Tens of thousands descend for the D23 conference – will familiar faces and bigger parks maintain their loyalty?
stadium was packed with cheering fans. They wore light-up bracelets and homemade costumes, and screamed every time a new A-list celebrity made a surprise appearance.
The audience shrieked and applauded as Disney previewed an extensive, albeit predictable, slate of sequels: Moana 2; Frozen 3; and Toy Story 5, the story of an epic battle between the toys and digital screens for a child’s attention . There is even a follow-up to Lindsay Lohan’s 2003 film Freaky Friday in the works, called Freakier Friday.
In previous years, they have watched videos of the D23 conference announcements from home, but this year, they wanted to attend in person. “We just wanted to feel the energy,” Dragone said. The couple had woken up at 6.30am to be at the front of the line.Further back Shannon Richey, 51, and her mother, Peggy Martin, 72, who had flown in from Houston, Texas, were also visiting D23 for the first time. “This right here is overwhelming,” Martin said, as they waited in the hot sun.
Disney superfans use the convention to meet each other, offer praise or constructive criticism of each other’s costumes, and geek out over behind-the-scenes details about the making of their favorite film, sometimes while broadcasting their findings to those watching from home. “This is how the Disney adults recharge. It’s how we charge our magic,” quipped David Vaughn, a southern California content creator who offers Disneyland tips to hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
But amid all the festivities, one thing Disney executives did not want to address was the effect of rising theme park prices on the very superfans D23 is supposed to celebrate.A four-day value hotel vacation at Walt Disney world that cost an average of $3,230 in 2019 now costs nearly $4,300, according to Len Testa, president of Touring Plans, a company that helps visitors strategize their theme park visits. A similar four-day family stay at a “deluxe” Disney resort costs nearly $7,300, he said.
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