This was my second time attending Wonder Con and like my first year it was a pretty good experience overall. I did not come in with a very positive attitude about the convention since there were many things I was expecting to go wrong. However, very few of those problems actually happened and most of the time my biggest problem was needing a break from everything. This is due to the guests, panels, and expansive dealer hall thus even the most stalwart of attendees can get exhausted at Wonder Con.
The location for the event is the Anaheim Convention Center, which has had a long history of hosting nerdy conventions. Currently the building is under expansion, which made it a little difficult for parking and drop off. Thankfully, there are plenty of of other local locations that can be used for parking, but your prices and distance will have some major variance. Despite the inconvenience, the building works really well for the event due to the sheer amount of rooms and large exposition space for the dealer hall. The outside had plenty of locations for photos and big cosplay gatherings, but was lacking in shade which could be a problem for those in heavy costumes. Of course the inside of the convention center and upper level terraces allowed for cooler spots to gather as well.
The programming line up was impressive with plenty of different panels covering a number of topics and no low class fan panels that feature ‘ask a character’ or ‘why I love’ or anything else lazy in the title. The guests of the convention were in the majority of the panels to give the professional point of view, which makes many of the panels a learning experiences rather than something to do to kill an hour before an autograph line opens. The dealer hall is huge and has a great variety of goods, but can get crowded really fast. One of the stand out booths was the Capcom booth featuring several new (and recent) games to try out. The dealer hall is reminiscent of a huge trade show as there is plenty to see and do, but it can become crazy crowded which can limit your fun.
The overall vibe of the event is good, but there are some bad apples. Most people are polite and the kids that show up tend to behave themselves, but there are those few who will push you out of the way or step on your feet without an apology. The event cannot be ruined by those few bad apples, however, it would be nice if they took a manners class prior to con. On the good side, there are food trucks and several restaurants in the area, just be aware that lines can get long during certain times of day. The access to food might be one of the reasons why people are in a good mood. After all, there was a cupcake truck and cupcakes make everything better.
There was quite a bit I really enjoyed about Wonder Con, but I really hope the construction is done before next year. The extra parking and convention space would be nice. The search for a place to park and the crowding in the general area knocked my experience down a notch. I do think they have done a great job with this era of the convention and I hope that it will continue to be a great event. Things did not go as terribily wrong as I imagined, but the little things did get in the way of me considering this a top spot event. I am looking forward to next year, but I am still worried about the little things when it comes to Wonder Con.
If you are a fan of comics or current popular culture then you will likely enjoy Wonder Con. This isn’t a hardcore sci-fi or fantasy event nor does it really cater to the anime fans, despite having an anime screening room. There is a good family atmosphere and the rude people and stuck up cosplayers are few and far between. This isn’t the kind of event that’s worth flying over for, unless there is a guest you must meet. If you are local then it is well worth checking out at least one of the three days. As the convention year moves forward I hope for a good year, but time will tell. Until next time, I leave you with my list and ask you to give my love to the princesses (because I was at the Disney gathering).
THE LIST:
1. Only Monopoly has free parking
2. Cupcakes!!
3. The waiting game
4. Go, go, Power rangers
5. I have this story about a bunny with a rocket pack…
6. The Ramones!
7. Is there anyone Archie hasn’t met?
8. I’m not lost, I just can’t remember where I’m going
9. Psychology
10. Pony Head? PONYHEAD!
11. RE: 10 – Is her name one word or two words?
12. It’s The Star Wars
13. Thanks for stepping on my toes /sar
14. Next Cosplay: The Mysterious Stranger
15. Meeting new people is fun?
16. Jerks in the hallway because of course
17. Note to self: pack more snacks
18. Water… water…
19. Good start to the season, nuff said
Pictures are copyright by Scarlet Rhapsody . If I took your picture, feel free to use it on your site or cosplay gallery. While you're here, do sign the guestbook. This site was brought to you by the font Thinking of Betty. Many thanks to Dream Host, Adobe Bridge, MS Photodraw, Picasa, and Dreamweaver for making this site design possible.