6 Tips for Planning Your NYC ComicCon Adventure With Kids

Every year, my papa, Kavya and I—and sometimes Mama, too!—head to New York Comic Con for four days of fun, cosplaying adventures in the big city. It holds some of my favorite memories ever.

This year, for example, I got to meet my idol, Alex Hirsch, the creator of my all-time favorite TV show, Gravity Falls. It was amazing! And every year brings new adventures.

And like everything else in New York, this cosplay convention can end up costing a lot of time, energy, and money—if you let it. But there are ways to make ComicCon superfun for kids without busting your budget. (Or driving your mama crazy.) 

Here are six awesome tips for planning your New York City Comic Con adventure with kids. 

Get Your Cosplay On

One of the best things about ComicCon, of course, is the cosplay—and in New York, people go all the way out, so it’s smart to plan your ComicCon costume early, and truly make it your own. Don’t just dress up as Spider-Man, choose a particular version of Spidey from the Spider-verse. This year, I was a Punk Pravithar Prabhakar, for example, and we also saw Hoobies, plenty of Miles, and even a bunch of SpiderGwens and SpiderHams!

Choose Your Food Wisely

In other words: plan your meals ahead of time. NYCC always takes place at Javits Center, which used to be no man’s land when it comes to food. Now, Hudson Yards isn’t that far away, and is worth visiting for good eats like Eataly for yummy pizza and pasta, Los Tacos #1 for quick Mexican, Shake Shack for burgers and fries, and even Dylan’s Candy Bar (if you can convince your mama to let you grab some sweet treats before you head back to Javits).

That said: most of those options are expensive. Food in the area is overpriced, and often not that great, to be honest, so pack snacks and lunch. But other fun options in the area include East Village Pizza and the Peaks Restaurant.

Stick to the Schedule—Mostly

When it comes to ComicCon, it’s wise to make a schedule so you don’t miss anything. NYCC is four days of action-packed adventure—there’s something for everyone, and usually like 40 things happening at once, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed. And some of the best events require tickets. So that means it’s smart to plan ahead and schedule things out, so you don’t accidentally miss some of the things you really want to see or do, and your ComicCon experience isn’t a giant jumble.

Get There Early

You know what they say about the early nerd, or whatever. NY Comic Con crowds can be intense, because people are coming in from all around the world and taking over Javits. Navigating it can definitely be an adventure. Plus, a lot of the activities are spread out across Javits. So give yourself plenty of time to get into ComicCon and to get around once you’re there. If you are going to the Light-Saber training unit, then you need to go to the Star Wars area early.

Map It Out

Use the ComicCon app to track your events and know where you need to go. If you don’t know where they are then you won’t know how to get there. And if you don’t know how to get there, you might miss the entire event. Or find yourself at the tail end of a very long line that doesn’t ever make it through the door. Ask me how I know.

Make A Budget

Trust me, you want to set a budget, and your mama wants you to stick to it! One of the best parts of NYCC is the exhibit hall, which has booths with comic book shops and souvenirs for every fandom imaginable—even old school Gravity Falls stuff and international editions of the Spider-Man comics. Plus, Light Sabers in every color and style you could ever want. But because it’s ComicCon, prices are $$$ and it’s easy to spend more than you were planning to. So do your research, set a budget, and plan ahead.