D23 Expo 2022 News: Tickets, Panels, Exhibits, Merchandise and Essential Info!

D23 Expo 2022 kicks off on September 9th! Let’s take a look at new information and what’s known so far about the event and some exciting new announcements for this highly anticipated event. Panels, exhibits, merchandise, and info below…

MiceChat at D23 EXPO

Before we get started on what Disney is offering this year, we’d like to remind you that MiceChat will have a booth at the D23 EXPO this year, as well as wall-to-wall coverage! 

We have an amazing line-up of guests to meet and prizes to give away. Stop by for your chance to win: 

GRAND PRIZE: 2-Night Stay in HoJo Anaheim’s House of the Future Suite with 2 x two-day Disneyland parkhopper tickets!

MORE AMAZING PRIZES: 

• 2 night stay in a park view suite at the beautiful Westin Anaheim Resort
• 2 night stay in an executive suite at The Anaheim Hotel
• $300 gift certificate to Fleming’s Steakhouse at the Westin Anaheim Resort
• Theme park tickets to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, LEGOLAND, and SeaWorld
• $100 gift certificate to Puesto Restaurant at the Westin Anaheim Resort
• Gift cards to the Pizza Press, Tangerine, Blossom Cafe and more

Meet our special guests: 

• Meet the Maltins – LEONARD MALTIN and daughter JESSIE MALTIN share a lifelong love of all things Disney. Leonard grew up with the original Mickey Mouse Club and Walt Disney hosting his hour-long weekly television show. Jessie grew up surrounded by Disney drawings, animation cels, and assorted toys and objets. But she lucked out in a way Leonard could only dream of a generation earlier: she got to know Disney Legends like composer Richard M. Sherman (who played piano and sang at her wedding), Kathryn Beaumont (the voice of Alice and Wendy), Tony Anselmo (the voice of Donald Duck) and many, many others. Now her ten-month old daughter Daisy is becoming familiar with Mickey and the Fab Five on Disney Jr. 
• Garner Holt -Garner is the founder and president of Garner Holt Productions, Inc., the world’s largest animatronics company. His figures give life to the characters inRadiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure, lend a delightfully creepy vibe to Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland Park, and are found in parks all over the world for Disney, Universal, Knott’s Berry Farm, and hundreds of other locations!
• David Koenig – MiceChat readers know David for his wonderful articles about the parks, fantastic rumors, and his focus on cast member stories, particularly of the earliest Disneylanders. But David is also the author of the incredibly popular Mouse Tales series of books, some of which have been reprinted dozens of times.  

And don’t forget to ask us about “Rally” for a secret message. 

Now, on with the show…

What’s at D23 EXPO 2022

The Expo will feature more than 50 shows, presentations, and panels, including the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, plus an all-new exhibit curated by the Walt Disney Archives highlighting the 100th anniversary of Disney. Most segments of the company and Disney’s major partners will have exhibit floor space. The fan forum will return as well with dozens of vendor booths. And you can expect the regular mix of shopping opportunities. We will share more specific information about the panels and shows in the near future.

Availability of popular panels is always an issue at the Expo. This year, there will be a new 3,000 seat venue added to the mix. Will that be enough… likely not, hence the new random selection process. But every little bit helps: 

• 7,000-seat Hall D23 returns 
• 3,000-seat Premiere Stage
• 1,200-seat Backlot Stage
• 700-seat Walt Disney Archives Stage 
• D23 Expo Live Stage (no capacity announced) will be located on the Expo floor and will feature performances, appearances, and demonstrations, some of which will be livestreamed.  

Hall D23 Events and Presentations

D23 has announced its tentative schedule for the Hall D23 (the 7,000-seat venue) for the Expo weekend. These presentations are generally the heavy-hitters of the D23 Expo, so take a close look and determine which ones you hope to attend. This schedule is subject to change and there are additional events that will be included closer to the Expo date.

