Disney’s big 2013 D23 Expo took the Anaheim Convention Center by storm over the weekend, bringing three days of everything Disney underneath one roof. Expo attendees were invited to step through the doors of Walt Disney Imagineering, take a look at the future of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation, preview the slate of upcoming Disney and Marvel live action films, along with various panels, presentations and displays from every corner of Disney. Today, we recap the three-day event with photos and video and fill you in on what this year’s Expo did right and what we hope will be improved at the 2015 convention.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and moviesDon’t miss your weekly Disneyland Resort crowd forecast — provided by our friends at MouseAddict — in the Weekly News and Information Roundup at the end of today’s update!

Get a closer look at the D23 Expo!
Click on any photo in the blog for a large, high-resolution version of the image.


Welcome to D23 Expo!

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Guests approaching the convention center were greeted by the huge Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s Waffle-inator which was home to the Phineas and Ferb Waffle-inator Challenge game.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo Show Floor

The D23 Expo show floor featured booths and pavilions from just about every corner of the Walt Disney Company. Here are a few photos from around the show floor.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios pavilion was small but previewed and teased upcoming films including “Frozen,” “Big Hero 6” and the new “Get a Horse!” Mickey Mouse short
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The new “Get A Horse!” short was shown in its entirety for Expo attendees during the Disney Animation arena presentation and it was a delight. It will be shown before “Frozen” in theaters this winter.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Disney Interactive’s pavilion let guests get hands-on playtime with the new Disney Infinity, Fantasia, Resmatered Duck Tales and Mickey’s Castle of Illusion.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The Steamboat Willie Redux display showcased fan art celebrating the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The “Tomorrowland” pavilion was unveiled on Saturday, a culmination of Disney’s “The Optimist” alternate reality game.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Unfortunately, photography of the pavilion was limited.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Classic Disneyland ride vehicles were on display:
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A selection of the larger items from the D23 Expo Silent Auction were also on display:
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Matterhorn Bobsleds signed by Disney Legend Bob Gurr!
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Pavilion
Journey Into Imagineering

The big draw on the show floor was, of course, the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Pavilion. By entering through a facade evoking the Imagineering headquarters in Glendale, California; guests of the pavilion, put together by Walt Disney Imagineering, took a “Journey Into Imagineering.”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Guests entered the doors to 1401 Flower Street into the preshow room for the pavilion.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A large wall display of the Imagineering “lobby” transformed into a giant video screen for the pre show…
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, a video of the preshow:

Upon entering into the main showroom, guests were greeted with a large throwback to the oil lamp that was part of the post-show at Disneyland’s classic Adventure Thru Innerspace.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

As the sign above the door stated, “Journey Into Imagineering” was largely an “open house” for Walt Disney Imagineering and the main point of the pavilion this year was the ability for guests to be able to talk with Imagineers and learn more about what each of them do. The first room allowed guests to meet with Imagineers working on new projects at Walt Disney World, from the Disney Springs project (a major overhaul of Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney) to the Avatar project that is still being planned for Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well as a hint at new Star Wars attractions for Walt Disney World.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The big Disney Springs scale model let visitors get an idea of what the Downtown Disney transformation will end up looking like.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

An Imagineering office cubicle was on display, filled with props, sketches and items related to the upcoming Avatar project in the works for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

With Disney not quite ready to announce details for the upcoming Avatar Land expansion, Imagineers working this booth managed keep straight faces when talking about taking a research trip to the fictional planet of Pandora to learn as much as they could about the Na’vi and the planet so they could properly recreate Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A Na’vi-sized backpack.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Plenty to look at here but not really much to see.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Nearby, a stack of crates with various Star Wars references hinted at an upcoming Star Wars-themed project for Walt Disney World. Much like at the Avatar display, Imagineers here were tight-lipped and stuck to their script which said these crates were delivered to Imagineering but wouldn’t be able to find out what’s inside until they them get back to Glendale.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Also represented in the pavilion was the new MyMagic+ program coming to Walt Disney World. The RFID-based technology is expected to transform the guest experience at Walt Disney World and Disney says it will make vacations easier for guests. The display showcased a lot of MyMagic+ wristbands and hardware in a very clean, contemporary space.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Aside from these three previews at what’s new and what’s next, the rest of the pavilion largely focused on the history and legacy of Walt Disney Imagineering. Historical displays of attraction art and models and displays showing various departments of Imagineering allowed guests to learn more about the folks creating Disney’s theme parks and delve into the history of Disney theme parks. Below, a portion of the scale model for Walt Disney World’s never-built Western River Expedition:
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

