Welcome to the latest entry in our “We Went to …” series where each entry will highlight a new, exciting geek experience Professors Jason and Ashley have! Catch up on the first entry - We Went to … 10 Forward: The Experience and our second installment We Went to … San Diego Comic-Con! right now!
Much like our experience at Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, we had the opportunity to attend our very first D23 Expo!
It’s always a unique experience to attend a convention with such a small focus. San Diego Comic-Con, Wonder Con, New York Comic Con, et cetera reach far and wide across the pop culture sphere. When you get into a sphere as condensed as something like Gallifrey One, Star Trek: Las Vegas, or Star Wars Celebration the energy and the passion is so entirely different. How were we able to attend D23 Expo? You may be asking yourself. Sure, we’ve covered a couple Disney (proper), properties on past episodes of Geek History Lesson:
But it’s not super-super in our wheelhouse outside of the acquisitions like Marvel Studios or Lucasfilm and Star Wars. Welp, Ashley was sent to create videos for Popverse! You’ve probably noticed this has driven a lot of our recent travel and convention attendance. It’s been a compelling mirror experience to Jason’s time hosting DC All-Access.
Leslie A. Kay & Ashley Victoria Robinson
A huge part of what drove Ashley’s experience at D23 Expo was connecting with talent and doing a lot of interviews. D23 Expo happened <24 hours following Disney+ Day (remember when we explained that to you last week?), there were a lot of fun people to connect to. Ashley was able to interview Bertie Gregory (host of Epic Adventures, National Geographic’s new show), which was the real highlight of her experience at D23 Expo, the creative team and talent behind the new Disney+ animated series from the team behind Phineas and Ferb - Hamster and Gretel, some incredible writers from Disney Publishing including legendary author Ridley Pearson (Kingdom Keepers, Peter and the Starcatchers), and the inventor of the Disney Bound blog and movement, Leslie A. Kay!
“Activations” are more popular at San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con, but D23 Expo had some of the best photo opportunities set up throughout the Anaheim Convention Center - Frozen, Wreck It Ralph, and Encanto were some of the most popular stops on display. We noticed they were often packed throughout the weekend with cosplayers, families, and fans stopping by the Anna and Elsa statuettes to live their dreams “Into the Unknown …”
What was really special about D23 Expo was how much employees and attendees were dedicated to preserving “Disney magic”. It’s an ephemeral phenomenon which is hard to explain and even harder to quantify. Over our years of hosting Geek History Lesson and participating in conventions we’ve spent hours upon hours in press rooms, on press lines, sharing space with other creators in round table situations. Sometimes in shared coverage scenarios there is one person who takes over and puts their needs and their voice above everyone else also trying to curate their own coverage. In the shared media spaces I participated in over the D23 Expo three day experience there was much more kindness and leeway given for all participants to be able to have their own moment and ask what they wanted to. It was really heartening to be in space where respect and deference was given. For me, it was a unique experience in what can sometimes be a stressful situation.
We also had the wonderful experience of running into dueling Adams over the weekend! Adam Roberson (our own Disney expert!), and Adam Grunther are both Super Friends who have been big supporters and important friends of Geek History Lesson over the years. Getting to spend time with both of you at D23 Expo was so profound - thanks for sharing your magic!
The floor of the Anaheim Convention Center was laid out in unique sections highlighting the different projects under the Disney banner. It really spoke to the scope of what Disney Studios is working on right now. Yes, the majority of it was classic Disney characters and entertainment, then there was Disney Parks, then there were the Disney Cruises, Disney Communities, Disney Publishing, Hulu, ESPN, National Geographic, Lucas Film, Star Wars, Broadway Productions, and so much more!
Early in the weekend we were able to grab a quick dinner with alumn of The Red Shirt Diaries and podcaster extraordinaire, Brain Ibbot!
Can you spot his appearance in our episode?
Brian has a been a pivotal mentor of ours over the years and has been a return guest on Geek History Lesson.
Getting the opportunity to sit down with him, pick his brain, and revel in our collective fandoms was obviously one of the best parts of our entire D23 Expo weekend.
The D23 Expo did not have a mask mandate which set it aside from San Diego Comic-Con, Star Wars Celebration, and the upcoming New York Comic Con which contributed to a little bit of contention between attendees. Recommendations rarely take as strong a hold as mandates, but we want to applaud the attendees who wore their masks and matched them to their costumes or Disney Bounds. There were many amazing looks which creatively incorporated the mask as part of the whole character. Check out our cosplay gallery below:
D23 Expo was an incredibly unique first time experience of a condensed section of geek culture for us this year. We were able to each have individual experiences of what the floor, panels, and fans had to offer. The scope of what Disney Studios have invested in was made abundantly clear and we’re going to leave you with our recommendation that you attend future D23 Expos if you are given the opportunity.
header image courtesy of Ashley Victoria Robinson