DIS /Dreams Exclusive Backstage Magic Adventure 7/9-7/14/17 Sold Out!!

[kate2961]

Just going to leave this here... View attachment 180272

Love this picture!!!

 

[jamiek81]

Are you using the ABD offer for the pre night? We are now probably flying out on the Saturday so we can relax a bit and get used to the time zone before Sunday.

Sorry I'm behind in this forum. Yes we are staying at the same hotel with the ABD offer.

 

[mkleigh]

Yes if you took up the offer its the same hotel in LA.

 

[Miss SD]

Yes if you took up the offer its the same hotel in LA.

We really like this hotel. Our daughter was at a water polo camp in LA earlier this month, and we stayed here. It's an oasis in that crazy Hollywood & Highland area.

 

[mkleigh]

I am really looking forward to the Hollywood part of the trip as we did not see this part when we last visited. We tried to but after sitting in traffic for ages I turned the wrong way of the road and then could not find a single sign post so gave up lol.

Will probably get all emotional at some of the names on the street.

Still trying to book DVC, in Orlando the 11 month windows starts on your check in date and for some reason in California the 11 month window includes your check out date! Once booked we can then book flights, really shocked at the price £1,500 which is $1950 each.

 

[kate2961]

I am really looking forward to the Hollywood part of the trip as we did not see this part when we last visited. We tried to but after sitting in traffic for ages I turned the wrong way of the road and then could not find a single sign post so gave up lol.

Will probably get all emotional at some of the names on the street.

Still trying to book DVC, in Orlando the 11 month windows starts on your check in date and for some reason in California the 11 month window includes your check out date! Once booked we can then book flights, really shocked at the price £1,500 which is $1950 each.

Me too. I'm really looking forward to having that extra time in Hollywood before the ABD trip starts. So much to see.

I checked the Hilton Anaheim again after we booked and I cannot believe how expensive the rooms are now. $724 was cheapest room I could find. I got lucky to get our room before they raised the price.

Good luck on your DVC ressie. I hope you get it.

 

[kate2961]

Does anyone know around what time everyone gets together on Sunday evening that first night of our trip? Just wondering to see about how much time we will have that day before we need to get back to the hotel.

 

[Miss SD]

Does anyone know around what time everyone gets together on Sunday evening that first night of our trip? Just wondering to see about how much time we will have that day before we need to get back to the hotel.

I think the meeting/dinner begins at 5 p.m. or so. Will you be checking in with the guides (and the hotel) earlier that day?

 

[kate2961]

I think the meeting/dinner begins at 5 p.m. or so. Will you be checking in with the guides (and the hotel) earlier that day?

At this point, I think we will be flying in on Saturday (maybe Friday). I assume that ABD will pick us up at the airport and take us to the hotel since we purchased the pre-night stay.

I don't really understand about checking in with the guides. Is that something we need to do on the arrival day or on Sunday?

I was wondering if it would be possible for us to take the subway from the hotel to Universal Hollywood for the day and get back in time for the dinner/meeting. 5PM sounds a bit early. I'm not sure what time the park will open and if it would make sense.

Thank you for your help.

 

[kate2961]

The best advice I can give if you want to see the presentations in the big arena (from the Studios, Animation, Legends, etc.) is to wake up really, really early to wait in line. I think my daughter and I would get in line by 5:15 a.m. or so. They let people sleep in the arena overnight for last year's expo, so by the time we arrived the lines were already long. These folks brought inflatable beds, blankets, the whole nine yards. It was absolute madness! But once the presentations started, we forgot all about the hassle. The key is to be patient and figure out what you want to see ahead of time. (And pack plenty of snacks and water.) If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them. I know I probably made it sound awful, but I'm going to be right with you on July 14 buying our tickets!

I listened to Tom Bell and the team's podcast from the 2015 D23 Expo. I think I heard them say that you can't bring any food or drink into the convention center. Is that correct?

