The 2009 D23 Expo is history but DVCNews returned with dozens of photos and even more memories from the event. By now you've heard about the new theme park announcements and surprise appearances by Johnny Depp, Miley Cyrus and others. Given the number of Disney fans who were not able to attend, we thought folks would enjoy a sampling of the displays and presentations, along with some personal observations on the event.
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Banners line the walkway approaching the Anaheim Convention Center (and the entire Disneyland resort area, for that matter.)
Entrance to the Convention Center.
The Expo was spread over nearly the entire first floor of the Convention Center, along with additional space on the second and third floors
Many came specifically for the Parks and Resorts pavilion. After a short introductory video, guests were greeted with an enormous model of the Carsland expansion coming to Disney's California Adventure. The new land's signature attraction is Radiator Springs Racers (top), a thrill ride utilizing technology similar to Walt Disney World's Test Track. Also planned are attractions featuring bumper car-like floating tires (far left) and Mater being chased by combine Frank (foreground.) Flo's V8 Cafe (center) will provide table service dining while the design of Sally's Cozy Cone Motel will provide the setting for a series of quick service food kiosks.
A second, more detailed model of Radiator Springs Racers.
Imagineer Mark Sumner (Soarin') discusses Carsland. Disney fans familiar with the many programs produced for the Travel Channel would recognize many faces from the Expo. Those on hand included A-list Disney Imagineering talent like Marty Sklar, Tony Baxter, Kathy Mangum, Jason Surrell and some guy named Lasseter.
Concept art for Carsland.
Luigi and Guido.
Above is a tech demo of the technology that will be used to make the characters from Cars speak to guests. The vehicle shown is a full-size mock-up of Lightning McQueen similar to the one that appears now in theme parks. A digital projection system is used to make him "speak." Note that there is no audio loop to accompany the demo.
Disney provided a demo of its new robotic technology dubbed Autonomatronics. The human figure and parrot engaged in an impressive, humor-filled show that incorporated state-of-the-art technologies such as facial recognition, digital imaging and direct interaction with audience members.
The Wall*E animatronic was on hand to interact with guests and pose for photos. Also spotted was Lucky the Dinosaur.
Scale model of the new Disney Cruise Line vessels dubbed "Dream" and "Fantasy."
Model for the Disney Vacation Club hotel at Ko'Olina Hawaii.
Nearby display for the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. The display mirrored the look and feel of the new villas, incorporating several pieces of furniture from the rooms. A promotional video played nearby and Cast Members were on hand to answer questions. The Grand Californian display and Hawaii resort model generated a great deal of interest in DVC. Sales Guides located elsewhere on the convention floor were kept busy throughout the event giving presentations to potential new members.
Numerous displays highlighted changes coming to Hong Kong Disneyland including three new lands--Grizzly Trail, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land.
The Disney parks were not the only aspect of the Disney company on display. The "Lost" pavilion showcased a number of famous props from the television series. On Saturday cast members Francois Chau ("Dr. Chang") and Sterling Beaumon ("Young Ben") appeared to sign autographs for fans.
Props no-doubt familiar to fans of the television series
Toy Story LEGOs on display in the consumer products area. Over a dozen vendors were present including big names like The Disney Store, Hallmark, Crayola, Mattel, BEHR paint and even Disney Weddings who brough along Cinderella's Carriage for photos.
Imagineer Jason Surrell discusses his book "The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies." One of the most appealing aspects of the Expo was the opportunity to listen to some very talented and knowledgable Disney presenters discuss different aspects of the company and (in particular) its parks. Hearing their stories and being able to ask a few questions is truly a rare experience.
Those photos really only scratch the surface of the D23 Expo. There were displays from Disney Interactive which was demoing the new Toy Story Mania game for Nintendo Wii consoles. Walt Disney Home Entertainment allowed guests to sample its in-home 3D technology coming to Blu Ray in 2010. ABC was screeing its new fall television series including Flash Forward and Modern Family. Disney characters were always on-hand for photo opportunities with guests.
The Collectors Forum gave Disney merchants, artists and bloggers a place to display their wares and meet with fans. I would be remiss if I failed to mention all of the great folks from the Disney community that I met while in Anaheim. Included are people like Deb Wills from Allears.net (a real sweetie), Lou Mongello from WDWRadio.com and Werner Weiss from Yesterland.com. Author and MousePlanet contributor Dave Koenig was kind enough to sign my copy of his book Mouse Tales.
Speaking of signings, many celebrities appeared for scheduled sessions incluing Marty Sklar, Jason Surrell, artists Robert Olszewski and Thomas Kinkade.
Was the D23 Expo a perfect event? No, certainly not. Being the first time Disney has hosted such an event, I am sure they were learning on-the-job in many respects. At times there was confusion regarding where and when to line up for certain events. As the weekend progressed, sessions were moved from one room to another. On one occasion, a session scheduled for a room that would hold 400 was moved to a room that only accommodated 200. If the event is to continue annually, with attendance growing in a manner that meets Disney expectations, hopefully they will respond by adjusting venue sizes accordingly and offering multiple opportunities to attend popular sessions.
However Disney is to be commended for the manner in which they staged this inaugural event...particularly their frequent use of Twitter to communicate with attendees.
All-in-all, it was an amazing experience which should have thrilled any card-carrying Disney Vacation Club member or Disney parks annual passholder.