This would have been an incredible ride.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A concept model for EPCOT’s Space Pavilion
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A gorgeous model of the never-built International Street for Disneyland was on display. Shame this didn’t get built – it looks like it would have been wonderful.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

My personal highlight of the Parks and Resorts pavilion was the Imagineering Art Library walk-through experience. The walk-through showcased several pieces of iconic Disneyland artwork, including the original pencil drawing of Disneyland by Herb Ryman that Walt Disney took to the bankers to get funding for Disneyland. Also on display was the original black light painting of Disneyland by Peter Ellenshaw that Walt Disney showed off on television when announcing Disneyland to the public. I got chills when the black lights were turned on and Peter Ellenshaw’s nighttime vision of the park came alive. It was a truly incredible experience to see this art in person and a big thanks goes out to the folks in the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Library for putting this together. Unfortunately (but understandably), no video or photography was allowed.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The stunning original model for the Tony Baxter-designed Land Pavilion for EPCOT Center was on display as well. It was an absolute treat to see in person.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The original concept for the Land’s main attraction was a hot air balloon-themed ride through incredible show scenes, which you could see represented in the model.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Also on display was an early model for EPCOT Center’s Spaceship Earth. Really amazing stuff.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Much of the pavilion was divided into pseudo-workspaces for Imagineers where you could see what various Imagineering departments do and how they work.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Show Production featured a lot of paint, with Imagineers painting elevation renderings in person as well as live-painting a portion of a character wall over the course of the Expo.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The Illusioneering Lab paid tribute to master Disney special effects artist Yale Gracey.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Architecture and Engineering focused on Imagineering’s recent hit attraction, Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Research and Development let guests preview new interactive Animatronics including Fortuno and the returning Destini
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

El Fortuno, the latest interactive Audio-Animatronic from Imagineering.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Out friends at Disneyland Live have a video of El Fortuno:

Destini, interactive Audio-Animatronic.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises and most popular features of the pavilion was the Hat Box Ghost on display in the Show Animation department.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A couple videos of the Hat Box Ghost in action:

Imagineers wouldn’t say if the Hat Box Ghost would return to the Haunted Mansion anytime soon, but were quick to note that the figure was built specifically for the D23 Expo using a model of Audio Animatronic that Disneyland fans might normally know as the Auctioneer in Pirates of the Caribbean or President Lincoln in “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The Imagineering pavilion also gave guests the opportunity to meet Marvel’s Captain America, who will be appearing in a new meet-and-greet and interactive kids show called “Avengers Academy” aboard the Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic ship.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The Dimensional Design booth let guests see some original macquettes and sculpture work from Imagineering.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Imagineers sculpted live while talking to guests.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The original marble Snow White Grotto statues that were sculpted in Italy under the supervision of Leonida Parma and given to Walt Disney in 1958 were on display. The originals were removed from Disneyland in 1982 and replaced with replicas.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives

Speaking of priceless originals, upstairs at the Anaheim Convention Center, the Walt Disney Archives put together another display of props, costumes and artifacts from Disney’s rich history.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Unfortunately, the exhibit wasn’t as large or as strong as the display put together for the 2011 D23 Expo. What was great was planned overflow queue and smart handling of crowds lining up for the exhibit. Inexplicably, however, crowds coming to see the impressive displays of Disney history were greeted with a series of designer gowns based on Disney princesses.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The princess gowns were then followed up by costumes from the Disney Channel’s new “Teen Beach Movie”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

