Orlando Mega-Con May 19-22, 2022
- Thread starter Halliwax
- Start date
JediMichael
Master Member
I'd like to, as I've gone 6 times in the past(and Star Wars Celebration V since it was in Orlando in 2010), but I have no plans to visit Orlando as of right now. 33 years living in Central Florida was enough. Maybe someday I can go back and visit be it during Megacon or not.
2014 was an INSANE year. They had WAY more people show up than expected and didn't really have the staff to handle it all.
2015 they redid everything and made it much better.
My last year going was 2018, before moving to Idaho. Made up an RPF shirt to see if anyone would recognize it. One guy did, but he had been banned.
2014 was an INSANE year. They had WAY more people show up than expected and didn't really have the staff to handle it all.
2015 they redid everything and made it much better.
My last year going was 2018, before moving to Idaho. Made up an RPF shirt to see if anyone would recognize it. One guy did, but he had been banned.
JediMichael
Master Member
Miscounted. Went to Megacon 7 times.
Here is 2015, where they had a bit more control of things. Still a crap ton of people. And by May, Orlando gets HOT and HUMID.
Here is 2015, where they had a bit more control of things. Still a crap ton of people. And by May, Orlando gets HOT and HUMID.
JediMichael
Master Member
Should try going, at least once just to say you're done it.
You just have to plan where to stay, how far away it is, and plan accordingly.
That bad year, 2014, becides Megacon, there were also other events going on. It was normally a 30ish min drive, but traffic was so bad, it took 4 hours from leaving to finally finding a parking spot and still walking a mile to the convention center.
They have since spent a ton of money adding a ton of roads and connectors that hopfully helps.
my girlfriend goes every year, well for the past 3 years. the hotel she says at is 11 miles away, and she's never had a problem with traffic or parking. maybe because of the new roads? i was just chatting with her and we are planning on going. but the way the world is, if one of us comes down with covid.. it ruins everything and makes for a waste of plane tickets..
looks like a few cobra kai guys will be there!
JediMichael
Master Member
Yeah, covid stuff surely messes everything up.
The road upgrade looks like they are just finishing and cost 2.3 billion dollars. When I left in September 2018, trying to go anywhere in the downtown Orlando area was a nightmare.
Hope you can make it, as it can be fun, but like all the themeparks, you have to be willing to deal with a LOT of people.
i was in orlando back in october, i cant say i experienced any issues with traffic or travel. even the airport was wicked easy to get to. i have serious anxiety with this kind of stuff especially traffic. now you got me really scared lol
JediMichael
Master Member
Probably a mix of getting roads fixed up and no major events happening at the time. Don't let it scare you out of it, but still mentally prepare just incase.
Bring plenty money, beyond the cost of getting inside, hotels and food. Vendors sell some really awesome stuff. You just never know. And seeing someone dressed up in some really good cosplay is always great.
2014 was a crazy year, but I was glad to get this pretty good Shredder cosplay.
JediMichael
Master Member
Celebration V
Friend and I got to meet Ben Burtt.
I was in the process at the time, making a birthday video for my Dad who was getting ready to turn 64 (Using the Beatles song and everything)
Having grown up loving sound effects, driving my parents crazy, be it playing a sound on the computer, or just making it with my mouth, as I can do a pretty accurate lightsaber.
So I asked him if I could film him saying Happy Birthday to my Dad, and he actually did it. Very awesome.....and then I made my lightsaber sound, to which he probably thought I'm a crazy fan.....which he is not wrong about.
Good times.
Friend and I got to meet Ben Burtt.
I was in the process at the time, making a birthday video for my Dad who was getting ready to turn 64 (Using the Beatles song and everything)
Having grown up loving sound effects, driving my parents crazy, be it playing a sound on the computer, or just making it with my mouth, as I can do a pretty accurate lightsaber.
So I asked him if I could film him saying Happy Birthday to my Dad, and he actually did it. Very awesome.....and then I made my lightsaber sound, to which he probably thought I'm a crazy fan.....which he is not wrong about.
Good times.
It jumps around. Last Celebration (2019) was in Chicago. This year is slated for Anaheim.
As I’ve come to learn, they cycle between Florida, Illinois, and California because those are the only convention centers in the country large enough to support the number of attendees.
Personally, I think they’re due up for another international venue.
Sean
JPH
Sr Member
2014 will go down in infamy for Megacon. It was a perfect storm. Multiple conventions were happening at the Convention Center at one time and if you didnt get there by a certain time...GOOD LUCK! Saturday was GRIDLOCK after 9:30-10 ish
And they totally underestimated the crowd. They had a Walking Dead panel that folks waited in line for hours with just one guy directing the crowd. I knew someone who was number 60 something in line, but once the doors opened, selfish people just swarmed in and those who had waited for hours were denied entry.
They have fixed that issue.
Get there early. Parking at Pointe Orlando means a short walk to the Centers vs Convention center parking, and waiting to be bused in.
And they totally underestimated the crowd. They had a Walking Dead panel that folks waited in line for hours with just one guy directing the crowd. I knew someone who was number 60 something in line, but once the doors opened, selfish people just swarmed in and those who had waited for hours were denied entry.
They have fixed that issue.
Get there early. Parking at Pointe Orlando means a short walk to the Centers vs Convention center parking, and waiting to be bused in.
JediMichael
Master Member
Yeah. When my ex, myself and her son were close enough to see the building, but still probably about a mile away in the car, we would easily not move for a good 20+ mins at a time.
Of the other events that day, there was some cheerleading thing for young girls.
A few cars behind us, this Mother and dressed up cheerleader starts walking down the road, as they probably needed to be to their event real soon. Here it is around 9:30 to 10am, 90+ degrees out with a million percent humidity. Hopefully they made it, but not sure anyone could even think to preform after all that speed walking.
We ended up parking about a mile away at Publix.
At one point I needed to get outside for a quick emergency call (not 911).
Myself with a few others were having the worst time finding the actual exits. Some doors took you to an off limits area out side, so the limited staff were denying anyone to go out that way.
A few people were panicked. There was thing suited up pretty official looking guy with a radio trying to help.
I told him that this day was completly nuts and extremely dangerous and how no staff seemed to have any clue on what was going on. Probably a few other things. He actually looked quite worried over it all.
Not sure of his job title, and if saying helped, because by the next year, they were much more on the ball with stuff.
I figured for the next year I wouldn't even bother getting a ticket for the showroom floor and I would just stay in the lobby area and enjoy all the cosplay....but nope, that was changed, and really, for the better.
DalekNim
Member
If you’re going this year and have any interest in building a Dalek, our Club - the Florida Dalek Builders Brigade is giving a 45 min presentation on Thursday night at 7pm on how to get started building one. Of course you can just stop by our booth any time during the Con and we’ll be happy to talk with you as. well
