Are you ready for Returning Registration?

 14 OCTOBER 2022

Our first SDCC badge sale in 3 years is here! And to commemorate the occasion, we have a new process process and confusing changes.  Here are a few last-minute things to review.

Timing

If you've done a lot of badge sales, you may have an approximate mental timetable of when Preview Night badges sell out, when Saturday sells out, and so on. Tomorrow none of that applies. CCI has estimated the sale could be about 50% slower. If that's true, a lot of us will work ourselves into a frenzy thinking we're not getting picked for anything. So keep this in mind. 

FWIW, Special Edition did move slower - but I didn't think it was 50% slower. I really don't know what to predict for tomorrow.

You will get a time estimation to help you understand your place in line. Don't give up if your ETA looks dismal. Even if badges are selling out, hang in there. During Special Edition, people were wailing on Twitter about how they might as well just end their session - and in the end, everyone got a badge who wanted one.

Your Member ID Account

If you're one of those people that never bothered to update your password after the system change last year - but still received your badge and went to Comic-Con this summer - go reset your password now.

Make sure to upload your credit card number as well.

Your Devices

In previous years, CCI would say not to use your phone or iPad and people would anyhow. That's really inadvisable this time, apparently. Check their tech tips to make sure you're aligned with the process.

The Waiting Room

This year, no codes are needed. CCI has instructed us to access the waiting room from our Member ID accounts. But yesterday's email said we can also just click this link. I expect you'll have to enter your Member ID and password to go in that way. You can't just open a dozen browsers to multiple your waiting room presence - I don't think.

The Competition

Unlike previous Returning Registrations, we have 2 pools of combatants: SDCC 2022 attendees and 2021 Special Edition attendees. It's safe to say that Venn Diagram is almost just one circle - almost. There are definitely people who went to Special Edition that didn't have a 2022 badge.

There's also the weirdness of this: "To manage traffic on the day of the sale, technically anyone who logs in to their Member ID account around that time will enter a virtual waiting room. However, only those who are eligible for Returning Registration will be placed into the randomized queue for the badge sale. Ineligible members in the waiting room will be returned to their Account Dashboard once traffic slows down." What??? Why is this even a thing? 

Let's hope that works as CCI planned. 

Your Buying Group

The actual process looks a little different from last time - so be sure to look at the visuals they provided.  You can still buy for 3 people (including yourself) but there's a different tab to register other Member IDs. Even if you're an old SDCC veteran, I really advise familiarizing yourself with the screen now.

All in all, I don't think there's any reason for panic. I'll live blog the badge sale. Till tomorrow!