D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[WebmasterMaryJo]

If I'm in town I'll be going to it, but August is the time I usually go visit family, and I may not be able to make it... hmmmm

 

[HydroGuy]

If I'm in town I'll be going to it, but August is the time I usually go visit family, and I may not be able to make it... hmmmm

You must mean you "may not be able to make it" to visit family. Right?

 

[bluefunnel]

Yes, I love reading reports from people who showed up at 9am when the doors opened and expected to be able to just waltz in and do whatever they wanted. People do very little research and then think they are going to be able to walk in, look at some booths, walk into a panel, and leave. Research, research, research.

Last year was our first D23(and first convention) and my wife always wants me to do the planning. She was a bit shocked when I told her we had to wake up at 3 AM to wait for a panel.

Thankfully, she tends to goes along with my “crazy” plans and made some friends along the way.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I'm officially off the fence. I joined D23 this evening. Let the games begin.

 

[limace]

I'm officially off the fence. I joined D23 this evening. Let the games begin.

I am so tempted-have never joined or been to an expo but it’s calling my name.

 

[HydroGuy]

I am so tempted-have never joined or been to an expo but it’s calling my name.

liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimaaaaaaaaaaaaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[limace]

liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimaaaaaaaaaaaaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Hahahaha! I’m picturing Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura saying “come to me my jungle friends”.

You are evil.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I'm officially off the fence. I joined D23 this evening. Let the games begin.

Welcome to the Expo side!

 

[starry_solo]

Is the D23 Expo a hard ticket to get if you are D23 gold? Can I assume if I go Gold I'll get in, or is this a San Diego Comic Con lottery type thing?

Not difficult. Only one that is difficult is the $2500 sorcerer package tickets.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Not difficult. Only one that is difficult is the $2500 sorcerer package tickets.

Challenge accepted.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Re the sorcerer tickets - for those who may not have tried to get Destination D tix on the first day of availability, D23 has gone with a new online ticketing vendor. It uses a virtual queue. Hopefully this will help with some of the website time-outs seen in the past when tickets for popular events first open up. I grabbed a screenshot of the “queue” message. I don’t know how long the wait is as I didn’t stay with it to purchase tickets.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Re the sorcerer tickets - for those who may not have tried to get Destination D tix on the first day of availability, D23 has gone with a new online ticketing vendor. It uses a virtual queue.

Fascinating. Thanks for the update. Are there any upcoming events prior to the 2019 D23 Expo that might use this? I'd like to give it a test drive before the real thing.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Nothing open right now except the Destination D in November. I’d keep watch on the D23 events page as I expect there will be several summer events in June thru August that will use this same system. Those will all ticket before the D23 Expo 2019 tickets go on sale at end of August. You can probably get the queue experience if you go for tix shortly after the sales window opens. I got the screen capture about 10 min after Destination D opened; a couple of hours later I checked again & went straight to the screen to enter the D23 number & start the purchase process. So it was kind of a fluke that I was able to see the virtual queue screen.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Nothing open right now except the Destination D in November. I’d keep watch on the D23 events page as I expect there will be several summer events in June thru August that will use this same system. Those will all ticket before the D23 Expo 2019 tickets go on sale at end of August. You can probably get the queue experience if you go for tix shortly after the sales window opens. I got the screen capture about 10 min after Destination D opened; a couple of hours later I checked again & went straight to the screen to enter the D23 number & start the purchase process. So it was kind of a fluke that I was able to see the virtual queue screen.

With the virtual queue, Sorcerers tickets will be sold out in seconds (if that long) as everyone that wants them nabs a spot in the virtual queue.

 

[keahgirl8]

I am considering finally making the trip but not sure I can talk anyone into going with me. Are there are a lot of solo travelers that go?

As you can see, there a lot of us! It is a blast going solo. You can go to whatever you want, or skip something and wander the floor (or take a nap). It is 100% up to you when you're solo.

The same thing happened to me. I had booked the Hilton for more nights than I ended up needing. When I tried to just drop 1 night they were going to re-book the entire reservation at the new rate. It was an outrageous difference. I can't remember exact numbers but I recall telling someone that the cost went up 5x what I was originally paying. Needless to say, I just stayed for the extra night to avoid the additional cost.

