MegaCon Orlando 2017: The Best Cosplay!

MegaCon is Orlando's largest convention, with attendance reaching over 100,000 - and growing. To accommodate the massive crowds, this year MegaCon's new owners relocated to the opposite concourse of the Orange County Convention Center.

Trouble was, this new concourse has a show floor one level down from the main entry floor, and when MegaCon tried this same switch back in 2014, this happened:

People were nearly trampled - and definitely panicked - by the down escalators continually dumping more people into a near standstill of a crowd.

To avoid the same safety issue this year, MegaCon did something rather ingenious:

They made everyone walk outside, around the building, and enter through a large bay door directly onto the lower show floor.

The massive ticketing area.

While this dealt neatly with the bottleneck problem, it did present some new - albeit minor -  problems: 1) it's HOT in Florida, and no one likes a longer walk outside, and 2) the show floor lighting is terrible for photos, since all the sunlight is one floor up. I miss my natural light, y'all.

Still, I did my best, so let's get to some costumes! 

In fact, I'm going to hit you with the cutest cosplay of the con first thing:

BABY GROOT. Eeeee! So adorable!

This Ariel has rock, will travel:

Literally; I watched them roll it along!

Who wants the redhead?

Oh, that's right: WE DO!!

(This makes my Dizgeeky lil' heart so happy.)

The new Guardians of the Galaxy inspired plenty of Yondu love: 

 

 (Love how lady Yondu made the arrow trail - super cool. [And of COURSE Ace Ventura is a fan!])

And you better believe there was a Yondu Mary Poppins or two!

Plus a Rocket Raccoon chimney sweep?

If you're a big Tested fan like me, then you'll recognize this Totoro build:

Adam Savage made one just like this for a One Day Build, then encouraged fans to make their own. This guy totally nailed it! (I'm addicted to Adam's One Day Builds, btw. Go watch 'em.)

Then... this happened:

Cap was really twirling that boa, y'all. :D
And dang if these boys don't rock fishnets better than I ever could!

Speaking of fishnets: totally crushing on this Merida;

I mean, these ladies all have gorgeous costumes, but Merida's is singing my song with that orange silk skirt & knee-high boots. SO GOOD. Plus that hair!

Oh! Here's another big plus MegaCon added this year:

An enormous Cosplay Repair Center, smack in the middle of the show floor. I couldn't fit it all in frame - there's more to the right! There were stations for body paint, sewing, appliance adhesives - even a changing booth with privacy curtains. All staffed by friendly volunteers, all free. AH-mazing.

Here's Jamie - aka Chief Miracle Worker - repairing a belt for my friend Steph:

Steph later got more help re-attaching her lekku with better adhesive. Seriously, great folks over there. (They have a tip jar to help pay for supplies, btw, so drop a few bucks in next year, yeah?)

I saw quite a few Star-Lords, but this is the only one who can leave his helmet OFF and still get double-takes:

Chris Pratt's doppelganger!

And a more grown-up Groot:

I met this Groot and his folks last year - and they all cosplay! You can follow them on Instagram here.

This Hamilton group was incredible:

I kinda want to steal LaFayette's coat. And is anyone else doing a double-take at "Lin?" She totally looks like him!

It's rare that I see something new/original in cosplay, you guys, so this next one completely delighted me. Remember when Elsa wakes up Anna in the short Spring Fever?

Well someone cosplayed sleepy Anna:

And she has a pillowcase for a purse! AAAAA!

This Alien family had a little wagon complete with retro computer & a konked-out operator:

The screen was even running animations! Super cool.

I'm not sure who was having more fun: these kids or every single person who saw them:

They were so excited, told me they'd just been filmed for the local news. 

"Did you clop the coconuts?" I asked. 

"Of course!" 

See, these kids are being raised right. 

 Another classic: Robin Hood: Men In Tights!

"It's an Everlast!"

Somehow I have no memory of the 90's cartoon Street Sharks, but thanks to Google I now know it was about "four brothers accidentally transformed into half-shark, half-humans."

And for our visual aid:

Bahahahah! (Though technically the Orca is a whale, right? Or am I overthinking this?)

And just for that EXTRA dose of meta, the one in the middle has a Vin Diesel hand puppet. Because Vin once did a demonstration of Street Shark hand puppets. (See, this is the kind of research I do for you guys. Because I love you.)

As you can see, the sharks would politely chomp your head if asked. And the orca could blow water out of his blowhole! 

This little Leia was WAY too happy about being in a Mandalorian holding cell:

Pretty sure she'll just charm her way out, though. I mean, look at that smile.

Last MegaCon Undertale was the hot new game getting all the cosplay love. This year? Overwatch:

So much Overwatch! And I haven't even played the game yet, so I know I missed a bunch.

That's a gorgeous Widowmaker up there, and here's Tracer:

Any Series Of Unfortunate Events fans out there?

Because this Count Olaf & Violet Baudelaire are PERFECTION.

(That's Daniel & Emily, btw - click the links for their Instagram accounts!)

I managed to get some actual sunlight for this Levi from Attack on Titan:

 

Awesome wings! (And see why I wish everyone could be in this light?)

Here's a first: dapper Bugs & Lola Bunny:

 

 Loving the carrot in his glass. Ha.

Here's a reference, since I can't be the only one who doesn't remember Lola:

Finn and a gender-swapped Rey from Force Awakens:

And here's my friend Steph-the-Twi'lek again, after her belt was patched up:

A beautiful Aurora - in blue! Yes! - and the Dread Pirate Roberts protecting Buttercup:

Lego Superman & Lego Batman:

Their expressions are cracking me up.

Mashup time! First:

Indiana Jones and the Sorting Hat of Doom.

And next:

Harley Rey! She did a great job on the outfit - so pretty. 

There was plenty of Steven Universe cosplay, but this was my favorite:

Lapis' body paint was flawless - and that dress! Hnnng.

This Five Nights at Freddy's cosplay is NOT lovely, but it's terribly clever:

The head is the cosplayer's head, but the rest of the body is a puppet! You can just see the rods on the arms, so it could wave at you. CLEVER. And, you know, disturbing.

And I'll leave you with this hilarious Jack:

"WHY IS THE RUM ALWAYS GONE??"

Bahaha!

Stay tuned for the rest of my favorite MegaCon cosplay - Rocky Horror, Stranger Things, The Mummy - sooo much more goodness, coming soon!