Friday, September 9

• Disney100 kickoff at 10:30 am with a presentation that includes the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony. Disney CEO Bob Chapek will be featured in honoring the visionaries and artists who have made an impact on the Disney legacy. Inductees for 2022 will be announced soon!
• Theatrical and Disney+ announcements from Disney Live Action, Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Animation Studios will take place at 3:30 pm. Various levels of production (studio heads, filmmakers, cast members, etc.) will share some details and first looks at these studios’ upcoming works.

Saturday, September 10

• Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will be showcasing theatrical and Disney+ titles, sharing behind-the-scenes details of the studios’ films, specials, and series at 10:00 am. Attendees will see exclusive footage and be among the first to know what the studios are cooking up in the future.
• Disney Branded Television will be sharing an exclusive showcase of upcoming content at 3:30 pm. There will be talent appearances and exclusive previews of original content for Disney+, Disney Channel, and Disney Junior. You can expect to see a glimpse at the new Disney+ Orginal series National Treasure, American Born Chinese, and The Santa Claus. More info on this panel can be found below.

Sunday, September 11

• This is the panel you’ll want to be there for! At 10:30 am, tune into A Boundless Future: Disney Parks, Experiences and Products with Disney Chairman Josh D’Amaro who will share a look at the future of the company. There will be announcements and updates on work that’s happening at Disney Parks across the globe, out on the high seas, and much more. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the work of Disney Imagineers. This panel is always something that has exciting developments and news, and usually a surprise or two.
• Disney Princess – The Concert will take place at 4:15 pm featuring Susan Egan (Broadway’s original Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Meg in Disney’s animated feature Hercules), Isabelle McCalla (Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, The Prom), Disney Channel star Anneliese van der Pol (That’s So Raven, Raven’s Home, Broadway’s final Belle in Beauty and the Beast), and Broadway World Award winner Syndee Winters (Broadway’s Nala in The Lion King, Hamilton). Music director Benjamin Rauhala (Fiddler on the Roof, The Secret Life of Bees) and Prince Adam J. Levy (Moulin Rouge) will also join the quartet. The acclaimed cast will perform favorite Disney Princess and Frozen songs, including classics such as “Part of Your World,” “Let It Go,” “A Whole New World,” “Colors of the Wind,” and “Almost There.”  The performers will not only sing beloved songs but also share anecdotes of their time on the stage and screen.

Disney Turns 100

Much of the theme of this year’s Expo will be inspired by the Disney Company’s 100th anniversary (which doesn’t actually happen until 2023, but they are getting things started a little early).  

The Walt Disney Archives exhibit will also be themed to the 100th anniversary this time around. This year, the Walt Disney Archives will present Step in Time which will 

showcase Walt Disney Archives historical assets like never before with immersive, themed environments from animated shorts, films, and film premieres, as well as television productions and Disney Parks favorites, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Poppins, Tron, and Walt Disney World Resort’s Haunted Mansion.

Step in Time will take place out on the show floor of the Expo, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore it. The exhibit utilizes 12,000 square feet to show off rare historical objects in recreations of the settings they were originally found in. The exhibit will be segmented into 9 themed areas that vary from the iconic boat of Steamboat Willie, spending some time with the carousel horses from Mary Poppins, and even getting to meet the bridge from Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion. This will definitely be one of the highlights of the Expo this year!

 

Speaking of Disney history, the Walt Disney Archives Stage will be returning for the 2022 Expo as well. There will be over a dozen panels and presentations throughout the Expo to explore various facets of Disney history including the 50-year legacy of the Main Street Electrical Parade, the Mickey Mouse Club of the 80s and 90s, and of course, WDW’s 50th anniversary.

On Saturday (September 10) at 10 am, join the Archives team and their guests at the 1,250-seat Backlot stage for a look at the upcoming Disney100: The Exhibition which will open at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia next February. 

D23 StagePass Changes

If there’s a particular panel that you’re interested in (D23 hasn’t announced the full schedule yet), you’ll need to have some luck. StagePass at the Expo will be utilizing a random selection process to get guests into the presentations. Though, if there is something you really have your heart set on attending, there will still be stand-by lines for the panels. But with the Preferred Pass taking up the good spots, and StagePass taking up much of the rest, don’t expect great seats if you are in standby.  

