Disneyland/D23 questions

[Mike S]

Well it's coming. Next week is when tickets for D23 go on sale. We'll be going from the 10th to the 19th with the first two days in LA. We already have our hotel right across the street from Disneyland booked and we don't have to pay for that until we actually get there. I guess my questions would be how packed are the parks around this time of year and how much more could it be because of D23? The presentations we're most interested in are animation and the parks. Would it be worth it to go all 3 days or only 2 and have another day at the parks instead? How are the lines there? My brother also said we could buy our Disneyland tickets now and they would still be good for the time of our trip. Should we do it to avoid any price increases?

 

[216bruce]

Well it's coming. Next week is when tickets for D23 go on sale. We'll be going from the 9th to the 19th with the first two days in LA. We already have our hotel right across the street from Disneyland booked and we don't have to pay for that until we actually get there. I guess my questions would be how packed are the parks around this time of year and how much more could it be because of D23? The presentations we're most interested in are animation and the parks. Would it be worth it to go all 3 days or only 2 have another day at the parks instead and how are the lines there? My brother also said we could buy our Disneyland tickets now and they would still be good for the time of our trip. Should we do it to avoid any price increases?

I went to the last three D23Expos and here's some advice:- The parks are very manageable for crowds. The Expo doesn't seem to make much difference. The parks are seasonally busy but the crowds are (just my opinion) much more decent than the ones at WDW. Different vibe.
When we went to the large hall presentations for Animation, Live-action or Parks/Resorts it amounted to a very early morning start (about 5-6 am) in order to be assured of getting in. The presentations all went long and we got out afterwards about mid-afternoon. Spent some time wandering the floor and poking around at the Convention Center and then spent the rest of the day at the parks.
Caution: The Expo itself is amazing but incredibly crowded and frustrating. You can't see more than a couple of things a day as far as presentations go as they sell out very quickly (unless you buy Wizard Level admission). If you go to the large hall shows you mention, that 'may' be all you get in to for that day. The crowds and frustration are why I'm not going back. I enjoyed the parks a LOT more, especially after the last Expo.
I can't speak as to tickets. We just bought Park hoppers in advance and went when we could.

 

[Mike S]

I went to the last three D23Expos and here's some advice:- The parks are very manageable for crowds. The Expo doesn't seem to make much difference. The parks are seasonally busy but the crowds are (just my opinion) much more decent than the ones at WDW. Different vibe.
When we went to the large hall presentations for Animation, Live-action or Parks/Resorts it amounted to a very early morning start (about 5-6 am) in order to be assured of getting in. The presentations all went long and we got out afterwards about mid-afternoon. Spent some time wandering the floor and poking around at the Convention Center and then spent the rest of the day at the parks.
Caution: The Expo itself is amazing but incredibly crowded and frustrating. You can't see more than a couple of things a day as far as presentations go as they sell out very quickly (unless you buy Wizard Level admission). If you go to the large hall shows you mention, that 'may' be all you get in to for that day. The crowds and frustration are why I'm not going back. I enjoyed the parks a LOT more, especially after the last Expo.
I can't speak as to tickets. We just bought Park hoppers in advance and went when we could.

Wait, you have to buy a ticket to the presentations?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Wait, you have to buy a ticket to the presentations?

I think he just means fill up, but they do offer ShowPass (basically an FP) for several presentations and those do "sell" out (they're free, like FPs).

 

[Mike S]

I think he just means fill up, but they do offer ShowPass (basically an FP) for several presentations and those do "sell" out (they're free, like FPs).

And how/when do you get those?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

And how/when do you get those?

I believe they are distributed day of within the convention center in a central location - so if there's a panel you really want to get into, you'd head to ShowPass first. It's for the smaller panels, not the big keynotes - those you just line up for and pray you get in.

The 3rd day of expo usually sucks, just FYI. I could never do more than 2 days myself but that's only because it's so poorly run and organized and frustrating.

 

[216bruce]

Wait, you have to buy a ticket to the presentations?

No, but you can get what amounts to a Fastpass that are available first come first serve/until they run out for smaller hall presentation. If you buy a Wizard level pass you can pretty much wander in and out at the last second. Regular admission folks just wait in the neverending queue. Some of the presentations are held in relatively small rooms and those (along with the overflow video screen rooms) get sold out easily. It depends on the presentation and its popularity.

 

[216bruce]

I believe they are distributed day of within the convention center in a central location - so if there's a panel you really want to get into, you'd head to ShowPass first. It's for the smaller panels, not the big keynotes - those you just line up for and pray you get in.

