A Review of D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience

“There is a brand essence of Disney which is a sense of warmth, a sense of authenticity, a sense of meaningfulness.”

I had heard plenty about D23 before attending for the first time, but I still didn’t quite understand what to expect. After three days there with Bob Weis, I finally understood why Disney calls it the ultimate fan experience.

Bob is the former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, so there may be no better person to experience D23 with. We started in the Imagineering exhibit, where models and artwork gave fans an inside look at projects coming to Disney parks around the world.

Piston Peak National Park immediately caught my attention. With my park ranger background, that probably isn’t surprising. I had heard the conversations about replacing Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, but seeing the model made the idea feel completely different. Bob pointed out that this is part of what makes D23 valuable. Fans can move beyond rumors or announcements and actually see what Imagineers are creating.

What interested me even more was watching Bob interact with fans. At one point, it took us nearly two hours to cross the Imagineering exhibit because people kept stopping him. They wanted to share what Disney meant to their families or how something Bob helped create had become part of their lives. Bob never rushed those conversations. He slowed down and listened.

That experience helped me understand something else Bob and I discussed: Disney has an essence that goes beyond its attractions. You could feel it throughout the convention center. Bob described it as warmth and authenticity, along with a sense of quality and meaningfulness.

I think much of that essence comes from the people.

D23 has impressive exhibits and plenty of exclusive experiences, but what stayed with me was the connection between Imagineers, Cast Members, and fans.

You really don’t know D23 until you’ve experienced it.