My son is vegetarian (no meat or fish but eats eggs and dairy), my husband is also vegetarian but has a heart condition and cannot have anything with cholesterol (so no dairy but egg whites are okay), and I am a vegetarian too, but I have recently been diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I'm still trying to figure out what I can eat. I'm guessing that it will be difficult if not impossible to find food we can all eat inside the convention center. And it sounds like we really won't have time to leave the convention center since we will need to be in queue. If we could bring in some food that would be ideal.

 

[Miss SD]

At this point, I think we will be flying in on Saturday (maybe Friday). I assume that ABD will pick us up at the airport and take us to the hotel since we purchased the pre-night stay.

I don't really understand about checking in with the guides. Is that something we need to do on the arrival day or on Sunday?

I was wondering if it would be possible for us to take the subway from the hotel to Universal Hollywood for the day and get back in time for the dinner/meeting. 5PM sounds a bit early. I'm not sure what time the park will open and if it would make sense.

Thank you for your help.

If you're already going to be at the hotel, then you wouldn't have to worry about checking in since I assume ABD would know you were there already. I think all you would need to find out is what time the group meets that evening. ABD should be able to help you make contact with the guides if you head to Universal before they arrive at the hotel. And I thought we met at 5-ish but I don't really remember for sure. That does sound early, doesn't it? You could ask on the ABD boards about that. I know there's a thread there about a recent BSM trip.

 

[Miss SD]

I listened to Tom Bell and the team's podcast from the 2015 D23 Expo. I think I heard them say that you can't bring any food or drink into the convention center. Is that correct?

My son is vegetarian (no meat or fish but eats eggs and dairy), my husband is also vegetarian but has a heart condition and cannot have anything with cholesterol (so no dairy but egg whites are okay), and I am a vegetarian too, but I have recently been diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I'm still trying to figure out what I can eat. I'm guessing that it will be difficult if not impossible to find food we can all eat inside the convention center. And it sounds like we really won't have time to leave the convention center since we will need to be in queue. If we could bring in some food that would be ideal.

We brought snacks into the convention center and didn't have a problem. We lined up at 5 a.m., though, and they definitely weren't checking bags then. Did Tom say they were checking bags for food? If so, that's nuts. The concessions lines were so long that if I hadn't had my granola bars I would've starved to death, and I have no dietary restrictions at all. (And we brought in water too.)

 

[kate2961]

We brought snacks into the convention center and didn't have a problem. We lined up at 5 a.m., though, and they definitely weren't checking bags then. Did Tom say they were checking bags for food? If so, that's nuts. The concessions lines were so long that if I hadn't had my granola bars I would've starved to death, and I have no dietary restrictions at all. (And we brought in water too.)

I'm not sure if they said it on the podcast or I read it somewhere. I'm thinking that I must've misunderstood. That's a relief.

 

[mkleigh]

When I asked Kevin he said abd want you on the ground by 1pm to allow time for check in. I have no idea what time the dinner is.

With regards to universal we were thinking of this as well, Craig on his review said its a very short cab ride away. Just not sure there is enough time to get it done, it will be busy on a Sunday.

We will still be on uk time and probably be up at 5am.

Am sure they said you cannot take food and drink into the actual talks.

 

[Miss SD]

I asked over at the ABD forum and I was told that 5 pm is the meeting time that Sunday. However, I don't think that should dissuade you from going to Universal. Whether you take a cab or the Metro, Universal is a short distance from the Loews.

 

[mkleigh]

Yeah looks like we will do Universal on the Sunday now as it will save a trip back there on our second week, we have been there before so we do not need to do everything again.

 

[mkleigh]

We got our booking confirmed with Dvc got paradise pier

 

[Miss SD]

We got our booking confirmed with Dvc got paradise pier

That's good news! Now you're all set for the expo!

 

[kate2961]

We got our booking confirmed with Dvc got paradise pier

I agree. That's good news. I hope everyone else is getting the ressies they want.

Anyone have any good tips on airfare?

 

[mkleigh]

Does anyone know how many suitcases we can take? We will be able to take two each on the plane but was not sure about the coach?

Also is it easy to get from lax airport to the lowes hotel?

As for flight advise we are in a different position so cannot advise sorry.