Decorators Local 831 claims jurisdiction over all setup and dismantling of exhibits, including signs and carpet. Unpacking and placing merchandise is not covered.
Exhibitor guide · Anaheim, CA · Updated
Anaheim Convention Center Exhibitor Guide
The West Coast's largest exhibit facility puts more than a million sq ft of halls a short walk from Disneyland, but ceilings drop from 25 ft in Hall D to 13 ft 8 in in Hall E, and a booth one person cannot set up in half an hour without tools goes to union labor. Check your booth below before you ship.
- 3,000+ exhibitors served
- 10,000+ booths built
- 2 days to a design brief
Photo: Angel Stadium and Anaheim by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, public domain.
Quick answers
What exhibitors ask about the Anaheim Convention Center
Without tools. Anything bigger needs union labor, though your own staff may work alongside union installers one-to-one.
Hall D is 25 ft, Halls B and C 20 ft 6 in–25 ft, Hall A 18 ft 6 in–24 ft and Hall E only 13 ft 8 in. ACC North is 25 ft on both levels.
The convention center sits in the Anaheim Resort District, with four big hotels next door and the Disneyland Resort within walking distance.
Photos: "StarCraft ghost costumes and a massive crowd for the #BlizzCon opening ceremony" by instaSHINOBI, CC BY 2.0 Source · "Blizzcon Morning" by brendan-c, CC BY 2.0 Source · "Wondercon 2013" by PatLoika, CC BY 2.0 Source
Only at Anaheim
Anaheim Convention Center self-install checker: can I build my own booth?
Anaheim show kits spell out when your own staff may set up a booth: one person, under half an hour, without tools. Many Southern California kits also treat anything bigger than a 10 ft pop-up as union work. Answer the four questions to see where your booth falls.
Your booth
You can self-install
None of the union triggers apply: no hand tools, one person, under 30 minutes, under 10 feet in every dimension.
Plan the build with usBased on GES rules for an Anaheim Convention Center show (Decorators Local 831 jurisdiction: one person, under 30 minutes, no tools) and Exhibitor magazine's Anaheim guide. The 10 ft size limit is common in West Coast kits but not confirmed for every Anaheim show, and the union steward can decide on site. Your show's kit is the final word.
Where to stay & getting there
Hotels near the Anaheim Convention Center, transit and crew logistics
Where to stay in the Anaheim Resort District, how to get in from the airports, and how crews park and unload.
Steps away
Anaheim Marriott and Hilton Anaheim
The two closest towers, steps from the halls, and the usual host hotels for big shows.
Walking distance
Sheraton Park and Westin Anaheim Resort
With the Marriott and Hilton, the four hotels closest to the center hold more than 3,700 rooms within walking distance.
10–15 min walk
Anaheim Resort District hotels
Dozens of hotels at a wide range of prices between the convention center and the Disneyland Resort.
13 mi · ~20 min
John Wayne Airport (SNA)
The closest airport. LAX is 40–60 minutes depending on traffic; I-5 runs right past the center.
Hand-carry rule
No bellhop carts
Only single-trip hand-carry is allowed into the building, and hotel bellhops may not bring carts inside. Plan booth supplies around that.
Crew arrival
Parking and crew vans
The City runs the parking areas and may charge a parking fee. Crew vans and trucks unload on the west side of the building (ACC North off Hotel Way), never on Hotel Way, Convention Way or Katella Avenue. Purple coordinates Southern California crews and freight for Anaheim installs.
Floor plan & exhibit halls
Anaheim Convention Center floor plan: Halls A–E and ACC North
Halls A through E total 813,607 sq ft, and the two 100,000 sq ft levels of ACC North, opened in 2017, take the campus past a million sq ft of exhibit space. Ceilings vary more than at most big halls, so check yours. Tap a hall for its size and clearance.
Schematic. Hall widths are proportional to floor area, not an architectural plan. Official floor plans and capacity charts are on visitanaheim.org.
Exhibit Hall A
- 145,841 sq ft (250 × 530 ft)
- 18 ft 6 in–24 ft ceiling
- 718 10×10 booths
The lowest of the A–D halls at its low point, so check the clear height at your booth before planning a tall structure or hanging sign.
Exhibit Hall B
- 147,335 sq ft (250 × 530 ft)
- 20 ft 6 in–25 ft ceiling
- 718 10×10 booths
Same footprint as Hall A with a little more height.
Exhibit Hall C
- 155,673 sq ft (245 × 575 ft)
- 20 ft 6 in–25 ft ceiling
- 759 10×10 booths
The largest of the A–C halls, at the same 20 ft 6 in–25 ft clearance as Hall B.
Exhibit Hall D
- 221,284 sq ft (325 × 472–530 ft)
- 25 ft ceiling
- 1,140 10×10 booths
The largest single hall. Because of floor-load limits, semi-trucks may not drive onto, load, unload or park on the Hall D apron or hall floor.
