thing a friend of mine does (if there's a lot of people staying in the room) is give a small discount to people who sleep on the floor. You want a bed, you pay the regular rate. You sleep on the floor, discount. We can discuss it more at the next meeting though. Rooms aren't usually available until January or February anyway.

 

If that's the case, I think all of us will volunteer to sleep on the floor I wouldn't mind being on the floor either with my sleeping bag.

 

FYI- So. CA 501st and Rebel Legion will have our own tables next year! We've already applied. But I'm not sure if we'll be in the Fan Club area again, we applied early and I think we are getting placed in another area.

We are planning on all staying at the Hyatt.

Jeff T.
So. CA 501st Garrison
So. CA Rebel Base Commander

 

Jeff, I just sent in my application so I'll call and find out some info next week. A question for you though. Are you guys getting a free table or are you guys paying for it? If you guys are getting a free table then maybe luck will be on our side and we'll be able to try and get next to you guys. If you're paying for it I don't think we'll be able to close to you guys.

Also do you have a contact at Comic-Con? If you could you forward his info to me. any contacts you might have may certainly help out.

 

I've never gone to one of these before so you guys will have to tell me more about it and what to expect. I think I am interested in attending though. And I like the idea of sharing one room so it's cheaper. I don't mind sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. Also I would be more than happy to volunteer time. Any rough idea on how much I can expect to spend for everything? It would be nice to know how much I need so I can start saving for it early.