The 3rd day of expo usually sucks, just FYI. I could never do more than 2 days myself but that's only because it's so poorly run and organized and frustrating.

By the way, there's a heck of a line to wait in just to get the Fastpass. D23 is the only place I ever waited in a line to wait in a line to wait in a line. Honest.
Yeah, third day is weak, but you can get some shopping done there.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I don't mean to be down on D23, but they have done this thing four times now and they have not seemed to ever learn any lessons on how to run the damn thing. You will wait in lines for days to do anything. For the Walt Disney Pictures presentation last year, people waited overnight. I cannot, will not, wait overnight for anything unless it's free front row tickets to see Celine Dion in Hamilton.

The displays are always done really well and the camaraderie is great, but you have to wait in line to get in the convention center and then wait in line for everything else. In 2015 the Avatar land model was a "show" experience so to see the damn thing, you had to wait in another line. Like...no.

Prioritize what you want to see once the schedule is released and plan accordingly. Don't try and do everything, you will fail. Know it will be arduous. Have the right expectations going in, and you'll be fine.

 

[Monty]

We've done two Expos, one with three-day passes and one with Sorcerers' passes. The Sorcerer pass is ridiculously expensive [Last year it was $2K each, this year it'll be $2,250]. The lines for everything were frustrating the first visit. We still had a great weekend and a lot of fun, but I wouldn't do it again. Last time, with Sorcerers' passes, my son and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, but there were still frustrations. It seems that despite having done a few of these, Disney doesn't learn from their mistakes from Expo to Expo. I might try the Sorcerer Pass route again sometime in the future, but not next year. I'll be getting off a Disney Cruise in Port Canaveral the day it starts.

Not sure what crowds at DL will be like, the Expos we went to were in mid-August, this one's a month earlier.

 

[Curious Constance]

The Sorcerer pass is ridiculously expensive [Last year it was $2K each, this year it'll be $2,250].

 

[Curious Constance]

I cannot, will not, wait overnight for anything unless it's free front row tickets to see Celine Dion in Hamilton.
.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Don't lie, if Celine was playing Hamilton you'd be right behind me in that overnight line.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I don't mean to be down on D23, but they have done this thing four times now and they have not seemed to ever learn any lessons on how to run the damn thing.

Exactly, which is why I haven't been since 2011.

 

[Mike S]

Thanks for all the tips guys. All we ever expected to do were the animation and parks presentations and then I guess walk the show floor taking in the sights. I never really thought about the smaller presentations. That's crazy that there was a huge line just to see the Avatar model. If Star Wars is there next year... Oh my.

From that I guess I should drop day 3 then and just have another day at the parks?

Edit: oh yeah, should I get my park tickets now? Last time I got them when I got there.

 

[Curious Constance]

If you buy tickets now, they will be good through 12-31-2017, so no down side to purchasing now. I'm sure there will be at least one more price increase between now and then.

 

[Curious Constance]

Don't lie, if Celine was playing Hamilton you'd be right behind me in that overnight line.

Do you mean right in front of you?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Do you mean right in front of you?

 

[Curious Constance]

LOL!!!

 

[PorterRedkey]

Well it's coming. Next week is when tickets for D23 go on sale. We'll be going from the 9th to the 19th with the first two days in LA. We already have our hotel right across the street from Disneyland booked and we don't have to pay for that until we actually get there. I guess my questions would be how packed are the parks around this time of year and how much more could it be because of D23? The presentations we're most interested in are animation and the parks. Would it be worth it to go all 3 days or only 2 and have another day at the parks instead? How are the lines there? My brother also said we could buy our Disneyland tickets now and they would still be good for the time of our trip. Should we do it to avoid any price increases?

I would buy your tickets at aRes travel. I heard about them from Mousesavers and it saved us about $40 bucks (we picked them up at will-call).

FYI, I have no affiliation with either of the sites.

Here is the mousesaver's article:
http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyla...deals/disneyland-ticket-pass-discounts/#phadv

From mousesavers:
"aRes Travel (pronounced “a-rez” rather than “a-reez”) is an extremely reliable, authorized Disneyland ticket vendor we’ve been recommending for years. They have decades of experience selling Disneyland tickets (and other Southern California attraction tickets), and have excellent customer service, with real people you can talk to. You can buy from them with confidence."

Here is the aRes site:
http://arestravel.com/722_activity-list_m8.html