“Teen Beach Movie” might be getting a good reception from Disney Channel fans, isn’t a bit early to call these costumes “treasures”?
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The next room featured a collection of props and costumes from the hit ABC series “Once Upon a Time”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The exhibit picked up steam with its extensive display on Disney’s varied Oz efforts over the years. A great collection of art and artifacts from the canceled “Rainbow Road to Oz” production that Walt Disney worked on was on display.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

A model of Rock Candy Mountain, a proposed expansion for Disneyland’s Storybook Land was on display which was very cool to see.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Props and costumes from Disney’s 1985 film, “Return to Oz”…
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

…as well as props and costumes from this year’s “Oz The Great and Powerful”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The big success of the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit was the huge “Mary Poppins” display. With the film approaching its 50th anniversary and the upcoming release of “Saving Mr. Banks,” the exhibit was a fitting tribute to the legacy of Walt Disney’s classic film.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The recently re-acquired carpet bag from the film was on display.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Lots of vintage memorabilia and collectibles
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Iconic costumes from the film
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

As well as costumes from the upcoming “Saving Mr. Banks” film.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Disney released a b-roll tape of the exhibit, check it out below:

Art and Imagination:
Animation at the Walt Disney Studios

On Friday, the D23 Arena hosted its big presentation on Disney Animation, giving the audience a look inside what the teams at Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios are working on. The audience was introduced to new characters and some of the voice actors made special appearances including Judy Greer, Bill Hader and Lucas Neff from “The Good Dinosaur” (2014) as well as Bill Hader (again) and Phyllis Smith from Pixar’s 2015 release, “Inside Out.” Pixar also teased the upcoming “Finding Dory” movie.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Walt Disney Animation Studios gave an in-depth look at “Frozen,” which will hit theaters this winter. Actor Josh Gad, the voice of Olaf the snowman, made an appearance and talked about his character and working with Disney.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Broadway star Idina Menzel made a surprise appearance with her performance of “Let It Go,” a song from “Frozen.”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Disney also treated guests to a screening of the new animated Mickey Mouse cartoon, “Get A Horse!” The new short will debut for the general public in front of “Frozen” this winter. The new short is unique in many ways, but perhaps most notably because it features Walt Disney’s voice as Mickey Mouse using audio pulled and stitched together from Walt Disney’s previous performances of Mickey. The effect is seamless and it’s really special to hear Walt Disney as Mickey Mouse again in a new cartoon.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Also teased were Disney’s upcoming film “Zootopia” (2016) which takes us into a world of anthropomorphic animals without humans as well as the Marvel-inspired animated film “Big Hero 6”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Let the Adventures Begin:
Live Action at the Walt Disney Studios

One of the biggest events at the Expo was the big Disney live action presentation in the D23 Arena. Fans had high expectations for the show, many with the hopes that Disney would make a big announcement for the upcoming Star Wars sequel. Despite fan hopes, Disney stayed true to their promise that no Star Wars news would come out of the Expo but fans were treated to presentations from Disney’s live action studio as well as Marvel Entertainment which featured sneak peeks, celebrity appearances and more.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Marvel brought out stars from Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

http://youtu.be/E7–dAb6btc

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Disney also showcased its own slate of upcoming films including “Muppets Most Wanted” starring Ty Burrell, Ricky Gervais, and Tina Fey
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

“Maleficent” (2014) starring Angelina Jolie
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

As well as the upcoming “Saving Mr. Banks”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

…and the upcoming “Tomorrowland” movie.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Disney Legends Awards Ceremony

The D23 Arena also hosted the 2013 Disney Legends Awards on Saturday.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The ceremony kicked off with a presentation honoring Disney Legends that passed away over the last year including Annette Funicello, Robert Sherman, Ginny Tyler and others.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

