New D23 Expo Superthread! (6/24/2019)

[soniam]

I think I will definitely be bringing my inflatable camping pillow, maybe I’m not too fat to sit on it, and probably even my sleeping pad, even if it’s just for daytime lines. I wonder if one of those cushions like they give out for the Blue Bayou F! dining package would be better.

 

[met19]

So it's my first expo. My friend and I did not get any panels, stage passes, or store passes not 1. But we are both just excited to be going to our first expo. My questions are:

- if we decide to skip panels all togethere, is there enough to see on the expo floor. We paid the discounted D23 1 day ticket, so I dont feel like a made a major investment.

- I know the expo opens at 9. If we decide to go to Disneyland in the morning, will we have hard time getting in to the expo floor. My friend hasn't been to Star Wars land, so we thought we could head there for a couple hours, and then uber to the convention center. As newbies, are we being completely unrealistic? I think the only thing we will stand in line for is the stores.

So this is my second expo. I went in 2017 also. My thoughts based on my 2017 experience. I went to legends, and then I think a total of 4 other panels on days 1,2,3. I also got a store pass for MOG for day 1 afternoon. After legends I waited in the standby line for 35 min for Dreams store. I also walked the floor on day 2 and found a limited steamboat willy from a vendor (only 100 made). I went into the archives exhibit too. I thought it was a successful expo for me. I think you can have fun and shop without the big panels.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Gardening kneeling pads such as this are also an alternative option since it seems the small collapsible chairs will not be permitted this year. I have a similar one I got at Home Depot a few years back, before I got my chair, used it at my first couple of expos. I’ve used it in the parks also, it fits nicely in the front zipper pocket of my small rolling bag.

https://www.amazon.com/InSassy-Knee...ng+knee+pads&qid=1566152081&s=gateway&sr=8-12

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I pulled an old DISboards trick people used for WDW. Just emailed the head of D23 expo. Not really sure if I'll get a response, but my email was very rational, emotionless and to the point about my thoughts on the reservation system.

 

[Elias1901]

Yes, if you want to safely make it into the Gold queue for the morning Hall D23 panels, expect to queue overnight with the exception of Legends. Traditionally, Legends hasn't required a camp out to get in, but with Stagepass and the induction of Robert Downey Jr. this year, you can't safely rely on past expo data.

eta: Didn't mean to imply that overnight queuing is a requirement, but if you really want to get in to Studios specifically, I'd arrive by midnight or 1am at the latest. Since Parks has traditionally been an afternoon panel, it's harder to predict how that queue will go, but my gut says a 3-4am arrival should probably be OK. But again, if you really have your heart set on any of the major panels, camping out is the only way to ensure a spot outside of reservations.


There is a separately marked Gold queue, but it's also in the Hall E basement with the rest of the overnighters. In the past, once they brought the overnight queue inside the convention center, they separated it out into show floor (and everything else), Hall D23 general, and Hall D23 Gold. If you want to get into the Gold queue for the Arena you'd wait in the show floor line and then "walk with purpose" to the Arena queue as soon as they let you in.

So... when you arrive in the early, early, EARLY morning... as a gold member, is there a specific area for gold members to queue when you arrive outside the convention center? Or do you simply join the one big queue to get in??

Like... I guess that’s my main concern. Where do you queue to get in to Legends, Studios and Parks? Is it a specific line outside or is it all just one main line to get into the convention center?? I just really want to know where to go.

We’re considering going gold here but I want to make sure that it is worth our while and not a big waste of time and money. Secondly, if we got gold today... I’d like to know how exactly we would be able to identify ourselves as D23 Gold Members to gain access to the queues, lounge, etc.

I know that we wouldn’t be able to get our membership card(s) in time, as we leave early Tuesday morning for California. Would a printed email or screen shot work? Do they send printable temporary cards?? I don’t know...

