D23 Expo 2015 Live Updates

The D23 Expo will take place August 14th, 15th & 16th at the Anaheim Convention Center across the street from Disneyland Resort. I’m sharing my experience at the event live, right here on this post all weekend long including announcements, merchandise and all the magic I find.

For extra pixie dust, find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Periscope as @SparklyNicole.

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It’s time! We just arrived at the 2015 D23 Expo for day 1 of 3. We’re waiting in a looong line to get in. This is my first year experiencing this event casually as a guest with my friends, not as a working member of the media, so you’ll see what it’s really like to attend from a guest’s perspective on this post. I’m excited to share my adventure! 

Still waiting outside and unfortunately the Disney Legends ceremony is already full. I’m surprised at the number of people outside not moving at all when a lot of presentations start at 10:00 am. Some signage and more people assisting guests outside would make this a lot smoother.

10:23 am Still waiting outside in the hot sun! It’s been about 2 hours now. It’s clear guests should have been let in much earlier this morning. There are so many people outside still and the let in process is dreadfully slow. Hoping my next update has some exciting stuff from inside!

1:53 pm I wish I had more exciting news. At this point we’ve gotten in (around 11:30) and gotten in line for the big animation presentation. That’s starting at 3:00 and John Lasseter is hosting it. I’m hoping to hear about/see stuff from Moana, The Good Dinosaur, Toy Story 4 and Finding Dory. No photos allowed in there so I’ll share what I can after. My friend also got us Stage Passes (basically Fast Pass) for a presentation about Imagineering Disneyland tonight. That has some awesome former Imagineers and I’ll share what I can! We stood in line for lunch and are now standing in line for the animation presentation again. LINES. LINES. LINES again. I love the friends we’re with though and have run into some great friends I don’t get to see often. And I got to meet a friend from Instagram so that’s always nice.

6:36 pm I just attended the animation presentation hosted by John Lasseter and WOW it was a good one. It will be the only thing I do here today. Literally. I had to miss the other panel I planned on attending due to time conflicts but the animation ran long (as the movie presentations usually do) and it was totally worth it. I can’t believe this thing went three hours? It started at 3:00 pm and we just got out at 6:12 pm. We got a look at all of the upcoming animated movies, details from the directors, producers and production team members and cameos from stars in the films.

Zootopia got us off to a good start. We learned a bit more about the film. Judy Hopps, a bunny from the burrows, wants to be a cop so she goes to the big city of Zootopia where “anyone can be anything.” Ginnifer Goodwin, who voices Judy, came out and surprised the crowd sharing the fun detail that she just bought a home that once belonged to Sterling Holloway. She found his name accidentally on one of the permits. We also learned Shakira will be playing a role in the film and singing a song for it. We got to see a hilarious clip from Zootopia that involved the Department of Mammal Vehicles. Just wait for it.

Huge news, literally and figuratively, Gigantic was just announced. John Lasseter shared the goal for this film is to create the definitive version of the fairytale of Jack and the bean stalk. The Lopez duo will be writing songs for this film! They came out and sang a demo song for us to an animated story board. Gigantic takes place in Spain in the age of discovery and Lasseter shared it will have deep emotion.

MOANA. Guys, this is the winner. It’s going to be a smash hit and we’re all going to want to take South Pacific vacations. This film is directed by John Musker and Ron Clements with music by a team that includes Lin Manuel-Miranda. The time period is 2000 years ago and Moana looks like a Samoan version of a Pocahontas/Tiana hybrid. She’s. Flawless. The ocean plays a character in a way that felt like a mysterious and playful Mother Willow that doesn’t speak. It was revealed that Duane “The Rock” Johnson will voice Maui, a tattooed, shape-shifting demigod whose body art comes to life. He was there and revealed it to is with his voice. That character looks awesome.

The Good Dinosaur, directed by Pete Sohn who also inspired Russell from Up, looks realer than real. The team is using new technology on it. It explores the relationship between man and dog in a dinosaur and man type of way. This one will have some tear jerking moments.

Finding Dory! ELLEN WAS THERE. And it was splendid. Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy will play her parents while Ed Oneill and Ty Burrell play other curious characters. It traces Dory’s roots and shows us our broken pieces define us in a good way. The voice of Marlin returns and, naturally, a new Nemo has been cast since.. Nemo grew up.

Coco was announced as the dia de Los muertos film Disney Pixar is crafting. It takes place in rural Mexico and begins on the night before the holiday. Miguel is a young boy character and the colors and lights in this look marvelous.

Toy Story 4. John Lasseter told us that he, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich and Pete Docter all agreed not to do another Toy Story film unless they had a worthy story that was as good as or better than the others. He and Lasseter talked and then Stanton wrote a treatment privately, they wanted to make sure that had something right before they brought it to work. John Lasseter shared that each Toy Story film is a different genre and the next installment will be.. a love story. Between Woody and Bo Peep. Buzz and Woody go to find Bo Peep. This is the premise for Toy Story 4! Randy Newman came out and played You’ve Got a Friend in Me and we all lived happily ever after.