Exhibit Hall E
- 143,474 sq ft (270 × 535 ft)
- 13 ft 8 in ceiling
- 650 10×10 booths
A big floor with a low lid: most double-deck booths, tall towers and hanging signs will not fit. Its docks also feed the service corridor to the meeting levels.
100,000sq ft ACC North 100 Level · 25 ft ceiling · carpeted, divides into 13 rooms; docks off Hotel Way
100,000sq ft ACC North 200 Level · 25 ft ceiling, column-free, about 500 10×10 booths · rigging here is exclusive to Encore
28,140sq ft flat floor in the 1967 Arena · 45–89 ft ceiling · 145 10×10 booths
38,058sq ft third-level ballroom, Ballrooms A–E combined · 27 ft 3 in–28 ft 3 in ceiling
36,000sq ft usable event space in the 100,000 sq ft Grand Plaza · plus the 10,000 sq ft Katella Terrace at ACC North
Loading dock & move-in
Anaheim Convention Center loading dock and freight
Get directions to Anaheim Convention Center →
- West side onlyAll move-in and move-out for the Arena, exhibit halls, meeting rooms and ballroom happens on the west side of the building. No east-side move-in is allowed.
- ACC North off Hotel WayACC North moves in through its 100 Level docks off Hotel Way; the 200 Level freight doors can also be used with the event manager's approval.
- Marshaling by approvalThe ACC controls all docks, aprons and parking areas. West-side marshaling and crate storage are granted only on an approved vehicle movement plan; ask about off-site marshaling.
- No street stagingStaging, loading or unloading on Hotel Way, Convention Way, Transit Plaza or Katella Avenue is prohibited at all times.
- Day −60Design approved. Run the self-install checker and confirm your hall's ceiling.
- Day −30EAC form and certificate of insurance filed. Internet ordered from Smart City Networks.
- Day −14Purple ships to Anaheim through our carrier network.
- Day −7Advance warehouse deadline in the show kit.
- Day 0Move-in on the west side. Union crews install; check the kit for straight-time hours.
- Show +1Move-out. Empties return, MHA turned in.
Labor & union rules
Anaheim Convention Center union labor and rules of the floor
California is not a right-to-work state. In Anaheim, Decorators Local 831 claims setup and dismantling, Teamsters handle freight and IBEW electricians handle power. The rules below come from GES's work rules for an Anaheim show and the ACC's own Policies, Rules and Regulations (revised July 2023); your show kit is the final word.
✓Your own staff
- Set up a display that one person can finish in under 30 minutes, without tools
- Work alongside union installers on a one-to-one basis when labor is required
- Unpack and place merchandise in the booth
- Hand-carry what one person can carry in one trip, without dollies or hand trucks
- Plug in your own 120-volt plugs to the outlets you ordered
●Exclusive or union
- Setup, dismantling, signs and carpet: Decorators Local 831
- Hard wiring and anything over 120 volts: IBEW electricians
- Internet, data, voice and cable pulling: Smart City Networks, exclusive
- Food and beverage: Aramark, exclusive
- Rigging in ACC North 200 Level, the ballroom, Arena and meeting rooms: Encore, exclusive
- Show power: the ACC's approved electrical provider
!Never allowed
- Semi-trucks on the Hall D apron or hall floor
- Tape, glue, nails or fasteners on ACC walls or carpet without approval; double-faced tape on any surface
- Metallic or Mylar balloons, and helium balloons unless secured
- Untreated drapes, fabrics or cardboard walls: California State Fire Marshal certificates required
- Covered booths or enclosed rooms without a smoke detector per 900 sq ft
Background photo: "Anaheim Convention Center" by SodanieChea, CC BY 2.0 Source
Free tool
Anaheim Convention Center drayage cost estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 and 2027 at about $172 per hundredweight (West Coast union rates run around $170–180), with a 200-lb minimum. Your show's exhibitor kit carries the actual tariff. See all venues on the drayage rates page.
Estimated drayage
$3,440
Cut this with a lighter booth
BlizzCon 2011 demo floor
Photo: "BlizzCon 2011" by SobControllers, CC BY 2.0 Source
The calendar
Anaheim Convention Center trade shows 2026–2027: NAMM, Expo West and more
Two of the biggest trade shows in the country, the NAMM Show and Natural Products Expo West, anchor the winter, with tools, facilities, electronics and fan conventions around them. Dates are from each organizer; confirm before booking.
