What To Expect From D23 Expo 2017

[uli90]

It seems it's gonna be awesome!!

 

[Walt's10thOldManZach]

I'm hoping for the spectacular! Huge Pixar and Disney classics fan. Hopefully not to much Marvel. Any tips from seasoned expo folks?

I'm sure to see beautie and the beast, toy story, Star Wars, great merchandise and meeting great executives. Dream!

 

[mikepizzo]

If it is anything like the 2015 expo you can expect waiting in very, very, long lines, having all the good merchandise sell out in hours, and a very underwhelming Parks & Resort presentation.

 

[rteetz]

If it is anything like the 2015 expo you can expect waiting in very, very, long lines, having all the good merchandise sell out in hours, and a very underwhelming Parks & Resort presentation.

Underwhelming? They announced Star Wars land... Many thought we weren't going to get anything at the parks presentation.

 

[mikepizzo]

Underwhelming? They announced Star Wars land... Many thought we weren't going to get anything at the parks presentation.

Iger announced Star Wars land at the Live Action Movie presentation, when they were talking about their plans for the Star Wars movies. He kind of mentioned it as an aside, like, "Oh yeah...and we're officially saying we are doing Star Wars land." Everyone knew it was coming though, so it didn't really matter.

Put that on top of the fact that everyone was expecting some kind of Pixar Place that encompassed multiple Pixar IP's instead of a dedicated Toy Story land and you have yourself a pretty underwhelming Parks & Resort presentation.

A lot of the time was spent on Shanghai as well, and maybe it was just me, but I wanted to see what they were planning to do at home rather than overseas.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the fact that Iger announced Star Wars land at the Live Action Movie presentation left a lot of people that waited 3 hours for the Parks & Resort presentation bitter. Why drop "big" Parks & Resort news in the Live Action Movie presentation. Word spread crazy fast, so the "big" news they had at the Parks & Resorts presentation wasn't really news anymore.

 

[rteetz]

Iger announced Star Wars land at the Live Action Movie presentation, when they were talking about their plans for the Star Wars movies. He kind of mentioned it as an aside, like, "Oh yeah...and we're officially saying we are doing Star Wars land." Everyone knew it was coming though, so it didn't really matter.

Put that on top of the fact that everyone was expecting some kind of Pixar Place that encompassed multiple Pixar IP's instead of a dedicated Toy Story land and you have yourself a pretty underwhelming Parks & Resort presentation.

A lot of the time was spent on Shanghai as well, and maybe it was just me, but I wanted to see what they were planning to do at home rather than overseas.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the fact that Iger announced Star Wars land at the Live Action Movie presentation left a lot of people that waited 3 hours for the Parks & Resort presentation bitter. Why drop "big" Parks & Resort news in the Live Action Movie presentation. Word spread crazy fast, so the "big" news they had at the Parks & Resorts presentation wasn't really news anymore.

Yes Iger announced that there but more details were given at the parks presentation along with Toy story land and other things like soarin around the world.

I can see why Iger announced it there too. Iger wanted that to be his reveal not Chapek. Lucasfilm is one of his prized buys.

If you followed here or on wdwmagic in the weeks leading up to D23 we knew it wasn't going to be a full Pixar place anymore.

Time spent on Shanghai was also necessary look at how much money they spent on the thing and they needed to keep interest in it for it to be successful. Shanghai also affected the US parks greatly. You also have to remember the this is a Disney fan convention with a presentation on all parks and resorts. This isn't a US only Disney convention with a US focused parks presentation.

 

[mikepizzo]

Yes Iger announced that there but more details were given at the parks presentation along with Toy story land and other things like soarin around the world.

I can see why Iger announced it there too. Iger wanted that to be his reveal not Chapek. Lucasfilm is one of his prized buys.

If you followed here or on wdwmagic in the weeks leading up to D23 we knew it wasn't going to be a full Pixar place anymore.

Time spent on Shanghai was also necessary look at how much money they spent on the thing and they needed to keep interest in it for it to be successful. Shanghai also affected the US parks greatly. You also have to remember the this is a Disney fan convention with a presentation on all parks and resorts. This isn't a US only Disney convention with a US focused parks presentation.

Yes, I understand all of that but it doesn't change my opinion that the Parks & Resort presentation was underwhelming.

What "more details" were given about Star Wars land? The Millennium Falcon ride? "Controlling Han's Solo ship"? Same way you "test the car you build" in Test Track right? The fact that it was going to be a new planet? Regardless the planet they are going to call it, it's still going to have callbacks to the original movies and references to the future movies as well. That's nothing exciting.

