Megacon at the Orange County Convention Center: the long walk from parking to the first panel

At 9: 12 a. m. ET, the line outside West Hall E inches forward—badge lanyards already on, costume pieces tucked under arms, a parent quietly counting pockets for printed confirmations. For many arriving at Megacon this weekend, the first challenge is not a photo op or a panel seat, but simply reaching the doors, then finding the right hall in a building that can feel like a small city.

What is Megacon and when is it happening?

Megacon Orlando returns to Orlando this weekend, running Thursday through Sunday at the Orange County Convention Center. The four-day event is built for comic, sci-fi, movie, TV, gaming, and anime fans, with programming that includes celebrity guest appearances, panels, cosplay contests, gaming rooms, photo ops, and other activities. Around the show floor, dozens of vendors sell comic books, memorabilia, and other items.

The convention is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans over the four days, turning the walkways between halls into a moving collage of capes, cardboard props, and carefully packed collectibles.

Where do attendees go inside the convention center?

This year, the event is located in the West Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center off International Drive. The ticketing hall is in West Hall E, on the north side of the building, and that is also where customer service and disability services are located. The main exhibit hall—home to retailers, the community zone, artist alley, and the celebrity autograph and photo ops area—takes up the rest of the building.

For some attendees, the layout is part of the ritual: check in at West Hall E, scan the program for a first stop, then join the steady current of fans flowing toward artist alley or the autograph lines. For others, especially first-timers, it can be disorienting—one wrong turn and a carefully planned morning becomes a scramble.

There are also activities and events taking place after regular convention hours, including screenings and afterparties, extending the day beyond the closing announcements and making transportation planning part of the schedule.

Which celebrities and special events are drawing crowds?

Dozens of celebrities are set to appear, spanning TV and movie actors, comic book artists, and voice actors. Some of the names on the lineup include John Cena, Brendan Fraser, Helen Hunt, and John Boyega. The convention also lists Gillian Anderson, Alec Baldwin, William Shatner, Jodie Whittaker, Giancarlo Esposito, Karl Urban, and Mr. T, among others.

One standout event is a “Lord of the Rings” reunion on Saturday marking the 25th anniversary of the film franchise. “An Evening with the Hobbits: In Celebration of 25 Years” is set to feature Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Keating sharing behind-the-scenes stories. A separate ticket is required for that panel, a detail attendees are expected to factor into budgeting and planning.

For horror fans, the team behind Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando is part of a panel celebrating the event’s upcoming 35th anniversary, widening the weekend’s appeal beyond a single fandom and pulling in people whose interests cross genres.

How much are tickets, and what is sold out?

Megacon offers passes and single-day tickets, and tickets remain available for all four days of the convention. The four-day pass costs $159 per person and includes entry all four days plus early entry on Thursday.

Single-day adult tickets are priced at $53 for Thursday, $55 for Friday, $74 for Saturday, and $64 for Sunday. Youth single-day tickets for ages 13–17 are sold out for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with Sunday still available at $59. In practical terms, that sellout changes family logistics: some groups will split days, others will pivot to Sunday, and many will try to compress what they hoped would be a full weekend into one available date.

What should attendees know about parking and getting in on time?

Parking is a major pressure point. Guests are urged to pay for parking in advance, with designated lots throughout the International Drive area. Lot 1, the West Concourse lot, is sold out for the weekend. Other advanced lots are sold out on Saturday, while spots remain available through the rest of the weekend. Prices vary by lot and can reach as much as $40.

Several day-of parking lots have been opened throughout the area, including at Pointe Orlando, ICON Park, and Aquatica. These lots operate on different days and times and have varying prices. Some lots offer shuttle access to the convention center, and some do not. Aside from Lot 1, the lots have shuttles running throughout the weekend, but the added step—parking farther out, waiting, riding in—can turn a tight schedule into a stressful one, especially for anyone aiming to make a specific start time.

The result is a weekend where the first “event” is often the commute: the careful decision between paying more for proximity or trading time for cost. For many, that choice sets the tone before they ever see the exhibit hall.

Back at West Hall E, the line advances another few feet. A fan checks the day’s plan, weighing a celebrity appearance against a panel start time, doing the quiet math that defines large conventions: distance, time, and energy. Inside, the promise is the same one that brings tens of thousands—one building, four days, and a chance to step into the worlds they love. Outside, the reality is equally defining: it all begins with getting to Megacon.

Image caption (alt text): Fans queue near West Hall E at the Orange County Convention Center for Megacon, with shuttles and parking lots across International Drive shaping arrival times.