At this year’s Disney fan festival, D23 Expo, there will be more to see and do than ever. Now that Disney has added Star Wars to its lineup, it’s expanding its venue, and event lineup to accommodate more fans. As with last year, Disney has begun backing off from San Diego Comic-Con, hoping fans will turn out to D23 Expo to get the same experience.
This year the event runs from August 14 to the 16. Disney intends to kick off the D23 Expo on Friday with the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. Later that same day, The Walt Disney Studios will give fans a sneak peek at all the latest from Disney Animation and Pixar. On Saturday morning, The Walt Disney Studios will preview the coming slate of live-action films from Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Then on Saturday afternoon, fans will get a preview of what’s in store at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts during a presentation hosted by Parks Chairman Bob Chapek.
To showcase these Expo favorites, Disney is creating “Hall D23,” a new 7,500-seat venue located in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center, so that more guests than ever can see the presentations live and in person.
The Schedule of Hall D23 Events and Presentations includes the following (times and additional announcements forthcoming; all events subject to change):
- The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony will take place Friday, August 14. The ceremony, hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, will once again honor those who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy. The creativity and innovation of these visionaries and artists have earned them a place among such names as Dame Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Annette Funicello, Sir Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Walters, and Robin Williams. At the D23 EXPO in 2013, Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell, Dick Clark, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Glen Keane, and Ed Wynn were inducted.
- In two separate Hall D23 sessions, The Walt Disney Studios will unveil an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at its upcoming film slate. At Friday’s session, fans will go in-depth with the talented filmmakers at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios to get a sneak peek at films such as Zootopia and Finding Dory. On Saturday, live-action titles such as Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book and films from Marvel and Lucasfilm, along with some very special guests, take center stage.
- On the afternoon of Saturday, August 15, join Bob Chapek, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, for a behind-the-scenes peek at the magical experiences and entertainment coming to Disney’s parks and resorts around the world.
It will be hard to take it all in, but if you’re willing to try, visit D23expo.com for tickets. Discounts are available until June 30, 2015.
Are you planning to attend? If so, what are you hoping to see?
Star wars land and Cars land-like experience for DHS?
And when is Disney going to do something with EPCOT that has a massively underutilized side of the park and empty pavilion?
No, I can’t attend since it is 3000 miles away!!!!!!! Despite being a Dsney fan…despite many trips to DisneyWorld, I have contacted them more than once about holding D23 events in New York…so far nothing has happened. The cost of plane fare, hotel, car and meals in additon to the D23 dues (which I won’t pay if iIhave no benefits to joining!!!) is not possibloe for most of us.
Note that D23 Expo is open to the general public, you don’t have to be a member – but D23 members to receive a discount. I don’t think they’d ever hold a D23 event in NY – Florida, maybe. I can’t see them holding the event far from one of their parks. Even the D23 Expo Japan was held by the Tokyo Disney Resort.
I live in MA and I’ll be going out to D23 Expo for the second time this year. I’d rather have the expo held at/near one of the parks so that I can make it a combined trip. I’ll be spending a couple of extra days in Anaheim to visit the parks as well. It would be less expensive to fly down to Florida, but JetBlue out to CA isn’t too bad. The costs on the ground aren’t really different from a trip to WDW.
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