STAFDA Annual Convention & Trade Show
Specialty tools and fasteners distribution · 50th annual convention · 2026
IFMA World Workplace
Facility management · conference and expo · 2026
The NAMM Show
Music products · exhibits Jan 28–30 · 2027
Natural Products Expo West
Natural products, wellness · exhibits Mar 3–5 · 2027
WonderCon
Comics, film, pop culture · from the Comic-Con organizers · 2027
IPC APEX EXPO
Electronics manufacturing · exhibition Apr 6–8 · 2027
Attendance is a planning range: Expo West and NAMM each draw tens of thousands. NAMM 2026 ran January 20–24. IPC lists Anaheim for APEX EXPO 2027 and the Anaheim Convention Center for 2028 (April 4–6); confirm the 2027 building with IPC.
History
Anaheim Convention Center history: from 1967 to ACC North
Anaheim built its convention center a short walk from Disneyland, and the Resort District grew up around both.
- 1955Disneyland opens in Anaheim, starting the tourism business the convention center would later feed.
- 1967The Anaheim Convention Center opens, anchored by its circular Arena, which still offers a 28,140 sq ft flat floor under a 45–89 ft ceiling.
- 1970s–2000sA series of expansions adds the exhibit halls that now run from Hall A to Hall E, 813,607 sq ft in all.
- 2013The Grand Plaza opens: 100,000 sq ft of outdoor space with about 36,000 sq ft usable for events, fountains and palm and citrus trees.
- 2017A $190 million expansion opens ACC North, two 100,000 sq ft levels plus the Katella Terrace, pushing exhibit space past a million sq ft.
- TodayThe campus covers 1.8 million sq ft of function space on 53 acres, the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast, with the NAMM Show and Natural Products Expo West as its biggest regulars.
Insider tips
Anaheim Convention Center exhibitor tips: what experienced teams do
Ask for your hall before you design
Hall D has 25 ft, Hall A drops to 18 ft 6 in and Hall E is 13 ft 8 in. A double-deck or 20 ft tower designed for D will not fit in E, so confirm the hall first.
Bring staff for one-to-one work
When your booth needs union labor, Southern California rules let your own employees work alongside union installers one-to-one. Send people who know the build.
Order internet from Smart City only
Smart City Networks is the exclusive provider of internet, data and cable pulling at the ACC. Order early for the advance rate, and do not plan on your own network.
Certify every fabric
Anaheim Fire & Rescue wants a California State Fire Marshal flame certificate for drapes, fabric walls, faux greenery and cardboard displays before the show opens. Pack the certificates.
Use the approved cord tape
On carpet, the ACC allows only 3M #3565 or Bron AV cord tape, and double-faced tape is banned on every surface. Brief your crew so nothing is pulled up on move-out day.
Do not stage on Hotel Way
Unloading on Hotel Way, Convention Way or Katella Avenue is banned. Route trucks to the west-side docks, or to ACC North's Hotel Way docks, on the contractor's schedule.
FAQ
Anaheim Convention Center FAQ for exhibitors
Can I set up my own booth in Anaheim?
Only if one person can do it in under 30 minutes without tools; many kits also expect the display to stay within a 10 ft pop-up. Anything more is union work under Decorators Local 831, though your own staff may work one-to-one alongside union installers. Use the checker above and confirm in your show kit.
Is the Anaheim Convention Center union?
Yes. Decorators Local 831 claims all setup and dismantling of exhibits, including signs and carpet; Teamsters move freight beyond what one person can hand-carry in one trip; and IBEW electricians handle hard wiring and anything over 120 volts.
How big is the Anaheim Convention Center?
More than 1 million sq ft of exhibit space: Halls A–E total 813,607 sq ft (Hall D alone is 221,284 sq ft) and ACC North adds two 100,000 sq ft levels. The whole campus covers 1.8 million sq ft of function space on 53 acres, the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast.
How much exhibit space is there?
Halls A–E total 813,607 sq ft, and ACC North adds two 100,000 sq ft levels, for more than 1 million sq ft of exhibit space.
What is the ceiling height in the exhibit halls?
Hall D is 25 ft, Halls B and C 20 ft 6 in to 25 ft, Hall A 18 ft 6 in to 24 ft, and Hall E 13 ft 8 in. Both levels of ACC North are 25 ft.
How much is drayage?
Purple's planning estimate is about $170–180 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum; the calculator uses $172. The show kit carries the actual tariff.
Where is the Anaheim Convention Center loading dock?
All move-in for the exhibit halls, Arena, meeting rooms and ballroom happens on the west side of the building. ACC North uses its 100 Level docks off Hotel Way. Staging on Hotel Way, Convention Way, Transit Plaza or Katella Avenue is not allowed.
What services are exclusive at the Anaheim Convention Center?
Smart City Networks for internet, data and cable pulling; Aramark for food and beverage; Encore for rigging in designated areas and house sound; plus the ACC's approved electrical provider for show power. Check your kit for the current list.
How far is Disneyland?
A short walk from the convention center, which is why the Anaheim Resort District has so many hotels within walking distance of both.