America’s Funniest Home Videos host Tom Bergeron and Disney CEO Bob Iger hosted the awards ceremony which began by honoring Imagineer Tony Baxter. Bob Iger introduced Baxter by mentioning he was the creator of EPCOT Center’s Dreamfinder and Figment characters, noting that Disney “learned the hard way” just how loved the characters are by fans.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Baxter accepted his award by asking “When are we getting Dreamfinder back?” which got big applause from the audience.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Baxter’s acceptance speech centered on a discussion about his keys to success, recapping his early fascination with Disneyland, to his pursuit of a career with the company and how he achieved the things he did over his very rich history with Disney.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Awards also went out to those who have passed away including actor Ed Wynn, Imagineer Colin Campbell, and television icon Dick Clark.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Awards also went out to “Monsters University” stars John Goodman and Billy Crystal.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Retired Disney animator Glen Keane was also honored at the event.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

As well as the late Steve Jobs, who was largely responsible for Pixar Animation Studios being alive today. Pixar head John Lasseter, a close friend of Steve Jobs, accepted the award on his behalf with a very emotional speech.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken:
The Disney Songbook

The D23 Arena ended Saturday with a spectacular concert with Disney Legends Alan Menken and Richard M. Sherman who are responsible for countless songs in Disney animation and theme parks.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Host Tim O’ Day welcomed Richard Sherman and Alan Menken to the stage
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Richard Sherman took to the piano first, sharing stories behind his classic Disney songs and performing a variety of hits from “Winnie the Pooh” to “Mary Poppins” to Disneyland’s “Enchanted Tiki Room” and beyond.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, video excepts from the concert with performances of “Tiki Tiki Tiki Room,” “One Little Spark” and a performance of “A Spoonful of Sugar” with surprise guests Jason Schwartzman and BJ Novak from “Saving Mr. Banks”

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Alan Menken performed songs spanning his incredible career with Disney, from “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” to “Newsies” and “Tangled.”
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, video excerpts from the concert featuring “One Step Ahead” and “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin and a cut song and “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The concert ended with an amazing duet of “It’s a Small World.” Video from our friends at Disneyland Live

Undiscovered Disneyland

On Friday, Disney Imagineer (and new Legend) Tony Baxter joined Imagineer Josh Shipley with an amazing presentation of rare color footage of Disneyland from its early years. Unfortunately, I missed this presentation but our friends at Disneyland Live have video that every Disneyland fan should see of Tony Baxter and Josh Shipley showing rare video of Disneyland’s Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland.

The presentation also included an announcement from Disney Parks head Tom Staggs that Disney will honor Tony Baxter with a window on Disneyland’s Main Street. Baxter later spoke with the LA Times’ Hero Complex blog about his career working at Imagineering.

The Art and Artistry of Aulani

Friday afternoon, Imagineers Joe Rohde and Jeanette Lomboy led a discussion on The Art and Artistry of Aulani, Disney’s new resort in Hawaii.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Rohde and Lomboy discussed in-depth the design choices made for the new resort, which all go back to celebrating the people and culture of Hawaii. The Imagineering team went to great lengths to get the Hawaiian people involved with the development of the hotel, ranging from calling on local Hawaiians to create art for the property, to having local musicians create the background music for the resort, to having native Hawaiian spiritual guides help with the planning of the resort.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The end result is a resort that has earned the respect of the Hawaiian people and is the only hotel on the island of Oa’hu that celebrates the living culture of the Hawaiian people.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, video excerpts from the panel discussion.

Broadcasts from Buena Vista Street

On Saturday, voice actors that make up the cast of the radio programs you can overhear on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure joined together and performed one of the programs you can listen to in its entirety live for the audience. It was a remarkably entertaining experience and afterward the cast talked about their careers and experiences working on Disney projects.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, a clip from the live performance

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Sounds Delightful!
An Illustrated Audio Adventure

On Sunday, Disney artist and historian Stacia Martin led a fantastic discussion on early Disney records, which included audio samples from rare recordings including early songs recorded about Mickey Mouse, to records from Mickey Mouse Club star Annette Funicello.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Stacia talked about her life-long love of Disney music and record collecting
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Stacia also treated the audience to demo recordings made for Walt Disney of songs from the never-completed “Rainbow Road to Oz” film. Stacia played demos of the songs that were made for the film and walked the audience through the movie’s story, explaining where the songs would have fit in. The songs had never been heard by the general public until this presentation.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Walt Disney Imagineering 60th:
Craft of Creativity

