D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[Mathmagicland]

Re food & beverages - it said that last year, however I had no problems any day with either water in bottles or food items like granola bars, power bars, fruits, etc. I also saw people bringing in Starbucks both coffee and food. So I don’t know how closely that is policed - could depend on the person checking bags.

 

[ashley0139]

It said the same thing last year but food was allowed in. I bring food no matter what because of food allergies, so they're not taking my food away from me haha. Even if they don't allow water, just bring in an empty water bottle and fill it from a water fountain. Or buy one and then keep refilling it. No need to get panicky.

 

[soniam]

Re food & beverages - it said that last year, however I had no problems any day with either water in bottles or food items like granola bars, power bars, fruits, etc. I also saw people bringing in Starbucks both coffee and food. So I don’t know how closely that is policed - could depend on the person checking bags.

It said the same thing last year but food was allowed in. I bring food no matter what because of food allergies, so they're not taking my food away from me haha. Even if they don't allow water, just bring in an empty water bottle and fill it from a water fountain. Or buy one and then keep refilling it. No need to get panicky.

Thanks. I think I am having flashbacks from Austin City Limits Festival and the first year of the Formula One race in Austin. Neither place allowed you to bring in much if anything. F1 actually ran out of food and water some days that first year!

 

[Robinjay]

For people wanting to know extreme details about the Expo, you can always visit my trip report from 2017

https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...d23-expo-update-10-16-final-thoughts.3620604/

There is also a link in my signature. This trip report is painfully, painfully detailed. I think I even recorded how much sleep I got each night.

Thanks for linking your trip report! It was fun to read and learn about the last expo. It also had great info and expectations. The details were appreciated. Thank you!

 

[HydroGuy]

I have gone to all the Expos except the very first one, and until the last one in 2017 they seemed to really enforce the no outside food or drinks thing especially when the food was like sandwiches or fast food, etc. They always seemed to allow granola bar-type snack food which I highly recommend you bring plenty of. Sometimes you get so caught up in the events you encounter that you frankly just cannot find time to go buy food unless you are willing to miss something you consider very important. So I fall back on snacks a lot.

In 2017 they allowed us to bring in fast food, especially to the downstairs queues for the big events in the "D23 arena". So who knows how tightly they will enforce this? For me I plan for them only allowing snack food, then if I find out it is OK to bring in Subway or whatever, then I do that. I would not pack a bung of sandwiches or similar in the morning and plan to get that past security. They may force you to throw it out depending on how tightly they enforce things this year. So unless you are OK with that, I would encourage you to plan to buy meals.

Also, if you buy food inside the ACC, try really hard to to not do it during standard meal times. I remember at the last Expo going over to get lunch at like 11:00 or 11:15AM and having a short wait of a few minutes. By the time we finished lunch (at maybe 11:30 or 11:45) the line was super long and maybe a 30+ minute wait for food. Also you can pop across to the Hilton, about a 2 minute walk away, and there is a food court there that is usually not terribly long lines.

 

[keahgirl8]

I think the best attitude to have going into this is that things will go wrong, stupid things will happen and you will be angry and frustrated at least one time.

Should it be that way? No, but that's reality. Most conventions are like this.

But the great moments usually make up for the frustrations, that's why us repeaters keep going.

100% accurate. Have I been frustrated? Sure. Almost every time. Have I ever regretting going, or thought about missing the next one? Nope.

It said the same thing last year but food was allowed in. I bring food no matter what because of food allergies, so they're not taking my food away from me haha. Even if they don't allow water, just bring in an empty water bottle and fill it from a water fountain. Or buy one and then keep refilling it. No need to get panicky.

I have to bring food too. They don’t have enough healthy options, plus I just don’t have time to buy food for every time I need to eat. I have heard stories about being being told they couldn’t bring in McDonald’s, but snacks being okay. No one ever looked twice at my snacks, but I never tried to bring in restaurant food.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Re food & beverages - it said that last year, however I had no problems any day with either water in bottles or food items like granola bars, power bars, fruits, etc. I also saw people bringing in Starbucks both coffee and food. So I don’t know how closely that is policed - could depend on the person checking bags.

This was a problem at the last Expo. D23 said that it would be okay for those who had medical needs to bring in water and food as long as it was factory sealed. Going through security with the protein bars and snacks was fine. First day, first entry with Starbucks was fine. Factory sealed water was fine. Then... while we were waiting in the holding line upstairs, someone (dishonor on this person and their cow!) spilled a drink on the floor in front of the security checkpoint. The floor had to be mopped and cleaned -- like this was such a big deal? -- and life went on. But the next time we went through security, the CC employee grabbed my Starbucks and tried to throw it away. When I said that it had been allowed earlier, I was told that because that person had spilled a drink, no one would now be allowed to bring in Starbucks or any other beverage (including factory sealed water). The D23 team was standing right there, so I asked them if this was true. They hemmed and hawed, had to send for a manager, and finally said that they would okay it, but the CC said no. Stuff like this went on all three days. One of the CC employees showed us how to sneak in the back so that we could skip security to bring in food and Starbucks -- really? Thanks, but no thanks. I did ask if I would need to bring a medical note so that I could keep my water and snacks. The D23 people didn't know. So this time, I'm planning to start asking early to see what kind of answers they give. Lots of people need info on this, as evidenced by the posts here already. If anyone else gets an answer, please update.
I agree that stuff like this goes on at most big conventions and that I keep coming back to Expo for the highlights that also keep happening. But the poor management doesn't improve -- and with Disney, it should. We've talked with CMs who work Expo and they agree. The problems don't get addressed; complaints get made, things get pointed out, they get glossed over most of the time. So let's hope that this year, things change for the better.