D23 has mentioned that this will be an in-person event this year. However, not everyone may be ready for a large-scale event that is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors. For those who are interested in attending but can’t make the event, D23 will be live streaming more of the panels this year.

Disney Branded Television Panel

For the first-ever Disney Branded Television panel at D23 Expo, there will be a star-studded showcase filled with info and entertainment regarding all things Disney+, Disney Channel, and Disney Junior. Disney’s Epic Entertainment Showcase: The Musical: The Extravaganza!, hosted by Raven-Symoné and Lilly Singh will take place on September 10 at 3:30 pm in Hall D23 and will also be live-streamed to guests unable to attend the expo. This panel will feature major news about upcoming entertainment, big stars, musical performances, and previous of upcoming series, specials, and movies coming to Disney entertainment outlets. 

The panel will have a large number of stars and creative teams from some of the most anticipated upcoming titles. Here is a look at who’s coming from each outlet:

Disney+

• American Born Chinese: Executive producer Kelvin Yu and stars Michelle Yeoh, Daniel Wu, and Ben Wang
• Growing Up: Executive producer and director Brie Larson and series subject Vanessa Aryee
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: Stars Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Matt Cornett, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Saylor Bell Curda, Adrian Lyles, Larry Saperstein, Joe Serafini, and Liamani Segura
• National Treasure: Edge of History: Stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lisette Olivera, Zuri Reed, Lyndon Smith, Antonio Cipriano, Jordan Rodrigues, and Jake Austin Walker
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Executive producer and author Rick Riordan and special guests
• Prom Pact and Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.: Stars Peyton Elizabeth and Milo Manheim
• Choir: Detroit Youth Choir and choir director Anthony White
• The Muppets Mayhem: Stars Lilly Singh and The Electric Mayhem, including Teeth, Floyd, Lips, Zoot, Janice, and Animal
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder: Creator and executive producer Bruce W. Smith, executive producer Ralph Farquhar, and cast members Paula Jai Parker, Alisa Reyes Karen Malina White, Soleil Moon Frye, and JoMarie Payton
• The Santa Clauses: Stars Disney Legend Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Kal Penn, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, Austin Kane, Matilda Lawler, Devin Bright, and Rupali Redd
• ZOMBIES 3: Stars Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Kylee Russell, Carla Jeffery, Trevor Tordjman, Chandler Kinney, Pearce Joza, Matt Cornett, Terry Hu, and Kyra Tantao

Disney Channel

• Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Executive producers Laurence Fishburne and Steve Loter, and cast members Diamond White, Fred Tatasciore, and Libe Barer
• Phineas and Ferb: Creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh
• Raven’s Home: Stars Raven-Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Felix Avitia, Emmy Liu-Wang, and Rondell Sheridan
• Under Wraps 2: Stars Malachi Barton, Christian J. Simon, Sophia Hammons, and Phil Wright

Disney Junior

• Alice’s Wonderland Bakery: Star Donald Faison
• Firebuds and Alice’s Wonderland Bakery: Star Yvette Nicole Brown
• Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends and Mickey Mouse Funhouse: Star John Stamos
• Mickey Mouse Funhouse: Star Harvey Guillén

You can look at the full lineup of Disney Branded Television content below.

 

Journey Into Storytelling Pavilion

Disney is more than just Mickey Mouse and Frozen. With its array of various programs, Disney General Entertainment will be presenting over 30 of its popular options in the Journey Into Storytelling pavilion. Here, you can step into some of the popular programs from the various arms of the Disney company with several photo ops. This includes classics like “Good Morning America” to modern favorites like “Abbot Elementary” and “Only Murders in the Building.”

Here’s the lineup of photo ops at Journey Into Storytelling:

ABC News:

Good Morning America (ABC and Hulu) TSS Shot
Begin the journey seeing your name in lights on the famed ABC News’ Good Morning Americamarquee—a must-have photo op.

Disney Branded Television:

American Born Chinese (Disney+) – Mythical Staff Maneuvers
Learn how to master the staff alongside the mythical Chinese heroes featured in Disney Branded Television’s American Born Chinese.

