Comic Con: 16 hours in line and thousands of dollars spent

Want to be first in line for a coveted seat inside Comic Con's Ballroom 20 or Hall H? You might want to get used to sleeping outdoors.

And just waiting for the opportunity to spend hours in line will set you back a pretty penny.

"For panels you'll spend most time in line," attendee Andrew Dinglasan told Yahoo! News. "We've been here since 4pm yesterday."

Dinglasan and his friends had already waited more than 16 hours in line to attend a panel on anime inside Ballroom 20. The ballroom is Comic Con's second biggest venue, only trailing behind the infamous Hall H, home to the biggest panel presentations put on by the major television and movie studios.

"Being in front of the line is a big deal," added Max Gamble, an attendee not in costume but whose actual name puts him in good company with the thousands waiting in line. "You realize most at the convention is spent in line. So, you have to pick and choose what you really want to see."

And then there's the cost. Technically, a ticket to Comic Con is only $175. But for most attendees there are travel expenses, hotel accommodations, meals, and the oh so precious fan merchandise and memorabilia on sale.

For example, attendee Jeff DeLeeuw told Yahoo! News he spent about $400 for his round trip flight to San Diego from Seattle. He's crammed into a two bedroom hotel with seven other friends still spent about $200 a night for the cramped accommodations. Other individuals spend upwards of $1,000 per night for a room within walking distance of the San Diego Convention Center. Even a hotel several miles away can cost upwards of $500 per night, if you're lucky enough to even book one.

DeLeeuw said he's budgeted around $200 to spend on toys, even though he said they aren't a priority for him.

And let's not forget about food. "We by about $100 in groceries each day and split those," DeLeeuw said.

"You basically start saving throughout the year," Gamble added. "But yeah, it's definitely worth it."