D23 2026 guide: reservations, bags and transport

Photo: Troutfarm27 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. The image shows the Anaheim Convention Center in 2021, not D23 2026.

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event runs from Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 16, 2026, in Anaheim. The daytime event occupies the Anaheim Convention Center. The three headline presentations take place several miles away at Honda Center, and only tickets that include a Honda Center seat provide admission there.

The practical challenge is keeping three access systems straight. Panel reservations use the closed Reservation Random Selection Process, most unsuccessful applicants can try standby, and many stores use a separate same-day virtual queue. Honda Center has its own digital ticket, shuttle plan and much smaller bag limit.

This guide was checked on August 11, 2026. D23 updated its virtual-queue instructions on August 10 and was still changing practical support pages during event week. Use the linked official pages and the Disney D23 app for a final check each morning.

The short answer: activate the physical convention badge, save the separate Honda Center ticket, install the Disney D23 and Disneyland Resort apps, and pack to the Honda Center's 5 by 9 by 2-inch bag limit if attending an evening presentation. Leave the convention center at least 90 minutes before the Honda Center show.

D23 2026 at a glance

Start with the ticket you actually have

A D23 Fan Pass covers the Anaheim Convention Center. It does not include a Honda Center presentation. A D23 Ultimate Fan Pass or Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass includes convention access and a reserved Honda Center seat for the matching day or days.

The physical convention badge and digital Honda Center ticket are separate credentials. D23 began distributing Honda Center tickets to official ticket accounts on August 5. Save the ticket to the phone wallet where supported and keep a screenshot or printout permitted by the ticket instructions. A screenshot is a backup, not a reason to ignore any rotating-barcode requirement shown in the account.

When checked on August 11, the official ticket page still listed Sunday Ultimate and regular Fan Passes, plus Saturday and Sunday Afternoon Only passes. Inventory can disappear. D23 says official tickets are final sale and warns that it cannot authenticate tickets bought from another source.

The reservation lottery is over, but standby remains

The Reservation Random Selection Process (RSP) entry period has closed. D23 assigned reservations from August 7 through August 10. The system covered selected convention center stages, Talent Central and show-floor experiences. It did not cover Honda Center presentations.

If you received an assignment, carry the confirmation and arrive at the time D23 specifies. Current guidance asks reservation holders to arrive 45 minutes before a Premiere Stage presentation, 30 minutes before the Archives, Backlot or Hyperion stages, and 15 minutes before Talent Central or a show-floor experience. A late place can be released to standby.

If you received nothing, the weekend is not automatically lost. D23 says standby queues will be available for most convention center panels and experiences. It does not promise admission, and the most popular sessions can fill without taking many standby guests. Put one nearby alternative beside every priority instead of crossing the building repeatedly.

Current attendee emails shared in the D23 community refer to an August 11 portal for adding, changing or cancelling awarded reservations. D23's public support article does not document that release window. Use the link and terms in your own assignment email, not a copied login link or an unofficial trade. The public rule that can be verified is that standby remains the main fallback.

Shopping virtual queues are a different system

Panel reservations and shopping virtual queues are not interchangeable. The shopping queue opens on the day, gives a boarding group rather than immediate entry, and can still involve a wait when the group is called.

D23's support page, updated August 10, lists a 6am release for most participating stores. Ravensburger also has a 1pm release. A broader Disney Parks shopping guide discusses 6am and 1pm opportunities, so check the exact current store list rather than assuming every shop opens twice.

Guests must be within about 90 miles of the convention center. A party can request for up to two people, one queue at a time, subject to availability. The virtual queue does not bypass convention security or guarantee that merchandise remains when the group is called.

Install the correct two apps

The Disney D23 app provides the event schedule, show-floor map, notifications and shopping-queue entry. Disney's shopping instructions say the process hands off to the Disneyland Resort app for virtual queues, mobile orders and mobile checkout.

One D23 support page currently calls the second app My Disney Experience, which is Disney World's app. For this Anaheim event, start inside the D23 app and follow its live handoff. Do not search for a similarly named Disney app at 5:58am and hope it is the right one.

Before Friday:

1. Sign in to both apps and confirm the same usable contact details.
2. Turn on notifications for boarding groups and schedule changes.
3. Add a payment method before the queue opens.
4. Save the floor map and a plain-text list of priority panels.
5. Test the D23 app handoff while the phone has a stable connection.

The two venues have incompatible bag rules

The Anaheim Convention Center permits bags, backpacks and coolers up to 24 x 15 x 18 inches, subject to screening. Honda Center permits a standard bag no larger than 5 x 9 x 2 inches, even if it is clear. Backpacks and mini backpacks are prohibited there.