 

[skier_pete]

I have no issue with them limiting food to snacks and such - or even saying no food - but I would have a real issue with them preventing bringing in water, especially in sealed bottles. Hopefully they won't make a big deal of it.

 

[kristenabelle]

YMMV, but the overnight liners were permitted to bring in pretty much anything. I saw Starbucks, pizzas, fast food, all kinds of stuff. The lines for CC food weren't so bad at night, but when breakfast neared it got a little crazy.

The rules also said we weren't allowed to leave the overnight queue for any reason (or forfeit our place). Still, CMs announced between 6 - 7 AM that we'd be permitted to bring overnight stuff (bags, pillows, blankets, chairs, etc.) back to our hotels, and rejoin the queue. Definitely made it easier walking around during the day, not having to tote your overnight gear. Not sure if they'll continue this practice.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I have no issue with them limiting food to snacks and such - or even saying no food - but I would have a real issue with them preventing bringing in water, especially in sealed bottles. Hopefully they won't make a big deal of it.

There was an issue with the CC security employees throwing away sealed bottles of water from the Sorcerers -- who let their anger be known. Yes, if I paid that much for a ticket and was told that I could bring in a sealed bottle of water, and then some non-D23 person grabbed it and threw it out, I'd be upset. It was definitely weird. Totally depended on the security employee who screened you, and D23 people roaming trying to keep people calm and smooth things over.

 

[lurkergirl]

The only consistent thing with Disney is their inconsistency. A lot of problems arise with the ACC staff, the temporary staff Disney brings in and Disney Cast Members. The best piece of advice I ever read is that if you have an issue, you need to find a Disney Cast Member with a name-badge in business wear. They generally are more knowledgeable.

With regards to the food and beverage issue, again: inconsistency. Like @ashley0139, our party has major food allergies and dietary limitations. We have had no issues taking a moderate amount of food in - think a small sandwich container filled with allergy-friendly protein bars, some sealed crackers, a fruit bar. We also have small refillable S'well Bottles - better for the environment and easy to top off.

We do not take large amounts of foods, we do not flaunt the guidelines by make it obvious we are taking snacks in even though we are legitimately allowed with the dietary limitations. No pizzas, no sub sandwiches, no take-out boxes. Just some safe food to fuel us for the hours we are waiting. We've never had the issues seen above, but we have seen inconsistent enforcement.

 

[teeveejunkee]

YMMV, but the overnight liners were permitted to bring in pretty much anything. I saw Starbucks, pizzas, fast food, all kinds of stuff. The lines for CC food weren't so bad at night, but when breakfast neared it got a little crazy.

The rules also said we weren't allowed to leave the overnight queue for any reason (or forfeit our place). Still, CMs announced between 6 - 7 AM that we'd be permitted to bring overnight stuff (bags, pillows, blankets, chairs, etc.) back to our hotels, and rejoin the queue. Definitely made it easier walking around during the day, not having to tote your overnight gear. Not sure if they'll continue this practice.

I was there when they made the announcement that people could take their overnight gear to their rooms/cars. I did not have gear so I stayed put. Do you happen to know how those people were let back in after dropping off their gear? It seems like that in itself could be a nightmare if they had to go back through security again. I assume at that point in the day there was quite a line queuing up outside. I never heard about any issues getting back in but I'm curious how they managed it.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I always bring water and crackers, those 6 packs with peanut butter filling. I grab food when I can, but can survive on the crackers. (This is also every Expo except the first one.) I have started using the overnight lines, I need reasonable bathroom access.

We need a reunion of the victims of the Animation Panel debacle. Although, I WILL say, they came thru for us with the one day park passes and reserved access to either Live Action or Parks the next day.

 

[kristenabelle]

I was there when they made the announcement that people could take their overnight gear to their rooms/cars. I did not have gear so I stayed put. Do you happen to know how those people were let back in after dropping off their gear? It seems like that in itself could be a nightmare if they had to go back through security again. I assume at that point in the day there was quite a line queuing up outside. I never heard about any issues getting back in but I'm curious how they managed it.

I went back to my room (Marriott, so short walk), and for the LIFE of me I can't remember how I got back in. I *think* we used the doors immediately in front of the overnight hall, and there was a super-short security line reserved for us coming back. Because I can't imagine they let us back inside without going through the scanners.

 

[teeveejunkee]

I went back to my room (Marriott, so short walk), and for the LIFE of me I can't remember how I got back in. I *think* we used the doors immediately in front of the overnight hall, and there was a super-short security line reserved for us coming back. Because I can't imagine they let us back inside without going through the scanners.

Thanks for the response! That made me laugh that you can't remember how you got back in because that is totally something I would do.

 

[kristenabelle]

Thanks for the response! That made me laugh that you can't remember how you got back in because that is totally something I would do.

every Expo is starting to blur together for me, honestly. "was it that time I waited in line 10 hours? or THAT time I waited in line 10 hours?"

 

[keahgirl8]

every Expo is starting to blur together for me, honestly. "was it that time I waited in line 10 hours? or THAT time I waited in line 10 hours?"

It happens. So many expos...so much waiting. I’m not really good with the advice because I don’t remember much.

 

[cdatkins]

we are booked for Jul 5-13 at the GC. Bring it on! Planning two full days of GE during that timeframe. Just hoping the opening doesn't slip!

 

[bethwc101]

So- my sister has (crazily, IMO) decided to book a DL trip around the last week of September. Do you think there's even a chance they'll get to ride anything in SWGE by that time? I told her she was nuts and that I'm not even going near it for a year.

im getting ready to book mid july

You guys are brave. After our big March trip, we won't be back until probably 2021.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Yes, they should be able to get the rides by then. You know what is nuts? I just booked my hotel room for Jun 20-24......

.....have to keep bumping that June thread to measure the Mercury intake of all the Mad Hatters scheduling June.