Convention Policies

COVID-19 Health and Safety

In addition to following current healthcare and governmental guidelines, everyone attending Comic-Con Special Edition will be required to wear an approved face covering regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings should completely cover the nose and mouth, fit snugly against the sides of the face, and not have any gaps. For more information and requirements on acceptable face coverings, please click here.

In compliance with California state and local public health guidelines, everyone will be required to provide verification of full vaccination status or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken on or after Tuesday, November 23, 2021. Click here for more information.

Please note: these policies apply to all attendee groups, including but not limited to exhibitors, guests, staff, press, professionals, volunteers, and cosplayers.

Please be aware that adjustments may need to be made to policies and guidelines during the event in order to ensure the health and safety of all attendee groups, so we ask that everyone please follow the directions on informational signage and from all staff.

Airspace (Balloons, Drones, etc.)

No devices may be flown or tethered within the confines of the Exhibit Hall or at any Comic-Con Special Edition function in the San Diego Convention Center and on Convention Center grounds. This includes drones, helium balloons and helium-filled products, or any lighter-than-air objects either powered or unpowered.

Badges

Always wear your badge and hang on to it! You will need your badge to attend any Comic-Con Special Edition function, including all daytime and nighttime panels and events at the San Diego Convention Center or other program and event locations, and, of course, browsing or shopping in the Exhibit Hall. Keep your badge visible so guards do not stop you. If you’re asked to show your badge and photo ID, please do so. Badges are nontransferable. Please do not give your badge to a friend or to people outside the Convention Center when you leave Comic-Con Special Edition.

You will need to show your badge—or your badge confirmation email—to get onto Convention Center property, from Hall A through Plaza Park on the south end of Hall H.

Badge Privacy Notice

Your event badge is encoded with a number that allows exhibitors to obtain your full name, company name, address, phone number, and email address. If you allow an exhibitor to scan your badge barcode, they can get this information. If you do not want exhibitors to have your contact information, do not allow your badge to be scanned and do not give your badge to anyone else.

If an exhibitor scans your badge and obtains your contact information, they may contact you, send you information, or share your information with others. Comic-Con Special Edition does not rent, sell, lend, or give its mailing list to anyone other than parties that need the information to assist in producing our events (e.g., the registration and housing companies).

Code of Conduct

Attendees must respect commonsense rules for public behavior, personal interaction, common courtesy, and respect for private property. Harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated. Comic-Con Special Edition reserves the right to revoke, without refund, the membership and badge of any attendee not in compliance with this policy. Persons finding themselves in a situation where they feel their safety is at risk or who become aware of an attendee not in compliance with this policy should immediately locate the nearest member of security or staff member so that the matter can be handled in an expeditious manner.

The Comic-Con Special Edition Information Desk is located in the lobby of Hall C of the San Diego Convention Center. During show hours you can always find a Comic-Con Special Edition staff member or security guard at the Information Desks. Please stop by there if you have any questions or concerns.

Costume Props Policy

No functional props or weapons are allowed at Comic-Con Special Edition. Simulated or costume weapons are allowed as a part of your costume, subject to prior approval by security and compliance with the following:

• All costume props and weapons must be inspected at one of the Costume Props Desks.
• There are two locations: one near the lobby of Hall E, and the second in Lobby C2, between the escalators.
• All costume props and weapons must conform to state and federal law.
• Projectile costume props and weapons must be rendered inoperable.
• Functional (real) arrows must have their tips removed and be bundled and zip-tied to a quiver.
• Costume swords must be tied to your costume in such a way that they can’t be drawn.
• Costumes featuring stilts must be approved at the Costume Props Desk.
• At certain times, due to crowds and safety issues, people in oversized costumes may be asked to leave the Exhibit Hall.
• After your costume props have been checked, they will be tagged by security, and you will be given a wristband to wear to designate that your props have been checked.
• Security will escort you to the Costume Props Desk for inspection if your costume prop is not tagged.
• If you do not want to have your costume props inspected or tagged, or if you are not willing to comply with these policies, please do not bring your costume weapons to Comic-Con Special Edition.
• All costume props and weapons must be inspected at the Costume Props Desks.

No Handouts

No handing out of anything—including flyers, stickers, cards, or any promotional item—is allowed in any area inside or outside the San Diego Convention Center, except from within a booth in the Exhibit Hall or when preapproved for placement on the Freebie Tables in Hall A.

No Bicycles, Scooters, and Hoverboards

Scooters and bicycles are not allowed on the San Diego Convention Center grounds, including inside the building. By order of the Fire Marshal, hoverboards are not allowed at Comic-Con Special Edition, including all inside or outside areas of the San Diego Convention Center, and additional venues featuring Comic-Con Special Edition events.