I’ll be back at the Expo tomorrow! I’m hoping to visit the show floor and have some ne at photos to share.

DAY 2 

11:34 am Welp. It’s another confusing morning here. We waited outside to get inside to be told to go outside to get in line for the Parks and Resorts presentation. This is the kind of stuff you’re in for here. But alas we will have a spot and be there to witness hopefully some major announcements for Disney Parks, etc. We’re just outside Hall D23 where we can hear the rumblings of what’s going on inside. Live action Disney movie details spilling on to excited ears and into certain corners of the internet. Jim is giving me a play by play he’s watching on comicbook.com.

12:50 pm Bob Iger announced, in the live-action movie presentation oddly enough, that a STAR WARS LAND is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios AND Disneyland Park. These will be “Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.”

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

3:00 pm Seated at the Disney Parks & Resorts presentation! More images of the Star Wars lands!   

Expect never before seen planets and characters as well as familiar ones. Everything will be in theme from shopping to dining.

You won’t have to wait that long to experience more Star Wars in the Parks.. New scenes coming to Star Tours. Also updated Jedi Training Academy.

Star Wars Launch Bay will serve as a type of preview center.

Star Wars Season of the Force, a seasonal celebration, will feature Hyperspace Mountain overlay at Disneyland and a new fireworks show at Hollywood Studios.  

Toy Story Land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Expect a family style Slinky coaster and a little green alien flying saucer attraction. Also here’s some Frozen renderings from Epcot.

Joe Rohde shares that Kiliminjaro Safari will be extended into the night and hyenas will be added. The “pixie dust” of Animal Kingdom is the fireflies as the Tree of Life is transformed.

  
  
  

Soarin’ Around The World will come to EPCOT and Disney California Adventure next year using new technology.  

  

5:30 pm We just checked out the Disney Dream Store that sells some exclusive D23 Expo merch. These are my favorites.. 

I also saw these on the show floor at the Disney Consumer Products pavilion. This Frozen LeSportsac collection is only available in Japan and these Alice Loungefly bags will be out in October.

I had a moment today. I got to take a picture with Tony Baxter. I asked if he was busy and he said “yeah we’re headed.. just take the picture.” Hah! So glad he took a moment and made my day.

Then John Musker, director of upcoming Moana, was kind enough to talk to us for a few minutes. WOW. These two gentlemen have done a lot for Disney fans. Look them up if you don’t know about them.

Headed off to Disney California Adventure! More from the Expo tomorrow.

DAY  3

We’re here at the 11:00 am Disney Interactive presentation this morning! Disney Infinity, Kingdom Hearts 3, Star Wars Battlefront and mobile games are all on the slate. People are going crazy for Kingdom Hearts!!! Jim says he thinks I would like this game.   Kingdom Hearts 3 will feature the world of Big Hero 6. And the crowd goes wild! The Baymax left in the portal will be manipulated in this game. Concept art: 

Next up, Disney mobile games. If you love Inside Out Thought Bubbles or Frozen Free Fall you’ll be excited for Disney Magic Kingdom! A game featuring Disney Parks! In this game you’ll build your own dream Disney Park. Heroes and Villains will drive the story. So far we see the Fab Five are present.

Playmation, which involves modern technology, physical play and imagination, features Avengers like Iron Man and The Hulk. Missions are narrated by Avengers like Jarvis and Black Widow. Play indoors or outdoors and single or multi-player, Internet isn’t needed. It connects to an app as well. Playmation will be available this October. I can’t believe this but you can actually buy your own Star Wars Battle Pod arcade game! It’s huge! 

Star Wars Battle Front (EA) is a huge deal already. It’s available this November and recreates favorite battles from the film and new adventures. Sacred archives were used to create this authentically. They also visited the set of Episode VII to get inspiration for free downloadable content, Battle of Jakku. There’s also fire squadron, a 20 player mode.

Playstation will have a Darth Vader inspired console and controller this Fall available in a bundle with Battle Front or Disney Infinity. 

Disney Infinity 3.0 looks pretty neat with Star Wars additions, Clone Wars and classic inspired, and the colorful world of Inside Out. Marvel Battle Grounds will be the first to feature 4 player play and is compatible with all Marvel figures. Available this Spring. Hulk Buster and Ultron figures are coming this November. Walt Disney World MagicBands will now unlock loads of cool new stuff like a churro farm and the Partner Statue.

New characters include PETER PAN, Mickey and Minnie, Mulan, The Good Dinosaur and Zootopia characters. Light up collector Star Wars figures are coming too.

After a day on the show floor.. now it’s time to say goodbye. We finished the event out by touring Imagineering’s Shanghai Disney and Pandora exhibits, meeting Bret Iwan (voice of Mickey Mouse), walking by Ed Asner (voice of Mr. Fredrickson) and Bill Farmer (voice of Goody) and a few other really neat things. At this point I’m tired and resting up for some Disneyland tonight. I’ll share some more details and photos over the next few weeks. Thanks so much for following along! Have a magical day.