D23 Expo 2011! Who's attending?

[Disney Dreams]

Does the convention center have free wifi? If not, does the app require wifi while I am at the Expo?

I downloaded the app and put my phone on wifi. It errored out, requiring an internet connection. I am not sure about the wifi at the convention center.

In the past, I have accessed the internet via wifi from the convention center. I don't know if this has changed, but it used to have access.

- Dreams

 

[nunzia]

Hi Everyone - just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you for all your help in planning!!! Just a few hours of work for me tomorrow and then I'm off to the Land for the first time - I hope to bump into some of you at the Expo!

Wow..first Expo and first Disneyland trip? Have a great time!

 

[keahgirl8]

As per the @D23Expo twitter account there is going to be wifi available for "purchase" at the convention center. Not sure of the cost but I believe it's available on the convention center website. Since d23mobile.com is an actual site it does require an internet connection to access it. Leaving in the AM! Safe travels to everyone

Well then...notecards it is! My schedule will just have to be old school! I'm paying enough for this trip, I don't really want to pay for wifi!

 

[scak]

Anyone I've spoken to so far -- and anyone else who's interested in meeting up, chatting, or grabbing a drink between activities -- let me know!

You can send me a PM with your cell # and I'll do my best to get in touch when we're there. I'd love to meet as many D23 attendees as possible, given the busy schedule. You can also email me: "scakamph" at gmail dot com.

Safe travels to all!

 

[franandaj]

Anyone I've spoken to so far -- and anyone else who's interested in meeting up, chatting, or grabbing a drink between activities -- let me know!

You can send me a PM with your cell # and I'll do my best to get in touch when we're there. I'd love to meet as many D23 attendees as possible, given the busy schedule. You can also email me: "scakamph" at gmail dot com.

Safe travels to all!

Feel free to meet up with those of us who will be in the lounge at the Hilton on Thursday night. The schedule is so jam packed, most visiting will be done in line for the sessions. I'm hoping just to find some time to get to the Premier Lounge for a beverage and the massage chair.

 

[nunzia]

Just a head's up..Stitch Kingdom posted (and I verified) that the Parks presentation has been shortened to end at 4:30 instead of 5:00 (guess Jim Lewis not appearing shortened time needed..kidding) Anyway..much easier now to make it to the Small World presentation.

 

[LuvSulley]

Is anyone planning to bring pins and vinyls to trade? I was wondering if its OK to bring a bag with wheels because I rather not carry pins all day.

 

[franandaj]

Parks presentation has been shortened to end at 4:30 instead of 5:00 (guess Jim Lewis not appearing shortened time needed..kidding).

 

[scak]

Feel free to meet up with those of us who will be in the lounge at the Hilton on Thursday night. The schedule is so jam packed, most visiting will be done in line for the sessions. I'm hoping just to find some time to get to the Premier Lounge for a beverage and the massage chair.

OK, because of work schedules, I don't get in until mid-morning on Friday... will the morning Starbucks meets take place on Sat/Sun? If not... hoping to talk to people in line... will have a LGMH on my reporter's notebook/backpack I do believe...

 

[BookLover23]

Hi! Jumping on board a little late I'm sure, but I'm gonna be going on Saturday! Can't make it to all the days but I'm really excited for even one! I had a few questions though
#1 When we buy the tickets do we pick up our credentials at the door when we go? Or do we have to have them mailed to us?
#2 Does anyone know when the sneak peek of Brave will be? I was thinking it was going to be during the Pixar panel but not sure....
#3 Any outside food or drink allowed? Figured I might want to take some water bottles in with me...
#4 Has anyone seen the Disney Animation Studios Showroom floor thing before? What's it like?
This is my first time at an expo so definitely new at this! lol! Also, any hints about being there?

 

[bgsnmky]

How did you even notice that! that the parks was ending 1/2 hour early!...

Man..I hope to not have to keep looking at the schedule!

oohhhh I can't wait..flying out tonight

 

[franandaj]

How did you even notice that! that the parks was ending 1/2 hour early!...

Man..I hope to not have to keep looking at the schedule!

oohhhh I can't wait..flying out tonight

Nunzia said that Stitch Kingdom posted it. I just laughed at her Jim Lewis joke.

 

[fenrir58]

Hi! Jumping on board a little late I'm sure, but I'm gonna be going on Saturday! Can't make it to all the days but I'm really excited for even one! I had a few questions though
#1 When we buy the tickets do we pick up our credentials at the door when we go? Or do we have to have them mailed to us?
#2 Does anyone know when the sneak peek of Brave will be? I was thinking it was going to be during the Pixar panel but not sure....
#3 Any outside food or drink allowed? Figured I might want to take some water bottles in with me...
#4 Has anyone seen the Disney Animation Studios Showroom floor thing before? What's it like?
This is my first time at an expo so definitely new at this! lol! Also, any hints about being there?

I'll help as much as I can with these questions...
#1 it depends on when you ordered your tickets. There was a cutoff date that they would mail them out. Any purchased after that date would be Will Call(perhaps somebody else will verify the date)
#2 The Art of Brave presentation is Sunday from 11:30- 12:30 at Stage 23.
#3 I know people have mentioned bringing snacks before and security not caring. I don't know about water bottles though.
#4 This is my first D23 so I'll leave this one up to somebody else.

