Wizard World – It’s Fun For Everyone!

Jay McClenahan

6 years ago

Wizard World Comic Cons!

We made the trek to the city of brotherly love to check out Wizard World Philadelphia 2018 – and what an experience it was! If you’re a fan of anything related to comics, TV, toys, movies, or anything else pop culture-ish – this is the place for you!

Dueling pianos on the entertainment stage at Wizard World. Photo: Amy McClenahan

First Impressions

Held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia – It was simple to find and even easier to find parking. The venue is huge, but thankfully easy to navigate.

Registration, check-in, ticket purchasing was immediately in front of you as you walked through the main doors – and most surprising about it? The ease of it all. There must have been 50 people waiting to get you into Wizard World! Check in was super easy and even on Saturday (the busiest day) the lines moved quickly. The only disappointment for us? A small wristband instead of a fun badge to wear around our necks. (I know, we’re picky!)

Security and “weapon’s check” was pretty painless. By Saturday they moved the security check around in an attempt to get more people through faster without compromising the integrity of the process. Success!

We’re in!

Kato and I hanging out at Wizard World. Photo: Amy McClenahan

Once inside, it’s a sea of celebration! Vendors, artists, celebrities, and more – You become surrounded by the experience and you can’t help but have a great time.

You’re immediately greeted by the entertainment stage. It’s front and center – and led by none other than Kato Kaelin. Yes, that Kato. And he was amazing. Tremendous energy, lots of laughs, and a super approachable guy. If you were somehow dragged into going to Wizard World and you were there against your will – Kato would have changed your entire outlook on not just Wizard World, but life itself. He did a fantastic job bringing “life to the party” and preparing you for the fun you were about to have. Give this guy a raise.

Vendors and artists surround the main floor of the con. You can purchase just about anything you want here – and have the opportunity to chat with and get autographs from the various creatives on the floor. It’s easy to feel like a kid again with the opportunity to check out your favorite toys, games, and comics. And if you’re a cosplayer – add to your arsenal of goodies – because they’re all available here.

Celebrities from comics, movies, and TV take over the central area of the main floor. Spending time with fans for photo opportunities, autographs, and a few laughs – Things moved smoothly and fans got plenty of quality time with their favorite stars.

Panels and Events

It would take me all day and multiple pages in this article to list all the many events and panels that were available to everyone. So I’ll just highlight a few of the exciting opportunites that con-goers could experience:

So Many Panels! We heard from some great celebrities including: Charisma Carpenter, Elijah Wood, Sebastian Stan, Sean Astin, Henry Winkler, Holly Marie Combs, Micheal Rosenbaum, Stephen Amell and more!
Morning “pitch-fests” – Ever wanted to pitch a movie concept? You can do that at Wizard World!
Kids Zone: Puppets, coloring, light sabers, costume contests – Was there anything kids couldn’t do? I don’t think so!
Fun workshops and events: Batman VS Daredevil, Intro to Improv Comedy, Supervillain Psychology, Game the Gamer, Urban Legends, American Anime, Cosply in Character, Disney Trivia, The Last Nerd Standing, Breaking into Comics – and the list literally goes on and on.

Adults aren’t the only ones having fun. There’s plenty for kids to do as well! Photo: Amy McClenahan

Final Thoughts

There’s really so much to do at Wizard World – We definitely recommend buying multi-day tickets and making a weekend out of it. Prices are good for both access, concessions, photo ops, and all the goodies to buy. Wizard World was well run with terrific staff and a great venue. We look forward to the next one!

Henry Winkler takes it all in stride at Wizard World. Photo: Amy McClenahan

Nothing is ever perfect, and while there is nothing to complain about with the event – We thought it would be fun to share this funny “mistake” made by someone behind the scenes. During a panel chat with Henry Winkler, an audience member pointed out the misspelling of his name. He was a complete pro about it, cracked a few jokes – and we all learned that “Henry Winkley” is just as cool as Henry Winkler. Perhaps the person setting up this panel wasn’t a fan of Happy Days? Or maybe they were just testing us… Either way it was good for a laugh and the Fonz never skipped a beat.

But wait, there’s more!

Wizard World is never just one and done. They are held throughout the country all year long. Des Moines, Columbus, Boise, Winston-Salem, and Chicago are just some of the upcoming cities lucky enough to have Wizard World visit! For more information and to buy tickets, click here!