Major Hollywood studios might not be at San Diego Comic-Con International with actors, but they sure are going overboard with promotions — most not requiring a badge — throughout downtown.
There are more than a dozen free immersive experiences spread throughout the Gaslamp Quarter, East Village and near the waterfront. They are meant to promote upcoming TV shows and movies with photo opportunities and interactive elements.
San Diego Comic-Con badges typically sell out instantly, but these immersive activations are a chance for people who didn’t get a ticket to experience the pop culture extravaganza in a different way.
Also, locals that don’t have much interest in Comic-Con — or at least that’s what they tell their friends — can take the afternoon to do an installation or two while people watching.
Here is our guide to some of the installations.
FX Immersive Show Worlds Activation
UntitledWhy have a promotion for one show when you can just do it for four? FX has a free installation taking up the space in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront with two popular shows and two that are set to debut. It features a mock plane and Arctic scene for “A Murder at the End of the World”; A Japanese village and performance area for “Shogun”; A “wellness clinic” for “American Horror Story”; and a small version of the vampires’ garden in “What We Do in the Shadows.”
Location: Hilton Bayfront lawn, 1 Park Blvd.
How to attend: No Comic-Con badge required, however this has some of the longest lines. There is no sign-up for the activation, so people line up outside. Additionally, all four of the installations have separate lines that can last longer than an hour.
AMC – Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe: The Street of Immortality
UntitledAnne Rice fans have the opportunity to step into The Anne Rice Immortal Universe Experience and Activation called “The Street of Immortality.” The terrace of a downtown San Diego hotel has been transformed into a New Orleans-inspired street with nods to Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Guests are guided into a bar to take a sip from “The Elixir of Immortality” (a pomegranate mock-tail) and interact with characters outside of iconic locations like the Hotel Iberville and Nawlins Records.
Location: Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Hotel terrace, 401 K St.
How to attend: Ticket reservations are sold out and no longer available online. However, the website says “there will be a standby line for those unable to reserve tickets in advance. Admission is not guaranteed.”
Hulu – Animayhem
UntitledThis activation celebrates the numerous animated shows streaming on Hulu and is focused on photo opportunities. There is a wall that re-creates the opening credits of “Archer”; Stewie’s time travel pad from “Family Guy”; various locations from “Futurama”; a re-creation of the restaurant counter from “Bob’s Burger”; and others.
Location: The parking lot behind the San Diego Convention Center on the San Diego Bay.
How to attend: No badge or reservation required, just a general line.
Paramount+: The Lodge Experience at San Diego Comic-Con
UntitledParamount+ is probably doing the most promotion of any entity at Comic-Con — wrapping numerous buildings downtown with advertisements — and also has an activation with prime location in the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue. It has so many promotions going on that it might be hard to get to all of them. There is a hidden speakeasy for “1923,” where visitors can can get an old-timey photo taken; get a fake tattoo from “Ink Master”; get sketched inside a spaceship or other location by Star Trek artists; visit a small re-creation of a scene from “Yellowjackets”; and visit the Krusty Krab restaurant from “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Location: 340 Fifth Ave.
How to attend: No badge required but reservations are recommended. Reservations appeared to be sold out Friday, but there is a standby line if you don’t have a reservation.
‘Quantum Leap’ HQ @ SDCC
UntitledIn the heart of downtown San Diego, fans can travel through time on a mission to save the world in NBC’s Quantum Leap HQ. Fans step into the show revival of the sci-fi drama “Quantum Leap” after the network’s TV timelines have been thrown out of whack by a virus. You’ll step into a crime scene out of “Law and Order” to look for clues (hear the episode’s trademark “dun-dun”), sing for a judge in the spinny chair on “The Voice,” and try to stop the evil doll Chucky from escaping.
Location: 170 Sixth Ave. (In the Gaslamp Plaza near Baja Rick’s Cantina and Nobu)
How to attend: Online reservations are now booked up, but there is a standby line. It is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. and Sunday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Step Into Jurassic Park” Fan Experience
Jurassic Park
This installation celebrates the 30th anniversary of the first “Jurassic Park” movie with animatronic dinosaurs, actors and sets from the film. One popular part of the experience re-creates the scene when actor Martin Ferrero‘s character is eaten by a Tyrannosaurus Rex when sitting on a toilet. This is the furthest installation from the convention center, a full 10 blocks away from the heart of the action in the Gaslamp Quarter. Yet it is an appropriate location: In the 1997 sequel, “The Lost World,” a T-Rex runs goes on a rampage in downtown San Diego from Cedar Street and south to parts of East Village.
Location: Luce Cielo, 315 15th St.
How to attend: No badge required and lines are lighter because it is far from the convention center. You can RSVP at Jurassicpark.com/JP30/, but it is not required.
Adult Swim Festival on the Green
UntitledRight on the San Diego bayfront, Adult Swim has a festival filled with comedians, live music and free activities for anyone 18 years and older. Although some of the scheduled meet and greets were canceled (in light of the double Hollywood strike), there’s still plenty of things to do at the festival in the afternoons, like cartoon-themed trivia, musical experiences and games. The Friday evening live performances feature Flying Lotus, Debby Friday and Hemlocke Springs. Saturday night performances include Ginger Root and Saba.
Location: Behind the convention center on the San Diego bayfront.
How to attend: Online reservations are sold out, but people can wait in a standby line.
phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com, natallie.rocha@sduniontribune.com