Walt Disney Imagineering celebrated its 60th Anniversary with a series of panel discussions on Sunday, including “The Craft of Creativity” with Disney Imagineers
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The Imagineers talked about their history with the company (Kathy Mangum started out as a store clerk at the Adventureland Bazaar) and sharing their thoughts on what makes a good Imagineer (Joe Rohde: “To be an Imagineer, “you have to be the kind of person who wants to share.”)
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Walt Disney Imagineering 60th:
Leading a Legacy

Sunday also included a discussion between Imagineers Marty Sklar (former head of Walt Disney Imagineering) and Bruce Vaughn (current head of Imagineering) on leading Walt Disney Imagineering. The presentation kicked off with the teaser trailer for an upcoming documentary on Walt Disney Imagineering by Leslie Iwerks.
http://youtu.be/evuJK-fchNk

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Below, video excerpts from the discussion:

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Collectors Forum

Back on the Show Floor, the Collectors Forum hosted various fan sites, fine artists, and collectibles booths that fans could browse, meet Disney celebrities, or find treasures in.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The MiceChat booth was once again host to an amazing lineup of Disney celebrities including frequent visits from Disney Legend Bob Gurr.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Bob Gurr talking to Doug Barnes from the Season Pass Podcast and the MiceChat Podcast
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Susan Egan
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

MiceChat’s Keith Gluck interviewing Bob Gurr at the Walt Disney Family Museum booth
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

…and Bob Gurr surprising Pat Carroll, the voice of Ursula, at the Gifts by Small Fry booth.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Thoughts on D23 Expo 2013

The 2013 D23 Expo has come and gone and proved to be a big success for Disney, with Friday and Saturday both selling out. The success of this year’s event prompted CEO Bob Iger to announce Saturday that the next Expo will take place in 2015.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Despite its success, not everyone in attendance was wowed by what Disney had to offer at this year’s event, with the main issue being the lack of big announcements and breaking news. It’s true that each Expo continues to grow in size and success for Disney, but how long can that success be sustained if Disney continues to pull back on its major announcements? The first Expo in 2009 set a precedent for the D23 Expo to be a major platform for Disney to showcase its future with unexpected announcements and in-depth previews of what was new and what was next. This year, however, Disney seemingly threw all of that out. Instead, major movie studio presentations mostly just expanded on projects that everybody was aware of, keeping the lid on things that would keep fans and the media talking for weeks. No new theme park announcements, no major movie announcements and hardly a peep on the recently acquired Lucasfilm or upcoming Star Wars sequel.
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

It would be one thing if Disney had never used the D23 Expo as a platform for major announcements, but the first two Expos were just that – the place for Disney to proudly show off its new toys and get people excited with big announcements on major new productions. Despite Disney announcing before the Expo that no new announcements would be made, the lack of information still stung fans and burned the blogosphere. Entertainment magazines and film blogs aren’t being shy about openly discussing the disappointment of Saturday’s live action presentation; Variety opens an article on the subject with “The disappointment was palpable at D23 Expo as Walt Disney Studios promoted 11 movies that it will release through the end of 2015.” Obviously, the biggest letdown from the studio was the lack of Star Wars announcements but that disappointment bleeds through to just about every other major division of Disney, including Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Are fans asking for too much? If Disney wants to host its own version of Comic Con then it needs to deliver something. You can’t buy up Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar and run the world’s premier vacation destinations without fans expecting you to make new announcements at your huge, biennial conventions. Aside from cosplaying and surprise celebrity appearances, major announcements are what conventions like this are known for. Instead, the 2013 D23 Expo just spent three days sharing information that had mostly been released already and celebrating the company’s history, rather than previewing the future. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the company’s history, and D23 (a product of the Walt Disney Archives) does quite well at producing events that do just that. Still, those events are much smaller than the Expo and cater to a niche market. There’s certainly a place for Disney history at the Expo, but can the Expo really support company history as its primary draw? It’s a question that Disney is now going to have to weigh when they start planning the next Expo. It isn’t just the vocal Disney fan community voicing disappointment anymore – with Disney now owning Lucasfilm and Marvel, there’s more at stake than ever. Hopefully Disney will plan accordingly for the 2015 D23 Expo and bring their best game like they did in 2009 with major new announcements.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Despite the lack of breaking news or exciting new announcements, the D23 Expo improved greatly in other areas from the last convention in 2011. The most impressive improvements were increased capacity and better handling of crowds. Disney obviously listened to complaints and concerns from 2011 where attendees waited for hours to get into popular panel discussions only to be told there was no space left. Both Stage 23 and Stage 28 were significantly expanded with bigger seating and viewing areas and I had no issues getting into any of the presentations that I attended. Similarly, the D23 Arena included an overflow viewing area with screens for those who were unable to make it into the huge arena.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

