My Trip to the 2013 D23 Expo - That's a Wrap!

[Leshaface]

Sounds like some great movies are coming out! Very much looking forward to Frozen. The Good Dinosaur sounds fun too. Inside Out sounds like it's going to be a fun watch!

I watched the link of her singing and they cut it off right in the middle Sounds beautiful though. Probably better when you're actually there live!

 

[franandaj]

Sounds like some great movies are coming out! Very much looking forward to Frozen. The Good Dinosaur sounds fun too. Inside Out sounds like it's going to be a fun watch!

I watched the link of her singing and they cut it off right in the middle Sounds beautiful though. Probably better when you're actually there live!

That bites! It was really moving to hear her sing it. At the Destination-D they had someone else sing the song. It wasn't all that memorable. She did a nice job, but Fran didn't even remember hearing it (she was also on some serious pain meds), but this one she did remember. They did a big light show in the Arena and had actual snoflakes (paper) drop from the ceiling. I was constantly wiping my eyes with the scenes they showed on the Jumbotron. I'm sure it will be one of "those" scenes when the movie comes out.

I'm such a sap. I cry at the smallest thing, even remembering things, I end up crying. That's probably why I like Disney so much, they totally know how to milk those moments!

At first when I found all these clips online, I felt a little gypped since we paid all this to see them, but then when I realized that all the clips online did not include the exclusive stuff we saw, I felt better about it. I'm sure it will be online eventually, but seeing it first was really cool. I can't wait until you all get to see it!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Omg I can't believe you were treated to the amazing, marvellous one and only Idina Menzel! I would have been in tears! I just love her voice so much. How much do I wish I could have seen her in Wicked. Jo and I have seen that show three times in London ( not with Idina obviously ) to see her singing Defying gravity live imagine but I think I would have fainted at the EXPO!

Great movies coming out. Loved Ellen in Finding Nemo so very excited about Finding Dory. Thanks so much for the detailed report it was so interesting. Shame the link is cut re Idina. What an amazing voice she has. Looking forward to Frozen love the idea of The Snow Queen story coming to life

 

[lurkergirl]

Reliving the Animation Presentation through you two was great!

I left about about 12:15pm/12:20pm to get Stage Passes for the afternoon panel on the Aulani - of course, I then couldn't get back in, so I missed some stuff.

 

[franandaj]

Omg I can't believe you were treated to the amazing, marvellous one and only Idina Menzel! I would have been in tears! I just love her voice so much. How much do I wish I could have seen her in Wicked. Jo and I have seen that show three times in London ( not with Idina obviously ) to see her singing Defying gravity live imagine but I think I would have fainted at the EXPO!

Great movies coming out. Loved Ellen in Finding Nemo so very excited about Finding Dory. Thanks so much for the detailed report it was so interesting. Shame the link is cut re Idina. What an amazing voice she has. Looking forward to Frozen love the idea of The Snow Queen story coming to life

You're welcome! It was great seeing all these previews.

Reliving the Animation Presentation through you two was great!

I left about about 12:15pm/12:20pm to get Stage Passes for the afternoon panel on the Aulani - of course, I then couldn't get back in, so I missed some stuff.

I'm sorry you had to run out, the last part of the presentation was really fun!

 

[franandaj]

When we got out of the Arena it was pretty much mayhem. 4,000 people trying to leave one space is crazy enough. Then since they only let us go in a single direction, we were a big clump of people all moving slowly in the same direction. Once we passed through the area they were reserving as a queue for the Arena, and not letting anyone walk through it, we were finally able to have a little space.

Our cameras and phones were up in the Sorcerer’s bag check and Fran wanted to go shopping at Mickey’s of Glendale. The line was probably about an hour long, so I left her in the line while I went upstairs to get our electronics.

Since they occasionally had snacks in the lounge, I checked there to see if they had anything, and there were these adorable little morsels.





I grabbed two of them and headed down with our cameras and phones to rejoin Fran in line. Now when we got up in the morning, I made Fran two ham sandwiches and a cheese sandwich. She ate two of them during the Animation panel. I had my V8, yogurt and some grapes during that panel, so these little cupcakes sort of hit the spot! While we waited in line, Fran ate her yogurt and another sandwich. This is not a trip to enjoy food, as are so many others.

We got out of the Animation panel around 1:20PM, and were in line for Mickey’s of Glendale by about 1:30PM. We got into the store by or before 2:30PM. I don’t know how long we shopped, nor how much Fran bought and she had me conveniently outside the store, when they totaled up the merchandise, but let’s just put it this way, she bought a suitcase while in there and filled the suitcase with merchandise. We also had several bags from the store too.

These are the only shots from the entire weekend that I have of the Mickey’s of Glendale store. This store was so crazy there was line to view and select pins, that line was at least as long as the line for checkout. In the pictures below, (they were taken later in the weekend), they put up the barriers so that the people in the pin line, didn't snake through the rest of the store. I know we were waiting in line for the checkout at around 3:15PM because when I looked at my phone, I realized that we were missing Planes which started at 3PM.







After shopping at MoG, we headed into the collector’s forum. But first, I’m posting a picture that I found on FB. We are used to seeing these folks at the Pride parades, but what in the heck brings them to a D23 Expo?



So anyways back to the collector’s forum. This was a big area full of private vendors who rented space from Disney to sell their wares. Fran did most of her damage here.

Here are some shots of the area.







At this booth Fran bought this piece.



I asked her why she didn’t buy the Mickey in the front of the pic here.



He had already been sold!

Now this is the booth where I think Fran did most of her damage. And the place where we want to visit on our trip in October.



Here are a few more views of the area.













