Just because San Diego Comic-Con is over doesn’t mean the fun has to end. In three weeks, D23 Expo hits the Anaheim Convention Center with a huge slate of exciting events, panels, and more.
D23 (the combination of D for Disney and 23 for 1923, the year Walt Disney arrived in Hollywood) is a convention held every other year for Disney fans. While it’s received its share of criticism, it’s still a young event and improves every time, with this year being no exception.
I personally can’t wait to attend and here are some of the big events the convention will be hosting this year.
Day 1: Friday, August 14th
The convention will kick off with the Disney Legends Awards at 10am. The recipients this year include George Lucas, Andreas Deja (a Disney animator known for characters like Gaston, Scar, Jafar, and Hercules), and Danny Elfman (a composer who often collaborates with director Tim Burton).
You guys. George. Lucas.
Also on Friday will be a special presentation on The Muppets and a panel on Inside Out with filmmakers Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera.
At 3pm, John Lasseter, the Chief Creative Officer of Disney and Pixar Animation will host a massive panel, looking at all their upcoming films including Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory as well as Disney’s Zootopia and Moana.
Lastly, if you’re a 90s kid like me, make sure you don’t miss the 20th anniversary reunion of A Goofy Movie at 6pm! Everyone, sing it with me: “Stand out, above the crowd!”
Day 2: Saturday, August 15th
Looking to continue the trend of starting each day off with a bang, at 10:30am will be Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios. Fans will get a look at upcoming Disney live-action films Alice Through the Looking Glass and The Jungle Book. Marvel and Star Wars will then take the stage to talk about their growing universes and offer sneak peeks of Captain America: Civil War and The Force Awakens.
Captain America meets Han Solo, anyone?
A Goofy Movie isn’t the only film that turns 20 this year – a special panel at 4:30pm will look back on Toy Story, now 20 years old, with filmmakers John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Galyn Susman, Ralph Eggleston, Sharon Calahan, Eben Ostby, Bob Pauley and Bill Reeves.
At 6pm, you’ll have to make your choice between animation and live-action. Aladdin – The Making of a Classic unveils stories behind the film, with guests like directors John Musker and Ron Clements, animators Eric Goldberg (Genie) and Mark Henn (Jasmine), as well as Jasmine herself, Linda Larkin, and the two actors who gave life to the character Aladdin: Scott Weinger and Brad Kane.
Or you can go to Once Upon a Time: An Evening with Snow White & the Evil Queen where co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz along with stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Lana Parrilla will discuss the upcoming season.
Day 3: Sunday, August 16th
The last day is always quieter but that doesn’t mean there won’t be gems for fans to enjoy!
If you love Disney shorts like Paperman and Feast, don’t miss out on the special presentation at 11:30am where filmmakers behind these projects will tell you more about them.
One of the best parts of Frozen are the songs and now you can celebrate that with the Oscar®-winning team behind the music, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, as they take you on a magical and musical journey. The sing-along extravaganza will be at 3pm.
This is only a taste of what D23 will have to offer. There will also be special presentations and exhibits for fans of the Disney theme parks, autograph sessions, and a massive show floor which will even include a special display of John Lasseter’s famous Hawaiian shirts!
So are you ready for D23 Expo? It runs August 14 – 16 at the Anaheim Convention Center. What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!
