D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[Castillo Mom]

This doesn't affect MY plan per se, even though I have an 8 am ressie. The Esplanade works for me (being a first time visitor to DL, am I correct in saying that the Esplanade is simply the name for the plaza area between DL and DCA?). However, how would this affect those who may be taking advantage of any early hours available (whether EMH or MM). Again, we have a 5-day ticket, so we have an EMH entitlement, but we are NOT using it on a SWGE day.

You’re correct, the esplanade is the open space between the two parks. There’s no EMH or MM on the 31st for DLR but there’s EMH for DCA. If you’re going to DLR, the prediction is heavy crowds and the potential for park closure if it reaches capacity. If it does reach capacity, the only way you’ll be able to enter is if you have a reservation for SW:GE.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/extra-magic-hour-early-admission/

 

[kpd6901]

You’re correct, the esplanade is the open space between the two parks. There’s no EMH or MM on the 31st for DLR but there’s EMH for DCA. If you’re going to DLR, the prediction is heavy crowds and the potential for park closure if it reaches capacity. If it does reach capacity, the only way you’ll be able to enter is if you have a reservation for SW:GE.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/extra-magic-hour-early-admission/

I'm sorry, maybe I didn't understand properly. We're you saying that all 8 am reservations would check in in the Esplanade for each day of the reservation period (which is what I thought you meant)? Or was this ONLY relating to May 31?

 

[SomeGuyInOz]

Did anyone get a definitive answer on holding more than one reservation?

The only way they would be able to prevent you from using multiple reservations would be if they scan your ticket or annual pass and are enforcing a hard rule of one visit per ticket. I doubt that will happen, because Disney has never said that anywhere, but we should know after May 31.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

confirming - so to get into SWGE for the reservation, primary reservation holder must bring a valid government ID?

 

[njchris]

confirming - so to get into SWGE for the reservation, primary reservation holder must bring a valid government ID?

I thought everyone has to have ID. But if the guests bring ID and the primary doesn't then nobody gets in.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

I thought everyone has to have ID. But if the guests bring ID and the primary doesn't then nobody gets in.

Ah okay. Just wondering because my dad is the primary reservation guest and the only one over 18 in our party.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I thought everyone has to have ID. But if the guests bring ID and the primary doesn't then nobody gets in.

Correct as long as all the guests are over 18. The primary guest must have ID, but if any of the other guests are minors, ID is not required for them (but if you have it for them, I would bring it, just in case -- that's just me being Disney paranoid -- unless we start hearing sound evidence that it really won't be needed for the kids.)

 

[njchris]

Oh yeah forgot about the under 18 won't need ID. I'm so far away from 18, it doesn't even enter my mind anymore.... lol

 

[midnight star]

First, I am not trying to start an argument or a morality debate on this topic, but wanted to share some info I learned a few days ago regarding the PRIMARY reservation holder. This info is from Gothic Rosie, who is well known primarily by local AP’s, she does info blogging.

According to her post: if a MINOR is the primary reservation holder, then they must show some form of government ID. If they do not, then the entire group won’t be able to enter SWGE. Again this is for minors who are the primary reservation holder. If they are listed as a guest, no ID is needed……also again, I’m not trying to debate on why/how minors are listed as a primary, etc. I just wanted to pass on the info just in case anyone on the boards is in this situation. Many people had asked her this question, which is why she called Disney to confirm an answer. Make sure you get a Government ID. The link has the info, as well as the solutions if you need to get an ID for a minor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxih9xthaUA/

 

[wench]

First, I am not trying to start an argument or a morality debate on this topic, but wanted to share some info I learned a few days ago regarding the PRIMARY reservation holder. This info is from Gothic Rosie, who is well known primarily by local AP’s, she does info blogging.

