Guide to 2024 D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Once more, Disney enthusiasts from across the globe will converge in Anaheim, California, from August 9 to 11, 2024, for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa. This extraordinary occasion promises to showcase the unmatched storytelling and innovation spanning The Walt Disney Company.
Related – 10 Underrated Attractions at the Disneyland Resort
In a bold new iteration, this year’s D23 has been reimagined to provide fans with a more expansive and immersive experience, delivering access to even more beloved elements from the vast realms of Disney, all at an incredible value. With the return of cherished fan favorites and exciting new surprises, this exceptional event will unfold over three days, offering marquee showcases and presentations, an expanded show floor showcasing the latest offerings from Disney brands and partners, enhanced shopping experiences, and a week-long celebration of Disney fandom leading up to the main event.
HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT’S NEW
- Three nights of marquee showcases at the Honda Center
- D23 Day at Angel Stadium on Sunday, August 4
- D23 Day at Disneyland Resort on Thursday, August 8
- The largest, most expansive show floor in D23 history
- Expanded shopping experience
- D23 Fan-tastic Prizes Sweepstakes—the biggest sweepstakes in Disney history
D23 Day at Disneyland Resort
Thursday, August 8
Before the magic of Disney comes to life during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, guests can kick off the weekend’s festivities at the first-ever D23 Day at Disneyland Resort on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park will welcome ticketed D23 fans from rope drop to late night, featuring unique offerings for fans, including a custom cavalcade, an energetic dance party, special photo opportunities, and more.
Disney Junior will also join the festivities and host a music-filled celebration at Disney California Adventure Park. And, starting Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Downtown Disney District guests will find special offers, décor, and magical moments. Disney Junior festivities will also extend through Sunday, August 11, at the Downtown Disney District.
Admission to both theme parks is available for purchase to all Disney fans. Regular theme park admission prices apply and theme park reservations will be required.
Honda Center
This year Disney is introducing a new venue for some of the D23 programming, showcasing the best of Disney storytelling and innovation. For the first time ever, the Honda Center will be home to three nights of marquee showcases—Disney Entertainment, Disney Experiences, and Disney Legends—allowing Disney to bring bigger shows with more magic to the biggest audience of Disney fans in the world.
Disney Entertainment Showcase
Friday, August 9 – 7:00 p.m.
Honda Center
Enjoy the magic of Disney Entertainment in a star-studded showcase featuring the best of Disney storytelling onstage and onscreen. Get an exclusive look at the movies, series, and shows fans love, and a glimpse into what to look forward to from Disney’s film studios, television and streaming services, live stage shows on Broadway, and beyond. Join some favorite stars as they give a peek behind the curtain at upcoming projects, never-before-seen footage and art, surprise announcements and special guests, musical performances, and exclusive new content coming to the big screen, to smaller screens, and to the stage… all from Disney Entertainment.
Disney Experiences Showcase
Saturday, August 10 – 7:00 p.m.
Honda Center
Join Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro for a special showcase featuring the latest on new and highly anticipated projects in development around the world for Disney Parks, experiences, and beyond. With global announcements, special surprises, and showstopping performances, this will be a show that the biggest Disney fans won’t want to miss.
Disney Legends Ceremony
Sunday, August 11 – 5:00 p.m.
Honda Center
Ryan Seacrest will host this special ceremony to celebrate the 2024 class of Disney Legends—14 individuals who have made a significant impact on the Disney legacy. Filmmakers, Imagineers, artists, writers, and other magic makers will be honored in a spectacular award show featuring special performances and special guests. This year, the Walt Disney Archives is honoring Colleen Atwood, Angela Bassett, Martha Blanding, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, Mark Henn, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rohde, and John Williams.
Show Floor
The Anaheim Convention Center will once again showcase the best of Disney storytelling and innovation with an immersive show floor full of great experiences and activities. This year, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to redesign and expand the immersive show floor.
Fan-favorites will return to the show floor, including pavilions from Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney+, Marvel Studios, Disney Experiences, Lucasfilm, and a first-of-its-kind exhibition from the Walt Disney Archives titled “A Great Big Beautiful Car Show.“ Throughout the exhibition, the Archives will display some of the most iconic—and more than a few unusual—vehicles from beloved stories across the many worlds of Disney that have traveled on the big screen, television, and even down Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park. Along with the pavilions, fans can experience returning favorites such as photo spots, interactive displays, pin trading, and concessions.
Shopping
Fans can take advantage of great shopping opportunities including a dedicated space to shop and experience limited-edition merchandise and collectibles. Other fan-favorite shopping destinations will return including Mickey’s of Glendale, The Hollywood Studio Store, and The Emporium. Plus, The Walt Disney Company Store will make its debut and feature exclusive D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event branded products.
Presentations
Each day at the Anaheim Convention Center, attendees will have the opportunity to attend specially curated shows, panels, presentations, and conversations with storytellers, creators, and talent from across The Walt Disney Company. These daytime presentations will feature distinctly Disney content that will entertain fans of all generations on five different stages:
- This year, D23 is bringing back the big Anaheim Convention Center arena to accommodate even more fans for spectacular entertainment and productions on the Premiere Stage. The fan-favorite ultimate costume contest, Mousequerade, will return to this stage once again as a host of celebrity judges critique the most incredible handmade costumes designed and created by D23 fans. Registration for Mousequerade is now open.
- An expanded Walt Disney Archives Stage will host a variety of panels, creative discussions, and engaging presentations that will speak to many aspects of Disney history, spanning the entire legacy of The Walt Disney Company. Session topics include Walt’s famous trip to Latin America in the 1940s, hosted conversations with members of the newest class of Disney Legends, and more.
