How Do I Buy a Membership to San Diego Comic-Con 2011?

I just got a comment on my last post about the San Diego Comic-Con 2011 memberships from a person trying to buy tickets for her friends that I think might be helpful for anyone else who might be a little anxious about getting tickets/passes/memberships to the Big Event:

“I’m trying and want to buy two tickets for my boyfriend and his friend for Christmas but i have no clue what I’m doing!! i don’t even know if this is possible. can you buy tickets for someone else and it kept’s saying the member price and stuff but i’m not a member so do i have to become one? i’m really lost and could use your help.
thanks, Megan”

Megan, the actual process of getting the ticket isn’t too complicated, but the terminology can sometimes be confusing. While they use the term “membership”, it’s really their way of saying “ticket” or “pass”. They are a non-profit organization, so they can’t say things the normal way when selling things. So, to be clear, you don’t have to become a member of anything to buy a ticket. Being a member doesn’t get you a better price on tickets. The membership IS the ticket.

And here is what you should do in order to get your ticket/pass/membership for your boyfriend and his buddy:

1. Know When to Buy – Go to the official site on Monday, November 22nd at 6am PT (9am ET) to purchase the membership passes.
2. Clear Your Schedule – Why? Because you will likely need to be on the site to purchase the ticket/membership the moment they go on sale. Call in sick to work. Take a long lunch. Clear away anything that might distract you from buying those tickets! You have almost 100,000 other people to battle against.
3. Gather Attendee Information – Before that date arrives, make sure you have in hand your boyfriend and his friend’s personal information. You will need each person’s full name, address, phone number, and email address to register them. Each membership MUST be in the name of the person you are buying it for. However, you can use your email address for each registration, especially if you want the memberships to be a surprise, because odds are that if you put their email address in the field, they’ll be notified of their registration upon completion, and the passes will be sent directly to them via email well before Christmas. What matters most is that each pass/membership is entered in the name of the person that will be using it. This fact is EXTREMELY important! Also note that memberships are NOT transferable. If your boyfriend gets a new best friend between now and July, old best friend’s pass can’t be used by new best friend.
4. Focus and Have Your Money Ready – Once you have their information, just be ready at your computer(s) the day the tickets/memberships go on sale with credit/debit card in hand and you’ll be set. It will be just like buying a ticket on Ticketmaster, except without the exorbitant fees.
5. Wait For the Email Confirmation – Once you get a confirmation on the memberships you purchased, the emails you provided will receive the actual “ticket” soon after (see the confirmation page example pictured above). You will receive an email with the name of each registrant and the barcode associated with their name. This is what your boyfriend and his pal will take to the show next July. If the name on the confirmation page does not match the name on their ID (they do verify), they won’t be able to get in, so be sure of the spelling of each name.

Don’t be surprised if it’s a little tough to get to the page when the tickets go on sale. As I said before, there are about 100,000 people who will be wanting those 4 day memberships. Be prepared to purchase 4 SINGLE DAY passes for each guy if necessary, because the odds are good that the 4 day passes will sell out that day rather quickly. The single day passes end up costing a bit more ($131 versus $105) and they may be required to go through badge pick up EACH DAY, but it actually goes pretty quick and it’s better than no passes at all.

Megan, I also suggest that if you have the time and the means to visit, you should buy at least one single day ticket for yourself (Sunday isn’t as hectic, but that’s like saying the ocean isn’t as wet on certain days). Comic-Con has something for EVERYBODY and if you’re even the slightest bit geeky about something, it’s an experience not to be missed (even if it’s Twilight). Even if you just like to people-watch and take pictures, it’s fun. However, if you’re at all agoraphobic, stay far away. If you can handle the crowds, I almost think that the non-ubergeek can have a better time than the person who’s a geek for everything, because the non-ubergeek can take their time to drink things in at an even pace rather than scrambling and fighting to experience as much as possible!

Either way, I wish you luck in snagging those memberships. Keep an eye on this site for news and updates on the announcements regarding tickets, hotels, and more in the coming months!

Don’t forget to follow the Unauthorized San Diego Comic-Con Survival Guide on Twitter and Facebook. And do you know what would make those Christmas gifts even sweeter? Print out those email confirmations and wrap them around a copy of the Unauthorized San Diego Comic-Con Survival Guide, available now for only $5. Just sayin’…

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