The new D23 Expo StagePass service was also a success, allowing attendees to secure seats for popular presentations in Stage 23 and Stage 28. I heard some frustrations from Expo attendees about waiting in long lines for StagePass, but I think it would be foolish to expect a first-year service like this to not have some kinks to work out. Hopefully StagePass returns in 2015 with improvements to the system, but its debut year seems to have been successful. I heard numerous attendees talking about how it allowed them to see more than they otherwise would have been able to, which is great.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Also worth noting is the continued growth of the D23 Expo’s show floor offerings. The trend here points toward bigger pavilions with more varied offerings and that’s great to see. The show floor in 2009 had a lot of potential for growth and it’s great to see Disney taking note of this and growing the show floor. There was always something happening – whether it be live performances, celebrity appearances, signings, demonstrations or giveaways. It’ll be interesting to see how the show floor continues to grow in the coming years.

So what the D23 Expo lacked in content this year, it made up for in production value, crowd management and event planning. From what I could tell, this was the easiest Expo to date for attendees thanks to smart scheduling, great planning and efficient crowd control. Congrats to the D23 Expo team for a successful event. Here’s to 2015!

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
Dateline Disneyland is sponsored by our good friends at the

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MiceChat.com and Annual Passholder Discounts
Available Every Day!

The HoJo Anaheim is now offering deeper discounts for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders! On select nights, Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders can get rooms for as low as $59 per night, plus tax. For more information visit the HoJo Anaheim Innsider Boards which features an up-to-date listing of available nights, or call (714) 776-6120 and ask for In-House Reservations to book. If your date isn’t listed, the HoJo Anaheim still offers rooms for 20% off their best available rate if you call (714) 776-6120.

Weekly News & Information Round-Up
Weekly Theme Park Hours
August 12 – 18, 2013
[B]Disneyland Park[/B] [B]California Adventure[/B]
Daily: 8am – 11pm Daily:
8am – 10pm
[CENTER]For a complete listing of theme park hours,
visit the Disneyland.com Theme Park Calendar
[/CENTER]
[center]Closure and Refurbishment Schedule[/center]
[b][center]Disneyland Park[/center][/b]
  • [b]Big Thunder Mountain Railroad:[/b] Closed for extensive refurbishment through October 30.
  • [B]Mad Tea Party:[/B] Closed August 19-22 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Matterhorn Bobsleds:[/B] Closed August 19-22 and September 3-5 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Haunted Mansion:[/B] Closed August 26-September 12 for Haunted Mansion Holiday installation.
  • [B]Big Thunder Ranch:[/B] Closed September 3-12 for Halloween overlay installation.
  • [B]Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island:[/B] Closed September 3-4.
  • [B]Mickey’s House:[/B] Closed September 3-26 for refurbishment.
  • [B]King Arthur Carrousel:[/B] Closed September 3 – October 10 for refurbishment.
  • [B]Mark Twain Riverboat:[/B] Closed for one day, September 9.
  • [B]Space Mountain:[/B] Closed September 9-12 for Ghost Galaxy overlay installation.
  • [B]Sailing Ship Columbia:[/B] Closed September 17-19 for refurbishment.
  • [b]Market House:[/b] Closed for conversion and expansion for new Starbucks location. Opens fall 2013.
  • [B]Alice in Wonderland:[/B] Expected to close early 2014 to install permanent safety railing on outdoor ride portion.
[b][center]Disney California Adventure[/center][/b]
  • [b]Muppet*Vision 3D:[/b] Closed September 9-12.
  • [b]Toy Story Midway Mania!:[/b] Closed September 16-19 for refurbishment.
[b][center]Downtown Disney and Disneyland Resort Hotels[/center][/b]
    None.
[center]D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
A weekly look at projected crowd levels at the Disneyland Resort.[/center]

