There are a lot of things someone must experience in person once in their life. You must visit a museum, you must go to a concert, you must go to a sports game, etc. I personally have checked several items off my own personal bucket list: been to the Hollywood Bowl, went to a movie premiere, and of course I got to see the legendary Stevie Nicks in concert.
This is yet another item to check off my bucket list: going to the Disney D23 Fan Expo. Plenty of Disney fans can see the videos online as well as the awards, news articles, and panels. But going there in person is a DIFFERENT story. The vibe is overwhelming, exciting, and everyone is as much of a Disney lover as you.
I personally didn’t know what to expect going into my first expo. I was NOT disappointed in the slightest. There were so many exhibits and areas to explore and interact with that I can barely describe. There was stuff for every kind of Disney fan.
This place was the place to go to for anything Disney from Elsa and Moana to WALL-E and EVE. From Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson to Grand Admiral Thrawn and Doctor Doom…and pretty much everything in between!
So now the question you’re asking is: okay, so what is this fan expo for? It’s best to think of it this way: think of it as Comic-Con but overloaded on Disney and its properties. I was over-the-moon for all the exhibits they had at the D23 Expo.
I was excited for all the stuff I saw. I got frozen in carbonite at the Star Wars area while posing for a picture with Rotta the Hutt, my cousin Judy and I got to go into Andy’s room from Toy Story before taking a picture with Joy, Sadness, and Anxiety from Inside Out. And that was just a handful of stuff that I got to do.
One of my favorite areas though was the ESPN area. The reason for this is because of the upcoming Super Bowl next year in Los Angeles. With ABC getting the rights to broadcast next year’s big game, it means one thing: many Disney properties are advertising the game.
Fans got to take pictures and shoot a video about the upcoming Super Bowl. I had a chance to do so myself while also talking to the people that were running the exhibition. The staff seemed as pumped up about the upcoming Super Bowl as the fans, and with good reason (as I will explain in a future article).
The one experience I wouldn’t forget is one where Disney asked fans to write about their favorite Disney memories that was going to be part of something special soon. When I got the chance to do it, I’ll be honest…I wasn’t sure what I was going to write down. Trying to pick your favorite Disney memory is like asking what is your favorite Disney character (I already agonized over a list of who I thought was the best Disney Villain).
Overall, I loved the whole experience. There was so much that I got to do that I couldn’t even put it all down or even describe it. First off, thanks to my cousin Judy for bringing me. But also thank you to Disney for the countless memories that you have given us. With so many exciting things coming soon (like the live action Tangled, Frozen III, the second season of Ahsoka, the new addition Hexed, and the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday), Disney has me hooked and wanting more. I can tell you this with certainty…this will NOT be my last D23 Expo.
