Hey Main Streeters! The Main Street Mouse is all about Disney, but did you know we sometimes step away from Main Street U.S.A? Yes, we are also all about covering awesome conventions. Robert gave Main Streeters a rundown of his experience at the Atlanta Comic Con in July, which included some great tips to navigate such large-scale events. In August, I covered Tampa Bay Comic Con, in my Haunted Mansion best, courtesy of Lost Princess Apparel. My journey was to the heart of Tampa, and this time I got to venture outside of my Disney bubble, but not too far, for I went on a quest to find the voice talents of Paige O’Hara, who is the voice of Disney Princess Belle and Linda Larkin, who voices Princess Jasmine.
I quickly learned that The Disney Princesses must be on the convention circuit, as they were also at the Atlanta event that Robert covered. Unfortunately for me, I missed the start of the convention on Friday due to my real 9-5, and thus I also missed the Disney Princess Q&A panel. Color me the saddest “OG Disney Princess” ever. I also learned in this adventure that it would be a little harder to score some face time with Belle and Jasmine as there were lots of adoring fans, and lines were incredibly long. Luckily, I met some fantastic fans of TMSM who were kind enough to share their experiences and pictures from meeting Paige and Linda.
Something to note if you have been seeing our coverage of conventions and think this is your guarantee to get a quiet meet and greet moment; meeting with your favorite celebrities is not a perk of purchasing a ticket to come to the Con, you will also have to purchase a separate “ticket” for autographs and photos. If you don’t have anything for them to sign, don’t fret, there is usually a vendor conveniently located near the area where these ops are happening that will gladly sell you a photo or a Funko to be signed.
Conventions are not all about the star sightings though, I happen to think the real stars of Comic Cons are the fans. Yes, the fans. Especially those who go above and beyond to cosplay or represent their favorite fandoms. On this epic adventure I got to meet so many fans of TMSM and they were all representing their love of Disney and “nerd” culture in such creative and unique ways. I couldn’t possibly or accurately describe how exciting participating in a Comic Con event is, but you can get a feel for it by checking out some video coverage of Tampa Bay Comic Con on TMSM’s YouTube Page.
To polish this blog post and encourage anyone who wants to express their love of Disney through cosplay, here are some of the most awesome Disney inspired and Mash-Up cosplays I saw during my adventure to Tampa Bay Comic Con!
Erika is excited to be on the TMSM team and where Disney Parks are concerned, you won’t catch her dead on It’s a Small World. If she asks to ride that, this is a clear indication that she is in danger and you must send help. You will, however, catch her performing Random Acts of Disney (R.A.D’s), park hopping with her amazing group of impressively talented and kind friends (usually in some themed attire), hanging out by The Haunted Mansion, and ugly crying during fireworks… then begging for a Mickey Premium Bar to eat her feelings…this is a judgment-free bio.
Otherwise, Erika works for the State of Florida and is actively involved in her community. Erika believes in empowering others and spreading kindness to people from all walks of life. Erika also makes custom designed Disney inspired ears, etched glass, gifts, and accessories. You can check out, like or follow her work on FB, which also links to my shop’s Instagram: www.facebook.com/imagineering.emporium. She looks forward to getting to know everyone and sharing the magic of Disney!
- Will Galaxy’s Edge be available during Extra Magic Hours? - May 23, 2019
- Three Limited Disney Rewards for Summer - May 16, 2019
- Walking in Walt’s Footsteps - May 9, 2019