When do you think the next D23 Expo will be?

[Next Big Thing]

So when do you think it will be? Do you think it will be next year? I am highly doubting they are going to do it on back to back years seeing as how much they announced this year, they set the bar really high as far as expectations. That means that if Disney did it next year, seeing all the big announcements this year, people would be expecting ones next year and if Disney doesn't provide them, they will leave let down. That is why I feel they won't do it back-to-back years. They may do it, but I just doubt that this will be something that they will do every year.

 

[disneysroyal411]

I think that it will be in 2 years in Orlando for the presentation of better models and stuff for the Fantasy Forest opening the next year. I bet that they will also sell some type of ticket to get into something or do something special in FF at the next D23 expo to make $ and to get people hyped about it. This means they'll say no cameras alowd into the special presentation that was bought and make it more tempting to bring a camera that they won't care if you have because they want you to take pictures of the thing for publicity.:lookaroun

 

[Figment632]

2 years hopefully in WDW but I wonder where they would have the event.

My first thought is the Contemporary but how cool would it be if they had it in WOL!!!

The only draw back would be park admission?

 

[terp79]

Sad to say but I don't think the expo will ever come down to Orlando. After speaking with a worker at D23, who works in the archives. They pretty much have decided that Orlando couldn't hold the expo, well correction Orlando could but Disney World couldn't.

Disney wants to make sure the expo attendants have easy access to the theme parks (more $$$$ for the parks and resorts division) and they said that all the convention centers on property couldn't hold a show as BIG as the D23 expo and they'd have to hold the show somewhere in downtown orlando. Not to mention the logistics and the cost . Can you imagine Imagineering, Disney Consumer Product and other divisions of Disney that are based in California having to pack up their show sand send it down to Orlando? Not to mention having representatives from those divisions on hand to run it. It would cost the company sooooo much money when out in California they all are locally based. Not to mention Pixar being in California and all the access to Hollywood stars and directors.

Also the next D23 Expo may not happen for awhile. Why you ask? Well we all know attendance wasn't what they were wishing for...pre-sale tickets did really bad. Then we have the issue that all the different divisions of Disney had to basically (at last minute) whip up what they had at the Expo and some of these people didn't have the budget and trust when you hear that the Disney Parks and Resorts division (that amazing show/exhibit put on by WDI) doesn't come cheap. Anyway the insiders are saying that all these different seggments of Disney, come October 1st (end of Disney's fiscal year) will have went over budget and on their lovely reports the reason they're going say they're over budget was the Expo. The Expo is going to be blamed for a lot of reasons why people can't have nice things.

Also the person we spoke with said that usually towards the end of conventions/expo's there's a Buzz (if it went well) and they said there was no Buzz which was kinda scary.

 

[Kamikaze]

It will be in early Sept in Anaheim.
It won't go to Orlando. Reason being that all the bigwigs and staffers are in CA. No reason to spend the extra cost to transport them across the country when the ACC is a perfect location already.
I'm hoping that its going to be moved up a week so I can hit Blizzcon and D23 on a 10 day vacation.

 

[Fashionista007]

I'm hoping that its going to be moved up a week so I can hit Blizzcon and D23 on a 10 day vacation.

Haha, I'm on the same page with you Maybe they could also schedule E3 around that time so I could hit all 3!

 

[DisneyJoe]

Wasn't it reported (before the expo) that the Anaheim Convention Center had already been booked by Disney for that same timeframe for the next few years?

(not saying that it means they are definitely going to hold the convention every year)

 

[peterpanic74]

Can you imagine Imagineering, Disney Consumer Product and other divisions of Disney that are based in California having to pack up their show sand send it down to Orlando? Not to mention having representatives from those divisions on hand to run it. It would cost the company sooooo much money when out in California they all are locally based. Not to mention Pixar being in California and all the access to Hollywood stars and directors.

This is the best reason why the D23 Expo will never be done in WDW.

 

[TP2000]

Wasn't it reported (before the expo) that the Anaheim Convention Center had already been booked by Disney for that same timeframe for the next few years?

Disney has booked the Anaheim Convention Center every year in early September through 2012.

If they held a D23 Expo on WDW property in 2013 it would be a much smaller, simpler version of it with a lot missing from the Anaheim version.

D23 Expo at WDW would have to be split up between five different conference facilities spread all over WDW property, and the vibe and energy would be very, very different because of that. You would also be missing a venue like the 7,000 seat Anaheim Arena at WDW, and that's where they held the major executive presentations.

D23 Expo in 2009 used 550,000 square feet of Anaheim Convention Center exhibit halls, theaters, and Arena space. There is still a 225,000 square feet exhibit hall at the Anaheim Convention Center that wasn't used in 2009 that could be used for expansion in future years, plus about 150,000 square feet of additional presentation rooms and ballrooms to be used.

All of the WDW conference facilities combined and maxed out completely at the Dolphin, Coronado Springs, Contemporary, Boardwalk, Grand Floridian, Beach Club equal just 525,000 square feet with no expansion available and no indoor arena available to seat 5,000+ visitors.

