Disneyana Convention ???

[DonaldDuck]

My DH and I are thinking of going to the Official Disneyana Convention held at WDW in August 2002. Has anyone ever been? We are very interested in the Antiques and Collectibles show. If you have been to the Antiques and Collectibles show, what kind of stuff do they sell? We are interested in Disneyana made between 1930's and 1950's. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Candy

 

[sgtslovak]

My DW & I have been to the last 2 Disneyana Conventions. The dealers at the Antiques & Collectable Show sell all kinds of Disney items from the old to the new. I think you both would find it very interesting.

 

[shoes99]

We have also been to the last two Disneyana Conventions. DH spends all of his time in the Antiques & Collectibles room. He spends hours just looking at the stuff.
Event only packages are $586 per person.
The tenative schedule for the Antiques & Collectible portion is
Thursday 8/22 2:00PM to 5:00PM
Friday 8/23 10:00AM to 4:00PM
Saturday 8/24 11:00AM to3:00PM
We are disappointed that there won't be a public day on Saturday but who knows. The final schedule is not out yet.

 

[pinhopper]

I have attended several Disneyana Conventions, and the Antiques & Collectibles event is where non-Disney-Company vendors sell their wares. I would guess that there are typically 60-80 booths/tables set up in a single large convention hall. You will find vendors selling almost anything Disney, from 1950's toys to 1970's tea pots, from pins to magazines, from entire WDCC sculpture collections to movie posters and children's records. (As a pin collector, I have been suprised by the decline in the number of pin vendors over the past couple conventions...when I ask about this trend, vendors say that it is too hard to keep up with all the pin releases!) At almost every convention, I've noticed one or two booths which sell unique commemorative items for notable Disney celebrities. Two years ago, for example, there was a booth selling limited edition prints and collectibles honoring Marc Davis. As for the prices for any particular category of collectibles and whether they're reasonable/affordable, I can't offer any advice since I focus on just pins. This event is popular, with long lines forming outside the convention hall...and it has been fairly crowded inside as well every time that I've gone.

 

[DVCajun]

A question for those who have been-- do you get many "freebies?" I know they're not really free as you're paying a premium to get into the convention at all! But if you do, what kind of stuff do you normally get?

 

[pinhopper]

Keep in mind that this year's shortened convention is a big change from previous years, so the rules for getting "freebies" may not apply. At prior conventions, the freebies usually included:
- a welcome gift (typically a sculpture with a clock in it)
- a final banquet gift (typically a pewter statue reflecting the convention's theme)
- the final banquet centerpiece (awarded to just one person at each table according to a specific criteria)
- a token gift (Mickey poncho, Mickey giant slip-on glove) at the theme park party
- a whole slew of free pins at the Disney Company Showcase (depending on the booth you're at, you might instead be given a free musical CD, a Disney mini-book, a bookmark, etc.)
- possibly a free gift of some kind at the Walkabout event (where you have an hour to pick and attend exhibits/presentations run by various Disney departments, such as Entertainment, Costuming, Archives, Restaurants, etc.)

Then there are the "free" convention-specific materials:
- at registration on your first day there, you will get a guidebook/handbook containing descriptions of all the convention events and maps, an autograph booklet, an auction paddle shaped like Mickey's arm, and a lanyard with 1-2 convention-themed pins. You also get a bunch of tickets for free meals throughout WDW and for attendance at various convention receptions/parties/events.
- at some convention events, the conventioneers might be given a freebie such as musical CDs, depending on the topic being presented, but this is not always the case.
- if you attend/pay for the optional learning seminars, you usually get a free Mickey "Graduate" pin and a second seminar pin. Some of the seminars help you create sculptures, topiaries, or Mickey sketches (which are technically free, although you paid a seminar fee in order to make them!) If you take enough workshops, you can earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree and receive a free beautifully-decorated diploma at each level.
- there are usually several free drawings, which you can enter, to win such items as a sketch by a Disney artist, or a WDCC sculpture.

So , yes, you do get a bunch of freebies, but yes, too, you pay for 'em via the convention registration fee! So be sure to leave lots of room in your suitcases for just this stuff, in addition to all the collectibles you might end up buying while at the convention. Again, because the 2002 convention is several days shorter, there will be fewer events and probably fewer freebies as well.