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Anyone ever gone to D23 Expo??

mdurette

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Ugh....DD 13 is begging to go. I have no idea what it is about, I have looked online - but I'm not finding anything with the true nitty gritty. Entertaining? Long Lines? Worth it? Do you need to go to all 3 days?

Would love a real life experience from someone who has been there.
 

rhonda

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Yes (btdt), yes (entertaining), yes (long lines), maybe (worth it) and no (must go all 3 days).

My husband and I have attended each D23 Expo to date. We often go all three days (certainly did initially) but more recently have taken a more relaxed approach and will buy "day of" tickets which might mean a day has been sold out.

For us it is "worth it." We've learned to pick just one or two "big things" we hope to do on any given day and will, thus, commit the time required to stand in those lines. Beyond that, we'll spend our time in the exhibits, talking with Imagineers, talking with fellow fans, talking with vendors, etc. There is so much to do: Special talks from the Disney teams; Historical exhibits; New announcements; Specialty shopping experiences (Mickey's of Glendale and stuff usually reserved for Employee's only?); From-the-archive Movies; fantastic people watching; costumes; etc.

It is crazy ... but fun. Come join us!
 

dioxide45

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Go to YouTube.com and search for D23. I am sure there is a ton of first hand videos of it.
 

TheHolleys87

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The official website is D23Expo.com and is full of information, mostly in fairly short video format. DH and I are going for the first time this year, so I’ve been following this thread on the DIS: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d23-expo-2019-superthread-dates-announced.3672742/. Also, YouTube has a number of videos that can be useful in understanding the scope. Apparently in the past people have begun lining up the morning before (i.e. on Thursday morning for Friday opening), but there are rumors of virtual queues, lotteries, or other means this year of reducing the huge overnight queues they’ve had in the past. In any case, DH and I don’t plan to arrive at the convention center that early! BTW the 3-day tickets are sold out, so you’ll be buying single day tickets no matter how many days you go.
 

mdurette

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OMG - lining up for what the night before??

The 2 Disney creatures I live with (DH and DD) are all smiles around the house that I am considering this. But, we already have a TX trip planned for 8/25-9/1!. We could feasibly fly to CA for the weekend, then TX.

But I know these creatures all too well and they are already starting. While we are their we should go to Disneyland too! Hum....my cheap trip to TX is all of a sudden getting squashed by the mouse.

Ha Ha Ha - I would like to take them, I just need to figure out what I am getting myself into and the cost. I have been researching online what I can.

One question at the moment - I see the 3 day tickets are already sold out. Do the single day tickets usually sell out too? Is there a need for me to jump in and buy them now?
 
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rhonda

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Yes, I would expect at least one of the single day tickets to sell out before the event opens depending on which day "big announcements" are scheduled: Parks, Movies, etc.

I dug my heels in against the mandatory Shipping & Handling fee. It was ridiculous and I refuse to pay it. We'll buy our tickets at the gate.
 

presley

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I recommend reading the threads in the Disneyland forum on disboards. There are very long threads there.

I know one couple who go every year. It is "normal" to wait in a line for over an hour to see a lecture and maybe not be able to get in because it fills up.

Some singles have posted that they pay people to save their spot in line. Some people enjoy waiting in line for several hours. I remember doing that as a kid when buying concert tickets. Not my style anymore.

I say take your daughter. You will both remember the experience for the rest of your lives.
 

TheHolleys87

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OMG - lining up for what the night before?? <snip>

Based on threads I’ve read and videos I’ve watched, there’s so much competition for entry to the Show Floor (exhibits, some meet & greets), shopping areas and major presentations such as Disney Legends, Parks & Resorts, and Live Action and Animation films (in 2017, details for Galaxy’s Edge and future Marvel movies were announced there) that people spend the night inside the convention center in order to be first in line and have a better chance of being admitted to the sessions that begin at 9 or 10 AM. And lines for the major afternoon sessions begin forming in the morning that day.

I’m hoping that the rumors of new virtual queues etc. will turn out to be true and at least give us a chance to attend some presentations without arriving so early. Just have to wait and see!
 

Denise L

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I took the family two years ago, and had plans to go this year, but haven't seen a real schedule of what is going on so have not bought Expo tickets yet. And yes, I looked and saw that the 3-day tickets are sold out. Oh well!

We didn't know what to expect in 2017, and arrived at around 8:30 AM on Friday and waited in line for over 3.5 hours to get in. It was crazy. And hot. The line snaked around and around and went on forever. I wonder if they will do something different this year. DH and DS (15 at the time) hated the waiting more than anything. Lines, lines, lines. My DD (18 at the time) wanted to wait for book signings and to get into the exclusive stores. We all enjoyed walking around and looking at exhibits, but we could never get into any of the big presentations (Marvel, any big talks) even though we waited in lines for up to 4 hours. We were really shocked at how poorly the line management was. They queued us all up in some underground parking lot to wait for one of the big events, and they filled it up and then half of the people didn't get in. DH and DS refused to go back the next two days, but DD and I went both days, though arrived later and just walked right in. She enjoyed some of the small talks (Walt Disney growing up in Marceline, an author talking about his Oswald book), but that is all we got to see besides what you see walking around the halls.

Anyhow, she expressed some interest in going this year, so I booked the timeshare, but didn't get the tickets. DH and DS definitely will not be going, and I am guessing that we may skip it if I don't see an agenda pretty soon.
 

4Sunsets

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I recommend reading the threads in the Disneyland forum on disboards. There are very long threads there.

Definitely second that. Regarding "You will both remember the experience for the rest of your lives." That is the hope, but give it 10 years or so and ask and your kids may not. :Do_O Kids being kids. Took mine several times to disney world for a month at a time and they claim they cant/dont even remember, so there's that. Create the memories for yourself, those no one can take from you (except old age). :shrug:
 

mdurette

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Thanks all for the replies - I have done the research and came to the conclusion that flying cross county to hang around in lines in a convention center for 3 days isn't my idea of vacation time! I still told DD I would take her, but if so it would take the place of a DCL cruise she wants to do. Her choice - Cruise or Expo. Early on she picked the expo - last night she said she changed her mind and decided on cruise. I'm happy with that!

BTW - Saturday expo tickets are sold out.
 

rhonda

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Thanks all for the replies - I have done the research and came to the conclusion that flying cross county to hang around in lines in a convention center for 3 days isn't my idea of vacation time! I still told DD I would take her, but if so it would take the place of a DCL cruise she wants to do. Her choice - Cruise or Expo. Early on she picked the expo - last night she said she changed her mind and decided on cruise. I'm happy with that!

BTW - Saturday expo tickets are sold out.
The Expo is certainly not a vacation. It is work. It is "attending a convention" type of work.
 

Firepath

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Wouldn't you already need your room by now? I thought everything got sold out early. When we were considering going this year, I booked Dolphin Cove 12 mos out I think it was. We ended up cancelling because my travelling partner took a job with the mouse in FL.
 
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