Today’s the day every Disney fanatic has been waiting for: the bi-annual D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA! You’ve got panels, presentations, sneak peaks, the show floor, and more, oh my! It is a jam-packed 3-day weekend of anything and everything Disney. But is this Disney overload a good or bad thing for the brand?
The Pros
Let’s be honest, the D23 Expo is a glorified stage for massive self-promotion for Disney. And it’s genius. Disney fans are already some of the most loyal in the world, and the company gets them to pay for sneak peeks and other exclusives that the general public will never see.
It’s also a great place for Disney fans to unite and connect because attending the event is considered a badge of honor. Are you really a Disney fan if you’ve never been to the biggest Disney convention in the world? All in all, the D23 Expo is a ton of fun.
The Cons
It can’t all be pixie dust and rainbows. On the flip side, a lot of the content presented at the D23 Expo never makes it to the general public. It’s locked down in the Disney vault forever. This is a bummer for those who can’t afford the ticket or make it out to CA for the event.
Also, from a customer service perspective, the Expo can be a major pain. Like other cons, you pay big money for exclusives but spend the majority of your time waiting in hour-long lines so that you can get a great seat for the panels and presentations. Even if you get a great seat, good luck documenting it as cameras and photography mean a one-way ticket outside. And if you’re a first timer, you’re most likely to find the format and communication about the event and how it runs to be confusing (“I have to wait in this line for how long?” “Wait, I was waiting in the wrong line all along?” “There’s a FastPass for this?”)
So what do you think? Is the D23 Expo a good or bad thing for Disney? Sound off in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Also, three of our team members—Kajsa, Hannah, and Rachel—will be covering the D23 Expo 2017 for us. Stay tuned to the site for all the updates from the weekend. Also be sure to follow Rotoscopers on Instagram for photo updates as well!
Edited by: Kelly Conley