Plus the logistics and prohibitively huge cost of transporting all of the exhibits and personnel across crountry ensure that if D23 Expo is ever held in Orlando instead of Anaheim it will be a very, very different type of experience. Not only is the Anaheim Convention Center a short stroll from Disneyland, it's a 45 minute freeway drive from Burbank and Glendale, and a 60 minute drive from Hollywood. Disney can get just about anyone to Anaheim very easy.

D23 Expo will remain in Anaheim for many, many reasons.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Disney has booked the Anaheim Convention Center every year in early September through 2012.

If they held a D23 Expo on WDW property in 2013 it would be a much smaller, simpler version of it with a lot missing from the Anaheim version.

D23 Expo at WDW would have to be split up between five different conference facilities spread all over WDW property, and the vibe and energy would be very, very different because of that. You would also be missing a venue like the 7,000 seat Anaheim Arena at WDW, and that's where they held the major executive presentations.

D23 Expo in 2009 used 550,000 square feet of Anaheim Convention Center exhibit halls, theaters, and Arena space. There is still a 225,000 square feet exhibit hall at the Anaheim Convention Center that wasn't used in 2009 that could be used for expansion in future years, plus about 150,000 square feet of additional presentation rooms and ballrooms to be used.

All of the WDW conference facilities combined and maxed out completely at the Dolphin, Coronado Springs, Contemporary, Boardwalk, Grand Floridian, Beach Club equal just 525,000 square feet with no expansion available and no indoor arena available to seat 5,000+ visitors.

Plus the logistics and prohibitively huge cost of transporting all of the exhibits and personnel across crountry ensure that if D23 Expo is ever held in Orlando instead of Anaheim it will be a very, very different type of experience. Not only is the Anaheim Convention Center a short stroll from Disneyland, it's a 45 minute freeway drive from Burbank and Glendale, and a 60 minute drive from Hollywood. Disney can get just about anyone to Anaheim very easy.

D23 Expo will remain in Anaheim for many, many reasons.

It was said earlier that Orlando has a convention center that is 2,000,000 square feet, they could conceivably use that.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Sad to say but I don't think the expo will ever come down to Orlando. After speaking with a worker at D23, who works in the archives. They pretty much have decided that Orlando couldn't hold the expo, well correction Orlando could but Disney World couldn't.

Disney wants to make sure the expo attendants have easy access to the theme parks (more $$$$ for the parks and resorts division) and they said that all the convention centers on property couldn't hold a show as BIG as the D23 expo and they'd have to hold the show somewhere in downtown orlando. Not to mention the logistics and the cost . Can you imagine Imagineering, Disney Consumer Product and other divisions of Disney that are based in California having to pack up their show sand send it down to Orlando? Not to mention having representatives from those divisions on hand to run it. It would cost the company sooooo much money when out in California they all are locally based. Not to mention Pixar being in California and all the access to Hollywood stars and directors.

Also the next D23 Expo may not happen for awhile. Why you ask? Well we all know attendance wasn't what they were wishing for...pre-sale tickets did really bad. Then we have the issue that all the different divisions of Disney had to basically (at last minute) whip up what they had at the Expo and some of these people didn't have the budget and trust when you hear that the Disney Parks and Resorts division (that amazing show/exhibit put on by WDI) doesn't come cheap. Anyway the insiders are saying that all these different seggments of Disney, come October 1st (end of Disney's fiscal year) will have went over budget and on their lovely reports the reason they're going say they're over budget was the Expo. The Expo is going to be blamed for a lot of reasons why people can't have nice things.

Also the person we spoke with said that usually towards the end of conventions/expo's there's a Buzz (if it went well) and they said there was no Buzz which was kinda scary.

Don't know if it won't be back, but I can attest that it did have low attendance.


Which is a shame, because it turned out to be a amazing event. Shame, D23, was looking good with that at the helm.

It was said earlier that Orlando has a convention center that is 2,000,000 square feet, they could conceivably use that.

I would love that...!:lol:

 

[Kamikaze]

It was said earlier that Orlando has a convention center that is 2,000,000 square feet, they could conceivably use that.

What benefit do they gain from having it off property in Orlando?

 

[RSoxNo1]

What benefit do they gain from having it off property in Orlando?

It's off property in Anaheim too, just closer to property. The advantage that Orlando offers compared to Anaheim is that I believe the hall is much larger than the Anaheim convention center. Comparatively, there is probably a convention center in nearby Los Angeles that could accommodate a large convention if that's the direction D23 is heading.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

What benefit do they gain from having it off property in Orlando?

The same in Cali?:lookaroun:lol:

 

[TP2000]

It's off property in Anaheim too, just closer to property. The advantage that Orlando offers compared to Anaheim is that I believe the hall is much larger than the Anaheim convention center. Comparatively, there is probably a convention center in nearby Los Angeles that could accommodate a large convention if that's the direction D23 is heading.

