Step into a reality where the lines between fantasy and fandom blur—MEGACON 2024 is back, and it’s poised to eclipse all previous years with its intergalactic appeal! Whether you brandish a lightsaber as a sign of your allegiance to the Jedi or Sith, don your Time Lord’s best, or embody your favorite pop culture icon, MEGACON is your ticket to celebrate the euphoria that only a gathering of like-minded specialists can provide. Join us as we traverse the aisles filled with the vibrancy of cosplay, the wisdom of panels, and the temptation of unique merchandise. MEGACON 2024 is not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for those who find their home among the stars of fandom.
Our agenda for this jam-packed weekend is a tale of multiple fandoms. One is MEGACON being highlighted with Back to the Future and Star Wars celebrities. Also this weekend was an official meetup from RSVLTS. All of this made for an epic weekend of fandom and even friendships! So grab your favorite beverage and food, and let’s traverse MEGACON 2024!
As we dig into MEGACON 2024, I want to remind you we will post a video review as well, so head over to our YouTube Channel and subscribe; you won’t want to miss this video! This article will take you through the weekend of MEGACON. The celebrity lineup was very strong this year and to our surprise, didn’t have too many cancellations. MEGACON is such a fun time, and this year with the convention being in the West concourse things improved over previous years.
This year we bought the four-day pass and attended all four days of the con. Also, we even grabbed a hotel near the con even though we live in the area. Let’s start with getting to the venue. Driving to and from the MEGACON area on International Drive is awful. However, it was better this year. Orange County Convention Center decided to offer prepaid parking. In 2023 this worked great for us on the two days we used it. We cruised into Parking Lot 1 and left just as quickly. You still need to prepare for an early day to avoid traffic, but it was better.
A pro-tip for any con is to buy your badges in advance and also have them shipped to your house. Once you get them, activate them. This will allow you to cruise right into the con without delay. Comic cons, in general, are busy, but MEGACON is even busier than average cons, so always be prepared with your strategy of where you are staying, parking, and tickets to get in.
Now that the logistics are out of the way let’s talk about our experience. Spoiler alert we had a blast. MEGACON is very crowded and estimated to have 160,000 people go through over the four days. I can tell you that Saturday was jam-packed. I strongly suggest if you go to build in at least two days and make one of those a Thursday or Friday so that you can stroll through the vendors booths at ease.
MEGACON Celebrities and Panels
Our main goal this time was to snag a photo with Ewan McGregor, complementing our picture with Hayden from the previous year. We also thought it fitting to include Ashley Eckstein in our Star Wars homage. There’s something special about having the chance to meet the actors who brought Obi-Wan and Ahsoka Tano to life.
For those who are new to the convention scene, it’s crucial to set your expectations appropriately. Celebs like Ewan McGregor attract long queues, and things can fall behind schedule. The interactions can feel brief, but this year, at MEGACON, the process for photo-ops was notably more efficient. Although, the panels—especially the popular ones—were a different story, often starting an hour late.
Meeting both Ewan and Ashley was a highlight—they were incredibly gracious and engaging. To top it off, I received a personal “hello there” from Ewan after I greeted him with “General Kenobi!”
The one panel we had to check out was the Back to the Future (BTTF) panel. This panel featured Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and Thomas Wilson. BTTF is such a great movie, and it was a great experience to listen to the cast talk about their time making the film. We recorded the whole thing, 58 minutes, on our YouTube Channel. Also, we embedded the entire thing below.
It’s hardly surprising that Thomas Wilson was the standout when it came to engaging the crowd, but Mickael J. Fox had a knack for timing his jokes perfectly, catching the audience off-guard. The entire experience was unforgettable, and fans are definitely encouraged to check out the video!
MEGACON Floor and Vendors
Another aspect of MEGACON is the show floor. Here you can find all sorts of different experiences. We will highlight some of our favorites, but believe me, this doesn’t scratch the surface of how many other vendors, artists, and creators are on the main floor.
We start with one of my favorite shirt companies RSVLTS. This small business started in New Jersey sells comfortable shirts, many of them pop culture in design. For MEGACON, they released four different shirt designs, limited to only the four-day event. The community of shirt collectors is one of the friendliest groups I have ever been a part of, and met some of them at MEGACON, and it was a blast! I highly suggest you check them out and be careful as once you traverse down the RSVLTS rabbit hole it gets crazy.
Not only was RSVLTS at MEGACON, but they also hosted an official meetup, which preceded another fantastic event called Mosh Eisley! Mosh Eisley is an emo-punk Star Wars-themed event that, if you are into Star Wars, you should not miss! You get out on the dance floor with your lightsaber and just sing along to amazing music all while being dressed in your favorite Star Wars gear….What else could you ask for!? Check out the video below of some of us dancing the night away!
Immersing into the vibrant atmosphere of MEGACON, we encountered a diverse array of vendors and artists, each bringing their unique flair to the grand tapestry of this pop culture extravaganza. Below, we’re excited to showcase some of the remarkable talents we met along the way. With such a rich variety of exhibits and activities, MEGACON proves to be a haven that caters to the interests of fans from all walks of life, celebrating the many facets of fandom. Whether you’re a comic enthusiast, a lover of sci-fi, or an admirer of fantasy, MEGACON offers something to ignite every fan’s passion.
Also we want to shout out some artists that we always love to check out. Follow them on their Instagram accounts . They are all incredible and very personable to talk to! Jimmy Mulligan, Ian Glaubinger, and Erin Lefler! We have several pieces from each of them and always love to see what they are up to!
Another amazing area is the 501st Legions area. The 501st Legion is a well known costuming group that promotes their love for Star Wars through amazing costumes. They also do charity work and show up at all sorts of events. Their section of MEGACON is like a section of Mos Eisley on Tatooine and has so many little Easter Eggs to find and plenty of characters to snap photos with.
Final Thoughts for MEGACON 2024
As we near the end of our MEGACON experience, we want to leave you with a bunch of photos to enjoy. We plan on purchasing and reserving our four-day MEGACON tickets and room for 2025, and we cannot wait to get back there. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Excelsior!
