Fan Expo Dallas 2026

Greetings fellow nerds from around the globe, today’s editorial is about my three-day experience at Fan Expo Dallas 2026. I’ve waited 15 months saving my money on famous people I wanna take my pic and have a piece of merchandise from a specific actor’s signature. The aforementioned event was delayed to September 11-13 is because the Kay Convention Center hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Thankfully, I managed to prep up on provisions, clothing, a costume and of course a budget. In addition to patience, I kept myself occupied watching movies and TV shows related to a guest. Most notably, Nicolas Cage. Without further ado, allow me to share my three-day experience.

Day 1

My first day simply involves taking three selfies with Henry Winkler, Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon & Orihime from Bleach) and Deku himself, Justin Briner. I’ve waited in line standing with achy legs. I managed to take my pics and got a Funko signed by Mr. Briner and an 8×10 autograph signed by Ms. Sheh.

Day 2

Second day was crowded than the previous day. My mom and I waited in line for Nicolas Cage & Charlie Sheen. We woke up for the earliest time around 10:50 AM. Then, I went to attend Justin Briner’s Q&A where he talked about his career as well as answering fan questions. Followed by Henry Winkler’s Q&A sharing his stories involving his struggle with dyslexia, was good friends with the late John Ritter and Robin Williams. Plus, additional stories about his acting/producing career. By the way, my mom was starstruck. Claimed she didn’t wanna wash her hand after shaking Charlie Sheen’s hand. I overheard Nic Cage telling mom Wild At Hears getting a sequel.

Anime After Dark (Day 2’s Second Half)

After eating dinner at Hope and Hens, I changed clothes to cosplaying as Zoidberg from “Futurama” heading out to Anime After Dark. Which is an after party with people dressed up as anime characters. Not strictly a rule solely as anime related, you can dress up as non-anime characters. I waited in line for a selfie with Emily Neves. She’s known for voicing Eri from “My Hero Academia.” Finally, filmed short videos of people on the dance floor like Spider-Man, Doctor Doom and a guy dressed as a maid. A few people asked me to take a pic of me as Zoidberg. Felt good participating with people I don’t personally know. Last but not least, a guy dressed as Ghostface and I took a Red Carpet photo doing silly poses. Definitely a blast.

Day 3

Final day concludes the three-day event. Mom and I got our pic with Sean Astin. Originally, we were planning on a team-up pic with Sean & Elijah Wood. Unfortunately, the latter bailed out due to scheduling working on a project in Europe. At least, I was reimbursed with money back after Elijah left. Anyway, I went to a Young Guns reunion panel featuring the cast including Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland & Charlie Sheen sharing their behind-the-scenes stories along with guest moderator, John Fusco who happens to be the screenwriter of the film and sequel. The conversations were funny as heck my face was red in a good way. I also took some sneaky pics of Brent Spiner & Michael Copon A.K.A. Blue Ranger from “Power Rangers: Time Force.” They kinda count as pics with zero cost. I saved extra bucks. Hooray for me. Plus, I bought a Courage the Cowardly Dog themed mystery box. Good thing I got a fanny pack to store small pouches of candy like gummy bears or jelly beans in case I wanna treat for next year.

If you’re planning on attending next year. Here’s a list of things from my previous editorials from 2024-2025. Take notes. You’ll thank me later.

Tips & Tricks

Plan your trip accordingly. Discuss your friends or family which celebs to sign an autograph, take a snapshot and panel (Q&A) to attend. Most importantly, work as a team. Why? Because teamwork is the key to victory.
Create a budget on how much you’re going to spend your money on autographs, celebs and merchandise.
Keep a steady diet. Grab small individual bags of snacks to store your bag. Just don’t eat too much.
Stay hydrated. Bring a few bottles of water.
Before you go out, apply lots of deodorant.
Wearing a costume’s fun. Only downside, you’re gonna get hot and sweaty. Word of advice, wear a t-shirt and shorts. If you wish to go cosplaying, your call.
Get a hotel reservation at the Omni-Hotel. I’ll have you know, it costs extra money to use Wi-Fi. It costs $70 per day to enable.
Put lots of deodorant. Apply cologne/perfume.
Download the app, Fan Expo Dallas. Select which panel to attend and have a snapshot/autograph with a celeb.
If you feel lost, obtain a map. For an alternative solution, a crew member wearing an orange shirt will assist you. Don’t be shy. They’re nice.
Never bring a baby. They can be disruptive. Bringing an infant to a panel, can ruin the experience
When I was in a long line to get a selfie from Seth Green at his table signing autographs, he had to take professional photos and a lunch break. I had to wait two hours for him to come back. I learned a trial-and-error lesson, check on the schedule before you stand in line. Next time, I’ll always look up the schedule. Good thing selfies are cheaper than professional photos developed by Leap Event Technology.
Wake up at the earliest time to get a selfie or autograph signed before it gets packed. Saturday is the busiest day.
If you can’t carry a lot in a bag, use a wagon for better mobility. I had neck pain on the back. I’m not used to carrying heavy stuff.
Withdrawal some cash at the nearest bank. The ATM machines at the convention center will eventually run out if you don’t do it before you enter. It’s a necessary requirement to carry cash.
Buy cheap individual small sized snacks. Buying a hot dog or popcorn is expensive. One time, I bought a chicken sandwich and it costs $10 dollars. Doesn’t come with a combo. Be wary on spending food. Save it for some legit indoor restaurants near the Omni-Hotel.
Have a kick-ass journey.

New Lessons

If you’re craving for root beer, lemonade or any kind of flavor, head to Pecos Pete. Purchase a 40 oz cup. Straw and lid cost extra. You can always reuse your metal cup for a $10 refill. Good thing you can also bring it back for next year. Save a few dollars.
Standing in line with Ultimate Pass for a pro photo op will take a few minutes. Anybody who purchased a VIP Pass allows you to go early.
I’ve downloaded an app called, ConVibe. It’s 100% legitimate free no adds for additional in-app purchases. Helps you track down your favorite celebs located in upcoming conventions. I highly recommend it.

The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!

I had an awesome time. Best one so far. Next year, Fan Expo Dallas & SPACECON San Antonio will both open on June 11-13. This’ll be a tough pick for many people. A choose your own path scenario. I better start saving up some dough. 2027’s a tough act to follow. We shall see in the future. Don’t forget to check out my Q&A videos of Justin Briner and Young Guns reunion on my YouTube channel. Click on the link below.

https://youtube.com/@nickthemoviecritic8973?si=_4X-zREJgSTkeUF7

Which famous faces did you take your pic with from any convention? Please leave a comment.