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Over the past decade or so, activations have become a pretty big part of San Diego Comic Con, though they are still not technically part of the convention. But what are activations, how long do you have to wait in line for them, and are they worth it?

What are SDCC activations?

First things first, "activations" are interactive experiences set up by studios, publishers, and brands. While you don't need a San Diego Comic Con badge to visit most activations (with most activations located outside of the convention center either in the Gaslamp District or along the bay front), the majority of fans that I see in line each year do have Comic Con badges. The activations can vary from featuring staged photo opportunities, carnival rides, inflatable slides, access to free cocktails, and premium swag.

While that sounds like a ton of fun, these experiences tend to have fairly long lines, and San Diego is hot in July! It doesn't help that the descriptions for these activations tend to be a little vague, with fans not always knowing exactly what they're waiting for until detailed descriptions begin to appear online after the launch of the event. That can be further complicated when giveaways change each day, as one day's giveaway might be worth it for a fan to wait in line for hours and the next day's might not.

This year, the big ticket items seemed to be a fanny pack from Hulu, customized umbrella from FX, and an apron from The Bear experience at FX.

How long do you have to wait in line for SDCC activations?

Overall, it seems like most ADA access for activations was either direct walk-in to about 15-20 minutes wait. For general access, fans I chatted with waited in lines ranging from two hours (for Abbott Elementary's Ava Fest) to four hours (Animayhem Factory) to five hours (FX and its subsequent interior line for The Bear Experience).

Are SDCC activations worth it?

It depends.

The most happy campers of the folks I chatted with Friday afternoon were the fans leaving the Abbott Elementary activation, which covered a pretty extensive amount of ground with carnival theme, rides, treats, games, and a cool tote bag. But what really seemed to make the difference was that the line seemed reasonable for the amount of interaction fans could get in exchange for their wait time.

It also helped that the experience was family friendly. One fan I spoke to, who had been waiting about two hours for Ava Fest and was nearing the entrance, shared that she was hopeful for Ava Fest, as she had heard the experience was good for kids. She had a very different story to say about her experience waiting for The Bear Experience, which seemed to be a pretty common refrain from most of the people I chatted to who had waited in line at FX.

The big complaints about FX and its different interior activations were that the lines were long (4-5 hours) and that there were no bathrooms (or ability to leave for the bathrooms), water, or shade in line. By Saturday morning, activation staff were walking the lines announcing that there would be no bathroom breaks, water breaks, and that two of the experiences were only for 18+.

Another point of frustration for the fans who visited The Bear experience in FX was that there were different items for the giveaway each day. While the first day included an apron (wrapped to look like a sandwich), the second day was a beer top opener and a notepad, which fans were less excited about, especially after waiting five hours in line in the heat. 

As for why people do activations, and whether people find them "worth it," most of the fans I spoke to (pretty much anyone other than the people coming out of Ava Fest) felt like the activations they visited weren't worth their time. There was a healthy mix of fans who did know what they were getting from the activation and fans who were going in without previous knowledge, and all but one fan I spoke to felt like the line was a waste of their time and that they wouldn't do it again.

One lone fan I spoke to shared with me that he did enjoy his activation experience at the Hulu Animayhem Factory, even though he waited four hours in line to get in. He comes to the show every year and spends most of his time in lines for activations. He thinks the time is worth the swag and experience, so as long as you know what you're getting into, your mileage may vary. 

Get a fuller San Diego Comic-Con experience with a full rundown of our SDCC 2024 stories, as well as all the big SDCC 2024 news, how to make the most out of San Diego Comic-Con, and the real burning question: how much does it actually cost to go to SDCC?