Again, I've never been to this convention but I have been to other so the best piece of advice I can offer is relax. Don't jam-pack your schedule because you will not be able to see it all. Pick about 2, maybe 3 presentations a day tops that you really want to see. Anything else at that point will just be icing on the cake then.
Oh yeah- have fun!

Edit- I just saw you said you would only be there Saturday. there's a presentation called 25 years of Creativity at Pixar from 2:30-4:00 at Stage 23 on Saturday. They'll possibly talk a bit about Brave there.

 

[BookLover23]

fenrir58 Thanks so much!! That has really helped!
Another little question... Since the tickets are sold out for tomorrow, is parking going to be a problem? We want to go in later, like noon but will change our plans if we should arrive earlier for parking.

 

[franandaj]

So did anybody go to the auction last night?

For those who wonder when the Expo will go to Florida...the answer is when Orlando has as many foolish "kazillionaires" (to quote Tom Bergeron) as So Cal that are crazy enough to blow tens of thousands of $'s on ridiculous items!

 

[funatdisney]

I went for a little while. The pre-show was good with David Garibaldi painting three paintings to the music. He painted Dumbo, Cruella de Vil and the Cheshire Cat. He is quite an artist and amazing to watch.

As for the auction, I thought many of the items didn't go as high as I thought they were worth. The Ink and Paint tour went for 20,000 though. I left soon after that. I heard that the Peter Pan car went for 30,000.

 

[MyMuse]

Hi all!

I'll come back in here after I read up but I wanted to beg for help to find my camera bag. I left it behind in the Vintage Disneyland presentation (figures it would be the last night Aug 21 and last panel, ending at 6:15pm). I had my tote bag on the floor and I'm thinking I left my camera case on top and when I went to leave I didn't place it in my bag and it must have dropped to the floor. It is a tiny black bag for my point and shoot Olympus.

It was empty of my camera but it had all my memory cards - 6 of them in a plastic case plus my extra battery. Those memory cards have all my first trip to Disneyland photos! as well as the Expo.

Please please please if anyone saw it or knows anyone who works in the Convention Center or has a contact within D23, please let them know!!! I'm desparate!!

I've have talke dwith the Convention Center a few times and as of yesterday, nothing has turned up, though they have said several things are still in their lost and found that has not been claimed.


Thank you!!

 

[PaintedRedRoses]

Yea, so that was the biggest disappointment ever. Between the lack of events, the excess of people, lack of space in the presentation rooms, lack of things to do on the floor because of the lack of events, I was not impressed at all.

I already did the survey and seriously had a hard time thinking of what to say when it asked what the best part was.

Parks and Resorts presentation was a waste of time because it was nothing new. Especially since I got in line and hour and a half early.

And don't even get me started on the studios presentation and the insanity of that. I'll just say, it should have been separated. And it annoyed me that that was the only presentation that had any real stars at it.

The convention center just wasn't big enough.

 

[PrncesKMW]

Yea, so that was the biggest disappointment ever. Between the lack of events, the excess of people, lack of space in the presentation rooms, lack of things to do on the floor because of the lack of events, I was not impressed at all.

I already did the survey and seriously had a hard time thinking of what to say when it asked what the best part was.

Parks and Resorts presentation was a waste of time because it was nothing new. Especially since I got in line and hour and a half early.

And don't even get me started on the studios presentation and the insanity of that. I'll just say, it should have been separated. And it annoyed me that that was the only presentation that had any real stars at it.

The convention center just wasn't big enough.

I second most of this. I had read lots of feedback from the first Expo, listened to three different podcasts for "tips," and thought I was ready for the Expo. I planned to attend no more than 3 presentations in a day...

Boy was I wrong. After lining up at 8:20 on the first morning, I was finally admitted at 9:30. I got right in the line for the Disney Store (I collect ornaments), and this was the line that awaited me:

This was pretty much all Friday and Saturday. By the time I went to the Disney Store, saw the Carousel of Projects and waited to get into Mickey's of Glendale, it was already noon.

There were lines to get in; 2 1/2 hour lines for the presentations; ridiculous lines at the more central food vending locations; at one point on Friday there was even a line to get on the escalator.

I saw 3 presentations total. In order to see the show floor, including the pavillions and Collector's Forum, and actually have time to eat, this was the sacrifice I had to make.

They also handled some of the lines very poorly. Some people waited in the line for the Legends presentation for over an hour only to be told they could not be accomodated. However, at all of the arena presentations there were additional seats left open in the top tier, even though additional people were waiting.

Did I think it was great? Yes. Am I sorry I went? Not at all. Will I go again? Only if they make some major changes!

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

After lining up at 8:20 on the first morning

I'm sorry, and I hate to even mention this, but 8:20AM? That's somewhat late to be arriving and still expecting to get in promptly. I was there at the 2009 D23 Expo and 6AM arrivals were not unusual. This time, there were a couple of hundred of hundred already in line well before 6AM.