According to her post: if a MINOR is the primary reservation holder, then they must show some form of government ID. If they do not, then the entire group won’t be able to enter SWGE. Again this is for minors who are the primary reservation holder. If they are listed as a guest, no ID is needed……also again, I’m not trying to debate on why/how minors are listed as a primary, etc. I just wanted to pass on the info just in case anyone on the boards is in this situation. Many people had asked her this question, which is why she called Disney to confirm an answer. Make sure you get a Government ID. The link has the info, as well as the solutions if you need to get an ID for a minor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxih9xthaUA/

This is correct. I already had SWGE reservations from my hotel stays, so I didn’t try to book one when the open reservations started. But I did look at the page out of curiosity & that was definitely one of the rules listed. I doubt there are many minors as the lead guest on a reservation though. But, I would hope if they were booking a reservation on their own, they’d probably be old enough to have a driver’s license.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I'm sorry, maybe I didn't understand properly. We're you saying that all 8 am reservations would check in in the Esplanade for each day of the reservation period (which is what I thought you meant)? Or was this ONLY relating to May 31?

It appears that it’s for the entire reservation period, not just opening day. Line-up in the esplanade begins at 6:00 a.m. for those with an 8:00 a.m. reservation. Hope that helps.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... 5) Any cosplayers out there? I will be cosplaying for the first time and I was thinking of doing coronation Anna who you know has a big ballgown. Has your costume ever hindered your experience at D23? Is it better to go without or do something more simpler?..

Cosplay is all over the place at Expo, but depending on how important comfort is to you, you might want to go simpler. Or maybe wear Anna on your least busy day and go with easier outfits on the busier days? And bring layers or a packable jacket because it can get really chilly in the ACC while you are waiting around inactive for hours. And the downstairs "concrete bunker" area can get downright cold! (As the guy next to me said, "I haven't been this cold since winter in Connecticut!")

 

[maichan]

Line-up in the esplanade begins at 6:00 a.m. for those with an 8:00 a.m. reservation.

Does that mean the parking will be opening earlier than 6:30/7am during the reservation period? My res is at 8am on 6/1, so I'd like to get there as early as possible while still being able to park.

 

[SomeGuyInOz]

You know, I'm worried that could be the case. Do you remember a post (I think it was here... or was it at Micechat??) a few weeks back that claimed to be an insider - they said that despite Disney heavily advertising entry to SW:GE would be by reservation only, they will actually allow a standby entry into the land anyway.

I found the post - it was on MiceChat (I assume I am allowed to cross-post this):

Disneyland Leads are a diverse group, but this weekend all were Irish. Learned a few new things over Jameson and Dropkick Murphys.

Soon the Disney Parks Blog and a media release will reveal the online process to score a staggered "reservation window" for entrance into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. But that's just going to be a scam to try and prevent too many AP's from showing up casually before summer blockouts begin on June 24. What's really being planned is that a chunk of the land capacity will be saved each day for a Standby line that will be stacked on the Big Thunder Trail. From May 31 you'll be able to enter the SW:GE Standby line on the Big Thunder Trail and wait to be let into the land in between pulses of reservation holders. The land entrance will be handled like any other Fastpass ride, and the Big Thunder Trail entry caves will be the "merge point" where Standby and Fastpass are allowed in alternately. Leads and managers will use radios to communicate between land entrances and pulse in Guests from the Standby line as reservation holders arrive and depart.

...

The Parks Blog is gonna play it off in their upcoming announcement that a reservation is the ONLY way to get into the land from May 31 to June 23, but that's not the real truth. They'll lowball the number of reservations available daily on purpose and allow in big pulses of non-reservations Guests, so long as you don't mind waiting some on the Big Thunder Trail. But expect the Standby lines to be long on May 31 and that opening weekend.

The first part of this post came true regarding the online reservations system. With the current advertising telling people that SW:GE opens on May 31, I can only assume there may actually be a standby line as stated above. I seriously hope not, though.

