Dragon Con 2025 Recap: Tired, Tan, and Totally Worth It

Every year is a little different, but also comfortingly the same.

We drove down on Wednesday this year. Technically, Dragon Con starts Thursday, but things really start happening Friday—panels, vendor halls, the art show, and all the major stuff. We like to get in a little early, beat some of the chaos, and ease into the madness.

We stay at the Hyatt downtown, and we got lucky a few years back and scored a room in the Radius Tower. Game changer. Anyone who’s ever dealt with the elevators at the main Hyatt or the Marriott knows what I mean when I say: elevator survival is key to Dragon Con happiness. The Radius elevators are faster, less crowded, and just plain better.

The hotels book out fast—sometimes within minutes of opening—so we jumped on their "legacy" program years ago. Basically, it guarantees you a room during the con each year. It’s not the same room every time, but it takes a ton of stress out of planning.

This year we went full-van mode. Costumes, snacks, drinks, cosplay gear, emergency sewing kit, you name it. It's a miracle we fit it all in. We even brought our own snacks and drinks just to avoid the $8 hotel sodas and $25 room service sandwiches. We don’t like to park at the hotel during con weekend either—parking gets crazy expensive, like $65 a day. So we got a ride from Holly’s parents.

I was marching with the DC 300 Spartans again this year. It’s a group of guys (and gals!) who recreate the look from 300—abs, shields, capes, and all. And that means: spray tan time.

Thursday morning I went for my annual bronzing. I only get one a year, and it's for this. My face definitely looked a little darker in the photos, but hey—that’s the Spartan life. Everyone else does it, too.

Friday night was the Spartan Reveal, where we all suit up and move hotel to hotel in a giant group. We pose, we flex, we sweat. A lot. It lasts maybe 90 minutes, but it’s an absolute blast. Tons of folks stop us for pictures. There’s something fun about moving through the hotels in full costume with 30 other people dressed like warriors.

Saturday morning is the Dragon Con parade—a big public event that runs through downtown Atlanta and is even broadcast on CBS. I marched again this year, but I made one rookie mistake:

I forgot to eat.

No breakfast. No protein bar.

About halfway through, I was struggling. That shield suddenly felt like a car door. I’ve been carrying the same one for years now, and it’s definitely one of the older, heavier models. The new ones are 3D printed, way lighter. If I do it again next year (and let’s be real, I probably will), I’m upgrading. My back will thank me.

Still, the parade was great. People were excited. The crowd was awesome. We had a strong turnout—probably 30 Spartans this year. We might’ve had more at the Friday reveal, but it was a solid showing.

Only hiccup? My cape brooch broke during prep. Quick repair job saved the day, but it’s always something.

After the parade, the weekend’s kind of a blur. In the best way.

Holly loves the “Swag and Seek” event, where people trade knickknacks and handcrafted trinkets. Some folks spend all year making cool stuff—magnets, stickers, resin crafts, even little crocheted dragons—and it’s honestly impressive. Others just hand out random goodies, but it’s all part of the fun.

We bumped into a group cosplaying as Helldivers, a game I play with one of my sons. Super cool seeing something like that in real life.

There was also a Labubu’s Box cosplay that made Holly’s day—she brought her Labubu with her, so she was thrilled. And someone was dressed as the Cake Fairy with this absolutely stunning costume. One of my favorites. I also saw someone repping the K-Pop cartoon cat that’s all over Netflix right now, and someone made a ridiculously heavy-looking gun entirely out of Erector Sets. Lit up and everything. Someone thought I was cosplaying Cowboy Cerrone from UFC. It was just the cowboy hat, but I’ll take the compliment!

We also hit all the con staples:

• The Vendor Hall: four floors of everything from dice to swords to weird jelly snacks.

• The Art Show: original pieces, prints, and some incredible fan art.

  • • • • • • Comic Book Alley: where real artists—who’ve done work for DC, Marvel, Image, you name it—sell sketches, covers, and commissions.         It's always worth browsing.

We didn’t end up buying much this year, but just walking through those areas is entertainment in itself. Even if you don't spend a dime, it's easy to kill hours just browsing and people-watching.

We headed home Monday evening. Holly’s parents picked us up, and when we walked in the door, our dogs—Ted and Luna—were all over us. Tail wags, sad eyes, and then straight back to snuggles. They were happy we were back. We were, too.

Now, the post-con unpacking begins. Costumes go back into the storage bins. Snacks get restocked. Laundry piles up. We’re tired, a little sunburned, and full of memories.

And already?
We’re talking about next year.