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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

I.E., CA The Comic Con 2005 Info Thread

Discussion in 'Pacific Regional Discussion' started by Miana Kenobi, Jun 5, 2005.

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  1. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    Since someone suggested it, I thought it would be a good idea to post it up. :)

    What is Comic Con?
    Comic Con is a yearly convention held in San Diego for 4 days. It is like the convention to go to. No matter what fandom you go there for, you can find it. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Stargate, Batman. The convention center is filled with thousands upon thousands of booths. There is an entire section dedicated to art, one dedicated to comics and Anime, and then a ton of others.

    When is it?
    Comic Con this year is July 14-17 with preview night on Wednesday the 13. Admission is either $60 for a 4 day pass (which you can purchase online) or I believe $25 per day (which I believe varies depending on which day).

    It's not too late to register!

    What do you do?
    You walk. A lot. You can check out booths, buy a lot of stuff, test video games (we got to play SW Battlefront before it came out), meet and greet, go to panels (I was the naughty girl last year and skipped the Star Wars panel for a Lord of the Rings panel.) There's also fun trivia stuff, free movies that go on long into the night (some at the convention center, others next door at the Hyatt in the ballroom), and the yearly Masquerade, where you see some of the craziest costumes on display. :)

    Okay, What's So Good About it?
    1) Lots of free stuff. Usually all the major tables are giving out free things, from trading cards to keychains to packs of playing cards, everything on up to celebrity autographs.

    Celebrities, you say??
    Oh aye. There are a ton of celebrities that attend. If you like autographs, you're in luck!
    People whom I saw at last year's Con:
    Mark Hamil
    Carrie Fisher
    Ray Parks
    Amy Allen
    Peter Mayhew
    Jake Lloyd
    Daniel Logan
    Jeremy Bulloch
    Shannon Baksa McRandle
    Michonne Bourriague
    Kenny Baker
    Timothy Zahn
    Greg Bear
    Kevin J. Anderson
    Billy Boyd
    Dominic Monaghan
    David Wenham
    Kal Penn
    John Cho
    Jessica Biel
    Ryan Renolds
    Stan Lee

    (And many, MANY more. As you can tell, I hung out in the Star Wars pavillion a lot).

    Who Else Is There?
    Star Wars has it's own giant Pavillion. But also, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, The Sci Fi Channel, New Line Cinemas, basically everyone.

    So I can just rent a hotel room?
    At this point in time, I'd say "GOOD LUCK." The hotels open up booking for Comic Con in Feb. and are already completely full. My suggestion is either get a hotel outside of downtown and drive, or if you have friends in SD, even better.

    Okay, so what's the catch?
    There's no catch. Comic Con is by far one of the best experiences of my life. I had such a blast last year in con.

    A few notes, though:
    Comic Con last year had a record attendance of 80,000 people. Mind you, this place does not have the best air conditioning.
    * During the busy days of Friday & Saturday, the place is packed. It will be about 90° inside the convention hall.
    * If you want to go to any event or major celebrity autographing, you're going to be in a line. If you are xenophobic or claustrophobic (like myself), consider yourself warned.

    So I'm stuck downstairs?
    Absolutely not! The bottom hall is where all the booths are located. Most of the autograph signings are upstairs. Also, there are many private rooms that will be showing films all day in the upper rooms (where it is very nice and cool!)

    Are costumes allowed?
    HECK YES!! The costumes is one thing that is makes Con so great! You will find every kind of costume imaginable. Tons of Jedi, Sith, Anime characters, Stormtroopers, Movie characters. People get so creative. I even have pictures of the original Inland Empire Fan Force all dressed up as pirates (our former President/Chapter Rep makes a MEAN Jack Sparrow!), then they later dressed up as the X-Men. I myself will be in costume.

    So I have to carry my stuff around?
    Well, for the most part, yes. I suggest a backpack, and bring your own water. However, the San Diego Star Wars Society will
     
  2. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    we will be there
     
  3. AboutaSith

    AboutaSith Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 13, 2005
    Darn it, this totally slipped my mind. I'll have to remember next years so I can get it booked well in advance.
     
  4. Squall_Skywalker

    Squall_Skywalker Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2003
    If I am not completely broke after AX and I can get a ride together, I shall go there.
     
  5. jdijade

    jdijade Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    True, rooms are hard to come by this close to the Con, but if ComicCon sounds cooler than all reason, don't despair yet! :_|

    I've slid in at the last minute a few times. Just last year I reservations at the Omni (right across the street) a few weeks beforehand! (Val Kilmer stayed there and walked in right ahead of us.) Don't rely on ComicCon's hotel service, though--do your own recon.