National Treasure: Edge of History (Disney+) – Clue Room Zoom
Gear up for an archeological adventure by searching for clues in the secret tunnel of the pyramid with Disney Branded Television’s National Treasure: Edge of History.

ABC Entertainment:

Abbott Elementary (ABC and Hulu) – Sub for a Day
Step into a day in the life of a substitute teacher at Abbott Elementary and see how you would respond in some iconic scenes!

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC and Hulu)
Do as the world-class staff of Grey Sloan Memorial do when they need a boost: strike a superhero pose or dance it out!

Freeform:

Cruel Summer (Freeform and Hulu) – Y2K Room
Enter this experience to take a turn on Dance Dance Revolution to your favorite throwback hits, pose in the Y2K-era bedroom and get a glimpse at the lake life in a cool airstream photo op from the upcoming season of Cruel Summer.

FX:

American Horror Story – Horror Scare Moment (FX and Hulu)
Be the star of your own nightmare while celebrating 11 award-winning seasons of FX’s American Horror Story.

Hulu Originals:

Only Murders in the Building – Arconia Silhouettes
Become a resident of the famed Arconia with your very own Mabel Mora-style portrait with Hulu Originals’ Only Murders in the Building.

The Kardashians – 7th Sister
Think you have what it takes to be a Kardashian? Give it your best strut.

Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers – Skyhook Slo Mo
Fulfill your Laker’s legacy with your very own attempt at the skyhook inspired by Lakers legends. 

National Geographic Content:

Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory (Disney+); Fire of Love (Disney+); Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (Disney+)

Push your own limits by becoming an explorer at some of the most stunning environmental settings around the world with National Geographic.

Inspired by Stories

The panels have been announced for D23 Expo that give attendees an opportunity to hear about the latest product innovations, research from authors, and explore fashion trends. Here are some of the highlights:

• Women in Disney Fashion: Step into the minds of major Disney fashion icons as they share an exclusive look at their upcoming Disney collaborations.
• It’s a Small Disney World: Celebrating the Art of Disney Parks: Ever wondered what it’s like to be an official Disney Parks artist? Disney will gather six artists to dive into their art, ideas for the future, and behind-the-scenes insights.
• Cautionary Tales with the Disney Villains: The Imagination of Ridley Pearson: Cautionary Tales author Ridley Pearson and Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline will delight fans and spark creativity with insider Disney stories.
• National Geographic’s 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: From a dessert cruise with fireworks views to an exclusive dinner in Walt’s Disneyland apartment, discover one-of-a-kind magical Disney experiences in this memorable discussion with expert Marcy Carriker Smothers.
• Hey Disney! — a custom voice assistant built on Amazon’s Alexa technology — will be highlighted on the D23 Expo show floor (stay tuned for more details). Whether at home or in a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort hotel room, fans will be able to use an Echo device to interact with their favorite Disney, Star Wars, or Pixar characters.
• On the Show Floor: Attendees can also check out activations from Visa, Amazon, Target, Aniplex, BoxLunch, Citizen, Enterprise, Funko / Loungefly, IMAX, Pandora, Ravensburger and Sunglass Hut, along with many others.

Mousequerade 

The costume contest will again be featured. On a press call today, they spent more time talking about the costume contest than anything else.  

This one is certainly fun and quirky. We love seeing what the fans come up with. There will be a new mashup category this year for costumes that defy a single character or concept. And, you know it’s going to be unique when the host is an over-the-top and hysterical drag queen! The winner of the contest will be bringing home $2,300! If costuming is your thing, you’d better get to planning!

Disney Music Emporium

If you’re a fan of Disney music, you’re in luck with the return of the Disney Music Emporium pavilion. The online destination for Disney music products will be bringing an array of collectible musical items— including new releases from Marvel and Lucasfilm, vinyl albums, die-cut picture-disc vinyl, and more. Here’s a quick look at the Disney Music Emporium at D23 Expo 2022.

