ORLANDO, Fla. -- You're going to see a lot of curiously-dressed people near the Orange County Convention Center this weekend.

It's billed as the largest science-fiction, comics, horror, anime and gaming event in the Southeast: MegaCon is here.

Although it's indoors, you might see Thor dodging rain on his way into the West Concourse, or Princess Bubblegum drying off her crown inside the Nerf War Room.

On Friday, we caught up with Mina Starks. She lives in Tampa and has been attending Megacon since she was 8.

"We have to go say hi to Marta!" she motioned to her friend, who both seemed to know a lot of people. "People are finding out how cool it is to be nerdy. So they're coming out in full force... It keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger." 

We followed Starks and her friend Logan, dressed as an impossible-to-miss Reptar from the Rugrats. They were drawn to Artist's Alley, where we learned that she, too, has a creative mind.

Starks makes costumes.

"I like to sew," she smiled. "I always have since I was a little kid."

She admits she didn't make the Reptar costume (it was an online purchase). But the dino's arms aren't so useful when it comes to a new Megacon activity: a Nerf War Room. There, guests can shoot at each other using various "weapons," including bows and arrows. 

Another new exhibit puts you inside the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park film like never before. A virtual reality experience ends (spoiler alert!) with you getting eaten by T-Rex.

Also new for 2018 is a Harry Potter-themed escape room. It was so popular Friday that guests were told to try again Saturday. So your best bet is to show up early and get your name in.

Megacon runs through 5 p.m. Sunday at the Orange County Convention Center.

Here are the box office hours:

  • Thursday: 4-9 p.m.
  • Friday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
  • Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.