Medical and diaper bags at Honda Center may be up to 12 x 12 x 12 inches and are inspected. Laptops, tablets, strollers, outside food, drinks and beverage containers, including empty bottles, are also prohibited at Honda Center, with limited medical and baby-food exceptions.

That creates a predictable afternoon problem: convention purchases fit the daytime rules but cannot enter the evening venue. Do not board the shuttle with a large shopping bag and plan to solve it at Honda Center. There is no bag check there.

D23 provides complimentary bag check at Arena Plaza and Grand Plaza until 90 minutes after the Friday and Saturday shows. On Sunday those locations close at 8pm. The Lobby A/B bag check closes at 8pm every day, so it is not suitable for storing purchases during the Friday or Saturday evening show. No location stores items overnight.

Food, water and cashless payment

At the convention center, guests may bring individual portions of food and drink for personal use. Non-glass containers can be filled at water fountains. The venue has food and beverage sellers as well.

Honda Center does not allow outside food, drinks or beverage containers, even when empty. Its published exceptions cover special dietary needs, allergies, baby food and formula. Drinking fountains are inside, and First Aid can provide a courtesy cup of water for a medical need.

Both venues are cashless and accept cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Honda Center has cash-to-card machines for a fee. Show-floor exhibitors can set their own payment methods, so keep one physical payment card separate from the phone.

Moving from the convention center to Honda Center

D23 recommends at least 90 minutes for travel and entry. That allowance covers the shuttle queue or road traffic, the transfer itself, security and walking to the seat. It is not 90 minutes of driving time.

Complimentary D23 shuttle

Shuttles leave the Anaheim Convention Center from Transit Plaza and Arena Plaza. Friday and Saturday service begins at 4:30pm. Sunday service begins at 11:30am. The buses run continuously but are first come, first served and capacity is limited.

At Honda Center, the general shuttle uses Level 1 of Katella Garage. Return buses continue for one hour after each show and stop at both convention-center plazas. Save which plaza is closer to the hotel before boarding in the morning.

Driving

Convention center parking opens at 5:30am and currently costs $25 for a standard vehicle. It has no in-and-out privilege, so driving out and returning means paying again. Honda Center parking is complimentary for eligible presentation ticket holders, subject to capacity. Its lots open at 5pm Friday and Saturday and noon Sunday.

If the car holds convention purchases, moving it can solve the bag problem but introduces another parking queue. Decide before the late afternoon rather than after reaching the shuttle line.

Rideshare and taxis

Convention-center rideshare uses the Toy Story Parking Lot on Harbor Boulevard. D23 asks riders to search for "D23 Experiences" in the app.

Honda Center rideshare and taxi pickup use ARTIC, about a seven-minute walk from the arena. Search for "D23 Showcases" and follow the event traffic route. A driver cannot collect passengers from any convenient curb after the show.

Accessibility and families

D23 says all queues are wheelchair accessible. It does not rent wheelchairs or ECVs at either venue, so arrange a device before arrival. Accessible seating or interpretation support does not guarantee admission to a full convention-center session.

Accessible D23 shuttles run between the venues, but D23 says capacity is limited and recommends driving or rideshare when that better meets a guest's needs. Accessibility Services operates at the Hilton before the event, in Lobby A/B during convention days, and at Honda Center from doors until 45 minutes after each show.

The current accessibility page lists ASL interpretation, CART, assisted listening and mobility information. Honda Center CART can work on a guest's phone or tablet, though tablets are otherwise prohibited unless used for CART. Ask Accessibility Services about the exact setup before security.

Children age two and older need a ticket. Guests under 18 must attend with a parent or legal guardian. Strollers within the published size limit can enter the convention center, but Honda Center prohibits strollers. Families using both venues need a storage plan, not only a smaller bag.

Set a meeting point at each venue. D23 says it cannot page separated party members and recommends writing a mobile number on a child's badge. A shared chat helps, but the meeting point still works when a phone is muted, flat or buried in a crowd.

A realistic day plan

Trying to combine every panel, store and evening presentation is the fastest way to spend the event looking at queue entrances.

For Friday or Saturday with a Honda Center ticket:

1. Join any eligible shopping virtual queue before breakfast.
2. Enter with one fixed panel priority and one nearby backup.
3. Complete shopping early enough to store purchases.
4. Eat and refill water before the venue transfer.
5. Be at bag check or the chosen shuttle point by about 4:30pm for the 7pm show.
6. Save the return plaza and hotel route before entering Honda Center.

