| QUOTE |
| Imagine a place where every step you take immerses you further into the Disney movies, magic and memories that live so deeply in your heart. A place where pavilions and exhibits from every part of The Walt Disney Company transport you on an unforgettable adventure through the past, present and future of the Disney imagination. It's a pixie-dusted world where magical experiences — celebrity appearances, special screenings, never-before-seen exhibits and special presentations — are around every corner, just waiting to whisk you off into the very heart of Disney magic! And, of course, each day at this celebration gives you the opportunity to meet and mingle with thousands of people you have something very special in common with: A LOVE OF DISNEY! This place is the D23 Expo, the single largest gathering of all things Disney and one of the most unique ways to connect fans to Disney's timeless stories, characters, movies, Parks and more. At the inaugural D23 Expo, held September 10-13, 2009, thousands of excited fans discovered what happens when you put the many wonderful worlds of Disney under the same roof for four days: Magic! The first-ever D23 Expo attracted nearly 40,000 Disney fans, bringing the entire world of Disney under one massive roof. During the D23 Expo, fans were treated to appearances by superstars like Johnny Depp, Miley Cyrus and John Travolta; explored exciting, new concepts and attractions from Disney Parks and Walt Disney Imagineering; peered into Disney's history at special panels, presentations and displays; and discovered the newest entertainment, products and events from throughout The Walt Disney Company. The next D23 Expo, which will light up the Anaheim Convention Center from August 19-21, 2011, promises to deliver even more excitement! We're still hard at work finalizing plans for the D23 Expo 2011, but you can expect to see what's new and what's next from Parks and Resorts, The Walt Disney Studios, Media Networks and Disney Consumer Products and more. Of course, there will be special exhibits of rarely seen Disney props and costumes from the legendary Walt Disney Archives, headline-grabbing celebrity appearances, screenings of classic Disney movies and exclusive sneak peeks at some that no one has seen yet, musical performances, panel discussions with legendary Disney actors, performers, animators, Imagineers and more and of course, Mickey and some of our favorite characters will be on hand to make sure the fun never stops! Tickets for the D23 Expo 2011 will go on sale August 19 (one year in advance), with specially priced tickets available exclusively to D23 Members. In addition, D23 Charter Members will have access to a special Charter Member Lounge at the D23 Expo 2011, at no additional cost. "The first D23 Expo surpassed all of our expectations, and our 2011 Expo is already shaping up to be a jaw-dropping, not-to-be missed showcase of the best and brightest Disney has to offer," said Steven Clark, head of D23. |
| QUOTE |
| It's a milestone year for the Disneyland Resort, and D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans is celebrating with the premiere of Destination D, a brand-new, two-day event exclusively for D23 Members. The inaugural Destination D, whose theme is "Disneyland '55," will be held this September 24-25. Destination D: Disneyland '55 will take D23 Members on a journey through the design, creation, debut and magical history of the world's first Disney theme park. The first Destination D will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel. Tickets for the event will be available this summer. D23 announced its latest members-only event on its first anniversary & capping a year in which Disney's first-ever fan community grew to encompass tens of thousands of members from all 50 U.S. states and more than 30 countries worldwide. Destination D: Disneyland '55 will offer two full days of special presentations, panels, screenings and guest speakers that let fans meet and talk with key figures in Disneyland's history. Future Destination D events will explore other important aspects of Disney's creative legacy. Following its premiere in September, Destination D will alternate annually with the enormously popular D23 Expo. The next D23 Expo is set for August 19-21, 2011, returning to the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets for the D23 Expo 2011 will go on sale August 19 (one year in advance), with specially priced tickets available exclusively to D23 Members. In addition, D23 Charter Members will have access to a special Charter Member Lounge at the D23 Expo 2011, at no additional cost. The first-ever D23 Expo attracted nearly 40,000 Disney fans when it debuted last September, bringing the entire world of Disney under one massive roof. During the D23 Expo, fans were treated to appearances by superstars like Johnny Depp, Miley Cyrus and John Travolta; explored exciting, new concepts and attractions from Disney Parks and Walt Disney Imagineering; peered into Disney's history at special panels, presentations and displays; and discovered the newest entertainment, products and events from throughout The Walt Disney Company. Click here to see highlights from the first-ever D23 Expo. "The first D23 Expo surpassed all of our expectations, and our 2011 Expo is already shaping up to be a jaw-dropping, not-to-be missed showcase of the best and brightest Disney has to offer," said Steven Clark, head of D23. "We're very excited to also be creating an entirely new event with Destination D, which will bring Disney's fascinating history to D23 Members in ways no other Disney fan can experience," Clark said. "There's nowhere on earth quite as special as Disneyland, and we want fans to see it as they never have before." The D23 team is in the midst of developing exclusive programming for Destination D — but an early peek at plans reveals a host of special speakers, presentations and panels throughout the two-day event, including: "Disneyland: The Way We Were" — Disney's Chief Archivist Dave Smith will look back at highlights from Disneyland history; "Disney Undiscovered" — An exploration of never-built projects and attractions developed for Disneyland; "23 on 55" — The Walt Disney Archives celebrates Disneyland's 55th anniversary; "Weird Disney" — A showcase for some of the quirky, little-known facts, places, people and ideas that even the most avid fan might not know. Check back here soon for more details on the programming and events planned for Destination D: Disneyland '55 — as well as details about D23 Expo 2011. Destination D joins a lineup of special events throughout 2010 designed exclusively for D23 Members. Among them are free screenings of classic Disney movies during the "50 & Fabulous" film festival at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank; Members-only tours of the famed Walt Disney Archives; an exclusive Sip & Stroll event during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival; and holiday-themed Magic and Merriment weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. |