August 12 – 18, 2013

MON
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
TUE
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
WED
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
THU
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
FRI
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
SAT
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies
SUN
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

About This Week’s Estimates
Our Addictometer™ crowd estimates are designed to give you an idea of how busy the resort feels using historical data, crowd sourcing, and proprietary algorithms used in the Mouseaddict iOS app. Among the variables affecting crowd levels this week are:

  • Hotels have plenty of occupancy this week.
  • Southern California and SoCal Select passports are blocked every day this week. Deluxe passports are blocked out this Saturday.
  • This is the last week of summer before schools are back in session.

Are you already a Mouseaddict? Be sure to submit your wait times to help us help you!

Download the free Mouseaddict app for iPhone and iPad for current crowd estimates, crowd maps, and wait times along with 60 categories of searchable resort information and your favorite MiceChat blogs.

D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

[center]Headline Roundup
A quick look at noteworthy Disney theme park headlines from around the web.[/center]
  • Actor John Stamos is taking a 19-year-old survivor of a life-threatening bacterial infection on a date to Disneyland.
  • The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort will return November 12-January 6 with returning favorites as well as new offerings including a holiday version of “World of Color”
  • The Disneyland Cast Member canoe races recently celebrated its 50th anniversary
  • New chef at Disney’s PCH Grill at the Paradise Pier Hotel reinvents the restaurant’s menu with spicy new offerings.
  • The limited availability Hat Box Ghost Haunted Mansion t-shirt is only available on DisneyStore.com until Thursday!
Okay, that wraps up this huge special edition of Dateline Disneyland! Thank you, as always, for reading. And a special thanks to the folks who said hello at the Expo and those of you who visited the MiceChat booth to get one of the Dateline Disneyland buttons. Your enthusiasm and continued readership keep this blog going – so thank you! I hope all of you had an excellent D23 Expo weekend, whether you attended in person or followed along from afar!

If you’re still looking for more D23 Expo coverage, check the D23 forum on MiceChat for threads, discussions and more from the expo!

We’re only here because of generous readers like you. Do you enjoy reading Dateline Disneyland every week? Consider helping us out by donating so we can pay the bills and keep the weekly updates coming! You can donate with a click of a button via PayPal, click here!

For more Disneyland news, be sure to read MiceChat’s weekly In the Parks blog. And be sure to check out our sister blog, Dateline Disney World – a fantastic weekly photo blog covering Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida!

Thanks for reading. See you at Disneyland!
[B]- Andy[/B]

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D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

Support Our Sponsors
D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies

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D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies | D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies | D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies | D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies | D23 Expo, D23 Expo 2013 takes fans inside Disney Imagineering, animation and movies[/center]

FTC-Mandated Disclosure: Promotional consideration for this edition of Dateline Disneyland was provided by the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel & Water Playground.
Andy Castro
Andy is a Southern California native and a life-long fan of Disney theme parks and animation. From 2007-2016, Andy wrote the weekly Dateline Disneyland photo, news and opinion blog here on MiceChat. Today, Andy continues to produce occasional Dateline Disneyland articles and additional special guest content for MiceChat.