I get they had to talk about Shanghai too. But showing concept art is not news to me. Toting around prototypes of technology and innovation that they will be using in the parks...now that's news to me...that's exciting. More, "here's a look at some of the technology that we are using in the new park". Show me what you have done so far...not your blue sky ideas.

 

[rteetz]

Yes, I understand all of that but it doesn't change my opinion that the Parks & Resort presentation was underwhelming.

What "more details" were given about Star Wars land? The Millennium Falcon ride? "Controlling Han's Solo ship"? Same way you "test the car you build" in Test Track right? The fact that it was going to be a new planet? Regardless the planet they are going to call it, it's still going to have callbacks to the original movies and references to the future movies as well. That's nothing exciting.

I get they had to talk about Shanghai too. But showing concept art is not news to me. Toting around prototypes of technology and innovation that they will be using in the parks...now that's news to me...that's exciting. More, "here's a look at some of the technology that we are using in the new park". Show me what you have done so far...not your blue sky ideas.

I get it but you have to also look at the fact that not everyone at the presentation is a crazy Disney fan like you and me. I knew pretty much everything that was revealed at the presentation before it happened because I follow dozens of Disney sites. I think if you go in expecting huge things that weren't even rumored you are going to be underwhelmed.

 

[mikepizzo]

I get it but you have to also look at the fact that not everyone at the presentation is a crazy Disney fan like you and me. I knew pretty much everything that was revealed at the presentation before it happened because I follow dozens of Disney sites. I think if you go in expecting huge things that weren't even rumored you are going to be underwhelmed.

Not everyone that attended the D23 Expo, an exposition dedicated to, literally, all things Disney, is a crazy Disney fan? I'm pretty sure the D23 Expo is the closest thing to a real life version of these boards that you're gonna get.

But that's neither here nor there, we should probably stop so the thread can get back on track.

 

[wilkeliza]

For 2017 I imagine we will see scale models of Toy Story expansion and the Star Wars expansion. It would follow the pattern they have previously followed: Announced at 1, Models at 2, Open by 3 or close to open. It went that we for New Fantasyland and Avatar so that is why I think that is what we'll get parks wise.

We may and it is a very big may see some news on an Epcot revamp. That is the only big park change I could forsee.

Live action we already have the schedule of upcoming movies so perhaps we will see some people from Mary Poppins 2, Star Wars, maybe young Han.

Even if there is no massive announcement Lasseter will be there with or with out a big Pixar announcement. Park of D23 is all the big deals making appearances. It doesn't mean you'll get to meet them though.

 

[wilkeliza]

Friday is legends and what I consider throw back day there is also a focus on animation.

Saturday is Live Action and Parks and Resorts.

Sunday is all the rest so usually Video Games, DVC, Adventures by Disney, Cruise line etc.

For Sunday next year I'm hoping we hear more about the new ships.

 

[rteetz]

Friday is legends and what I consider throw back day there is also a focus on animation.

Saturday is Live Action and Parks and Resorts.

Sunday is all the rest so usually Video Games, DVC, Adventures by Disney, Cruise line etc.

For Sunday next year I'm hoping we hear more about the new ships.

DVC is a division of parks and resorts, I don't remember them doing something DVC specific.

 

[wilkeliza]

DVC is a division of parks and resorts, I don't remember them doing something DVC specific.

Sunday had a small panel on DVC, DCL, ABD all in one. It was called Experience the World with Disney.

 

[Missyrose]

Just for the record, I was at live action when Bob announced Star Wars land and then promised to show/tell more at Parks and Resorts, so after running back around to get in line... we were shown the exact same artwork and given the same details Disney gave a few hours before. There was really nothing different between the "two" presentations about SWL. That's what more people were bitter about, being promised more and given basically nothing.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

Underwhelming? They announced Star Wars land... Many thought we weren't going to get anything at the parks presentation.

I was underwhelmed only because I expected EVERYTHING out of it, not just the obvious rumors that were all but confirmed. Looking back at it, it's still more than 2011's and to be fair most of the noteworthy things recently have been announced outside the expo

 

[Walt's10thOldManZach]

They now, two year later, must have that information or that big reveal folks wished they could've gotten instead of the big news they had which was - Star Wars Land, and also a Toy Story Land...and we can't forget, "We're not just building one of these...we're building two!"