Sunday is compressed because the Legends ceremony starts at 1:30pm. The shuttle begins at 11:30am and doors open at noon. A Sunday Honda Center ticket leaves only a short convention-center morning. Do not schedule a late-morning panel unless missing the beginning of the ceremony is acceptable.

Afternoon-only guests enter from 4pm and were not eligible for the reservation lottery. Use the remaining show-floor time for walk-up experiences and any standby opportunities that are still accepting guests. An afternoon badge does not add Honda Center access.

Phone and data preparation for D23

The event relies heavily on a phone: D23 notifications, the show-floor map, shopping queues, mobile checkout, Honda Center tickets, rideshare and group messages. Mobile data cannot create a boarding group after it fills, move security faster or guarantee strong service in a dense crowd. Save the ticket, map and return route offline.

The public Roaming eSIM catalog showed 37 United States packages when checked on August 11. Examples included 1GB for 7 days at USD 1.80, 3GB for 15 days at USD 4.40, 5GB for 30 days at USD 6.80 and 10GB for 30 days at USD 12.08. Those examples listed AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon with 3G, 4G or 5G labels and were marked as eligible for top-up.

The Roaming eSIM advantage here is trip-wide data that can be selected and installed before the airport arrival, independent of a D23 membership or event ticket. The live package card shows data, validity, listed operators and top-up status before checkout, and Roaming eSIM provides 24/7 support. It remains a mobile-data plan, not an event credential or a promise of uncongested venue speed.

For a US-only trip, start with the United States Roaming eSIM. Compare a North America Roaming eSIM when the same journey also includes Canada or Mexico. A Global Roaming eSIM is useful only when its listed destinations match the wider route.

Estimate the allowance with the travel data calculator, check whether the phone supports Roaming eSIM, and install Roaming eSIM before travel. The KCON LA guide owns the separate August 14 to 16 event in downtown Los Angeles; its Metro, wristband and venue rules do not apply in Anaheim.

Ten questions D23 2026 attendees are asking

Does a regular D23 Fan Pass include Honda Center?

No. A Fan Pass covers the Anaheim Convention Center. Honda Center requires an Ultimate Fan Pass or Ultimate Preferred Fan Pass with a reserved seat for the matching presentation.

What can I do if I received no panel reservations?

Use the standby queue for the relevant convention-center panel or experience. D23 says standby is available for most locations, but admission depends on unused capacity. There is no standby for the three Honda Center presentations.

Can I change or trade a reservation on August 11?

Use only the add, change or cancel instructions in your own D23 assignment email. The public support page does not describe a digital trade system. Do not pay for a reservation transfer that D23 has not authenticated.

How early should I arrive for a reserved panel?

D23 currently asks for 45 minutes at Premiere Stage, 30 minutes at the Archives, Backlot and Hyperion stages, and 15 minutes for Talent Central or show-floor experiences. The confirmation time controls if it is more specific.

Which apps do I need for D23 2026?

Install the Disney D23 app and Disneyland Resort app. Start the shopping-queue process in the D23 app and follow its handoff. Turn on notifications and sign in before the morning release.

When do D23 shopping virtual queues open?

The August 10 support page lists 6am for most participating stores and 6am plus 1pm for Ravensburger. The exact store schedule can change, so check the official list each morning.

How strict is the Honda Center bag limit?

The published maximum is 5 x 9 x 2 inches, including clear bags. Backpacks and mini backpacks are prohibited. Current Reddit discussions show attendees are worried about bags only one inch over the limit; the sensible answer is to meet the written dimensions rather than depend on a lenient screening lane.

Where can I leave convention purchases before Honda Center?

Use Arena Plaza or Grand Plaza bag check. Those locations remain open until 90 minutes after the Friday and Saturday shows. Lobby A/B closes at 8pm and cannot cover those evening presentations. Honda Center has no bag check.

Is the D23 shuttle worth using?

It is complimentary and avoids a separate parking or rideshare payment, but it is first come, first served. Current fan discussions describe a smoother outbound trip and a longer post-show line. Allow the official 90-minute transfer window and save a rideshare fallback through ARTIC.

Can I bring food and a water bottle?

The convention center allows personal food portions and non-glass refillable beverage containers. Honda Center prohibits outside food, drinks and beverage containers, even empty ones, except for stated dietary, allergy, baby-food and formula needs.

The ten leading results reviewed for D23 2026 guide, D23 2026 reservations, D23 2026 bag policy and D23 2026 transportation included D23's event hub, reservation guide, planning page, transport page and virtual-queue page, plus Written in the Queue, MouseInfo, CrowdLevels, Theme Park IQ and Disney+. Several explain one system well. Few put the panel, shopping, ticket, bag and transfer decisions into one final-week sequence or flag the conflicting app name in current official material.