There’s no escaping the Mouse.
But who would want to?
I was next door to Disneyland at Siggraph toting my Monsters University poster and Walking Teapot collectible I got from the Pixar booth, sitting in the Frozen panel when I got the call to go to the Disney/ABC Creative Talent Development mixer. There should have been a Disney Express.
The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
And coming up next week is the mega event for Disney: D23 Expo.
It happens every two years, but it is definitely worth the wait.
This year, the schedule is jam packed with programs. As at Comic-Con, attendees will be making Sophie’s Choices throughout the three days, August 9-11.
The Low-Down
There are five major venues including the exhibition floor: D23 Arena; Stage 23; Stage 28; Center Stage; and Talent Round Up. The latter two can be found on the first floor-Center Stage is directly inside the exhibition hall.
The D23 Arena entrance will open as early as 8:00 a.m. to all attendees for the Friday and Saturday morning sessions. Along with major presentations for both upcoming live action and animated movies, there’ll be a screening of Disney’s Planes and a Disney Infinity presentation and giveaway of a never-before-seen figure.
For Stage 23 and Stage 28, attendees can also receive a complimentary reserved StagePass ticket by visiting the ticket distribution area, in between Halls A and B on the Show Floor. Highlights for those venues are Broadway & Beyond… Celebrating the Stars of Disney on Broadway; Inside the Ice: The Art of Disney’s Frozen; The Art of The Good Dinosaur; ABC’s Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale; Crash Course in the Force: Star Wars Saga 101; Dave Bossert Remembers Roy E. Disney, with Special Guest Roy P. Disney; Pixar: Doing Our Homework; Disney Animated: An Inside Look at Walt Disney Animation Studios; Women of Pixar; and a slew of Disney Imagineering panels.
On The Floor
Of course, these are scheduled opposite all the activities on the floor, throughout the convention center, and the Arena, the 10,000 stadium. An exclusive screening of Disney’s Planes; a concert with Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken performing selections from The Disney Songbook; and movie presentations for both live action and animation will be presented in the Arena.
2011’s had extremely long lines for every attraction, and with the increased programming, a lengthy wait is to be expected.
Suiting Up
Also new this year is the Heroes and Villains à la Mode: The Official D23 Expo Costume Contest. Winners will receive a bronze Edna Mode trophy of which only five exist.
There are quite a few experiences this year including Phineas and Ferb’s Dr. Doofenshmirtzhas Waffle-inator. This is set up outside in the new Grand Plaza. Attendees can unleash foam waffles in the 40-foot high interactive game, combining physical and digital worlds.
In Action
The Waffle-inator opens at 9AM. For those who don’t have a D23 membership, this might be a great option to start the day since general attendees can only access the floor at 10AM-D23 members get in an hour earlier.
Once Upon a Time’s Jolly Roger, seen at Comic-Con, will be on the floor at the ABC Studios pavilion. Allow plenty of time to wait in line as well as to complete the experience-after watching a video, a crowd of 30 individually opens a vault to get their prize-an exclusive pin.
Alongside individual exhibitors, there are 12 pavilions, each with programming of their own. Disney Interactive; Disney Channel; Disney Investor Relations; and Disney Consumer Products are just some of the highlights to be found. Expect spur-of-the-moment giveaways as well.
Shops and Stars
And if shopping is your thing, along with the Silent Auction, there’s the Disney Store, Mickey’s of Glendale; The Dream Store; and five pop-up shops including Mattel and Sephora. Expect to find a wealth of D23 Expo 2013 exclusives. And don’t forget about the Collector’s Forum and Exhibitors offering Disney-related info and goodies.
Stars across the Disney/Pixar/LucasFilm/Marvel/ABC/ESPN/Radio Disney family will make appearances. Garnering the most anticipation is anything about Mission Marvel and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Many artists and designers will also be available for signings and meet-and-greets.
There’s a wealth of magic at D23 Expo 2013. Who would expect anything less?