D23 was founded in 2009 by the chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company Robert “Bob” Iger during the company’s annual meeting. The letter D in the name stands for Disney and the number 23 refers to 1923. That year, unemployed Walt Disney moved to Hollywood with $40 in his pocket and founded a studio that would later become the famous Walt Disney Company.
The first D23 Expo was held from September 10–13, 2009 shortly after being presented at San Diego Comic-Con International. The event took place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Californifornia. Anaheim was chosen as the host city for several reasons, one of them being that Anaheim is the home of the Disneyland Resort founded in 1955. Celebrity appearances at D23 Expo 2009 included Johnny Depp (as Captain Jack Sparrow), Joseph Fiennes, Robin Williams, Betty White, Selena Gomez, Tim Burton, Nicholas Cage, John Travolta, and others.
Unlike many conventions that are held annually or even twice a year, D23 Expo is a biennial event. The expo celebrates all the wonder, magic and adventure of Disney, presenting three full days of exclusive experiences. Its program features celebrity appearances, sneak peeks at upcoming Disney projects, presentations, the Walt Disney Archives curated exhibition, vendors, contests (such as Mousequerade, Design Challenge, fan art contest) and more. The convention showcases projects by all studios owned by the Walt Disney Company, including Walt Disney Pictures, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, and Pixar.
Despite its popularity among Disney fans, D23 has been subjected to criticism by D23 members due to organizational mishaps and because The Walt Disney Company always chooses Anaheim as the host city, ignoring other Californian cities that have suitable venues and could host the event.
Photo: d23.com
