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D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event took center stage at the Anaheim Convention Center. From August 9 to 11, 2024, the weekend was filled to the brim with every corner of The Walt Disney Company represented in pavilions, shopping, experiences, shows, costumes, panels, celebrity sightings, signings, photo opportunities, artwork, music, sneak peeks, debuts, and more.
With so much to do and see, the weekend can be the most exhausting Disney experience across the street from the Disneyland Resort. The bi-annual extravaganza has grown so large that the nearby Honda Center even got involved for the biggest productions to close each evening.
Show Floor Photo Gallery
No doubt many fans partake in dressing up as their favorite characters. Strangers become immediate friends upon meeting matching stories. Groups of friends and family unite to share their creativity. Photo backdrops enhance the experience. Some walk thru themed experiences come with special giveaways at the end like pins, posters, and free digital photo downloads. Pin collectors even got to participate in pin hunting via QR codes. The D23 Mousequerade: The Ultimate Disney Costume Contest was your one-stop shop for the biggest and brightest costumes put on display.
Photo Op and Cosplay Photo Gallery
Themed experiences and pavilions highlighted potential adventures and streaming opportunities to celebrate and await. Disney Junior, National Geographic, ESPN, Honda, Disney Cruise Line, Storyliving by Disney, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, Disney Theatrical Productions.
Experiences Photo Gallery
Major branches of the studio divisions got to show off new technology with popular and upcoming environments and shows. Live your Star Wars dream with Lucasfilm setting foot in the Volume for a unique one of a kind keepsake. The world of Avatar brought a slice of Pandora to Anaheim with costumes, props, set designs, and even a life-size banshee. Moana 2, Inside Out 2, and Zootopia 2 take the lead of photo ops and panels for Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios.
Production Studio Pavillion Photo Gallery
Streaming services Disney+, Hulu, and FX gave fans opportunities to put themselves into the setting of their favorite shows. A full experience of Marvel’s Time Variance Authority (TVA) was just as jaw-dropping of a themed walk-through as any Disney Park could provide in the limited scale. Portals opening into different Marvel costumes across the saga, interact with Rocket Raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy, and a sneak peek at costumes for the upcoming series “Agatha All Along”. No wonder a visit to the TVA gnarled an hour long wait. Too bad this is only a limited temporary offering.
Streaming Services Photo Gallery
Walt Disney Archives also strives to display something different and unique at every D23 event. A Great Big Beautiful Car Show was an inspiration this year with automobiles displayed across movie and television appearances from Herbie the Love Bug, Cruella de vil’s motorcar, Disneyland parking lot tram, to a TRON Lightcycle.
Car Show Photo Gallery
If you thought the main show floor had it all, wait until you see the North side of the Anaheim Convention Center. World of Disney: The Product Experience extends the footprint of your shopping spree with the D23 Marketplace, Disney Store, Disney Publishing, Disney Princess, Marvel, and more. Some playful respite to be had with a Pixar mini-golf and Star Wars themed arcade.
Product Experience Photo Gallery
The crème de la créme of D23 pavilions, the not-to-be-missed showcase will always belong to Imagineering. The creators and builders of Disney Parks and Experiences open the secretive veil to reveal what goes into constructing favorite Disney adventures to life. Imagineers from across different levels of disciplines share stories and inspire dreamers of past and future projects.
Go in with less expectations of finding out any secretes beyond what the company has previously released. Go in more with what sort of skills can be applied through education and imagination to do what imagineers do best. Through trade schools and internships, the possibilities can be endless. Everyone has a unique journey where they were able to find success. From costume design, model making, sculpting, technological illusions, software engineering, robotics, and more.
Imagineering Photo Gallery
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event truly does attract the biggest fans from around the world through different divisions of The Walt Disney Company. Over 100 years of history come together under “one” roof to celebrate the entertainment conglomerate. 2024 has certainly seen enhancements in crowd control, more seating, lots of shopping, plenty of experiences, and ultimately, making new memories.
There’s still other areas left to improve for 2026. One unexpected surprise discovery for myself was finding the major shopping venues open to standby about an hour before closing time due to a majority of attendees making their way to the big evening events at Honda Center. Although the Disney Parks and Experiences show itself was split with one half just wanting quick announcements and the other half enjoying flashy musical numbers with every topic, I was happily part of the later crowd opinion.
Overall, I had a better experience this year compared to past frustrating experiences at D23. Maybe it helped I did not concentrate on shopping or getting to and from the Honda Center. The individual value of D23 is what you make of it. See you in 2026, D23!
