Fans flock to Orlando for WrestleMania 33
To most, WrestleMania doesn’t seem like the ideal place to have a honeymoon.
Try telling that to Tyler and Leah Voight-Cameron.
After driving 1,700 miles from Minnesota, the newlyweds seized the opportunity of a lifetime — attending WrestleMania 33 at Camping World Stadium Sunday.
“We got married last March and a month after that I was deployed to Kuwait,” said Tyler, 28, who is an active Army member. “My wife has been a fan for about four years and I asked her if she wanted to go to Hawaii or WrestleMania for our honeymoon.”
She responded to his text message with “WRESTLEMANIA.”
WWE’s biggest show attracts a wide range of fans from all around the world. The pop culture spectacle broke attendance records last year at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with an announced crowd of 101,763 and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium was sold out Sunday.
Hailing from Seattle, Kyle Berkeley is enjoying his first WrestleMania. The 29-year-old arrived to Orlando on Wednesday with his wife and plans to stay until Tuesday. He wore a shirt Sunday that said “Redesign. Rebuild. Reclaim.”
It’s WWE superstar Seth Rollins’ motto and Berkeley arrived at Camping World Stadium hoping Rollins would take down Triple H in one of the high-profile matches of the night.
“I’m a huge Seth Rollins fan, but I grew up as a Triple H fan,” Berkeley said. “I came because it’s an opportunity to see my favorites. It just gets bigger by the year. Everyone here is so nice and it’s such a gorgeous city. It’s a great venue and it’s one [WrestleMania] that you have to be at.”
Former tag-team champions The New Day served as hosts for WrestleMania 33. The team is comprised of Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who are hosting WrestleMania for the first time.
The New Day is distinct due to its merchandise, with cartoon designs on fluorescent green shirts and the phrase “Booty O’s” printed across the chest.
Michael Wilson, 37, is a die-hard fan of the trio and has been to the past six WrestleMania shows. Wilson works as a law enforcement officer in Ohio and couldn’t be happier to enjoy what has become an annual tradition in the City Beautiful.
“I love Orlando for the theme parks normally, but with WrestleMania being here it’s just an added bonus,” Wilson said. “I’m a huge New Day fan and I’m excited for them to host. It’s going to be amazing.”
Fans filled the stadium concourse with various types of superstar memorabilia.
John Cena fans dressed in blue and orange “You Can’t C Me” shirts. AJ Styles fans wore black and purple hats with “The Phenomenal One” inscribed on them. And there were numerous Hulk Hogan impersonators. Christian Aguilu, who came to WrestleMania 33 from Puerto Rico, was among the Hogan fans.
With several fans giving him high fives as he tried to keep on his fake blonde mustache, he smiled and shouted to the crowd.
“I’m Hulk Hogan, brother!” Aguilu said. “I love WWE, I love Orlando, Florida, and this is WrestleMania!”
With several pay-perview events every year, one could wonder why WrestleMania is commonly referred Super Bowl of wrestling.
“I think it’s the energy,” Wilson said. “We were just tailgating and people that totally don’t know each other are tailgating together. The common fandom brings everyone together.”
WrestleMania fans also were grateful for the chance to hit Orlando’s themeparks and the big WWE show.
“I’ve been a fan for such a long time that it wasn’t even a thought in my mind if I was going to come or not,” Berkeley said. “Orlando was the place to go because there’s so much to do in the city. It’s once in a lifetime.”