Much of the appeal to D23 Expo is the access to exclusive or early release products. The Disney Music Emporium is not exempt from this line of thought; there will be 24 new offerings at the Expo with 10 titles being either exclusive to the Expo or first-to-market. Here are some of the titles:

• • Encanto die-cut vinyl (featuring “Surface Pressure” and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”)
  • Enchanted (available for the first time on clear vinyl), Hocus Pocus (score-only on moon-variant vinyl)
  • Minnie Lo-Fi (on purple orchid vinyl)
  • Adventure Thru Inner Space (picture disc)
  • The Lion King on Broadway (first time on vinyl)
  • The Mandalorian Season 1 (exclusive sand-colored vinyl)
  • Music from WandaVision (exclusive red vinyl)
  • The Legacy Collection: Aladdin (exclusive CD)
  • Turning Red – The Mix (exclusive CD)

There will also be a panel that highlights the music from Marvel Studios. Taking place at 2:30pm on Friday, September 9 on the Backlot Stage, Jon Burlingame will host Disney For Scores Podcast Live, which brings the format of the popular For Scores podcast to the Expo as he interviews composers from Marvel series and films. Composers that will be featured include yler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), Laura Karpman (Ms. Marvel, What If…?), and Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel). 

Other news from the Disney Music Emporium includes that there will be a gift with purchase (a limited-edition Disney Movie Club collective pendant) while supplies last, a deal on SiriusXM for D23 Expo attendees, and giveaways that include the limited first-edition Disney Hits Trading Cards. 

Marvel Pavilion and Panels

Fans of Marvel will be able to explore the Marvel Studios Pavilion on the show floor and experience a collection of costumes, win prizes, and take photos. Although not many details have been announced for this particular pavilion, it should be an interesting place to learn about current and upcoming Marvel titles. In addition to the pavilion, there are also a handful of Marvel panels taking place across the Expo:

• Marvel DRAW Live! – Friday, September 9, 2–2:30 pm and Saturday, September 10, 1:30–2 pm at D23 Expo Live! Stage 
  • Learn to draw some of Marvel’s most iconic heroes and villains from Brian Crosby, Marvel’s director of themed entertainment in a step-by-step tutorial
• Hall D23 Presentation – Saturday, September 10, 10am at Hall D23
  • As mentioned above, Marvel Studios will join Lucasfilm and others to showcase theatrical and Disney+ titles. 
• Marvel Comics: Celebrating 60 Years of the Amazing Spider-Man
  Saturday, September 10, 2–3 pm at Backlot Stage
  • Join Marvel’s Executive Spider-Editor Nick Lower and Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski as they explore the history of Spider-Man across six decades and beyond. This panel will showcase the friendly neighborhood hero with all sorts of trivia. Plus, fans attending will receive an exclusive giveaway (yet to be revealed). If you like Spidey, you’re gonna want to see this
• Signings with C.B. Cebulski and Nick Lowe – Saturday, September 10, 5:30-6:30 pm at Talent Central
  • Head over to Talent Central to meet with Marvel’s Executive Spider-Editor Nick Lower and Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski for an opportunity to have something signed

D23 Expo 2022 Panels

The full lineup of panels has been confirmed for the Expo. All three days of the Expo are filled to the brim with various shows, panels, and experiences. To see the full listing of panels, take a look at the article below that details everything.

Make Your Plans: D23 Expo Schedule Revealed!

 

D23 Expo Merchandise

Of course, one of the main reasons to head to D23 Expo is for the merchandise. The popular D23 Emporium will be making a return Here’s a first look at some of the Expo logo merchandise for this year’s event:

D23 Gold Members will get merchandise discounts at select locations.

Disney’s retail locations include the D23 Expo Marketplace, Mickey’s of Glendale, and Disney Publishing, not including the incredible assortment of other vendors out on the Expo floor. Here’s a quick look at what Disney items you can expect to see at Expo this year.

D23 Expo Marketplace

This is an all-new shopping experience that spans 27,000 square feet featuring merchandise from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and other fan-favorite collections and characters. There will be some limited-edition merchandise, as well as the first items that celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary. The D23 Expo Marketplace will offer merchandise from shopDisney, Disney store, and Disney Parks in a curated experience. 

