CJ25 Star Wars Celebration (social thread)

I think it is some speculation with some solid foundations. I can't see why the conventions would not be anchored to Disney locations forever more on some type of rotating schedule. Spread that wealth (i.e. our money across the magic kingdoms.

 

Need more events in the UK...

 

I got so excited when that article popped up on my Facebook feed yesterday before realising it was just speculation.

The only new info in there seems to be the Toy Fair stuff. It seems a little early for them to be "making plans and packing their bags" (SWC is still over a year away and they have all this year's cons and another Toy Fair between now and then, all they really need to be planning right now are potential exclusives) but it's still the most recent update we've had.

All the Galaxy's Edge stuff is old. Who knows, maybe the site staff have some inside knowledge/unofficial confirmation and that's why they're running this now? Or maybe they just wanted more to the article than they Toy Fair rumours. Assuming they operate on a similar schedule to 2017 we should know by May 4th anyway!

 

I doubt it would be on the same weekend, but I could see it being a few weeks to a month after it opens. If they get it open in March, then having Celebration in late April/Early May it wouldn't be shocking. Disney didn't coordinate Celebration and D23 around the same time in 2015 so I doubt they'd try to do so next year (CA was in April. D23 was in August).

Honestly, all signs point to Anaheim. The convention center just got a pretty decent expansion and Disney can use the opening of Star Wars Land to try and entice Celebration attendees to stay longer. "You're coming for Celebration but why not come a few days early/stay a few days extra and pop into SWL? Spend more of your money at Disney events!"

 

I'll freely admit this worked brilliantly in Orlando last year when Disney did the Galactic Nights event during Celebration. They got my money, a lot of my money. They time this right with a soft opening for SW Land for the Celebration Attendees and the Treasury Office can put a printing office on site. Disney will get all the dollars.

 

Yea, the new TFN article is nothing more than pure speculation that we've all been doing here.

And again, I think we might be over-estimating just how much stake Disney has in Celebration at this point. The small increase in traffic it might bring to the parks or to Star Wars Land for a few days won't be that much compared to their daily average attendance. And especially once Star Wars Land opens in both parks, it will hardly make a difference at all. Until Disney owns Celebration, I doubt they would give it much consideration in any kind of decision making process of where and when to hold certain events or park openings.

ReedPop is still a business in their own right who do a lot more conventions than Celebration. New York Comic Con in particular has even become the east coast rival to San Diego Comic Con. So for all we know, they could see everything going on in both Anaheim and Orlando in 2019, including the D23 Expo, and decide specifically not to hold it in either of those cities or around the time that Star Wars Land is opening. When you consider how much Celebration has exploded since 2015 compared to all the previous Celebrations, they may decide to stand on their own, totally independent from what Disney is doing. Because we're all still going to go no matter where it is, assuming it's in the US. Whether it's in Anaheim or Orlando won't be any kind of deciding factor for anybody who wants to attend. They know that. So what's their incentive to place it in the midst of all this Disney hoopla and potentially be massively overshadowed by it? From an image standpoint, why would they not want to promote their own brand independent from what Disney is doing? Because if they go the route that is currently being speculated on, I'm sure a lot of people will think Celebration is already owned by Disney. Which is a bad image for ReedPop when they could easily put it somewhere else and not have that happen and still have it be widely known that they put on Celebration.Reed Pop has a lot of leverage right now with how popular Celebration has become. In years past, particularly the ones held in Orlando, Disney had kind of propped it up a bit. Now, Celebration can stand on its own anywhere. If Disney is interested at all, I don't doubt ReedPop will want some kind of partnership or incentive from Disney in order for them to continue to make it so that they align Celebration with something that Disney is doing. And for ReedPop, from a simple business standpoint, I would assume that without some kind of partnership or cooperation from Disney that they won't continue to make Disney a priority in terms of when or where they have Celebration.

I don't know. With a Celebration already in Anaheim in 2015, one in Europe in 2016, and one in Orlando in 2017, with all of them being massively popular and able to rival any of the world's biggest conventions, I'm starting to think a wild card is coming. Perhaps in Colorado where it all started, or in Indianapolis where 2 and 3 were held. And with no announcement or speculation whatsoever yet, when in previous years they've known well in advance where and when it will be held, I'm starting to think anywhere else might be just as likely as Anaheim or Orlando.

 

Do we know that ReedPop is running the next one? I heard people saying that their contract for Celebration was up after Orlando, but I have no idea if that's accurate or not.

 

I don't think I've seen anything about that so far.

 

I never heard anything like that. As of now it's still listed on their Events page. But considering all the fuss made about last year's line fiascos, I wouldn't be surprised if that just became a rumor that people caught on to and spread. I highly doubt it could be true though. We would have heard something by now at least to that effect if it was up in the air like that. And for something that big I doubt they could still hold onto it on their website and promote it as their own if it was the case that their contract expired after the last one.

