There’s a million things to do at New York Comic Con. With screenings, autographs, photo-ops, artist alley, the showroom floor, and more there’s something for everyone. If panels happen to be your jam, here’s some advice to help you navigate the busy schedule and new reservation system along with some tips and tricks for devising a strategy that’ll help you see what you want to see:
Main Stage & Empire Stage Panels
As they’ve done for the last few years, NYCC will once again clear the room in between Main Stage and Empire Stage panels at the Javits Center. I’m generally a fan of this approach, but less enthused with the execution of the process in getting a seat, which I’ll explain more below.
Like NYCC did in 2021, seats for Main Stage and Empire Stage panels have to be reserved in advance via their online system. No more lining up in the queue hall in the morning to ‘tap your badge’ for the day’s panels.
You can reserve up to 4 panels on Thursday, 5 panels on Friday, 6 panels on Saturday, and 3 panels on Sunday between the Main Stage and Empire Stage. At the time of this post, the reservation system is live and it looks to remain open through the con; however just about everything filled up FAST so you may already be out of luck. Keep checking though, if someone opts to drop something from their schedule the spot will open back up.
It’s crucial that you plan ahead (or cut your losses). According to the NYCC website, “We will be adding 100% of the seats in the Main Stage and Empire Stage in this reservation system. If you don’t secure your reservation, there will be a small standby line onsite, but seating is not guaranteed”.
Read more about it here: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/explore/reservations.html
Additional Advice for Attending Panels in Other Rooms
Use Social Media
Follow @NYCCLines on Twitter and monitor the hashtag #NYCC and #NYCC21. Can’t hurt to keep an eye on Instagram as well to get an idea of what’s going on if you haven’t arrived yet, are sitting in another panel, or simply elsewhere in the Javits Center like Artist Alley or the Show Floor. People frequently post about the length of lines and other pertinent info relevant to most con-goers.
I’ve found social media to be especially useful in the morning; it’s a great way to see how long the line is before the doors open. Just don’t believe everything you read or see. Not everyone knows what they are talking about or sometimes they just exaggerate the situation.
Have a Flexible Plan
Know what you want to see and do before you go, but understand that it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to do it all. Be prepared to prioritize your wants, and also have back-ups in mind in case the line for your first choice is already capped or the room is already full or if you you weren’t able to make a reservation and you try your hand at the standby line. You can view the entire list of panels, screenings, and events here:
https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/explore/panels/panels-and-screenings.html
I also like to grab a physical copy of the official New York Comic Con show guide the first day I get there because I think it’s a lot better at visualizing the schedule as a whole than the website. Plus it’s something to read while standing in any one of the endless lines throughout the day. There is an official app but my cell service is ALWAYS spotty at best and my battery life is a precious commodity.
Be Early
I don’t just mean like 30mins early. I mean arrive a panel (or two) in advance of the one you’d like to see, especially if the room is small. Unless it’s the first panel of the day in that specific room, you’ll probably need to sit through the prior panel to ensure yourself a seat for any location with fewer seats. Which brings me to my next point…
Look at the Big Picture
When you’re browsing through the list of panels, don’t just earmark the ones you like. After you’ve identified which panels you want to see, filter the list via the room to see what’s happening before and after the panel of your choice. This can help you figure out how early you may need to arrive.
For example, a couple of years ago I wanted to see The Man in the High Castle panel. Before it was a Marvel Animation one. I showed up right before the Marvel one, but opted to wait outside the room in the queue line so as not to take a seat from someone who wanted to see that one. I felt confident enough that a good chunk of the room would clear out given that there wasn’t much obvious overlap in the fandom. It did and I was able to get a good seat. However, before the Marvel panel, was a different Marvel one, and as you’d imagine a lot of people were interested in both. So a lot of people who showed for the second one ended up getting turned away because they didn’t realize they needed to be there earlier.
Alternatively, a year after that I wanted to see the Elementary panel, which took place prior to the Once Upon a Time panel at the Hammerstein Ballroom. I know that OUAT’s fans are dedicated so I expected some people would already be squatting in the room in anticipation for what was to come. In order to avoid missing out, I got there two panels early. Turned out to be a little too early, probably could have come a bit later but no harm no foul, I saw the panel I wanted and enjoyed a couple of Cartoon Network panels while waiting.
However, several years ago my come early strategy really paid off. I wanted to go to the Black Mirror panel and arrived to the room on the early side. Even though there wasn’t obvious overlap in the content or fandom I heard a lot of people in the queue line talking about Black Mirror so I made sure to get in line. Thankfully I did because there was A LOT of angry Black Mirror fans were still left outside the room by the time the panel actually begun (and I was not one of them).
Remember, only the Main Stage and Empire Stage, will be cleared between panels so don’t be the last to the party. When in doubt swing by the room in advance to check out the line and ask people what they are waiting for.
If it’s something I really really want to see, I alway play it safe, even if in hindsight I could have shown up later. But I’d rather regret being early than missing out completely, but that’s just me.
And Ask What the Line is For
NYCC tries its best to label queues and corral people, but there’s still a lot of things going on all at once so it’s not uncommon to just kind of end up in a line. Don’t assume it’s the right one simply because you’re near someplace you want to be. Lines form for all sorts of reasons and seemingly at random, so ask the people in the lines and / or ask NYCC volunteers (they rock!) before you hunker down. It’s always better to be sure than to hedge your bets. Being in the wrong line is a surefire way to miss out.
And lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the wild and crazy experience that is New York Comic Con. Talk with the people in line, they love the thing you’re waiting for as much as you do!
