More than 100,000 Disney Adults will hit the Anaheim Convention Center
More than 100,000 “Disney Adults” descend on Orange County every other year for the big D23 convention. The company announced today that this year’s fan event will be held August 14-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from Walt Disney’s Disneyland. Legions of fans let their (extremely mild – it’s Disney for crying out loud) freak flags fly with major cosplay, decorated mobility scooters and games of how-much-merch-can-you-wear-all-at-once.
Fans line up outside the Anaheim Convention Center for D23Credit: Photo by Cory Doctorow
Today’s sneak peek announcement teases the temporary experiences, shopping and shows that will sprawl out over a packed weekend at the Convention Center, Honda Center, the Anaheim Packing House and Muzeo museum. Some 50 panels and presentations will do a deep dive into the Disney universe, including the premiere of a new Disney documentary from Oscar and Emmy-nominated documentary director and producer Leslie Iwerks and the eagerly awaited D23 Mousequerade costume contest.
The company also promises to bring animation to life with a walk-through exhibit of life-size sets from Pixar films, an interactive ESPN Super Bowl activation and you can see Mickey go high speed with a Formula One version of the mouse behind the wheel.
Disney CEO presents the Disney Legend award to Christina Aguilera at D23 in 2019Credit: Photo by nagi usano
Opening day kicks off with a cavalcade of Disney legends at Disneyland and a giveaway of free Mickey Mouse ears (embroidery not included) and kiddie events including the Let’s Play! Party with live entertainment, photo ops and costumed characters next door at Disney California Adventure. Walt Disney Archives: Uncrated is an all-new exhibition featuring iconic props, costumes, and puppets from films, TV and the parks.
Disney’s biggest stars are so big that the crowning of this year’s crop of Disney legends will take place at a sports stadium in a show hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Outgoing CEO Bob Iger joins the Jonas Brothers and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the D23 Disney Legends ceremony at Honda Center. More than 300 actors, artists and executives have been awarded the prize since the first one went to Fred “The Nutty Professor” MacMurray in 1987. Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Sudan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Anne Hathway, Kim Irvine, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Tudyk round out this year’s class.
A display of Gruff from “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast” at D23Credit: Photo by Mooshuu
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