D23 Expo?

[SirRoderick]

I was actually just wondering if anyone knew anything about the turnout of the D23 Expo. I know that Disney started the D23 to respark some of that imagination that gets Disney fans so close to the company. So does anyone know how it went numbers wise and if the company with pleased with the outcome?

 

[Jennasis]

I can't imagine Disney wouldn't be pleased with how it went. Everything I read, saw, heard said it was huge!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I was there. I will use the term that I was underwhelmed!

And there had been advance talk of about 40,000 people. I had a four day ticket so I am sure I was counted as four people. I was given a special wristband the first day (for my ticket) and all I needed for the remaining says was to have the people at the doors see that wristband.

I do not think they had 10,000 people per day.

And I have gotten a survey which I plan to fill out and turn in.

 

[Jennasis]

I was there. I will use the term that I was underwhelmed!

And there had been advance talk of about 40,000 people. I had a four day ticket so I am sure I was counted as four people. I was given a special wristband the first day (for my ticket) and all I needed for the remaining says was to have the people at the doors see that wristband.

I do not think they had 10,000 people per day.

And I have gotten a survey which I plan to fill out and turn in.

could you articulate why you were underwhelmed? Those I know who went described masses of people and terrific events. What were you unimpressed with?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It was supposed to be all facets of The Walt Disney Company. ESPN (one of the larger divisions) was not there. AC was only represented by a few soap operas and "Lost"; where was ABC News or ABC Sports?

The lines to get into many of the seminars were not only excessive, but the seminar rooms filled up and were closed. They could have had more sessions in The Arena, which seated 4,000. They could have moved programs from the Studio Theater (Seats 850) to the Arena and from the Storytellers Theater (Seats 400) to the Studio Theater.

Much of the "new and forthcoming" stuff was old to many people familiar with DisBoards. For example, they had "Lucky the Dinosaur" which was wandering about WDW around two years ago before going to HKDL and they showeed him as something new.

Maybe the fact that I had been to all ten Disneyana Conventions, am active here (and other boards) and have been involved with the NFFC (The Club For Disneyana Enthusiasts) for about 20 years led me to expect more from Disney.

 

[Jennasis]

It was supposed to be all facets of The Walt Disney Company. ESPN (one of the larger divisions) was not there. AC was only represented by a few soap operas and "Lost"; where was ABC News or ABC Sports?

The lines to get into many of the seminars were not only excessive, but the seminar rooms filled up and were closed. They could have had more sessions in The Arena, which seated 4,000. They could have moved programs from the Studio Theater (Seats 850) to the Arena and from the Storytellers Theater (Seats 400) to the Studio Theater.

Much of the "new and forthcoming" stuff was old to many people familiar with DisBoards. For example, they had "Lucky the Dinosaur" which was wandering about WDW around two years ago before going to HKDL and they showeed him as something new.

Maybe the fact that I had been to all ten Disneyana Conventions, am active here (and other boards) and have been involved with the NFFC (The Club For Disneyana Enthusiasts) for about 20 years led me to expect more from Disney.

Perhaps. But remember, we are more informed than many Disney fans. not everyone is on the DIS or listens to podcats weekly (guilty...I listen to two!).

I've never seen Lucky the Dinosaur, so had I been there, he would have been new to me. I would venture to say most people have never seen him in person so he was probably new to most of the people there. FWIW, I'm on the DIS and podcast savvy and I hadn't heard anything about the Fantasyland expansion or any of the stuff mentioned in the Theme park talk.

It sounds like Disney underestimated the number of people that were going to be ther (though your post, intimates originally that you didn't think that many people showed up). The reports I've read and from what I've seen match the description of second post which was MAKE MORE ROOM for all the people who wanted in.

I know people who were there the whole weekend and never made it up to the second and third floor for the exhibits there because they were swamped downstairs with stuff to see and do.

Not sure how much "more" Disney could have showcased. It seemed they covered everything on the horizon for the forseeable future. I do agree that it was odd to not have an ESPN presence or ABC News/Sports. But there was an entire talk dedicated to ABC television in which the trotted out all the new shows and stars in them.

Mayeb Good Morning America should've gone live from the Expo? I hope next year they do go bigger and maybe bring it to Florida or somewhere on the East Coast. I really wish I could've been there in person.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

If anyone's interested, lurkyloo is in the process of writing a trip report about her experiences at the expo. It can be found here:

Lurkyloo's D23 Expo TR