MegaCon Orlando is taking over the Orange County Convention Center this weekend, running March 19 through March 22 with four days packed full of celebrity guests, fandom panels, meetups, and late-night parties.
Official show hours run Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For fans of pop culture, comics, movies, and YouTube fandom commentary, MegaCon looks like it has a little bit of everything this year.
The celebrity side includes John Cena, William Shatner, Dafne Keen, and major Lord of the Rings stars, while the fandom side includes appearances tied to Geeks + Gamers, Nerdrotic, Critical Drinker, Eric July, and the Rippaverse crowd.
Full details below.
MegaCon Orlando dates and hours
MegaCon Orlando officially runs from Thursday, March 19, through Sunday, March 22.
Thursday opens later in the day, while Friday and Saturday are the longest full convention days. Sunday wraps earlier, which is pretty typical for the final day of a big convention weekend.
That makes MegaCon one of the bigger fan events of the month. Between the convention floor, official panels, autograph sessions, and after-hours events, there is no shortage of things for fans to check out.
Fans can find the full official schedule and guest list at the MegaCon website.
Big guests include John Cena, William Shatner, Dafne Keen, and Lord of the Rings stars
On the celebrity side, John Cena is now one of the biggest draws of MegaCon Orlando this weekend.
The official MegaCon schedule lists Cena for Saturday, March 21, including an 11 a.m. booth appearance and a separate John Cena Live event at 4:30 p.m.
William Shatner is also part of the lineup, with official appearances listed for Thursday and Friday, while Dafne Keen is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Jim Lee will be there, along with Frank Miller, Orlando Bloom, Frank Grillo, Diego Luna, John Boyega, and lots more.
MegaCon is also featuring major Lord of the Rings talent this year, which includes exclusive merchandise, giving the event an even bigger mainstream pull beyond the YouTube fandom crowd and convention regulars.
Nerdrotic, Critical Drinker, and Geeks + Gamers have a full weekend schedule
For fans more interested in the YouTube and fandom side of the event, the Geeks + Gamers and Rippaverse schedule adds a whole different layer to MegaCon weekend.
Their posted schedule lists Booth #9514 as a central location for appearances and meet-and-greets throughout the convention.
The Geeks + Gamers panel is scheduled for Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in Room W304. According to the posted schedule and event coverage, the panel includes Jeremy from Geeks + Gamers, Ryan Kinel, Gary from Nerdrotic, Eric July, and The Critical Drinker.
The same schedule also includes a Rippaverse panel on Saturday from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room W308C, along with multiple booth appearances from Critical Drinker, Eric July, Nerdrotic, and other creators across the weekend.
MegaCon after-hours events add even more to the weekend
MegaCon is not just about what happens on the convention floor.
The official after-hours page lists multiple night events, including Comics Explosion and the MegaCon Official Kickoff Party on Thursday night, an official Universal Orlando Resort after-hours event on Friday, and the Official MegaCon Orlando Y2K After-Party on Saturday night at the Rosen Centre Executive Ballroom.
There is also the official Geeks + Gamers meetup at Pat O’Brien’s Orlando at Universal CityWalk in Universal Orlando Resort from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night. That event has sold out, which says a lot about the turnout and interest around the fandom side of MegaCon this year.
Another event taking place during the weekend is the MegaCon Thrilljoy Block Party 2026: Florida’s Backyard Bash. The Eventbrite listing says it is set for Saturday, March 21, with doors opening at 6 p.m. at The Canvas in Orlando.
MegaCon Orlando is shaping up to be more than a normal convention stop
What makes MegaCon stand out this weekend is that it is pulling in both sides of fandom at once.
You have the mainstream celebrity convention appeal with Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Dafne Keen, but you also have the online creator side with Geeks + Gamers, Nerdrotic, Critical Drinker, and Eric July bringing in their own crowd.
That gives MegaCon Orlando a wider reach than a standard convention. It is not just about autograph tables and photo ops. It is also about the meetups, fan conversations, creator panels, and after-hours events that keep the momentum going long after the convention floor closes.
What to watch this weekend
If you are heading to MegaCon, the biggest things to keep an eye on are the celebrity appearances, the Lord of the Rings programming, the Saturday Geeks + Gamers panel, the Rippaverse panel, and the after-hours events happening around Orlando.
There is enough happening both inside and outside the convention center that MegaCon is turning into a full weekend event instead of just a daytime con stop.
Cosmic Book News Will Be At MegaCon
Cosmic Book News will be at MegaCon Orlando all weekend, covering the convention floor, panels, guests, and fan events. Stay tuned for updates, photos, and follow-up coverage from the show.
