D23 Expo Impact on Crowds?

[SD33]

I'm looking at the Touring Plans crowd calendar predictions for August and their predictions are surprisingly low around the time of the D23 Expo this Summer. I've always found them to be reliable but I find it hard to imagine that the parks wouldn't be filled with die hard Disney fans on the evenings of the expo, or the day or two before and after the expo. Thoughts on this? Anyone have any experience from past expos?

 

[nathos]

The parks had unusually low crowds during the D23 Expo in 2017. My guess is that all the super fans were at the convention center.

I got fed up with the horribly mismanaged crowd handling at the expo, so my partner and I went to the parks and had a great time!

Gonna try it again this year, but I fear that Galaxy’s Edge will make any hope of a slow park day a distant memory.

 

[SD33]

The parks had unusually low crowds during the D23 Expo in 2017. My guess is that all the super fans were at the convention center.

I got fed up with the horribly mismanaged crowd handling at the expo, so my partner and I went to the parks and had a great time!

Gonna try it again this year, but I fear that Galaxy’s Edge will make any hope of a slow park day a distant memory.

Good to know, Nathos! Makes me feel better about the parks. Wondering if the hotels are all packed out though too? I see that rates are around $30-40 more a night that weekend than the previous weekend.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm looking at the Touring Plans crowd calendar predictions for August and their predictions are surprisingly low around the time of the D23 Expo this Summer. I've always found them to be reliable but I find it hard to imagine that the parks wouldn't be filled with die hard Disney fans on the evenings of the expo, or the day or two before and after the expo. Thoughts on this? Anyone have any experience from past expos?

The Expo is not enough of an impact to be that important. Far more important are the AP blockouts.

 

[dreeger]

I'm looking at the Touring Plans crowd calendar predictions for August and their predictions are surprisingly low around the time of the D23 Expo this Summer. I've always found them to be reliable but I find it hard to imagine that the parks wouldn't be filled with die hard Disney fans on the evenings of the expo, or the day or two before and after the expo. Thoughts on this? Anyone have any experience from past expos?

We stayed at GCH during D23 in 2017 and the hotels were packed, but the parks empty during the days. It appeared that most of the hotel guests attended the convention. The parks were much busier in the evenings/nighttime. I'd go again during d23. It was fabulous to be there on a summer weekend and be able to walk on most attractions for several hours during the daytime.

 

[ej119]

Agree that 2017 was unusually quiet in the parks during the evening of D23. On the flip side, 2015 during D23 was madness -- every restaurant was completely full at the end of the day!! I was starving and couldn't get in anywhere in DCA or Downtown Disney.

 

[dina444444]

Agree that 2017 was unusually quiet in the parks during the evening of D23. On the flip side, 2015 during D23 was madness -- every restaurant was completely full at the end of the day!! I was starving and couldn't get in anywhere in DCA or Downtown Disney.

Summer 2017 was unusually quiet not just D23.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This year, the DL block for Deluxe APs lifts right around D23 Expo -- I'd expect that to have a bigger impact on the park crowds than the Expo itself. That will be the first time the DAPs will be allowed into/back into SWGE after having been blocked since June.

 

[ImDMous]

As everyone has said, we usually don't have time to go to the parks during D23 much. If you want into any of the big panels, you are looking at lining up very early in the morning or even the night before. After 6 or 7PM when the Expo closes, it's food and bed to get some sleep to get up before dawn and start all over. The hotels do seem to be getting full very early this year and imagine the hotel restaurants and DTD will be pretty packed.