MegaCon 2018 Image: Dakster Sullivan
Another year another MegaCon wrapped up. I’m happy I went but equally happy that the four-day convention is over and I can start planning my attack for next year.
There are less than 360 days left to get my next costume ready after all. This was my 8th MegaCon and it was no less exciting than any of the others.
Normally, I write up what I thought of the convention but this year I decided to mix it up and asked for feedback from the fans to see if MegaCon is innocent of any misdeeds or guilty of causing some convention mayhem.
Let’s see what the jury said shall we?
The ticket lines were well organized and seemed to go at a decent speed. Having to fill out the form before entering the lines seemed to have helped the past two years, by forcing people to decide on their order before getting to the front of the line. There was plenty of space reserved and kept it from feeling overcrowded.
My favorite vendor this year was U Koala and not only did I fall in love with it from day one, it ended up becoming attached to my hip all weekend (literally). It held my water bottle, Nintendo 2DS XL, charger, napkins, Tylenol bottle, business and trading cards, and my notebook, and I still had room for my ID and cash. The vendor hosts were friendly and attentive at showing the versatility of the bag and how to wear it to the best advantage.
One thing all attendees agreed on was that the walkways were nicely spaced out and allowed the crowds to move through them easier than in previous years.
The number of commercial vendors turned one fan off and their input was simply to put more vendors where the 5 Hour Energy Drink and Sleep Number mattress type companies were.
Using the fancy backgrounds in the cosplay area to create a square-shaped space, adding some chairs, and voila. A perfect place for cosplayers to take a break from their heavy load.
This simple setup created the Cosplay Hideaway. Costuming is such a huge part of the convention that it only makes sense to have a safe place for cosplayers to go and relax.
On a side note, I loved that the backgrounds were around again because if I wanted pictures of costumes I knew where to hang out.
On the MegaCon website, there was no mention of a fee for the Nerf Wars room and it frustrated some con-goers. The prices were reasonable at $3 per game or $10 for all-day access. The cost was so low, it makes me think this was done more to control the crowds than make any kind of profit.
The room itself was popular and seemed to be well run based on the line. Everyone seemed to be having fun.
Nerf guns, ammo, and obstacles were provided.
The panels were nice and varied this year but there was one major hitch in the plans. The panel length was not advertised. Jeff Goldblum, for instance, was over an hour wait to get in and the panel itself only lasted 30 minutes.
Next year, it would be nice to see not only what time the panel is but also how long the panel will be for people to plan accordingly. Maybe even put in the program whether the guests will be taking audience questions!
Same as the Nerf Wars room, this was not advertised as being a paid attraction. Tickets sold out quickly on Friday for the weekend and people attending only Saturday or Sunday did not get a crack at them.
Next year it would be nice if the tickets for each day were only available on that day to allow single day ticket holders a chance to experience it.
The Americans with Disabilities Act does not just cover wheelchairs. The lack of accommodations for those traveling alone with invisible illnesses was a huge negative.
I was grateful for my companion that walked around most of the con with me, but a few times he was in panels or off doing something he wanted, and the lack of lines for the ADA affected my convention experience.
Twice I was asked by staff why I was attending the con when I suffered from anxiety.
It was embarrassing and hurtful for people to think that because I have this illness, I shouldn’t find a way to enjoy myself. I can’t imagine how anyone with autism navigated the lines and crowds by themselves.
Wow. What can I say except, damn? We had the stars of the screen like Jeff Goldblum, Lucy Lawless, and Jason Momoa. We had the stars of the ring like John Cena. Then we had the cosplay queens Yaya Han and Jessica Nigri.
Something new this year was the inclusion of YouTube stars. Rooster Teeth was in the house along with Tobuscus, Wes The Editor, and Lasercorn. It was interesting to see this new and diverse crowd of entertainers at a convention that generally only hosts the stars of the screen.
I think this added to the diversity of the convention and it’s something I hope MegaCon does again next year.
Disclaimer: GeekMom was given a press pass to this event.
This post was last modified on June 3, 2018 10:09 pm
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