 

[FrozenCrown]

Cosplay is all over the place at Expo, but depending on how important comfort is to you, you might want to go simpler. Or maybe wear Anna on your least busy day and go with easier outfits on the busier days? And bring layers or a packable jacket because it can get really chilly in the ACC while you are waiting around inactive for hours. And the downstairs "concrete bunker" area can get downright cold! (As the guy next to me said, "I haven't been this cold since winter in Connecticut!")

Is one sweater with short sleeve under enough or should i bring two layers?Is it cold throughout the building or just hall E?

 

[Sunnywho]

I doubt there are many minors as the lead guest on a reservation though. But, I would hope if they were booking a reservation on their own, they’d probably be old enough to have a driver’s license.

Minors between the ages of 14 - 18 could be the lead, so that would include some too young for a license.

 

[RomCom]

My 2 cents on all the speculations. I think Disney's goal was to have one reservation per person because obviously that maximizes revenue for them BUT I don't think they really care enough to put in the time and effort needed to cross reference. The goal of the reservations period was to test with live crowds and they get that either way. I don't see them turning down people visiting more than once (I say that a neutral party only having one reservation and I really have no desire for another since we have a limited amount of park time and kids that want to see other stuff). The idea of having a standby line after saying repeatedly there will be no standby line makes zero sense to me. This isn't the dark ages, that info will spread so fast and people will start coming to line up, especially APs that live close by. You'd still have the chaos and ruin people's trust in the process. I don't really see the upside for them.

 

[kristenabelle]

Is one sweater with short sleeve under enough or should i bring two layers?Is it cold throughout the building or just hall E?

Layers are always a good call. The basement is the most freezing - once you're upstairs and moving (IMO, anyway), it warms up.

I cosplayed in 2013 (my first Expo) as village Belle. Loved wearing the dress, loved random pictures of me reading my book while waiting in lines. I did bring a little towel to sit on because I didn't want my dress directly on the sidewalk & floors. Also, I didn't have petticoats or anything like that so it was more comfortable for sitting and travel in general. That said, lots of folks cosplay and look amazing! I agree on saving any complex, heavy, or ornate costumes like ballgowns for days when you don't have many must-do's and can stroll the floor.

 

[alvernon90]

The first part of this post came true regarding the online reservations system. With the current advertising telling people that SW:GE opens on May 31, I can only assume there may actually be a standby line as stated above. I seriously hope not, though.

It seems incredibly unlikely that a comment made by drunken Disney employees is going to trump the official line from Disney. They have said, again and again and again, that during the first three weeks only people with reservations can get in. If they change that on May 31, then on June 1 the parks will be utterly swamped with people coming for their chance to stand by.

Disney is trying to soft open SWGE. They have a plan in place for the big crowds but it won't be ready until the end of June. They have repeatedly advertised and continue to make official statements on their web site that there will be no standby. Pile up all that evidence against an anonymous (and allegedly drunk) source, and make your assumptions accordingly.

 

[nwiddy]

It seems incredibly unlikely that a comment made by drunken Disney employees is going to trump the official line from Disney. They have said, again and again and again, that during the first three weeks only people with reservations can get in. If they change that on May 31, then on June 1 the parks will be utterly swamped with people coming for their chance to stand by.

Disney is trying to soft open SWGE. They have a plan in place for the big crowds but it won't be ready until the end of June. They have repeatedly advertised and continue to make official statements on their web site that there will be no standby. Pile up all that evidence against an anonymous (and allegedly drunk) source, and make your assumptions accordingly.

This x 100. Disney's #1, 2, and 3 concern right now with SWGE is press and what the paper's are going to say a week after opening. If all the headlines are that it's a mess, no one can get in, the park is closing for capacity every day, 6 hour waits, etc, then the people watching and thinking about making a reservation for later this summer are going to decide on something else. There is absolutely no benefit to Disney for providing a standby line the first three weeks. Will they get guest complaints from people who didn't do their research ahead of time? Absolutely. Are those "angry" guests going to come back later and experience SWGE? Yep.

The worst thing Disney could do at this point is over-populate SWGE.