Anaheim Convention Center is actually the second largest convention facility on the West Coast at 850,000 square feet. The Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown LA is smaller at 720,000 square feet, and is older and not as fancy as Anaheim. The LA Convention Center is also not a 10 minute walk from Disneyland. :lol:

Anaheim Convention Center is bigger than anything in LA, San Diego, Portland, Seattle or Vancouver BC, and is nearly tied in size with the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The 2009 D23 Expo only used about 550,000 square feet of space, with the big 225,000 square foot Exhibit Hall D unused, as well as about 100,000 square feet of meeting rooms and ballrooms left empty. As big as D23 Expo was, there's still room to grow in the Anaheim Convention Center. Plus, there is still several hundred thousand square feet of space unused across the street at the big Disneyland Hotel Convention Center and the Grand Californian Conference Center. Those weren't used at D23 Expo, but could be utilized in future years.

Theoretically, you could hold D23 Expo in the massive Orlando Convention Center. But then you've not only got the extremely expensive logistical problem of getting all of the exhibits, and more importantly all of the Imagineers, executives, staff, and celebrities from SoCal out to Orlando. You also have the logistical nightmare of getting tens of thousands of D23 Expo attendees the 15 miles to and from the Orlando Convention Center from WDW property every day. I said it before in another thread, but moving tens of thousands of people back and forth like that for several days would be a transport headache to rival the invasion of Normandy.

Continuing to hold the D23 Expo in Anaheim solves all of those problems. Unless of course you shrink the D23 Expo into a much smaller version of itself without the sprawling pavilions, A List celebrities, and top executives and key leaders from all Disney divisions.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Theoretically, you could hold D23 Expo in the massive Orlando Convention Center. But then you've not only got the extremely expensive logistical problem of getting all of the exhibits, and more importantly all of the Imagineers, executives, staff, and celebrities from SoCal out to Orlando. You also have the logistical nightmare of getting tens of thousands of D23 Expo attendees the 15 miles to and from the Orlando Convention Center from WDW property every day. I said it before in another thread, but moving tens of thousands of people back and forth like that for several days would be a transport headache to rival the invasion of Normandy.

Continuing to hold the D23 Expo in Anaheim solves all of those problems. Unless of course you shrink the D23 Expo into a much smaller version of itself without the sprawling pavilions, A List celebrities, and top executives and key leaders from all Disney divisions.

That's an excellent point, I didn't even consider that so many of these people are located in California.

 

[Disneylover1302]

I was going to say New York but after reading this i am starting to change my mind!

 

[TP2000]

That's an excellent point, I didn't even consider that so many of these people are located in California.

I didn't think of it either until recently, but it's a very good point and a big part of the success of D23 Expo in Anaheim.

While the huge Parks & Resorts Pavilion was stunning on a technological and showmanship level, it's the Imagineers that staffed it that pushed it over the top and made it so memorable. Every room and every exhibit was staffed by uniformed Imagineers who work on the project, idea or concept they were exhibiting.

In the Animatronics Exhibit room I had an expert in robotics spend several minutes explaining to me (just chatting with me!) how Disney has been advancing the animatronics technology into finer electronic formats for facial muscles and fingers, and how the way the eyeballs and eye sockets respond and move and the advances they've recently made with eyes is what makes the latest animatronics so convincing.

I had a very nice lady at the Cars Land model encourage me to crouch down to ground level and notice how the towering 180 foot tall rockwork of Cars Land will completely obscure the existing power lines from view within the park. She couldn't have been more proud and more gracious with sharing her knowledge. A few minutes later I found out that woman in the Imagineering uniform crouching down near the floor with me was none other than Kathy Mangum, Senior Vice President at WDI and chief creative designer on the Cars Land project!

The Parks & Resorts Pavilion was staffed by dozens and dozens of real Imagineers who were experts in their assigned displays and exhibits. They drove down to Anaheim each day, or maybe they car pooled. And they made that entire pavilion sing with knowledge and gracious hospitality!

It would cost a fortune in airfare, hotels and expenses go get fifty Imagineers to fly out to Florida for a D23 Expo there. And thus it wouldn't happen, and it wouldn't be the same as having it in Anaheim.

 

[bgraham34]

I would love to see it happen in NY but it would certainly be a logistics nightmare and expensive. I think they should only have it every two years. This allows for more major news to happen and not to ruin the magic of it happening every year.

 

[MousDad]

All of TP's points are valid and I would be completely surprised if D23 was ever held anywhere other than A town.

However, it is my firm opinion that a D23 expo would have higher attendance by the general public in any major city other than Anaheim or Orlando.

But the increase in transportation/logistic expenses would probably overwhelmingly outweigh the increased profit from attendance.

Like the Disney Store employee I spoke to yesterday, who was in Anaheim over the D23 dates, said: "I didn't go to Anaheim to go to D23, I went to have fun in the parks."