Thank you Mickey's of Glendale (WDI) for such a wonderful day!!

I wanted to thank Mickey's of Glendale (Chris and all of her staff) for putting together this D23 event on the WDI campus. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the 7 Imagineers who were on the opening team of Animal Kingdom. We attended the opening for Animal Kingdom so celebrating the 15th anniversary by meeting 7 of the Imagineers was special to us. They all stayed most of the day and autographed a lithograph which was given to each person who stood in line to get their autographs. Joe Rohde stood up and introduced all of them and told us a bit about the role they played in Animal Kingdom.

The pins were great also and it was nice day pin trading and talking and meeting Imagineers.

Thanks to Starbucks also for being open and having good coffee and food.

Can't wait for the next one!!!

Yes... great day!!

And there was only one official line =) It was really a great time. Loved the t-shirt and litho.

Awesome to hear you had a great time!!

It truely was amazing. Great fun meeting new faces.

that would be cool to meet the imagineers. Glad you all had fun.

Did every one really like the numbered wristband system? I thought that it took longer to get into the store.

btowndude said:

Did every one really like the numbered wristband system? I thought that it took longer to get into the store.

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I liked it. Clear and easy to understand. They handed out the wristbands just before 6:30 and they opened up the site about 7am for people to relax and get coffee from Starbucks. The store opened on time at 8am and the sign with the posted number range of which wristbands were allowed in the store helped if you didn't hear the number range being called. While people were waiting, there was a lot of pin trading going on and yes, it took longer to get into the store because the line was slow and people weren't just lining up for the new pins, they were shopping for other items sold in the store which took extra time. I noticed that with every 20-25 people going out, 25 were being let in. At least it was orderly and the whole store wasn't a crazy mob scene. With only three registers, a slow line is somewhat expected. The flyers they handed out before opening helped most people make their decisions once they got to the register... and then there were some people that took their sweet time at the register which most of us have to come to expect at any store, not just at a pin release.

Oh, and it was smart of them to collect everyone's wristband at the register so you couldn't get back in line to buy pins. It would be smart next time to have those dull children scissors at each register to assist people in removing their wristbands at future events.

I have to add that everyone working the event was very nice, patient, and relaxed which made it an overall success. Also, everyone shopping seemed fairly patient and happy to be there which in turn, affects employee performance and the overall guest experience. When lack of sleep is present, patience is the key. I think it's a small group of traders/collectors/resellers out there that are making pin releases such a miserable situation for everyone involved on both sides of the register.

Diablo said:

I have to add that everyone working the event was very nice, patient, and relaxed which made it an overall success. Also, everyone shopping seemed fairly patient and happy to be there which in turn, affects employee performance and the overall guest experience. When lack of sleep is present, patience is the key. I think it's a small group of traders/collectors/resellers out there that are making pin releases such a miserable situation for everyone involved on both sides of the register.

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From what I heard, there were also frequent updates from the WDI staff who kept everyone equally informed and they used a PA system as they let each group in. I don't know anyone who stayed for the raffle. Were there any cool pins? :wiggle:

I liked it a lot. Every time I've gone I've spent the same amount of time. However this time it was nice to get coffee and snacks along with being to socialize while waiting was very nice.

I LOVED the numbered wristband system!! We were there with a group of 10 people who all came at different times. Since we had our wristbands, we were able to sit and enjoy each others company, pin trade, wonder through the exhibits, talk to the Imagineers, get coffee, and go to the bathroom without having to stand in a merchandise line for very long.

You are right though. It did take a long time in the store. Maybe another register or 2 would have helped that BUT they had 600 people come to this event.

We stayed for the drawings. The first set of items were personal cast items from Animal Kingdom that Joe Rohde donated. I didn't win any of these items. The second group of items were pins. I won a Cast Animal Kingdom 5th anniversary pin in this round. We left before the 3rd round of items were announced so I don't know what they were.

I had a great time as always. The WDI staff is great and do everything they can to make the experience wonderful.

I took my wristband off and left. #564, they were only on 325 at 12:30pm. So at that rate I woulda been shopping at like 4pm. I wasn't waiting for that long with no decent pins left for sale. I did Make a great trade I really really needed so thanks to T.D.Date (sp?) got their help!!

Indy8888, 3rd round of items was more Cast Animal Kingdom 5th Anniversary pins and misc. other things. Didn't pay much attention as I was trying to eat lunch my husband brought me. By the way Indy8888, I won an Animal Kingdom pin from one of the tickets you gave me. My husband was kind enough to listen to numbers being called out. Thank you for giving me the tickets and the almonds to curb my hunger until my husband arrived.

Markheardjr, I believe everyone was able to enter the store by 2 PM to shop. Chris announced she was keeping the store open longer so that everyone who showed up could shop. I'm sure no one was allowed to come in through the gate after 2 though. I think mystery boxes were still available, but the pin with the D23 logo on it was long gone. Don't know what was left of the trash can pins (even though the haunted mansion one sold out quickly).

Yeah!!!! I'm glad you won something!!

Did anybody get home with an extra Stitch pressed penny pin? I just realized i grabbed Lilo and Lilo & Stitch but no Stitch.