- The Hyperion and Backlot Stages will offer more niche and intimate sessions for guests to enjoy.
- New this year, the Spotlight Stage will be located on the main show floor for deeper conversations with stars and storytellers as well as interactive entertainment for fans throughout the day.
D23 Fan-tastic Prizes Sweepstakes
Fans can also enter an unparalleled sweepstakes, one of the most expansive in Disney history. D23: The Ultimate Disney Sweepstakes – FANtastic Prizes is a spectacular lineup of exclusive prizes and engaging experiences that only Disney can deliver! One of the spectacular prizes includes a sailing on the seven-night maiden voyage of the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Treasure.
Additional Opportunities
Throughout the week leading up to D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, fans can also enjoy additional opportunities to celebrate their fandom:
D23 Day at Angel Stadium
Sunday, August 4
The first ever D23 Day at Angel Stadium will take place on Sunday, August 4, 2024, as the Angels take on the New York Mets. The stadium will come to life with D23 fun, including special trivia, photo spots, and more. The first 23,000 fans in the gate will also receive a commemorative and one-of-a-kind D23 Mickey Mouse bobblehead. Specially priced tickets are on sale now for D23 Members.
Anaheim Meet-Up
Tuesday, August 6 at 5:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, August 6, fans can meet up for a “D23 Night” at the Anaheim Packing District in the heart of Downtown Anaheim to enjoy local foods, drinks, trivia, and special D23 touches. No ticket is required; fans can mix and mingle and get ready for the week ahead! D23 will also be partnering with Ravensburger to create a game night integration where Fans can learn to play the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game or try out some of their other games like Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil and Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition). More details to follow in the coming months.
The Incredibles Screening
Wednesday, August 7 at 8:00 p.m.
D23, in collaboration with Street Food Cinema, will present an outdoor screening of The Incredibles to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The event will take place at Pearson Park Amphitheater in Downtown Anaheim.
TICKETING INFORMATION
To allow for fans to have as much flexibility and choice as possible when it comes to accessing the many opportunities at multiple venues throughout the weekend, D23 is offering several ticketing options that allow fans to build the itinerary that works best for them at a great value:
- D23 Ultimate Fan Pass 3-Day Ticket includes a 3-day assigned seat for evening shows at the Honda Center and 3-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $297/ticket.
- D23 Ultimate Fan Pass 1-Day Ticket includes a reserved seat for that day’s evening show at the Honda Center and same-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $99/ticket.
- D23 Preferred Ultimate Fan Pass 3-Day Ticket, which is exclusive to D23 Gold Members, includes a 3-day floor seat for evening shows at the Honda Center (same seat each night), and 3-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $999/ticket.
- D23 Fan Pass provides access to the Anaheim Convention Center only:
- 1-Day Pass
- Gold Members: $79/ticket
- General Members: $89/ticket
- 3-Day Pass
- Gold Members: $209/ticket
- General Members: $259/ticket
- 1-Day Pass
For each ticketing tier, including the D23 Gold Member Exclusive Preferred Ultimate Fan Pass (3-day only), D23 Ultimate Fan Pass (1-day or 3-day), or D23 Fan Pass (1-day or 3-day), guests can purchase up to 8 total passes.
D23 Gold Members will have first access to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets for a limited time beginning March 26, 2024, at 12 p.m. PT. D23 Gold and General Members who are also Visa cardholders—and who pay with their Visa—will have pre-sale access to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets, for a limited time, beginning March 27, 2024, at 12 p.m. PT. Tickets for all D23 Gold and General Members will go on sale beginning March 28, 2024, at 12 p.m. PT, while supplies last. Attendees must be a D23 Member to purchase tickets. Fans can join as a complimentary General Member or upgrade to Gold Membership on D23.com.
D23 GOLD MEMBER BENEFITS
In addition to an exclusive pre-sale window and discounted tickets, D23 Gold Members will also have access to additional benefits, discounts, and offers from various groups across the show floor and throughout Downtown Disney. D23 Charter Members who joined D23 in 2009 will have exclusive access to a private lounge off the show floor. And, for the first time ever, D23 Gold Members attending the event will receive a commemorative and collectible pin.
TRANSPORTATION
Fans will have access to several transportation options to maximize their time at the different venues. Complimentary round-trip shuttle service will be available between the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center before and after the evening shows. Parking at the Anaheim Convention Center will also be available as it has been in previous years on a first come, first served basis. Additional transportation and parking details will be provided closer to the event.
RESERVATIONS AND STANDBY QUEUES
The advance reservation system for most panels, presentations, and shows at the Anaheim Convention Center will be expanded to allow guests to make reservation selections for up to 8 total guests to include their entire party. New this year, guests will have the opportunity to add, modify, or cancel their reservations before the event. Standby queues will be available at all stage venues for guests who do not receive a reservation for panels or presentations, as well as Talent Central, and for most experiences across the show floor. For the health and safety of all guests, overnight queuing is not available for the event and will not be allowed around the perimeter of the Anaheim Convention Center or the Honda Center.
Ready to plan your visit to D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event? Contact me today to get your trip booked! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are FREE, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.
Get started Now for your FREE No Obligation Quote.
Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel
- Family Fun at Disneyland & Disney California Adventure - October 8, 2024
- New Disneyland Special Offers for Early 2025 - October 4, 2024
- Ways to Save at Disney World in 2025 - October 1, 2024