No Handcarts, Trolleys, Rolling Luggage, or Oversized Strollers in the Exhibit Hall

Please be aware that, for safety reasons, no handcarts, trolleys, rolling luggage, or oversized strollers are allowed in the Exhibit Hall. Attendees found on the exhibit floor with these items will be asked to leave the Exhibit Hall.

No Livestreaming of Any Program or Event

The usage of livestreaming apps and software on any electronic device (smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.) is not allowed in any official Comic-Con Special Edition program and event rooms, both onsite at the San Diego Convention Center and in other Comic-Con Special Edition venues.

No Market Research

Comic-Con Special Edition does not allow market research, surveys, or information-gathering in any public area—indoors or outdoors—of the San Diego Convention Center, or any other venue featuring Comic-Con Special Edition events.

No Paging

Please keep in mind that there will be no personal pages over the P.A. system. Set a time and place to meet with your family and friends and communicate with them via text or phone when necessary. There is also a message board available at Comic-Con Special Edition in Lobby C, where you can post written messages.

No Pets Allowed

If you have pets, including iguanas, parrots, boa constrictors, or other nonhuman critters, please leave them at home. The San Diego Convention Center will not allow animals into the building except for service animals. If your service animal is not wearing any kind of ID identifying them as a service animal, you may be stopped by security. For your convenience, please stop by Disabled Services in the lobby of Hall H for Service Animal Stickers for your Comic-Con Special Edition badge.

No Retail Sales Unless Exhibit Space Has Been Purchased

No retail sales are allowed anywhere in Comic-Con Special Edition unless you purchased or were allocated exhibit space. This includes the Exhibit Hall, common areas such as lobbies, program rooms, and outside venues, such as the San Diego Convention Center grounds, and any venue featuring official Comic-Con Special Edition events. Retail sales are strictly limited to the exhibitors in the Comic-Con Special Edition Exhibit Hall. In addition, there is no solicitation of tips, fees, or donations for any reason, unless you have a booth, table, or official space allocated by Comic-Con Special Edition.

No Selfie Sticks or Similar Devices

Selfie sticks, GoPro poles, stilts, or any device that extends your camera or phone away from your hand or body are not allowed at Comic-Con Special Edition. If you’re seen with one of these devices, you will be asked by security to put it away and not use it at Comic-Con Special Edition. This includes all of the San Diego Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, programming and event rooms, etc., and on Convention Center grounds outside, and any official Comic-Con Special Edition events outside the Center, including the hotels, theaters, and the Library.

No Sitting in Exhibit Hall Aisles

By order of the fire marshal, sitting in the Exhibit Hall aisles is not allowed. Lounges are located throughout the Comic-Con Special Edition Exhibit Hall and near food concessions for your convenience.

No Smoking, Including E-cigarettes and Vaping Products and Devices

No smoking is allowed at any Comic-Con Special Edition event at any time and in any location. No smoking at Comic-Con Special Edition includes traditional cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or E-cigarettes and any vaping product or device. This policy includes the Exhibit Hall, all the Programming rooms, and any event spaces at the San Diego Convention Center or other Comic-Con Special Edition venues. You are welcome to step outside the Convention Center to smoke in designated smoking areas only, but please be considerate of others when you do. This policy is in place not only for the comfort of attendees but also to comply with San Diego city ordinances prohibiting smoking at public events near any doorway, entrance, exit, or operable window. Please comply with this policy; noncompliance may result in ejection from the convention.

No Strollers Allowed in the Programming Rooms

By order of the fire marshal, strollers are not allowed in any of the programming rooms. Stroller parking is located in various areas in the San Diego Convention Center; see the map in the Events Guide for locations. Stroller parking will be free of charge and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: Comic-Con Special Edition will not provide security or check-in/check-out for the strollers.

No Video or Audio Recording of Panels for Public Display

Cameras and recording devices are permitted in program and panels rooms but cannot be used to reproduce the presentation and must not interfere with other fans' enjoyment of the presentation. Any recording of panels or programs is allowed only for personal use and not for broadcast in any form. No video or audio recording is allowed of the footage on the screens during movie and television panels. The footage shown in these panels is exclusive, brought to us by the studios and networks. Please respect their rights and allow us to continue to show this type of material to our attendees.

Prohibited Items

Alcohol or alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be brought into the San Diego Convention Center or at any of our official offsite events. Bag searches may be performed at various entry locations. Wanding and metal detectors may be used at some locations as well. Make sure to leave your drones, helium balloons, helium-filled products, fireworks, handcarts, trolleys, rolling luggage, and pets (excluding service animals) at home. Absolutely no functioning props or weapons are allowed. Only active on-duty police officers may carry firearms within the Convention Center. All other persons are strictly prohibited regardless of license or status.

Wearable Cameras/Video Recorders/Camera Phones

Remember that recording of footage on the screens during panels is prohibited (see above: No Video or Audio Recording of Panels for Public Display). This includes any recording device, digital, analog, or otherwise, including wearable cameras. You cannot wear these devices during footage viewing in any program room.