D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[DLRExpert]

May 4th will be Press Preview
Rest of May and some of June will host Multiple Private Ticketed Events at $500 per person for 3 hours in the new land.
Officially opens at the end of June for everyone.

ME

 

[Nonsuch]

...Another assumption...SWL will delay the public opening until the new parking deck is operational. I would like to think Disney is smart enough to minimize any negative effects of the public opening of SWL which they can control. I don't think they want to crowd out good publicity of the public opening of SWL with negative news of massive grid lock within 10 miles of DLR affecting I-5 and all the near by roads. People would forever remember the public opening of SWL to the day Anaheim suffered from massive turmoil due to horrendous traffic as a result of poor planning by Disney.

Some might say that Anaheim deserves to suffer, since Anaheim politics delayed and eventually cancelled the Eastern Gateway (new parking and larger security screening).

 

[SeaDis]

May 4th will be Press Preview
Rest of May and some of June will host Multiple Private Ticketed Events at $500 per person for 3 hours in the new land.
Officially opens at the end of June for everyone.

ME

I'm kind of surprised this slipped down to page 2.
ME is "plugged in"! I am writing this prediction down just for fun. Good luck B!

 

[toonaspie]

We could be getting an opening date as early as next month. Toy Story land opened in June last year and had it's official date announced in February. I originally thought they would wait till Star Wars Celebration but that would have created issues for people trying to book.

 

[DebbieB]

Some might say that Anaheim deserves to suffer, since Anaheim politics delayed and eventually cancelled the Eastern Gateway (new parking and larger security screening).

But not the thousands stuck in traffic and will not be able to get in. They really need some kind of limited entry plan, like an advance fastpass. Rather than people trying to get there in vain or standing in all day lines.

 

[HydroGuy]

But not the thousands stuck in traffic and will not be able to get in. They really need some kind of limited entry plan, like an advance fastpass. Rather than people trying to get there in vain or standing in all day lines.

Limited entry to the DLR parking garage? The whole DL park? SWGE specifically?

 

[toonaspie]

But not the thousands stuck in traffic and will not be able to get in. They really need some kind of limited entry plan, like an advance fastpass. Rather than people trying to get there in vain or standing in all day lines.

I imagine though the vast majority to appear on opening day will be locals and AP folk who are used to this kind of thing anyway. You should see what the crowds are like during Christmas/NY week and the 24 hr events without that parking expansion.

 

[Malcon10t]

I imagine though the vast majority to appear on opening day will be locals and AP folk who are used to this kind of thing anyway. You should see what the crowds are like during Christmas/NY week and the 24 hr events without that parking expansion.

Just to be clear, the week between Christmas and NY is only 8% APs, the majority are tourists. And the crowds are gate closures, without APs. There may be locals who are using day tickets, but not very many. If you are there, you would realize by people watching, the majority that week are tourists.

 

[dina444444]

We could be getting an opening date as early as next month. Toy Story land opened in June last year and had it's official date announced in February. I originally thought they would wait till Star Wars Celebration but that would have created issues for people trying to book.

There’s speculation that we will get the opening date on the earnings call on feb 5 as that’s how Pandora’s opening date was announced.

 

[HydroGuy]

There’s speculation that we will get the opening date on the earnings call on feb 5 as that’s how Pandora’s opening date was announced.

Hmmm. And Pandora opened on Memorial Day weekend.

 

[midnight star]

Hmmm. And Pandora opened on Memorial Day weekend.

Wait I'm confused, I thought the CEO said it is going to open in June?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Wait I'm confused, I thought the CEO said it is going to open in June?

That would be opening for the general public. There could be paid previews, AP events, and media events well before that opening date.

 

[disney minnie]

We will be there Memorial weekend and it’s our first visit to Disneyland

 

[HydroGuy]

Wait I'm confused, I thought the CEO said it is going to open in June?

It may very well open in June but he was not making an official announcement by any means. Some of us (like me) have been speculating Memorial Day weekend - or even early June.

 

[midnight star]

That would be opening for the general public. There could be paid previews, AP events, and media events well before that opening date.

It may very well open in June but he was not making an official announcement by any means. Some of us (like me) have been speculating Memorial Day weekend - or even early June.

Got it. I'm really hoping it's later June..when it's actually summer. If there is some sort of AP event, I wonder what it will be?

 

[DLgal]

If Disney is smart, they won't announce a specific opening date. They will just quietly open it one day and let word spread organically via social media.

At the very least, it will keep the massive hoards of people away at first.

And, FWIW, that new parking deck is moving along VERY quickly. The escalators are already installed and the heavy machinery seems to be almost gone at this point. I expect it to be open well before SWGE. That will give them time to figure out the traffic flow and make tweaks to the operating of the trams and security lines.

Already, they are making changes to the tram boarding area in the esplanade at night, by creating rope queues to hold the crowds, while feeding people into the two tram chutes by counting them off so they let in exactly how many will fit on each tram. Not sure how new this is, but they weren't doing this a couple months ago. We saw it Saturday night for the first time. It eliminates the choke point of people spilling into DtD at night.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Already, they are making changes to the tram boarding area in the esplanade at night, by creating rope queues to hold the crowds, while feeding people into the two tram chutes by counting them off so they let in exactly how many will fit on each tram. Not sure how new this is, but they weren't doing this a couple months ago. We saw it Saturday night for the first time. It eliminates the choke point of people spilling into DtD at night.

I’m so glad to hear they’re modifying the tram-loading system at night. I park at Toy Story for a variety of reasons, but one is that I hate being packed in a cattle herd of people trying to edge each other out of team seats at the end of the day!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Already, they are making changes to the tram boarding area in the esplanade at night, by creating rope queues to hold the crowds, while feeding people into the two tram chutes by counting them off so they let in exactly how many will fit on each tram. Not sure how new this is, but they weren't doing this a couple months ago. We saw it Saturday night for the first time. It eliminates the choke point of people spilling into DtD at night.

Interesting! I don't know if they were doing this even two weeks ago -- if they were, we missed it. It will be great if it works and they keep it going. That choke point was not fun.

 

[DebbieB]

Limited entry to the DLR parking garage? The whole DL park? SWGE specifically?

To SWGE, to stagger the crowds. If you had a 5:00 ticket, you wouldn't show up at opening if that's all you wanted to do. Universal did something similar when Harry Potter opened.

 

[Malcon10t]

It may very well open in June but he was not making an official announcement by any means. Some of us (like me) have been speculating Memorial Day weekend - or even early June.

Previews in May, I am very confident there will be. I am HOPING there will be a preview May 4th....

That said, MY OPINION and THOUGHT PROCESS is they will not open it until June 21 because 1. they said June, 2. they said Summer (June 21st, first day of summer) and 3. they aren't going to open it while deluxe APs are still open.