Mickey’s of Glendale, the Walt Disney Imagineering Store

This will be a collection of three unique retail spaces. There will be the Mickey’s of Glendale Main Store that will have merchandise designed by Imagineers (such as hats, t-shirts, accessories, etc.) as well as merchandise that celebrates Imagineering’s upcoming 70th anniversary. Mickey’s of Glendale Pin Store will include a large assortment of limited-edition pins for all you pin collectors out there. Finally, the D23 Expo Shop x Mickey’s of Glendale will be where you can find all the official merchandise of D23 Expo 2022. 

Disney Publishing

This will be the shopping destination for avid readers with a penchant for Disney knowledge. There will be an array of first-to-market books available during the Expo, and there will be featured authors at the booth including Disney historian and 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime author Marcy Carriker Smothers, DisneyBound’s Leslie Kay, Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl’s Julie Kagawa, and Cautionary Tales’ Ridley Pearson. You can expect to see some of these celebrated authors at panels discussing their work.

What’s Available?

While we don’t know the full assortment of items available for D23 Expo 2022, we do have a few merchandise collections to keep an eye out for.

• Obviously, there is the D23 Expo official merchandise that will be highlighted.
• Additionally, there will be merchandise celebrating Disney100.

• Over at D23 Expo Marketplace (and also on shopDisney), there will be new Marvel merchandise, including a new collection “World of Wakanda” inspired by Black Panther. 

• There will be a new Star Wars collection by HerUniverse’s Ashley Eckstein (who played the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars), “Guided by the Light” that is inspired by the character she voiced. This collection will also be available on shopDisney.

• There will be a new line of scented plushes, Disney Munchlings, that are inspired by the treats of Disney Parks Main Street Bakery. So far, these collectibles include a scented Mickey Mouse Cinnamon Swirl Bun and Minnie Mouse Wild Strawberry Cupcake. Disney Munchlings will also be available for purchase on shopDisney.

How to Shop at D23 Expo 2022

The shopping experience has been updated for this year’s Expo. There will be a virtual queue with boarding groups in order to visit D23 Expo Marketplace, Mickey’s of Glendale Main Store, or Mickey’s of Glendale Pin Store that can be accessed through the Disneyland app or by scanning a QR code near the shop’s entrance. The usage of the Disneyland app is a new addition to the Expo this year, and it’s something we’re going to be interested to see its implementation.

Another way that the Disneyland app will be integrated into D23 Expo this year will be with Merchandise Mobile Checkout, just like what’s already in place around the Disneyland Resort. Almost all of Disney’s retail locations for Expo (excluding the Mickey’s of Glendale Pin Store) will offer this as a method to save time during your shopping spree.

For limited-edition collection items, Expo attendees will once again be able to reserve them using StorePass. This online reservation system will launch prior to the start of D23 Expo. Details on StorePass reservations will be announced later this summer.

Shopping Virtual Queue Instructions

To use the virtual queue at D23 Expo, you need to download BOTH the D23 Expo 2022 app and the Disneyland app. Here are the instructions on joining a virtual queue:

Step 1: Open the D23 Expo app and navigate to the retail location. Guests may alternatively use their mobile device camera to scan a QR code located at the entrances of the locations listed above.

Step 2: Tap “Join Virtual Queue” at your retail location. Guests can request to join a D23 Expo virtual queue at 6 a.m. or 1 p.m. PST.

Step 3: You will be navigated to the Disneyland Resort app where you’ll be prompted to log in if you haven’t already. Once you’re logged in, select the number of Guests and tap “Join Virtual Queue”. Guests may join for up to 2 people and may only join one queue at a time. 

Step 4: You will see a confirmation screen with an estimated wait time. While you wait for your boarding group to be notified, enjoy other D23 Expo experiences.

Step 5: You’ll receive a push notification when your group is ready. Notifications are expected to begin after 10 a.m. PST, and you’ll have one hour to arrive back at your selected retail location after you have been notified.

There will also be limited capacity to join a standby physical queue that will begin at show entry (5am) on a first-come-first-served basis.

Walt Disney’s Plane

To commemorate this Expo, Disney will be showcasing Walt’s famous airplane, the Mickey Mouse One. The plane is currently housed backstage at Walt Disney World and will be getting a refurbishment so it can be viewed by guests at the Expo this September. It also appears that Disney got Amazon to pay for the refurbishment (or at least part of it) as they are listed as the Platinum sponsor for the exhibit.

