We are just about one month away from the next D23 Expo in Anaheim, and we could not be more excited the slate of offerings during the weekend. From the Studios to the Parks, and from Lucasfilm to Fox, there is something for the entire family at this year’s D23 Expo! We are going to countdown my top 5 experiences that I am personally looking forward to at this next month’s expo!
5. Disney on Broadway Stars in Concert!
On Saturday, August 24, at 3:30 p.m Disney on Broadway will present A 25th Anniversary Celebration in Hall D23. Tony Award-nominee Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast) will host this 75-minute concert and will also feature Heidi Blickenstaff (Freaky Friday, The Little Mermaid), Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, On the Record), Kissy Simmons (The Lion King), Josh Strickland (Tarzan), and Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King). For fans of the Disney on Broadway Concert Series during Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts, this will be a not-to-be missed event! Hearing all these stars sing together is a unique treat. Hear some of them sing LIVE below when Alton, Josh, Ashley, and Kissy performed “Let it Go” from Frozen.
4. The Simpsons are on their way to Anaheim!
When I first heard that Bob Iger was in negotiations to acquire 21st Century Fox and its divisions, I immediately thought “Disney will own The Simpsons.” I have been a Simpsons fan since I was young and can quote many of the classic episodes! Now for the first time ever, The Simpsons will appear at D23 Expo 2019. On Saturday, August 24 at 10 a.m. in the D23 Expo Arena, Simpsons Fans will get a look in the upcoming new season alongside Creator Matt Groening, Executive Producer Al Jean, Executive Producer Matt Selman, Supervising Director Mike B. Anderson, and stars Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith. Fans can expect lots of surprises, including an exclusive Simpsons collectible item for everyone in attendance. During the Expo, Simpsons fans will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with Bart, Lisa, and the rest of The Simpsons family on the convention floor. A few lucky fans will even get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Matt Groening and the rest of the panelists during a one-hour autograph signing session of an exclusive The Simpsons mini-poster following the panel.
3. What’s Next for Disney Parks & Resorts?
It comes as no surprise that every Disney fan is looking forward to the future of the Disney Parks and resorts around the world! The Disney Parks “Imagining Tomorrow, Today” pavilion will give fans a unique look at the exciting developments underway at Disney parks around the world. Attendees will see a dedicated space showcasing the incredible transformation of Epcot at Walt Disney World. Fans will also see Tony Stark’s latest plans to recruit guests to join alongside the Avengers in fully immersive areas filled with action and adventure in Hong Kong, Paris, and California.
The big Hall D23 presentation with Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, will take place Sunday, August 25, at 10:30 a.m. Guests will be treated to more details on much-anticipated attractions, experiences, and transformative storytelling that set Disney apart. Disney has promised that guests will learn even more about the exciting plans for Epcot!
In addition to the pavilion and the presentation, Expo attendees will be able to purchase new Disney parks products unique to the expo and before they make their way to the parks. This is always a treat for myself as I have the opportunity to purchase unique items prior to their actual release! I have had the opportunity to see some of the items for sale at the Disney Dream Store (thanks to a Sorcerer Package friend), and I can safely say that the Dream Store will easily be one of the stores most of my money would go to!
2. The FIRST LOOK at the New Disney+ Streaming Service
On Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., the highly anticipated streaming service Disney+ will give guests a first look at some of its original content including Lady and the Tramp, The Mandalorian, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and many more during this star-studded presentation. I was able to watch the entire presentation on Disney+ that the executives at Disney gave to the investors a few months ago, and I am incredibly excited for this streaming service to arrive! Throughout the Expo, I hope we will be able to see even more from Disney+, but the presentation alone sounds exciting!
1. The Magical Worlds of The Walt Disney Studios
I have been to the past three expos, and the presentations from The Walt Disney Studios always have thrilled and excited me beyond belief. The Studios will present a behind-the-scenes look at its impressive slate of upcoming films on Saturday, August 24, at 10 a.m. Fans will see what’s on the drawing board for the acclaimed filmmakers at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios and get a peek at the exciting slate of live-action projects, from Disney to Marvel Studios to Star Wars. During the presentation, guests will be treated to exclusive footage, special celebrity appearances, and much more! I believe we will see more on the next Live-Action remakes, Marvel’s upcoming “Phase 4” films to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, PIXAR Animation Studios’ new original films Onward and SOUL, The Walt Disney Animation Studios upcoming films including FROZEN II, and of course Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!
Are you attending the D23 Expo 2019? What are you looking forward to the most?
Single-day tickets for Friday and Sunday of D23 Expo 2019 are available for $89 for one-day adult admission and $69 for children 3–9. Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $79 for a one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Single-day Saturday tickets and three-day passes are sold out. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2019, visit D23Expo.com. For more family friendly movie news, be sure to follow Adventures by Daddy on instagram, twitter and “like” our facebook page too.
