Beyond the walls of Halls A-G, San Diego Comic-Con attendees get to visit memorable fan epxierences that let us go beyond what we see on our screens. While the celebrities might not have been present, there was no lack of incredible things to do all over the downtown San Diego area. Here are the absolute best SDCC “activations”:
The Lodge: A Paramount + Experience
Probably the most swag filled experience of SDCC, fans were welcomed into a ski resort that hosted serveral worlds of Paramount properties. You could fill your cup with Transformers cold brew, solve a mystery in Lottie’s compound to win YellowJackets playing cards and much much more. Paramount spared no expense on transforming Happy Does bar into playground that could barely contain it. The only thing missing was an exploding “your mission should you choose to accept it” invitation.
Disney’s Haunted Mansion
If you are a Disney file that’s always wanted to get up close and personal with the dining room scene from the iconic park ride, this activation had you covered. Luce on J street was straight up supernatural as fans stepped into the Haunted Mansion dining room. This scene featured the most easter eggs for fans ranging from hidden Mickey, classic ride lines inscribed in books, Madame Leota’s animated crystal ball head, and tons of other great photo opportunities. The line for this was as long as any other exhibit to see in SDCC but this was the most true to fandom experience of the entire show. You even got to take home your own personalized spooky souvenir.
Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe AMC
The Hilton Gaslamp Terrace was transformed into “The Street of Immortality,” a New Orleans-inspired immersive experience, which features several photo and video opportunities along the route, including iconic locations fromInterview with the Vampire such as Hotel Iberville and Nawlins Records. Attendees can tour the street, collect exclusive souvenirs and premiums, and enjoy “The Elixir of Immortality,” a limited-edition mocktail presented by POM Wonderful.
Twisted Metal Thursday
Peacock’s upcoming original series based on the iconic PlayStation game had a presence all over SDCC. Fans were ice cream treated by Salt&Straw’s SweetTooth themed flavor along with photo opportunities. You could get a photo with the clown’s ice cream truck, Thomas Hayden Church’s Outlaw cop car, and a few others fans will recognize. While everything culminated in a late night screening in the building hosted by PlayStation’s most famous gamer Greg Miller, the most fun part of this was the surprise mini-concert by the dragon himself…Sisqo. This was by far the most easily accessible thing to do outside the convention center.
There were tons of other great experiences like the Sonic Speed Cafe, Camp Snoopy pop-up shop, Hulu Animayhem and Only Murders In The Hilton but these were by far the most memorable ones that will be hard to beat.