 

You're right, ReedPop does list Celebration as TBA on their site. Doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I think for now you can assume they will be running it.

I'm still expecting Anaheim. It could be Orlando. It's possible it's somewhere else, but I wouldn't bet on it. I would love for it to come back to Indy, but that's just because it's close to me.

I just hope they announce it in May so we can start making plans.

 

Agreed. Especially since Solo is out in May, should make for a good time to announce it.

 

Good point about Solo. Last time details were announced May 4th and tickets went on sale May 25th. If they follow the same pattern this year that would put the ticket release on the same day as Solo!

That would be kinda cool but I doubt they'd want to do that. An announcement & sale on 4th would be fantastic but I can also see how an unannounced sale could upset people who want to try for VIP. Maybe announced on the 4th and then on sale a week or so later, before Solo? Or announced in April (year in advance) for tickets to go on sale May 4th?

 

At the very least, at least an announcement of when and where the next Celebration will be. If ReedPop doesn't already know those details by now, at least internally, that would be a serious shortcoming on their part. And if you think about the year and a half long gap between Solo and Episode 9, there's really nothing else going on other than Star Wars Land openings. I have to think ReedPop would want to get out in front of all that and at least have the announcement made well in advance. If they don't, then you have to wonder what exactly they are holding out for. Maybe there's some negotiations right now between ReedPop and D23 over who gets the Episode 9 trailer drop and panels, since both conventions will likely be happening in close proximity to each other.

 

Oh definitely! I think if we don't get an announcement by May 4th I'll start getting worried about how well planned this will be. They should totally know by now and have stuff locked down. Either announcement next month, sale May 4th or announcement May 4th then on sale before Solo releases.

And as long as Celebration is April then the IX teaser will be there. No way they give that reveal to D23.

 

They only way they don't know is if they are waiting to see if construction stays on schedule with the parks (if they really wanted to tie it in with that).

I think they know though and are just waiting for a good time to announce it. If they wanted to do it with Galaxy's Edge, I could see them moving Celebration to the summer or even the fall.

 

Maybe they could have it in April and use that month to sort of lead into Star Wars Land openings and D23. By doing that they can have Celebration still stand on its own as well as somewhat tie it into Disney. Otherwise it would have to come later in summer, like in August, or else they risk being overshadowed by SDCC, which should also have a heavy Star Wars presence. But by then there might already be convention fatigue, and the hype for Celebration and whatever gets revealed will be diminished. So yea, April would make the most sense, falls right in line with the previous two US Celebrations, and gets the train rolling on everything happening for the year. Where it might be held is anyone's guess.

 

I think they should just let the posters on this board plan out Celebration.

 

They should at least read through the feedback threads, it's amazing how often the same complaints come up year after year. I get that part of that is due to the convention growing every time at the moment but there is definitely some things they can do. I know a lot of the negative feed back is just "I didn't like this element" but there's a lot of good, constructive, suggestions in there as well, like opening the store up to the overnight line (or doing a "pop up" store in the queue hall over night).

 

Just want to record this prediction here to see how close I was..

May 4, 2018 - Announcement

Celebration 2019
Anaheim Convention Center

April 18th-21st
or
May 23rd-26th

May 25, 2018 - Tickets go on sale

4 day - $175
VIP - $800

 

Ooh, I wanna play too!

Announcement - May 4th
On Sale - May 23rd (just to avoid the clash with Solo)

OR

Announcement - April 13th
On Sale - May 4th

Location - Anaheim
Celebration 11th-14th April 2019

VIP Ticket - $750 (increase $50)
4 Day - $170 (increase $20)
Single Days - $70 (Saturday $80) (increase $5 per day/$20 for all 4 days)

 

May 4, 2018 - Announcement

Celebration 2019
Orlando (have to shake things up to win)

April 11-14, 2019

May 21, 2018 - Tickets go on sale

4 day - $175
VIP - $750

 

May 4, 2018 - Announcement

Celebration 2019
Does it matter? We're going anyway

April 11-14, 2019

May 21, 2018 - Tickets go on sale

4 day - working overtime to cover cost
VIP - Selling Kidney

 

May 4, 2018- Announcement
May 25th to help spark interest in Celebration and Solo- ticket sale
Location: Anaheim
Dates: April 18-21 2019 (falling on Easter again)
4 day pass: $175 or $150 but charging for events/panels
VIP: $1000 (saved already and praying for a miracle)
Hotel: already have one in mind

Also doesn't mean anything but this 501st guy I know who had a media pass last time and hangs with Mary Franklin hints at Anaheim. And as of now, ReedPop is still very much involved

 

Do you mind sharing which one?

 

Looking at the Cortona Inn off Harbor Blvd/Convention Way. I'm splitting the room with 2 other friends so we are looking at the Executive suite to hold all of us. Still be cheaper than each getting our own, even in Orlando