From VidCon to the Olympics: Anaheim's Bold Vision for the Future of Events

Skift

2 days ago

With the largest convention center on the West Coast, Anaheim has always made life easier for meeting planners. Now, the city's grand vision for $10 billion of updates over the next decade will make every program more exciting for attendees.
With more than two decades of experience in destination and hotel sales, Ronnie Collins has lived in plenty of great places. While he has plenty of compliments to share about Phoenix, Cleveland, Dallas, Charlotte, Vail, and Park City, his southern California home holds the title for the kind of community pride that defines a welcoming host destination.
'There's no place like Anaheim when it comes to the city's passion for itself,' Collins, Visit Anaheim's chief sales officer, said.
The Hospitality Culture That Powers Anaheim's Success
Part of that passion, according to Collins, comes from the city's most recognizable attraction. Many members of Anaheim's hospitality industry spent some of their formative years working at Disneyland Resort — the receptionist for Visit Anaheim, for example, was Tinkerbell, and the director of sales at the city's largest hotel started his career as Prince Charming. It's easy to hold a lot of love for the place where one begins earning a paycheck, and making everyone smile in the process.
However, while Anaheim may feel synonymous with Mickey Mouse, plenty of groups are coming here without any connection to the park. In 2025, Anaheim will host 160 conventions, meetings, and events, welcoming attendees who will get a chance to experience the city's dynamic offerings. Even those who do not visit the park in their leisure time will feel the benefits, thanks to what Collins calls 'the Disney bubble.'
'The Disney bubble creates safety, security, cleanliness, and walkability,' he said. 'Many of our team members complete the Disney training program, so they know how to service, surprise and delight, and deliver an experience at the highest level.'
Why Meeting Planners Choose Anaheim: The Capital of Creativity and Innovation
Those team members know how to handle large experiences, too. Each year, the NAMM Show — organized by the National Association of Music Merchants — welcomes more than 62,000 music industry professionals to the Anaheim Convention Center. Meanwhile, VidCon unites approximately 55,000 influencers, content creators, and fans.
phot caption: the namm show. photo credit: visit anaheim.
West Coast's Largest Convention Center
These large-scale events thrive in Anaheim due to its unmatched event venues and accessibility. The Anaheim Convention Center boasts 1.8 million square feet of total space, making it the biggest convention center on the West Coast — and with four major airports in the area, attendees from around the world have their pick when it comes to direct flights.
A Hotspot for Media, Gaming, and Innovation
However, the story in Anaheim is about much more than logistical ease — it's a reflection of Orange County's prominent role in pushing culture forward. Video game developers like Blizzard Entertainment, Obsidian Entertainment, Visual Concepts, and Dreamhaven are all headquartered nearby, and much of the media and entertainment business in the Los Angeles metro area can take a 40-minute trip to escape the noise for a more calming experience.
In addition to shaping what consumers hear, watch, and play, Anaheim has emerged as a driving force behind what doctors do for their patients. The American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Informatics Association, and Pri-Med will all host major events in Anaheim in 2025.
Photo Caption: VIDCON 2025: Photo credit: Visit Anaheim
Shining in the International Spotlight: Olympics, FIFA, and Beyond
While attendees at those conferences will gain an appreciation for Anaheim, an even bigger audience is about to experience the city's magic when it lends a hand to help with Los Angeles' hosting duties for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The World Cup match schedule stretches over nearly an entire month, and the Olympic competitions cover three weeks.
130+ Hotels Ready to Welcome the World
Anaheim hotels and venues are preparing to welcome guests from around the world. The city's collection of more than 130 hotel properties will be full throughout that time. According to Collins, Visit Anaheim regularly meets with city leaders to 'ensure that we're all in lockstep as a community to provide a consistent experience no matter what hotel they stay in, what restaurant they dine in, or what part of the city they visit.'
During the Olympics, plenty of guests won't need to leave the city to catch the world's best athletes in action: The Honda Center, home of the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks, will host indoor volleyball. 'These mega events are going to open people's eyes to how great Anaheim is as a community and what it has to offer,' Collins said.
PHOTO CAPTION: RISE ROOFTOP LOUNGE, WESTIN. PHOTO CREDIT: VISIT ANAHEIM.
Making Room for a New Kind of Magic With OCVIBE
In addition to seeing what already makes Anaheim such a special place for meetings and events, visitors in town for the Olympics will have an opportunity to experience what Collins called 'the biggest thing to happen to Anaheim since Disneyland opened.'
That 'thing' is OCVIBE, a new development more than three times the size of LA Live that will feature new live music venues, more than 30 dining concepts, six bars, and more than 20 acres of outdoor space. While much of the project will be open by 2028, there are even bigger plans for two hotels and a riverwalk area in the future. It won't feel like a separate tourist destination, either, thanks to plans for residential living that Collins said will give it a 'true downtown vibe.'
PHOTO CAPTION: OCVIBE DISTRICT. PHOTO CREDIT: VISIT ANAHEIM
Collins has only been in Anaheim for two years, but the project's vision has ignited the same passion he found among the locals who have seen Anaheim evolve. 'OCVIBE was almost single-handedly what sold me on coming to Anaheim,' he said. 'When I used to think about Anaheim, I felt the market was missing some of the adult programming and sophisticated experiences outside of the family piece. OCVIBE is the answer to all of that.'
OCVIBE will raise the bar for the attendee experience, but the rest of the area will be ready to meet that new standard of excellence, too. As Disneyland celebrates its 70th anniversary, resort leaders are embarking on DisneylandForward to write the next chapter of its own magic. Meanwhile, John Wayne Airport is investing $700 million in enhancements, and Kimpton and Le Meridien have plans for new hotels.
$10 Billion in Anaheim Event Investments: What It Means for Attendees and Planners
No matter where meeting planners turn in Anaheim, they'll get a sense of the city's focus on transforming the attendee experience: From convention centers to luxury hotels, Anaheim is redefining what it means to host a global event. Over the next decade, the destination will receive $10 billion in investment.
'Our whole city is working to reimagine the experience,' Collins said. 'We're only going to continue to attract more exposure, more conventions, and more people coming to discover Anaheim.'
For more information about the major developments underway in Anaheim, visit https://www.visitanaheim.org/meetings/.
This content was created collaboratively by Visit Anaheim and Skift's branded content studio, SkiftX.