D23 Expo, What Is It?
Most Disney fans have heard of D23,
Disney’s club for the ultimate Disney fans. But what is the D23 Expo?
August 9 – 11, 2013 the third D23
will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Disney fans around the world are
excitedly awaiting this event. The D23 Expo is held every other year at the
Anaheim Convention Center. This is where you can find out about what upcoming
things can be expected at Disney parks and the Disney Cruise along with
upcoming animated and live-action movies the Disney Studios.
Along with finding out about what is
coming next you can also see seldom seen items from the Disney Archives. This
year there will be a major display of costumes and props along with concept art
and other items from Mary Poppins. Other movies will also be represented in the
display.
Disney Consumer Products (a.k.a.
Disney Stores) will have a display area where you can purchase newly released
Disney Consumer Products. They will also have some soon to be released items on
display.
At past Expos may have had Imangineers
in the Disney Parks display area to answer questions. At the 2011 Expo they had
a mockup of the bow of the Disney Fantasy. Behind that wasn’t area with a
mockup of the Disney Fantasy lobby statue of Minnie Mouse. They also had a
display allowing you to see a sped up version of what the Virtual Portholes on
the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy look like. There was a cast member there to
explain what you were looking at and a table with pamphlets about the Disney Cruise
Line.
Also in the Disney Parks display
area was a 3-D model of the yet to be opened New Fantasyland at WDW’s Magic
Kingdom. Also on display with a ride vehicles for New Fantasyland Snow White
and those Seven Dwarves Mine Ride. Disneyland Resort was not ignore as they had
a model of Disney California Adventures new (not yet open then) Cars Land. They
had ride vehicles for all three of the new Cars Land rides on display. They
also had Lightning McQueen and Red the fire truck on display. Lightning and Red
are the “characters” come out and visit guests in Cars Land.
There was also a small display on
the new Shanghai Disney Park. They had artists drawings of what the park would
look like with signs designating some rides that will be there.
One of my favorite “shops” to check
out at the Expo was the Glendale Disney Store that is for Imangineers only.
They had items that are normally only available to Disney Imangineers to
purchase.
A large area of the Expo Display
Area is open for exhibitors to rent space. These run the gamut from Disney Fan
Sites and Disney Specific Travel Agencies to sellers of Disney Collectibles. At
the last Expo I saw of very rare Dumbo cel being sold by one of the exhibitors.
Besides all of these exhibits there
are special event hosted by Disney Luminaries. John Lasseter will be sharing
about the upcoming animated features from both Pixar and Disney Studios. The
head of the Disney Studios will be sharing what is happening with live-action
Disney movies.
Friday Ridley Pearson will be
discussing the next and last book in the Kingdom Keepers series. He will be
sharing how the fans of the books can be part of the writing of this final Kingdom
Keepers book. Imangineer Tony Baxter will be sharing the secrets of Undiscovered
Disneyland. He will be talking about the development of rides and storytelling
at Disneyland.
Two of the biggest events will happen
on Saturday. 8 new Disney legends will be honored in a special ceremony in the
afternoon. In the evening Richard Sherman and Alan Menken will be performing
music they wrote for Disney movies and the park.
All day on Sunday they will be
having discussions posted by various Disney Imangineers in honor of
Imagineering’s 60th anniversary. In the evening they will have the
head of Disney’s Broadway productions talking about taking Disney movies to
Broadway.
There is actually so much to do at
the D23 Expo that there is no possible way to do or see everything. So it is
best to look at the schedule and plan ahead if you are going. Realize that you
will have to stand in line for the “E Ticket” events.
There are several helpful links
about the D23 Expo.
D23 Expo Homepage:
D23 Expo Schedule:
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