Either way, just looking for no stress. I'm not sure if planning a first in a lifetime DL vacation around the D23 Expo is such a good idea. Lots of stress with being in line and getting up VERY early. Hopefully not underwhelming as a DISer above mentioned.

 

[wilkeliza]

They now, two year later, must have that information or that big reveal folks wished they could've gotten instead of the big news they had which was - Star Wars Land, and also a Toy Story Land...and we can't forget, "We're not just building one of these...we're building two!"

Either way, just looking for no stress. I'm not sure if planning a first in a lifetime DL vacation around the D23 Expo is such a good idea. Lots of stress with being in line and getting up VERY early. Hopefully not underwhelming as a DISer above mentioned.

I went last year and it was not under whelming at all for me. It is up to the individual. I went to the parks and resort panel and in was no way disappointed that Star Wars expansion for both parks had already been or announced or that it was the same stuff because I didn't make it into Live Action so hadn't seen that stuff. Even the awkward Iron Man portion about Shanghai was funny.

Also I went to the Gaming panel which was pretty dead. I thought it was a wonderful panel even though KH3 was brief and included a very minor announcement. It was still fun to be in the same room as people I admire and hear it from their mouths.

We went to a few smaller panels and absolutely loved listening to the Inside Out team speak about making the movie and why. It was stuff that was available in print and on the special features of the bluray but to hear it live is completely different to me.

Same for the DVC/Aulani/ABD portion. Not much of it was new. However, to listen to Joe Rohde talk about Aulani was a joy to my little geeky heart.

It really is about what you personally get out of it. Yes it may just be confirming a million rumors or be information you already know but most Comic Cons I've been to offer a similar experience especially now that so much is available online.

 

[Missyrose]

They now, two year later, must have that information or that big reveal folks wished they could've gotten instead of the big news they had which was - Star Wars Land, and also a Toy Story Land...and we can't forget, "We're not just building one of these...we're building two!"

Either way, just looking for no stress. I'm not sure if planning a first in a lifetime DL vacation around the D23 Expo is such a good idea. Lots of stress with being in line and getting up VERY early. Hopefully not underwhelming as a DISer above mentioned.

I don't think you can ever plan a vacation around a convention/Expo and have it be no-stress. 2015 was my first Expo and I loved it. Yes, it involved lots of lines -- but it was for stuff we wanted to see. The movie panels are really cool with the actors/filmakers there and seeing never-before-seen footage is thrilling. I never made it into the Disney Store, but I wasn't really in the market for any LE merchandise -- I did love the Dream Store and Mickey's of Glendale store. But the highlight of the weekend, for me anyway, was getting to meet and really talk with the Imagineers. Having the chance to interact with the people who created and shaped the parks I love was just an awesome experience (and my favorite panel was with the Imagineers discussion the history of Disneyland)!

I think you get out of the Expo what you put into it. You can't see everything, they set up the schedule to make you choose between stuff. I also would suggest not mixing DL time in during the actual Expo weekend, the Expo is exhausting enough on its own. Our 2017 plan will be to do DL on arrival night on the Thursday before the Expo and then again for three or four days after the Expo is over.

 

[Walt's10thOldManZach]

I don't think you can ever plan a vacation around a convention/Expo and have it be no-stress. 2015 was my first Expo and I loved it. Yes, it involved lots of lines -- but it was for stuff we wanted to see. The movie panels are really cool with the actors/filmakers there and seeing never-before-seen footage is thrilling. I never made it into the Disney Store, but I wasn't really in the market for any LE merchandise -- I did love the Dream Store and Mickey's of Glendale store. But the highlight of the weekend, for me anyway, was getting to meet and really talk with the Imagineers. Having the chance to interact with the people who created and shaped the parks I love was just an awesome experience (and my favorite panel was with the Imagineers discussion the history of Disneyland)!

I think you get out of the Expo what you put into it. You can't see everything, they set up the schedule to make you choose between stuff. I also would suggest not mixing DL time in during the actual Expo weekend, the Expo is exhausting enough on its own. Our 2017 plan will be to do DL on arrival night on the Thursday before the Expo and then again for three or four days after the Expo is over.

Great suggestion, might suggest this to my fiancé and see what she thinks about that.

 

[merry_nbright]

Oh my god, if Lin Manuel Miranda is at the convention, I will envy every single person there! I adore him! Also, I really hope to hear something about the future projects of Epcot. That's my favorite part of D23 coverage, finding out what they have to say about what's up and coming at the parks!