Expo Time!

The 2015 Expo took place from August 14-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and as usual, the biennial Disneyfest was a virtual cornucopia of offerings from every branch of the Walt Disney Company.

My Expo experience started the day before opening, as I attended the media preview for “Walt Disney Archives Presents–Disneyland: The Exhibit.”

The largest of all the exhibits the Archives has produced for Expo, it housed over 300 pieces honoring Disneyland’s 60 years of being the Happiest Place on Earth.

A nice tour of the exhibit is over on the AllEars.Net YouTube channel:

Additionally, a handful of Disney Legends were also in attendance, taking in the view:

Marty Sklar, former Ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering

Tony Baxter, former Senior Vice President of Creative Development in Walt Disney Imagineering

Bill Farmer, voice of Goofy

Later, as the time for the opening of the exhibit for the Sorcerer level guests drew near, the Dapper Dans came out to perform a few numbers for the waiting crowd.

After a few words, head of D23 Adam Sanderson, Becky Cline, director of Walt Disney Archives, and Mickey Mouse all gathered to cut the ribbon and officially open the exhibit.

[Photo by Disney]

As a last surprise, John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering, put in a surprise appearance to welcome the Sorcerers to the 2015 D23 Expo.

Thoughts on the day:
–The placement of the exhibit on the main exhibitor’s floor was a big improvement this year. It felt like it had a lot more space to move around and see things, and the openness meant that people who couldn’t wait out the lines to get in could still see the larger pieces from outside. It also made it more prominent for people who might have forgotten about it and missed it when it was upstairs with the presentation rooms.
–I liked the unified Disneyland theme it had this year, vs the more hodge-podge collections they’ve had before, where concept art for the House of the Future could be displayed next to a dress from High School Musical.
–Some of the more historically significant items have been on display a number of times in the recent past, particularly at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library exhibit.

I’ll be back with more D23 Expo blogs!

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