Which airport should I use?
John Wayne (SNA), about 13 miles and roughly 20 minutes away, is closest; LAX is 40–60 minutes depending on traffic.
What did the 2017 expansion add?
ACC North: two 100,000 sq ft carpeted levels and the 10,000 sq ft Katella Terrace, in a $190 million project. The outdoor Grand Plaza opened earlier, in 2013.
Exhibiting in Anaheim?
Got a booth number? We will take it from there.
Tell us the show, the hall and your booth size. Within two business days you get a self-install check against Anaheim's union rules, a design sized to your hall's ceiling, a drayage estimate and a build timeline.
Background photo: "Cars Land at Night" by HarshLight, CC BY 2.0 Source
Compare venues
Anaheim Convention Center vs other major U.S. convention centers
How the Anaheim Convention Center stacks up against other major U.S. convention centers. Drayage figures are Purple planning rates, not published tariffs.
| Venue | Type | Largest space | Ceiling | Labor | Drayage (plan) | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Convention CenterThis guide | Convention center | 221,284 sq ft Hall D | 25 ft Hall D · 13 ft 8 in Hall E | Union · check kit | ≈ $172/cwt | SNA · 13 mi |
| America's Center Convention ComplexSt. Louis | Convention center | 574,000 sq ft contiguous, with Dome floor | 40 ft | Union · 300 sq ft rule | ≈ $150/cwt | STL · 14 mi |
| Boston Convention & Exhibition CenterBoston | Convention center | 516,000 sq ft contiguous (Halls A–C) | 35 ft low · up to 100 ft | Union · staff setup OK | ≈ $324/cwt | BOS · 3 mi |
| Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention CenterSalt Lake City | Convention center | 515,000 sq ft contiguous, 10 halls | 30 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $120/cwt | SLC · ~6 mi |
| Charlotte Convention CenterCharlotte | Convention center | 280,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–C | 30 ft listed max | Right-to-work | ≈ $115/cwt | CLT · 7 mi |
| Georgia World Congress CenterAtlanta | Convention center | 1M+ sq ft contiguous (Halls B, BC, C) | 30 ft to grid | Right-to-work | ≈ $150/cwt | ATL · 15–20 min |
| Huntington PlaceDetroit | Convention center | 623,000 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–D | 30 ft (A–D) · 18 ft 8 in (E) | Union · 400 sq ft rule | ≈ $155/cwt | DTW · 20 mi |
| Javits CenterNew York | Convention center | ~500,000 sq ft contiguous (Level 3) | Varies by hall · check plan | Union · 250 sq ft rule | ≈ $195/cwt | EWR / LGA / JFK · 45–70 min |
| McCormick PlaceChicago | Convention center | 840,000 sq ft Hall A (South) · 1.2M+ on one level | Varies by hall · check plan | Union · staff setup any size | ≈ $210/cwt | MDW · ~20 min |
| Minneapolis Convention CenterMinneapolis | Convention center | 376,200 sq ft contiguous, Halls B–E | 30 ft 6 in to truss · 85 ft domes | Union · open dock | ≈ $150/cwt | MSP · ~20 min |
| Moscone CenterSan Francisco | Convention center | 502,440 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–F | 37 ft Halls A–C · 28 ft Hall F | Union · check kit | ≈ $180/cwt | SFO · 25–40 min |
| Orange County Convention CenterOrlando | Convention center | 1,103,538 sq ft West Building | 30–40 ft | Right-to-work | ≈ $155/cwt | MCO · 12 mi |
| San Diego Convention CenterSan Diego | Convention center | 525,701 sq ft contiguous, Halls A–H | 27 ft 4 in A–E · up to 64 ft F–H | Union · check kit | ≈ $176/cwt | SAN · 3 mi |
| Seattle Convention CenterSeattle | Convention center | 205,700 sq ft Arch Halls 4A–4F | 25 ft Arch · 30 ft Summit | Union · check kit | ≈ $165/cwt | SEA · Link ~40 min |
More California guides
Other venues in California
Long Beach Convention CenterLong Beach
Los Angeles Convention CenterLos Angeles
San Diego Convention CenterSan Diego
Moscone CenterSan Francisco
SAFE Credit Union Convention CenterSacramento
Written by the Purple Exhibits team. Purple ships to the Anaheim Convention Center and coordinates crews and freight for Anaheim installs. Reviewed for the 2026–2027 season. Sources: Anaheim Convention Center Policies, Rules and Regulations (revised July 2023); Visit Anaheim floor plans, capacity charts and convention center pages; GES work rules for an Anaheim show (Decorators Local 831); Exhibitor magazine's Anaheim guide; organizer sites for show dates (STAFDA, IFMA, NAMM, Expo West, Comic-Con International, IPC); Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.