    I'm planning on doing touristy Sea World stuff with the baby while my spouse attends the Con, but if there's going to be any off-site IEFF dinner or breakfast things I'd love to try and meet up with you guys.

    Oh speaking of ComicCon--I checked some photos posted from last year and realized I should mention that my baby was the one in the X-men costume.

    Janell
     
  6. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    LOL! That was your kid with Mike?? Too awesome! :D


    And yes, I hope we can have a dinner/lunch one day! :)
     
  7. jdijade

    jdijade Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    <<LOL! That was your kid with Mike?? Too awesome! >>

    Uh yeah well it's his kid too LOL. [face_laugh]

    Janell
     
  8. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    We are going as a family. I gotta call and try to find a reasonably priced room.....any suggestions? The SanDiego Heral Tribune is doing a peice on us. :)
     
  9. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    Uh yeah well it's his kid too LOL

    :oops:
     
  10. citizenjohn

    citizenjohn Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 4, 2001
    Too bad I wont be able to make it this year. C3 was a lot and Im saving up for Dragon Con. But I promise to try to make it next year.
     
  11. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Kal Penn
    John Cho ??????????????????????????????? weird
     
  12. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    They were there for Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. :p
     
  13. Arma_Geda-Mandalore

    Arma_Geda-Mandalore Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2003
    Rachel,

    I had a good time with ol' Ray Bradbury a few years ago. The old dude's a trip, and I can tell you a couple funny tales. Next time I see you, I'll tell you how I totally tripped him out with a request he'd never heard before for signing a book.
     
  14. jdijade

    jdijade Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    <<Uh yeah well it's his kid too LOL
    :oops:>>

    Yeah, I was the artist formerly known as Invisible Wife. [face_laugh]
     
  15. Squall_Skywalker

    Squall_Skywalker Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2003
    ****! HAROLD AND KUMAR! OOOH HELL YES! THAT IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE! AHH! YESSS!
     
  16. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    I know what they were in, but it's just weird. Just like a few years ago the Corey's were there.
     
  17. jdijade

    jdijade Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    Anita,

    I saw several room possibilities a ways from the convention center. The closest I saw was a Days Inn Harbor View, but they want well over $200 a night, which I thought was silly for a Days Inn-caliber place. At this point you'll likely be off the shuttle route, so you'll have to drive from your hotel to the con.

    Well, we ended up scrambling for a room. A friend who'd booked a block of rooms at the Embassy Suites six months ago realized this week he hadnt' gotten enough, so we were left in the lurch. I'm getting us in at the Days Inn between the con and Sea World, since I'm taking the baby there anyway.

    If you have AAA, they still have some decent rates posted on their web site. Give it a try.

    So, anyone up for an after hours dinner thing one of the nights? Anyone going Thursday?
     
  18. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    I don't ahve AAA. I wish I did. I only need a room for Friday night. I have been looking around online and calling; ugh!
    Thanks for the info. Let me kow if you run across anything. Thanks
     
  19. jdijade

    jdijade Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    Uh, I don't have AAA this year either but I used their site to find rooms and compare amenities. [face_whistling]
    Then I went to the hotel's web site to make reservations(and the site had a better room than the type all the online travel sites were offering, too)!
     
  20. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Ah Good idea! Thanks so much!
     
  21. Rachel_Moonstar

    Rachel_Moonstar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2003
    I shall go again.

    I missed out last year and was very sad.
     
  22. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    SHE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:
     
  23. Rachel_Moonstar

    Rachel_Moonstar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2003
    RAWR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    *stomps around*
     
  24. kitchenvixen

    kitchenvixen Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2005
    If anyone is looking for reasonable rooms, We got in at a good price at the Days Inn by sea World
     
  25. Drgnfyre4

    Drgnfyre4 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Whom from here is planning on going this year? I know my friend Kieth aka Zendragon the moderator over at Raiderquest is trying to coordinate costumed group photos around the Star Wars group photo taken traditionally under the sails upstairs on Friday which is also known as Star Wars day, and with luck he and Tracy will have thier dead on accurate Han Solo and Mara Jade outfits. I myself am working around two other different costuming group photos all taken on the same day, but if there were going to be enough of us from this group it would be fun to gather together in costume during the big Star Wars photo. I am tentatively planning on wearing my Vader suit for that photo...Jimmy and Anita, are you guys going in costume that day? Any others please chime in and let me know, would be fun.
     
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