Today’s question is…
The age old question: SDCC or Dragoncon?
It’s seriously like comparing apples and oranges. I’ve been to both – Dragoncon every year since 2002, and SDCC for 2004-2006, so I’ve seen the ups and downs of both conventions.
SDCC’s perks are pretty apparent from all the news you see covering it. You’ve got the chance to see and meet big stars, and exciting news and previews of upcoming movies, shows, etc. San Diego has beautiful weather, and wonderful area for tourists. (People complained it’s hot while we were there, we found the weather to be drop dead gorgeous and loved the area the convention center is situated). Convention exclusives and a HUGE exhibit hall (it will take you all 4 days to cover it all), and of course, amazing costumes.
SDCC at its core is basically a trade show for Hollywood – and while that’s still completely worth going to, it leads to a very different experience than any other convention. We stopped going after a couple of years. It was extremely expensive for us to fly out there (from Memphis, TN), and each year it became harder to get a good hotel. And that was 7 years ago. I’ve only seen my friend’s facebook feeds – trying to get a hotel and tickets now is like going into battle. And it’s crowded. Much more so than Dragoncon. And with the exclusives and celebs there, people tend to actually get a little singleminded, and even mean, in their quest to get/see/meet what they want.
Does that mean I think SDCC is not worth going to? Not at all; I think if you can go and get in, it’s definitely worth going at least once. It really is a geek-mecca. Be prepared for crowds, lines, and long waits, but you’ll get to see some awesome stuff.
In my circle, we call SDCC “Geek Prom” and we call Dragoncon “Geek Mardi-Gras.” That right there should tell you to the difference between the two; where-as I feel like SDCC is a SHOW… Dragoncon is a PARTY.
There’s really no explaining Dragoncon to someone who hasn’t been. No, you’re not going to get the entire cast of Avengers showing you a sneak-peek of the next movie – but you will get some pretty great and fun guests, folks like Stan Lee, John Barrowman, William Shatner, etc. They have panels and a dealer’s room and artist’s alley and all that great stuff. They also have science tracks and robot battles, and bands. There’s a little bit of every piece of pop-culture at Dragoncon.
The thing that sets it all apart is that it feels intimate. It feels like just a bunch of fans getting together to party for the weekend and celebrate being a geek.
While I enjoy the panels and guests and exhibits, I’m first and foremost a costumer. That’s what I enjoy most about conventions. And Dragoncon is the better place for it. Dragoncon might get crowded and rowdy sometimes, but it’s a much better space to show off your costume, and get appreciation for it. I love how much creativity people put into their costumes and how you can see anything and everything at Dragoncon!
Both can be overwhelming experiences and I say both are fun and worth doing. But if you’re trying to choose between the two, it’s a personal choice. Are you wanting con exclusives and amazing guests and movie sneak peeks? Then go to SDCC. Are you wanting to party with thousands of other geeks and see amazing costumes? Then it’s Dragoncon.
BeatDownBoogie’s Dragoncon videos always really capture the essence of the con, go check them out.