I'm thinking what I'll do is book the nights I'm positive I'll want, then do a separate reservation for any extra nights. Last year, I had the opposite problem. I needed to add a night. Instead of just letting me add one night at the higher rate, they said I had to re-book the whole thing at current rates. I just made a separate reservation for the extra nights.

Yes, I love reading reports from people who showed up at 9am when the doors opened and expected to be able to just waltz in and do whatever they wanted. People do very little research and then think they are going to be able to walk in, look at some booths, walk into a panel, and leave. Research, research, research.

Yeah...it's kind of funny.

 

[tobikaye]

Okay, I am very excited about D23 2019 since it will be the first one I can attend. I am about 50/50 right now on if I can afford Sorcerer tickets for myself and my sister, as I need to see about a new HVAC and roof all at once. I was thinking that the only way my sister, special needs, could attend would be the Sorcerer tickets, but I finally found a report someone did on taking a special needs person that was able to wait overnight successfully. I figure even if I can talk myself into paying that amount of money for the Sorcerer tickets, there is a strong chance I would not get the tickets.

So, in preparation to see if she could handle going to the expo, and possibly overnight lines, I have some questions that I hope you can help with. First to let you know, my sister is a high functioning and is okay being by herself for periods of time. When we go to WDW, she goes off on her own to shop if we do attractions she does not want. She stays in hotel rooms on her own when traveling for work and follows basic directions well. (She works for our county's Developmental Disabilities agency doing advocacy and community relations.) She does have some anxiety and sensory issues, though she is not on the spectrum. She can usually work her way through those. She does use the DAS at WDW as she might panic in the inside, tight lines. She is okay in close quarters as long as she can clearly see an exit, which is hard with some of the inside queues at WDW.

1. If we wait overnight, how far away are bathrooms and are they easy to find? I figure she might need to go and I would have to hold our place in line.
2. In the overnight area, is it easy to get through the crowds when you do need to go to the bathroom? She will likely have her rollator, possibly her wheelchair, though she would use it as a rollator to go to the bathroom on her own.
3. About what time do people start lining up outside the expo? If I were to wait by myself for the outside portion, how upset would others get if she did not join me until about 9 pm? I know that it seemed last year they were letting people into wait about 10 pm.
4. The non-overnight crowds to enter looks really crazy, would it actually be less crazy to enter from the overnight lines?
5. The website indicates that those that cannot wait in the queue in the venue can wait near the entrance and join their party when they arrive to enter. Has anyone been with someone that can indicate how this works? I doubt we would use this, but if she needs to take a break to center herself, I just want to know how this really works.
6. If she does have her wheelchair, has anyone seen the panels from any of those areas? Can you even see anything? She will be fine with just the experience of being there, but she does better understanding what she is hearing if she has visible view of the speakers.

Sorry, I guess I have more questions than I thought I did. I know there are not special accommodations and we are fine with that as she finds herself at many events that put her in situations she has to figure out how to navigate. I am just trying to figure out how to make D23 work for her. If I do bring her, it might just be that we do not line up overnight, but wait until about 5 or 6 in the morning to go to the convention center to wait for them to open and let visitors enter. Then just hope to get into some of the panels that I know she would want to see.

 

[Mathmagicland]

@tobikaye - I’m sure you’ll hear thoughts from a few folks re your questions; here are some from me for those I can try to help with.


1-if you are in the downstairs room, which is where they put us Thursday overnight Friday morning and Sunday mornings, there are restrooms in that room. They are along one side wall by the snack bar. There may be another set, I’m not sure as those are the only ones I’ve seen. We are lined up in masking taped rows until they start bringing us into the show floor. Friday night/ Saturday morning that downstairs room was for those waiting for the live action panel; the rest of us were queued inside in various areas & there are several restrooms available. I would ask those behind or ahead of you to hold your spot if you need or want to go with her; it might be a little overwhelming for her to try to find you in the masses when she was finished as the room is very large . I attend solo, and have never had trouble with someone holding my spot in line for me for a few minutes; I’ve done the same for others.


2- easy to get through the crowds in the overnight area - it is doable, i can’t say easy as don’t know how you’d define easy, We see several people with rollators or electric scooters, and other people will make a path to one side or the other of the section of rows so she could get out.


