1. Good news: no Padres home games the entire weekend...this means you won't have to fight baseball fans for precious downtown parking spaces. Bad news: you'll still have to fight Comic Con attendees for precious downtown parking spaces.

2. Unless you plan to arrive at the convention center at 5 a.m., don't count on parking in its garage...it fills up by 7 or earlier. Walk, take a cab, or take the trolley instead.

3. Wear comfy shoes and bring a jacket if you are going to see anything in Hall H.

4. Eat early...the lines at concession stands get long around lunch time.

5. Buy exclusives early or reserve them if you can in advance. They often run out of the day's allotment for popular items, plus you'll end up wasting a lot of time in a line.

6. Panels for hot t.v. shows, movies, franchises and Big Hollywood Stars are going to be popular. Be prepared to get there early if you want good seats.

7. DON'T try buying or picking up your pass on Saturday afternoon. This is when CC reaches its peak attendance (last year around 125,000) and the fire marshal made them cap the line to get in. If you're only going for one day, try going on Thursday, Friday, or Sunday.

8. Bring cash. The nearest bank ATM is blocks away. There are ATMs in the convention center but you'll end up paying higher fees and with that many people, you'll never know if the ATMs will run out of money. Food isn't cheap either.

9. Let your geekiness hang out. Chances are you'll still be the most normal person in the building.

10. If you're going to see movie previews, beware if you have children with you. Last year I saw several clips inappropriate for kids, shown without warning.

Bonus #11. If you're going to the fan club breakfast, remember you're going to be in a long, slow-moving line as everyone is being checked in. If you want to be up front or sit with a SW luminary, get there early.