Disneyland may be the “Happiest Place on Earth” but the biennial D23 Expo, Official Disney Convention, is definitely the most elusive and mysterious. Held at the Anaheim Convention Center, just footsteps away from the Magic Kingdom, D23 is a playground for the ultimate Disney fan and THE place to be if you want to hear first-hand Disney’s future projects, but beware, like many large conventions, D23 is not for the faint of heart – many die-hard fans camped out over night to certain panels/autograph sessions. I mistakenly thought that I could get a 9:00am autograph wristband at 6:30am – silly me!

Of course there were some epic cosplays at the convention. I caught a few of these cosplayers in front of the hall when I was taking lunch. I loved the attention to detail with all these cosplays and how animated each individuals were. It was wonderful to see some of my favorite Disney characters in real life.

Once my friends and I got into the convention we all split and waited in different lines to maximize our chances of redeeming things. And let me tell you even as the doors opened there were lines everywhere! One of the “shorter” lines was the coffee with Disney stamped on it. There were three different Mickey designs, and in the afternoon they’d debut a new set of stamps! Cool!

There were tons of displays of costumes from movies and of course I gravitated to the grand villainous ensemble. Look how bold and regal each piece looks? Personally, I love the Queen of Hearts on the left as I think her personality is loud like mine, but Maleficent (center) attire looks so evil and sinister that I’d be terrified if I pissed her off.

If your fashion sense is more playful and flirty, Minnie Mouse also showcased some of her dresses at the expo as well. See my post here and let me know which ensemble was your favorite!

While I was not able to nab one of the coveted autograph wristbands, I still had an opportunity to grab a photo of the multi-talented Mandy Moore as she and her co-star Zachary Levi paraded down the red carpet! Just FYI, another random Disney patron said that he waited at 3am for the 9am autograph wristband and also got turned away – so I don’t quite feel as bad considering I came at 6:30am. It’s crazy what people are willing to do at these conventions!

Are you a huge Disney fan? Who’s your favorite character?

 

XOXO,

Rockstar