OR would anybody recommend that we don’t bother with going gold and just show up and stand in standby... so much to consider. We got a reservation for Legends, so I’m sure if we show up a few hours before the expo opens on Friday, we’ll be fine. But for Studios and Parks on the other two days, we weren’t so lucky... we don’t WANT to be out there all night obviously but if we do, we want don’t want to be turned away from those morning priority panels after waiting and waiting and waiting for hours on end, losing sleep that I’m sure we would desperately need. Anyone have any advice?

 

[wnwardii]

I can only relate to how it was at the last Expo with no Stage Pass as part of Hall D23. Everyone was queued up in the same line, regardless if you were Gold or not. When they started letting people into the staging area for Hall D23, that is when you would choose the section of Hall D23 and whether or not your were Gold. So up until that point, everyone was together. By having the Gold Membership, I was able to choose the middle Gold line (section B I believe). Then we waited for several more hours.

I only did the Parks & Resorts last Expo. They did not let us into the staging room until they had emptied it for the morning panel. Once the previous panel was seated in Hall D23, that is when they opened for Parks & Resorts.

 

[montreid]

@Elias1901 - nobody knows right now. in 2017 Gold queue capped off sometime overnight as we arrived 5AM and barely got it with 10min prior to the presentation. Don't know how many seats when this year to Stagepass but presume the same amounts along with same for Gold queue.

I'm curious how they are going to police the collapsible tripod chairs in backpacks. We have our air mats just in case. Concretely Hall E is still better than outside elements of Anaheim's West street.

 

[goingtoexpo!!]

Is the meeting area for overnight queue the same as it was in 2017? I am reading Katella near Arena Plaza. That is on the opposite side of the convention center from HallD23.

 

[BriarRose59]

D23 Guest Services directed me to the DLRAccessibilityServices@disney.com email address. It took them several days to respond. ❤

Thank you for this information. My daughter is mobility impaired but not in a wheelchair. She has a really hard time getting up and down from the floor. I have to physically pull her up. I’ve asked if I can bring one camp chair so she won’t be on the floor. I’ll let you know what they say.

 

[jxhide]

Is the meeting area for overnight queue the same as it was in 2017? I am reading Katella near Arena Plaza. That is on the opposite side of the convention center from HallD23.

I'd like to know as well. I don't want to end up in the wrong place

 

[CarolynFH]

Gold and Charter members - what can we expect in the lounges? Are they crowded? What sorts of drinks/snacks do they offer? Seating? Phone charging?

TIA!

 

[webdeck]

Now that I've had a day to calm down, here's my reservations experience.

My wife and I were side by side on our laptops before noon and had the countdown screen. I got into the virtual queue screen before she did. Once she was in the queue, her person icon zipped across the screen and she was in to make reservations in around 15 minutes. My icon didn't budge. She offered to let me log in on her laptop since we're going for my birthday, but it wouldn't let me log in with my badge number and e-mail, even though it was activated. She was able to login with her info. She was able to grab 5 out of the 6 stage passes we wanted, but zero store or talent passes were available, even getting in that early. At one point she tried reloading the page because she kept getting "Sorry" errors, and that kicked her back into the queue even though it wasn't supposed to (with a lot of serious screaming as a result.)

After about an hour and a half, I was finally able to get through the queue. I have no idea why she got in so fast and it took me forever, when I was supposedly in the queue before her. This time it let me login with my badge. Everything was pretty much gone - no store or talent passes, and like 2 stage passes were left. Much more screaming.

My wife made it through the queue again and thankfully her reservations were still there, so she was able to get the 5 stage passes. We're a family of 4 attending with our two under-14 kids, so unless I can make it into the gold member queue before it's cut off, we won't be able to see the sessions together. And even then, I doubt there's any way for us to sit together unless we all do the gold member queue together, but not all of the halls have a gold member queue, right?

Happy birthday to me. I am really regretting spending so much on this a year ago if it's going to amount to me standing in lines all day for nothing, plus all the time wasted and frustrations on Friday and Saturday on reservations. I'm way past the point in my life where I want to spend my time standing in a line overnight - that won't be happening. At least we're APs, so we can somewhat redeem the trip by spending more time in the parks if we can't get into sessions, but it's still a good chunk of cash potentially wasted on this.