3- how early to line up & your sister joining you later - last year they seemed to get a little more firm on not allowing holding places in line, as I believe the guidelines said that could not be done. It is to prevent the one person being there & then 10 more jumping the line to join at a later time. They give us colored wristbands that are different every couple of hundred or so, ie all light blue, then red, then green, etc. & as we leave the holding area to go to the show floor, they are checking both for wristbands and for the common color, again to try to be fair to those that do wait overnight or get there very Early vs late arrivals line jumping.


Re how early - I think that depends on what you want to see. The live action panel on Saturday morning generated the heaviest overnight crowds on Friday night ; I did not wait for that, but I think the room was full by shortly after midnight. I’m sure someone else will have that info. As for me, I never waited overnight. I got there between 4 & 5 each morning, and that was plenty early enough for me. I was through security, in the basement, and then in the show floor within the first 15 or so minutes each day. No I wasn’t near the front of the queues or in the front section, but Disney seemed pretty efficient about it. They’d start moving us around 8, and would split off those folks who were there for an early panel from those who wanted the show floor. So, unless you want in the super popular first thing in the morning panel, I don’t think you’d need to do the overnight thing with her.


4- re waiting in the non overnight / early morning lines - I’d not recommend that. It takes longer to get through security and get in when you are not in the basement, because there are many more thousands people trying to get in arriving later than those arriving early, and they can only get through security so fast. If you arrive at 8, you may not get in until close to 11. When would you rather spend your waiting time, before the festivities start, or after they start and miss the first rounds of panels or signing sessions.


5 - her waiting near the entrance join you - I only saw that with panels inside, not to gain entrance to the venue. For panels, I saw folks letting the cast members know of the split party, & then those waiting would slide into the queue as the rest of their party got to the door of the room for the panel.


6-re seeing the panels - I do not recall seeing any special seating areas for those with scooters or wheelchairs, so I don’t know where those areas were. However, I would not be concerned about not being able to see from anywhere in the panel rooms. I was in the front, in the middle, in the last three rows, and off to the side - I am short and I could always see, they had great projection screens in each room, so if I was towards the Back, while the people on stage were small I could see them on the screens.



Keep asking your questions here: there is someone who can help with answers. It is great you are thinking about these logistics early, as planning is a key part to a more enjoyable and manageable Expo experience.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Just my opinion. I LOVE the overnight lines. The bathrooms are easy access but sometimes the ladies room line can be long, but they are large bathrooms. People line up overnight leaving lots of space, but she should place herself near an aisle or end of a row. You sort of pick your own spot on the overnight lines.

One reason I like them is for the restrooms (hey I am almost 60 and need them more often). The other is that the few 2 Expos the weather has been HOT, much warmer than the first 2 I attended.

They split the overnight line into the big presentation, or the floor, and sometimes even a small line for a smaller popular panel. I usually walk over at midnight, but people arrive at all different times. To get inside, I would get there by 6 to make sure to get in. PS Live Action can fill up the standby completely by 6 am too, if that is the goal.

People line up outside as soon as they no longer allow inside lines. So about 6-7 am. Possibly earlier on Sunday, because they say no overnight line yet last year they DID have one, which messed me up, lol. I think it is easier to enter from the overnight, because you are pre scanned, thru security, and at 9 am or so, just go upstairs and head in.

I have seen the join your party after they walk thru the queue thing, for the panels, not for the outside or overnight lines. Seems to work ok. Most panels have screens so everyone can see.

OMG sorry this post is almost the same as the one prior, lol.

 

[Mathmagicland]

OMG sorry this post is almost the same as the one prior, lol.

Great minds think alike we were typing at the same time.

 

[tobikaye]

@Mathmagicland and @PatMcDuck , thank you both so much. This helps so much. I think we are going to just not worry about the Sorcerer tickets this time around and give it a chance with waiting overnight. With just over a year of time, I think she will be prepped well enough for this. I figure if it is too much for her overnight, we will just get up early and get in line.

I will not hesitate to ask more questions as we get prepared for this. If anyone has any tips to make the wait overnight easier, I would welcome those.