The D23 Expo officially kicks off on Friday, as fans will have their first opportunity to walk the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center. We had the chance, though, to get an early look at various sections of the show Thursday night as part of a media preview. The Disney Parks and Resorts pavilion teased new Star Wars and Avatar-themed lands at Walt Disney World and highlighted the cutting-edge technology that make the Disney theme parks run, while the Disney Store and Disney Consumer Products pavilion provided us with a look at some great Disney/Pixar merchandise. After the break, find over 100 photos that will take you through all three of these areas of the D23 Expo!
There are a wealth of amazing things to see at the Disney Parks and Resorts pavilion, which highlights Disney Imagineering for its 60th Anniversary this year. The teases at new Star Wars and Avatar lands, though, is what will capture the headlines. Disney dropped Star Wars hints by placing a collection of crates in the middle of the pavilion, labeled with Orange Harvest. If you are a fan of the films, you may already know that Blue Harvest was a codename for Star Wars Episode VII. Oranges being strongly associated with Florida, Orange Harvest is almost surely a “codename” for a new Star Wars land at Walt Disney World (rumored to be in development for the resort’s Disney Hollywood Studios park). Below you can find images of the crates, which are packed with Star Wars references.
Below are some images of the teases at the new Avatar land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Disney World. It was announced back in 2011, and Imagineers have been hard at work trying to bring the ambitious project to life.
The bulk of the photos take you on a photo tour through much of the Parks pavilion, previewing new technology and celebrating the revolutionary ideas that help make the Disney parks innovative:
The Disney Store at the Expo will surely be packed the entire weekend, as it has a large selection of exclusive products debuting, including the fantastic Disney/Pixar collection we announced on Thursday. Take a look at the products that will be on sale (at least while they are available):
Finally, the Disney Consumer Products pavilion will have an outstanding collection of products to showcase. Specifically, the Mattel section will be a highlight for Pixar fans, as it will be the point of sale for some exclusive products such as the Small Fry Buzz Lightyear figure. Take a look at products from the booth below:
We will be at the D23 Expo for all three days, bringing you extensive coverage of the Pixar-related panels and products. Head back to The Pixar Times throughout the weekend and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the big news!
