As San Diego Comic-Con has grown exponentially year after year while remaining in the same physical space (the San Diego Convention Center), attendees have been growing more frustrated with the lengthy lines that are necessary to funnel people into the more popular panels.  The Mount Everest of Comic-Con lines is undoubtedly Hall H, which is where the movie studios and television networks generally tout the biggest and the baddest of what they have to offer.  This is where the first footage from Man of Steel debuted, where Batman vs. Superman was announced, and where Robert Downey Jr. walked through the aisles dancing and sporting an Iron Man arm.

Last year in Hall H, the line became nearly unbearable as more people started camping out, meaning if you wanted to get into Hall H for Saturday’s slew of panels, you needed to be in line by Friday night at 10pm.  This year, SDCC is aiming to alleviate at least some of that pressure by implementing a new program that will give attendees a better idea of their chances of getting in.  More after the jump.

San Diego Comic-Con has announced that at the 2014 Con, they will be kicking off a new system for the initial morning Hall H line called Toucan Tracker.  Once people start lining up to get into the next day’s Hall H panels, wristbands will be distributed.  The quantity of wristbands available will supposedly cap out at the Hall H maximum capacity, meaning that everyone who receives a wristband should, in theory, get into Hall H for that first morning panel.

Color markers will be distributed along the Hall H line route, which will apparently give those waiting in line an idea of their chances of getting into Hall H.  If you’re in line and don’t have a wristband, you most likely won’t get into that morning’s initial panel, but you should (in theory) have an idea of how many guests will need to leave Hall H during the day in order for you to get in.

If you and your entire group are able to snag a wristband but leave the line, when you come get back in line you’ll be asked to go to the end.  However, as long as you have a wristband and someone from your group (who also has a wristband) has remained in line, you’ll be able to join them if you have to leave for whatever reason.

There’s sure to be some initial confusion, but hopefully this system allows people to better manage their time instead of spending the entire day waiting to get into Hall H, only to be told at the end of the day that you’re not getting in.  There are plenty of panels happening all over Comic-Con, so there’s always an alternative.

Here’s the official rundown on the Toucan Tracker from SDCC.  Visit their site for more info:

Wristbands will be distributed for Hall H ONLY. These wristbands are not guaranteed entry passes. They will be used to gauge the length of the line for Hall H.

You must have a badge or badge barcode to be in line.

Wristband distribution will begin in Plaza Park as people get in line but will stop at approximately 1:00 AM, resuming again at 5:00 AM at the spot where the last wristband was given out.

You will need to have a wristband in order to enter Hall H for the first panel of the day only. If people with wristbands leave the line for the first panel of the day and more seating becomes available, the room will be filled with the first people in line who do not have wristbands.

These are not meant to be entry passes, but a marker for attendees in line. As always for Comic-Con International lines, if you need to leave the line for any reason, be sure a member of your group remains in line or you will lose your place in line.

Wristbands cannot be sold, saved, or traded.

After the first panel of the day loads, the wristbands will not be used and the line will proceed as normal.

The wristbands will be in four colors, each color denoting a section of the line. The first quarter of the room capacity will receive a certain color, the next quarter another color, and so on.