For the past three days Anaheim Convention Center played host to some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities, epic cosplayers and fandoms from every realm. It was a beautiful weekend for a con.

This year the attendance seemed lighter throughout the weekend. Perhaps it felt that way because the aisles in the exhibit hall and Artist Alley seemed wider. The exhibit hall was lacking some of the usual heavy hitters like Anovos and EFX, their absence was noticeable.

Nonetheless, it was a great weekend of people coming together to celebrate what they love. Maybe they saw their favorite star, cheered at the end of a never before seen trailer in the arena, saw an interesting panel that sparked their imagination or maybe they were turned on to something new.

WonderCon is a different beast than San Diego Comic Con. First off the crowds at WonderCon are a fraction of SDCC. WonderCon has always been heavy on television series and less big movie news. Although this year there were some fun surprises like Godzilla and that creepy doll that won’t go away Annabelle from Warner Bros. The tv/youtube/Netflix shows this year were the real stars. This convention is more manageable for first time or newer attendees who aren’t ready for 4 days of sun up to sun down (and beyond) geekdom.

If you have been lucky enough to attend a convention and have sat through a panel (there’s more than just the exhibit hall) then you have witnessed the phenomenon of an open mic and fan questions. Year after year I am surprised at the level of thought put into these questions from everyday people. I am also surprised at the support from the rest of the attendees in the room. I have heard cheers of encouragement when someone stumbles through a sentence or gets nervous. I love the applause after an intelligent question. Let’s be honest, I also love the collective sigh when someone asks for a personal request. It’s almost as though you can hear the eye rolls.  Heed my advice when approaching the mic, don’t ask for an autograph, picture or a lunch meeting. It won’t go over well.

It was a busy three days with A LOT of walking and stopping for pictures. More walking and stopping for pictures. And then there was the walking and…well…you get it.

We loved seeing all of the cosplay. Whether it be homemade or store bought, we applaud everyone who put something together for the enjoyment of others. I especially give a huge thumbs up to those attendees who came together as a family or group of peers for a cosplay bonanza.

Next year WonderCon will be moving back to Easter weekend!! Put it in your calendars: April 10th-12th, 2020.

You have a little over a year to plan and execute your best cosplay.
Ready…..GO!!!!