The D23 Expo is always a huge experience for all who go. This year was no exception. Here’s some of the things I got to do on the first day…
60th Anniversary of Zorro
One panel I was able to attend was “Out of the night, when the full moon is bright – 60 years of the horseman known as Zorro.” It may be an obscure subject, but there is rich Disney history with the show. Zorro was on ABC following four years of success with the Disneyland television show. Walt Disney had the rights to Zorro even before Disneyland, but that show and park took precedence before he could have anything to do with the masked hero.
There were many things I learned like how many of the sets were built on property. The main town square and guard area actually had a view of the water tower which made shooting a bit tricky. The de la Vega hacienda was on a sound stage, and matte painting was used to produce the countryside effects.
Walt wanted this show to be historically accurate and had great detail put into the sets, as well as plots that made sense to the time it took place.
The thing I geeked out about the most is that there used to be a stunt show in Frontierland with the actual cast of the show! It would take place at the Golden Horseshoe and the Mark Twain.
In all, this was an entertaining and educational panel to attend.
Walt Disney Archives: A Pirates Life For Me
The Walt Disney Archives celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Pirates of the Caribbean with an exhibit featuring much of the ride in the various parks, the movies, and also the legacy of pirates in various Disney media. There was anything from early Mickey Mouse cartoon storyboards to Muppets, and the ride scallywags in between.
The Show Floor
There is quite a bit to see and do on the show floor this year. One of the big highlights is the Star Wars Land model at the Parks Pavilion. This half inch scale model is full of detail for the upcoming land at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. The model on display is of the Disneyland one in particular, but the only difference are the landscaping and certain entrances.
The Marvel Studios booth have many costumes on display from Black Panther and Thor: Ragnarok. It’s amazing to see these up close and that they really do have great detail on them. Some maquettes are on display from Avengers: Infinity War, though the only one unveiled is Thanos. The others will appear following the live action movie panel.
Amongst things to see are not actual booths, but people’s cosplay. The best I saw was Maui, Powerline, and Big Thunder Mountain. Yes. Big Thunder Mountain. Someone was the full ride complete with a moving train. She took the award at Mousequerade.
Besides costumes and Marvel, there are things like cooking demos, parades of stars, Minnie Mouse costumes, and much more going on all the time!
For more on the first day of the Expo, check out Mr. Daps’ post here.