 

[gtrist4life]

This is straight from the FAQ -

I have a reservation for a Hall D23 session that starts at 10 a.m. Since doors open at 9 a.m., how do I make sure that I can get into the Anaheim Convention Center and in line to arrive at least one hour prior to the start of the session?
The check in for Hall D23 StagePass is in Hall E. Arrive at Hall E at least one (1) hour prior to the start of the session. Allow ample time for parking and security screening to get to Hall E. Select security screening points will be available 24 hours a day starting at 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 22. When you enter the event, let staff know that you have a StagePass for Hall D23. You will be directed to Hall E to queue.

I’m trying to decide between doing online reservations or waiting in the D23 Gold Member Priority Queue. What’s the difference?
The D23 Gold Member Priority Queue does not require a reservation and will allow first access to general admission seating for D23 Gold Members in Hall D23 and D23 Expo Arena. However, the D23 Gold Member Priority Queue capacity is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis and may require very early arrival or overnight queuing.

What if I don’t get online reservations for the experiences I wanted?
There will be standby queues at all StorePass, StagePass, and Talent Central locations. For in-booth experiences, please check at that booth if they are holding a standby queue.

Not clear on where the standby queues will be, This is my first expo, so I'm guessing they will divvy up Hall E for Hall D23 events, for StagePass, Gold Member, and Standby queues.

 

[Gothemi]

Gold and Charter members - what can we expect in the lounges? Are they crowded? What sorts of drinks/snacks do they offer? Seating? Phone charging?

TIA!

If it's anything like the last few years...underwhelming. I recall some warm sodas, stale popcorn and a large line for a single water cooler that was nearly empty with no changes coming anytime soon. The ACC staff were not at all helpful in getting new, fresh water bottles for the cooler.

I thought they had a small bar with overpriced wine and beer too, but I might be wrong.

There was seating, which was nice. I don't recall any phone charging beyond what was on the walls.

It's nice to rest your feet for a minute or two, but nothing special and nothing that great. Really hope this year is better, but I imagine it will be the same.

 

[superdeluxe]

Im hearing rumblings about the ‘surprise’ announcement might be Mumbai Disney. Anyone else hearing that? It would make sense with Disney Now controlling Star in India.

 

[Gothemi]

Im hearing rumblings about the ‘surprise’ announcement might be Mumbai Disney. Anyone else hearing that? It would make sense with Disney Now controlling Star in India.

No

 

[AllyGirl_79]

I know it’s late to be asking this - but can anyone help me understand the discount park tickets available for D23? I have the link from the original D23 ticket email though I can’t get past the welcome screen at the moment.

Do the tickets include the early morning (Sat) and the option to add max pass? I vaguely recall people talking about this somewhere in the thread, but, despite searching, I can’t find it. Thanks!

 

[keahgirl8]

I know it’s late to be asking this - but can anyone help me understand the discount park tickets available for D23? I have the link from the original D23 ticket email though I can’t get past the welcome screen at the moment.

Do the tickets include the early morning (Sat) and the option to add max pass? I vaguely recall people talking about this somewhere in the thread, but, despite searching, I can’t find it. Thanks!

Do you see a button in the top right corner that says "buy tickets"? It was kind of out of the way when I did it.

I don't know about the early morning, but I was able to add the Max Pass.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Am I right in thinking that there are no stage or shop passes given out at the Expo this year like they did the last time? That’s what the reservations are for right? My husband thinks they will still offer some at the Expo and I say no, please settle or debate. Thanks!

 

[keahgirl8]

Am I right in thinking that there are no stage or shop passes given out at the Expo this year like they did the last time? That’s what the reservations are for right? My husband thinks they will still offer some at the Expo and I say no, please settle or debate. Thanks!

You are correct. That was it, now it's just standby or Gold Member lines.