What is D23, the Comic-Con of all things Disney?

If theme park updates, movie/TV show announcements, and Disney nostalgia is your vibe, then odds are you’ve heard of the biennial D23 Expo. Now that the 2024 event has concluded, let’s examine what it is—and why it’s so important to the Mouse House as a company.

From cosplays to lengthy Marvel Studios presentations to live performances from Miley Cyrus (à la Hannah Montana) and yes, even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, D23 is truly an all-out corporate spectacle that has to be seen to be believed. But what is this biennial gathering, and why do people drop thousands like it’s Monopoly money just for the chance to attend?

D23 brings the magic to Anaheim, California

D23: The Ultimate Fan Event is, to put it simply, the Disney Adult version of Comic-Con. CEO Bob Iger first kicked off the event back in 2009 as the go-to destination for members of the official Disney fanclub, with “D” of course representing the company’s name and “23” being the year The Walt Disney Company was founded. Whether D23 was intended to be a flashy selling point for prospective investors or just an excuse to bring fans together, it doesn’t matter—D23 is bigger and showier than ever.

Over the weekend, thousands of fans, creators, and Hollywood celebs alike assembled at the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center—both of which are conveniently located a stone’s throw from Disneyland—to attend D23. Here, Disney brands like Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation assembled to share their plans for the future while also celebrating the past, dropping new trailers, theme park updates, and casting announcements galore.

Some projects that got a little love at this year’s Expo included Pixar’s Incredibles 3, Disney Animation’s Moana 2, the Disney+ Agatha All Along series, as well as the next live-action Star Wars show, Skeleton Crew—and that’s only scratching the surface. It was also confirmed that a new Avatar-themed attraction will make its way to Disney California Adventure Park, along with a new Villains Land that’s coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Again, this is just a taste of what D23 is all about, but think of it as being a massive convention complete with an expo floor, panels, activations, VIP guests, etc.

Sunday’s Disney Legends ceremony capped off the whole shebang, with honorees from the likes of Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett, John Williams, and Jamie Lee Curtis all being inducted into Disney’s Hall of Fame, among others. According to Iger, the Disney Legends Award “is the highest honor our company bestows,” and acts as a “celebration of talent, a recognition of achievement, and, above all, a sincere expression of our deep gratitude.” Oh, and naturally, you can stream the entire ceremony on Disney+.

Per usual, D23 2024 was truly a star-studded event, and those looking to attend will have to wait patiently until the next one is held in 2026—just make sure to act fast, because scoring a three-day ticket is a bloodbath. But hey, that’s just some of that good ol’ Disney magic, right?