The Mickey Mouse One will be available to see in the Arena of the Anaheim Convention Center as part of an exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives including specially selected items that represent the history of the aircraft. You can expect to see a customized instrument panel originally located near Walt’s favorite onboard seat (enabling him to monitor flight conditions), a telephone handset (which gave Walt a direct line of communication to the pilot in the cockpit), and a flight bag adorned with an image of Mickey Mouse sitting on the tail of the plane.

D23 Expo Tips

This year’s D23 Expo will be different than previous years in many ways. Here’s what you need to know before the Expo kicks off.

• There are NO overnight queues. There are 5 entry points that start at 5am; there will be no queueing at entries before 4:30am
• There will be security screening at all event entrances, including bag check and metal detection. This can be a time-consuming process, to plan accordingly
• You need to have your physical badge in order to enter the Expo; digital ticket confirmation will not allow access
• Standby queues will be available for ALL D23 Expo stage venues, Talent Central, and most experiences across the show floor. If you did not get reservations for panels that you were hoping for, you should aim to do a standby queue
• The show hours for all guests are 9am to 7pm each day of the Expo
• Parking is available at the Anaheim Convention Center for a fee payable by credit/debit cards, Apple or Google Pay (cash is not accepted). 

Health & Safety

• Proof of vaccination or a negative test will NOT be required for guests
• Masks are recommended for all guests at all times, but not required in all areas
• Masks ARE required and strictly enforced for all guests in certain areas where talent is present
  • If the spacing between talent and guest is 6 feet or MORE, guests may remove masks while taking their photo
  • If the spacing between talent and guest is LESS than 6 feet, guests must REMAIN masked
  • Areas where masks are required for all guests will be clearly marked and enforced. Those who refuse to wear a mask will be asked to leave the area. Signage will be present at the event regarding masking and symptoms.

But the Real Star of the Show is Always…

What we most look forward to every Expo is the Disney Parks & Resorts and Imagineering pavilion. This year, the pavilion is dubbed the Wonderful World of Dreams. Although there aren’t many specifics that have been released for this pavilion, we hope to get some answers to some quietly canceled projects like EPCOT’s Mary Poppins and Avengers Campus Quinjet attractions.

What will be announced at Expo 2022? They are billing this as the 100th anniversary of Disney. If they don’t have massive plans to announce for the parks, will you be disappointed? And just what do you want those things to be? 3rd park for Disneyland? Tomorrowland revived? Are EPCOT plans back on track? Let us know!

For more about the Wonderful World of Dreams pavilion and panels from Imagineering and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, be sure to look at our coverage below:

D23 Expo News: Imagineering and Parks Plans Revealed

D23 Expo Tickets

Tickets sold out FAST this time around. Tickets for all dates for the D23 Expo 2022 are now sold out! If you didn’t get a ticket to the Expo this year, be sure to stay tuned to MiceChat.com for stories from the event.

Let’s Hear From You!

Are you ready for the 7th D23 Expo? What are you most looking forward to and what adjustments would you most want them to make this time around? With so many guests, it isn’t possible to do everything, so how do you prioritize what you’ll do and your expectations? 

FOLLOW ALL THE INFO FROM D23 EXPO 2022 ON OUR DEDICATED EXPO PAGE:

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This article has been updated to provide you with additional information on the upcoming D23 Expo. We will continue to make updates as information is released.

Update Log: 

• June 9, 2022 – Article written with currently available information 
• June 14, 2022 – Disney 100 Archive Exhibit info added
• June 21, 2022 – Disney shopping and merchandise info added
• July 12, 2022 – Disney Music Emporium info added
• July 23, 2022 – Information about D23 Expo tickets sold out added
• August 1, 2022 – Information about the DPEP Pavilion added
• August 2, 2022 – Marvel Pavilion and panels info added
• August 31, 2022 – Disney Branded Television Panel info added
• September 1, 2022 – Tips and virtual queue information added