Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Comic Con and Crowd Control



San Diego Comic Con has become a nearly impossible event to attend. The comic book and pop culture event puts a cap on attendees of 130,000. Tickets for Comic Con 2014 sold out in approximately two hours.

With this many attendees and this high of a demand, crowd control is important. Attendees, volunteers, and guests all need to be kept safe, and this can be a challenge with so many people in one area. This challenge has been met in many ways, such as capping attendance, managing traffic movement, having lottery systems, and more.

Event organizers should take a good look at how Comic Con manages crowd control. While the organizers are far from perfect, their methods work fairly well considering the scale of the crowd. Certain corridors are transformed into one-way walkways to make pedestrian traffic more manageable. Comic Con also has events in more than just the convention center. Utilizing multiple venues can help diffuse crowds.

But there’s only so many volunteers and officers to police the crowds. One of the largest complaints with Comic Con itself is the lines for panels. Specifically, lines for the large panels. Getting into Hall H is considered something of a miracle, and it’s almost necessary to camp out overnight to get a spot in the hall.

However, Comic Con does have some strict rules when it comes to lining up for panels to help with crowd control. If you are an attendee planning to try for Hall H, take a look at our tips below. This will not only help the staff trying to keep the event running smoothly, but it will also ensure that you won’t be removed from the line or have your badge revoked.

Comic Con Tips

~ Line up Early. If you want a chance of getting into one of the larger rooms like Hall H, plan to be there at least four hours early….but really it should be more. Some people line up before midnight the night before, and while that’s not necessary it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the line overnight. 

~ Camping is not allowed in line. This means no tents, cots, heaters, large fans, open flames, and more. Do not bring these items as they take up a large amount of space and you will likely be removed from the line.

~ Do not save space for friends to join you in line. The attendees around you may report you to a line monitor, and you will all be removed. That’s not to say you cannot take breaks if you are waiting in line. Have your group arrive together and take turns having food and bathroom breaks.

~ While camping is not allowed, some items are. A “normal sized” chair, blankets, and sleeping bags are all allowed as long as it only takes up the space of one person.

~ If you plan on staying in line overnight, keep it down. You will be waiting in a public area and making a large amount of noise, dancing outside of the line, and running around creates traffic issues and unnecessary noise.

~ Respect the grounds and do not leave garbage and belongings behind. 

~ Be polite to those around you. It is understandable that tempers may flare while waiting in line and surrounded by people, but starting arguments will only cause more problems. Don’t make another problem where there doesn’t need to be one.

~If you don’t get into the panel you want, don’t throw a fit. With as many attendees as there are, it is simply not possible. Go out and enjoy other parts of the convention. Not everyone makes it into Hall H, but don’t let that ruin your experience.

Comic Con is not for the faint of heart. While the convention itself is organized as best as can be expected, the heavy crowds and packed schedules can be too much for some people. Know what to expect before you try for a ticket, and use common sense while attending the convention. This will make the experience better for everyone.