Somewhere while we were mulling around the area, we ran into Bret and his DA. We had a nice chat, they went to the screening of Planes, and Undiscovered Disneyland. During Undiscovered Disneyland Bob Iger came into the presentation and announced that Tony Baxter was going to be getting a Window on Main Street. Three of the people in the presentation were invited to the ceremony.

While we were in the Collector’s forum, I ended up eating my Chicken Caesar Salad from Trader Joe’s. I hadn’t had my lunch yet, so at around 4:30ish I was having lunch. We decided that the best plan would be to take the stuff from MoG back to the room and head up to the Sorcerer’s Imagineering reception. Fran wanted to stay down at the Collector’s forum, while I went up to the reception.

I think I’ll wrap up this chapter here for picture count and resume the day with the reception.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Love the latest update. I love that Mickey that had already sold! But all that art and collectors gear. Omg I would have been bankrupt after that just from your wonderful photos I spied so many amazing things I would love to own! You must have had such a fun time. With the stress you have had of late it's just what you both needed I am delighted

Did Fran break the world record for how much a person can get on a scooter? Because I am working on it lol...sometimes I need a trailer lol...

 

[franandaj]

Love the latest update. I love that Mickey that had already sold! But all that art and collectors gear. Omg I would have been bankrupt after that just from your wonderful photos I spied so many amazing things I would love to own! You must have had such a fun time. With the stress you have had of late it's just what you both needed I am delighted

Did Fran break the world record for how much a person can get on a scooter? Because I am working on it lol...sometimes I need a trailer lol...

I'm not sure if Fran broke the world record for stuff on a scooter, but we did need to come back and pick up some of the stuff that she bought.

 

[PrincessInOz]

And after shopping at MoG, "h3ll awaits you!".

I love the Fantasmic! Mickeys....glad that you and Fran managed to get one of them.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I'm not sure if Fran broke the world record for stuff on a scooter, but we did need to come back and pick up some of the stuff that she bought.

Is there an icon for a mark of respect lol.. I like her style! I will warn my Jo that when we come for the EXPO she better have hit her sales target at work....

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

And after shopping at MoG, "h3ll awaits you!".

I love the Fantasmic! Mickeys....glad that you and Fran managed to get one of them.

Yes I liked them too! Can't be long now PIO and Alison n Fran! I'm Leaving on a jet plane...( John Denver ) . Now I have to use google. An American friend was laughing at a group of people he referred to as neocons.....I have never heard that term before...must be an American group of folk.

 

[lurkergirl]

I totally got sidetracked by the cute cupcakes. Aww!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Looks like you had another successful shopping day. The cupcakes are so cute.

Corinna

 

[Leshaface]

More shopping is always a good thing. Especially when it's for Disney items

Omgosh, is that Frank the tractor chasing after Mater and Lightening? Brilliant!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yes I liked them too! Can't be long now PIO and Alison n Fran! I'm Leaving on a jet plane...( John Denver ) . Now I have to use google. An American friend was laughing at a group of people he referred to as neocons.....I have never heard that term before...must be an American group of folk.

7 sleeps more.


I'm going to have to do some googling myself. Haven't heard that term either.

 

[rentayenta]

No wonder Fran went bonkers in there, there is just so much stuff to buy. I can't even imagine. And is some of that people's private collections?


I think the cupcakes and cake are cute too.


4,000 people.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I have been way behind on your trip report during the D23 Expo last month.

Now you are making me want to get the Sorcerers tickets a lot for the D23 Expo in 2015 with all of your wonderful pictures.

I remember really well when everyone was coming out of the D23 Arena during the "Art and Imagination: Animation at The Walt Disney Studios" screening where it went longer then expected. I was in the D23 Arena queue for the "Planes" movie. Awesome details during the screening where my DA and I were shopping at the Dream Store and seeing the screening of "Undiscovered Disneyland" at Stage 23. My DA really wanted to go to the screening at the Arena but she was glad that we got to buy some merchandise at the Dream Store and seeing the screening of Undiscovered Disneyland.

It was no joke that going into the Mickey's of Glendale Store was really difficult from the morning all the way to the time when the Expo was over during all three days where the queue was at least an hour to get into the store. It would be nice if the MoG store expands so there won't be a long line.

I could have found something at the Collector's forum during the Expo. It was neat to see all the different stands at the Collector's forum but it almost seems to me when we were walking around the area that half of the vendors were selling Marvel merchandise.

It was really nice to see you at the D23 Expo. We had a great conversation during the Expo where you and Fran got to see the Art and Animation screening at the D23 Arena while we got to see Undiscovered Disneyland. The person that told Tony Baxter that he was getting a window at Disneyland was Tom Staggs. You were correct that Tom Staggs announced to the crowds that three random people in the stands are invited to Tony Baxter window ceremony at Disneyland.

Very nice update. I really need to work on my trip report.

 

[Wonder2008]

Thank you for all the time and effort you put into writing about the Animation presentation. I'm definitely looking forward to "Frozen" too! Do you have any idea how long it would have taken to check your cameras and go back to pick them up if you weren't Sorcerers? Considering 4,000 people, at least one camera/phone/whatever per person, yikes!

I certainly could have done some "damage" at the Collector's Forum too. I see that Polynesian Great Ceremonial House sign staring at me in one of your pictures. I remember the Disneyana Conventions doing something similar years ago. It was fun because you never really knew what you'd find.

Robert

 

[dgbg100106]

I love your updates, they always make me feel like I am right there with you, minus seeing everything and hearing everything and eating everything....


Anyway, thank you so much for sharing it all with us.

 

[lurkergirl]

I'm sorry you had to run out, the last part of the presentation was really fun!

The funny part is that they (obviously) wouldn't let the the few of us that left back in, so we were hanging out by the exit waiting for the presentation to end. We could hear John Lasseter talking...and talking...and talking...from the speakers in the over-flow room. He's so passionate!