Ever since I learned that D23 Expo existed, I’ve wanted to go. The timing never worked out quite right, but this year it finally did and I was able to attend D23 Expo 2017! I’ve been sharing what I learned at the event over the last week, but not much about the event itself. Below, I’m sharing some of the highlights of my Expo experience- and five reasons why you should attend D23 Expo!
1. Witness history in the making.
We kicked off the D23 Expo with the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony. It was the 30th anniversary of the first ceremony, and 11 amazing people from many different areas of Disney became Disney Legends. The list included many people who have contributed greatly to different components of Disney, like Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher {Star Wars}, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby {Marvel}, Wayne Jackson {Imagineer}, Oprah Winfrey {film, including the upcoming A Wrinkle in Time}, Julie Taymor {theater}, among others. There was even a surprise inductee- Whoopi Goldberg!
It was amazing hearing these literal Disney Legends speak about their time with their passion projects and seeing people who followed their dreams and actually achieved them was so incredibly inspiring. It really set the stage for how emotional the rest of the weekend was going to be for a true Disney lover like myself {no, you’re crying} when we learned that many of the Legends had passed and their children accepted their awards on their behalf. Hearing from their children, now adults themselves, about how happy their parents were to be living their dream- that was just so touching.
“I know if she were here this morning she would have flipped me the bird twice already.” -Mark Hamill on the late Carrie Fisher. #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/DHrfE288Ss
— Shell Feis (@NotQuiteSusie) July 14, 2017
Of course, there were bittersweet moments as well. Mark Hamill of course spoke of his costar and friend for many decades, Carrie Fisher. It was so sad but he somehow had us laughing as well. The entire ceremony was just a roller coaster of emotion and I am so glad I was there when those amazing people became official Disney Legends.
2. Get up close and personal with bits of Disney magic.
Before Disney invited me to the D23 Expo, I had considered going anyway- especially when I heard about the Walt Disney Archives Presents– A Pirate’s Life for Me: Disney’s Rascals, Scoundrels and Really Bad Eggs Exhibit! I have always been a fan of pirates, ever since my Peter Pan obsession at a young age, and knowing that there would be a big display featuring many of the pirates from Disney’s history, I just had to see it with my own eyes! I wasn’t the only one who thought this, apparently- the line wrapped around for hours the entire weekend!
It was so worth seeing though- I got to see amazing things like costumes worn by famous pirates {including Hook from Once Upon a Time, Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and more}, items that used to be part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride {including the key-holding dog and even an animatronic!}, paperwork discussing the ride that had Walt Disney’s signature, and more. There were even lots of props from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which I’ve watched over and over and over. Of course, I was thrilled to see Smee- since I was loosely Disneybounding as him that day!
3. Get exclusive merchandise
At D23 Expo, you can find lots of Expo-exclusive items. The expo floor has independent vendors, brands that have partnerships with Disney, and even booths from different parts of Disney itself. One of the booths we went to was the Disney Music Emporium, which in addition to having several newly released items also had D23 Expo exclusive items, like record players and vinyl discs.
While not a D23 Expo exclusive, I was introduced to the Disney Legacy Collection while at the booth {how did I not know about this before?!} and picked up the newest addition, Robin, Hood, as well as music from Disneyland and The Little Mermaid! Each CD comes with beautiful artwork done by Lorelay Bove that makes it so much more than a soundtrack- it’s a true tribute to the beautiful music that makes up Disney movies and attractions!
4. Once in a lifetime experiences
When Alan Menken performed a medley of songs for us at the Beauty and the Beast live action film press junket, I thought that would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Somehow lightening struck twice, however, and I had the honor of seeing him perform again! This time, at D23 Expo, he performed A Whole New World of Alan Menken- a one-man show detailing his life and featuring many of the contributions he’s made to Disney- and to childhoods everywhere. After a hilarious introduction by Zachary Levi, Alan Menken performed songs from movies like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and more. He also discussed things like meeting his wife, losing Howard Ashman, and winning an Oscar and a Razzie in one weekend!
5. Find Your People
I’m not going to lie- I cried a lot over the course of D23 Expo weekend. Happy tears, sad tears- so many tears. But the first time I cried? When I walked up to the Convention Center, saw dozens of people camped out and dozens more in costumes, and realized I was with my people. These are the people who love Disney like I do. These are the people who spend hours researching rumors about upcoming movies, shows, theme park attractions and more. These are the people who refer to Disney not as a company, but like a friend they’ve known their whole lives. These are the people who traveled from all over the world- there were attendees from all 50 states and over 30 countries- to be at the heart of Disney for just one weekend. And I want to be where those people are. I wanna see, wanna see them dancing…
How to get even more out of your D23 Expo Experience
So if you’re planning on heading to Anaheim in a couple of years for the next D23 Expo, there’s a way to get even more out of it. Anyone attending will get an amazing experience, but you can also sign up to be a D23 Member. D23 is the official Disney fan club and the starting membership is completely free to join. If you’d like to upgrade your membership, you can become a D23 Gold Member or D23 Family Member, which will give you added perks like the quarterly D23 magazine and the annual member gift, which changes every year and is always exclusive to D23 members.
According to Michael Vargo- Vice President, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, there are also perks to being a D23 member at D23 Expo, including free-with-purchase items, exclusive discounts, and even exclusive experiences only available to D23 Fan Club Members. You can learn more about becoming a member here, including more details about the types of memberships available.
While this D23 Expo just ended, the next one is already getting started. With it being two years away it’s hard to tell what to expect from D23 Expo 2019 but one thing is for sure- it’s going to be full of Disney magic!
