First Thoughts on D23
About a week and a half ago, I was lucky enough to spend four fun, exciting, and exhausting days at Disney’s first-ever D23 Expo. Thanks in part to a very generous and classy move by Nathan, I have a lot of fun photos and information to share with everyone on Magical Mountain in the next couple of weeks or so, and I hope you’ll enjoy what I have for you. But before I show you what I have, I wanted to share my overall thoughts about the Expo.
Those thoughts can be summarized in one word:
WOW!!!
Now just so you folks know, this isn’t the first Disney event I’ve ever been to. I’ve been a proud member of the NFFC for 10 years, and I’ve gone to every single California Convention. I’ve run myself ragged trying to get to every meet at Mousefest. I’ve been to meetings of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, the Dis, and many other groups of Disney fans. When Disney announced that they were doing the D23 Expo, I thought to myself that this event was going to have to be pretty special if it was going to measure up against the events I’ve been previously been a part of.
You know what? Disney did it.
In the space of four days, I got to see some really amazing Disney artifacts that the average Disney fan seldom if ever gets to see. I got to see models and art from upcoming Disney attractions and talked to the Imagineers that worked on them. I got to see a Disney Legends Award ceremony (and until now, you had to be a Legend yourself or have some pretty good connections to see a Legends ceremony).
I got my picture taken with a dinosaur who was a major milestome in Audio-Animatronics development, but whose most impressive accomplishment was that that he was able to make me grin from ear to ear from the first moment I saw him. I got to see myself on TV in 3D. I got to listen to lectures from a lot of folks I’d never gotten to see in person before – everyone from Bob Iger to Miley Cyrus. I got the chance to see some classic Disney movies on the big screen for the first time and saw a couple of my favorite movies in a whole new way. Disney pulled out all the stops to make D23 Expo an unforgettable event.
But you know what I enjoyed the most about the D23 Expo? The people. I’m not talking about the presenters and the stars and the VIPs (although it was great to see all of them). The people I’m talking about are all of my fellow Disney fans – from the folks who I see fairly regularly around Disneyland to the folks who I’ve only gotten to see once or twice, plus the folks I met for the first time at the Expo. I met and talked with Disney fans from just down the block and from halfway around the world. I met folks who were dressed up so convincingly as their favorite Disney characters that you’d think that they had escaped from Mickey’s Toontown, and I saw other folks whose didn’t wear a single item of clothing that had a Mickey on it. The one thing all of them had in common was they they loved Disney and they were there to share a great experience.
We’ve all heard the terms “the Disney fan community” and “‘the Disney enthusiast family”. Well, D23 Expo was like a family reunion, and I’m glad I was there to spend a little with all of my family members. We all come from different places and have different points of view, but when we get together under one roof and and have a chance to share our love of the Mouse, all the differences are cast aside and we spend our time enjoying we have in common as opposed to what makes us different. The memories of those experiences are what I’m going to remember long after the movies and attractions and TV shows that were previewed at the Expo have their debut and are long forgotten.
The D23 Expo was really amazing and was really fun. But there was one thing missing.
You!
I know a lot of us couldn’t get away from our daily routines and obligations to attend the Expo, but really, if you get the chance, come join us next year! In some respects it may be better (I’m sure that Disney will work to fix the problems that they encountered this year) and in some respects it may not be quite as good (you can’t guarantee who’s going to show up and what they’ll talk about).  But trust me, if you can make it, you’ve got to join us in Anaheim next year, just so you can experience for yourself what fun being a part of a live community of Disney fans is like. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Still not quite convinced? Come on back to Shandy’s Corner and I’ll show and tell you about a few things that just may convince you to join us. See you back here soon!
-Paul Schnebelen