New York Comic Con hosts many panels each year over the four days of the east coast’s largest comic book and pop culture convention. But it’s easy to set yourself for four days of disappointment if you don’t get on top of your reservations panel this week. Don’t worry, not every panel requires a reservation. But the most popular panels definitely do. If you like spending your days at NYCC in the seats of the Main Stage or Empire Stage, you’ll want to read these tips.
Prepare your panel and autograph want lists!
NYCC panels and autograph sessions open for reservation this Thursday, September 26 at 12 noon. Before that time comes, review all the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday panels ahead of time. You don’t want to get to the selection screen and start deciding then? Why? Because panel and autograph reservations can sell out even while they’re in your cart. You want to head into that selection screen on the 26th with laser focus on what you want. Get in, get out.
Mind the 35 minute buffer between panels
This is one that messes up a lot of people who overreach when picking their panels. The NYCC reservation system will not let you check out and complete your reservations if you have panels and/or autograph sessions that overlap each other, or start/end within 35 minutes of each other. This is to make sure people have enough time to get out of the panel they were in to make it to their next one. If you pick panels or autograph sessions that are too close together on the schedule, even if they’re in the same room, you won’t be able to check out until you go back and resolve that. And how many panels in your cart will sell out while you’re fixing it? Don’t put yourself in the situation to find out.
Be on your device before noon on Thursday
You will want to be logged into your NYCC Showclix account ahead of NYCC panel and autograph sessions opening up at noon on Thursday. Once logged in, you’ll be placed in a waiting room and then assigned a random queue assignment while waiting on the walking man traveling across your screen. Anyone whose ever dealt with ticket buying or reservations for NYCC in the past few years was very familiar with the walking man.
Pay attention to the walking man
Don’t miss your turn because you tabbed over to another window or were doing something else on your phone. Sure, you don’t need to stare at your screen as the walking man takes his sweet time, but don’t miss out on the hot NYCC panels because you weren’t paying attention.
Pick fast, get out
Once it’s your turn, consult your list, record everything you want that is still available and check out! There, you did it! Now, go enjoy yourself some NYCC (and be sure to check out all The Beat’s coverage on NYCC leading up to the con for more tips)!
