From D23 Expo to Destination D23: What Surprised This Fan

I have been to every D23 Expo (now renamed “D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience”) since its inception, but this was the first time I have had the opportunity to attend Destination D23, the Anaheim convention’s Orlando counterpart. And I must confess, I was impressed at how the two manage to feel like unique and very different experiences. Based on my Expo history, I thought I knew what to expect, and I was surprised at the contrasts. Yes, the focus is still on all things Disney, but the execution is where things diverge. Join me as I explore what makes Destination D23 special and reminisce about this year’s highlights!

Destination D23 vs. D23: The Ultimate Fan Experience – What’s the Difference?

Destination D23 2025 was held at the convention center in Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World. It had previously been at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, but this location can host more people, allowing for 4,000 seats in the auditorium for panels.

Emphasis on Panels Instead of an Exhibit Hall

Unlike at D23: The Ultimate Fan Experience, your badge guarantees you a seat in the panels. This change is particularly important because the panels are the main draw of Destination D23. Every single panel was a high-quality production, and the topics varied to cater to Disney fans with different focuses. There were ones that discussed upcoming Walt Disney Studios films, food, drinks, & novelties at Disney Parks & Resorts, Disney Channel shows of the past, movies from the dawn of the millennium, and Disney Parks history, to name a few.

So instead of exploring the show floor to find exhibits, the information all comes to you while you sit in your chair. And no matter where you sat, you could still see the stage and the information they projected, courtesy of many of the overhead screens throughout the auditorium.

But that isn’t to say that there weren’t any exhibits. Destination D23 also includes a walk-through experience from the Walt Disney Archives with exhibits inspired by that year’s theme. 2025’s theme was “A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney,” so the Walt Disney Archives exhibit was called “Charting the Course: Disney’s Global Stories and Inspirations.”

Star Power in Spades

It felt like every panel was packed to the roof with big names, starting, of course, with Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel and D23’s first Fan-bassador. Aside from helping transition between several panels, she also moderated the Part of Our World panel and performed the song “Disneyland” from the Broadway show Smile, which was the last show she was in before being cast as Ariel.

We also got to see stars of upcoming Walt Disney Studios movies, like Patrick Warburton, playing the role of Mayor Winddancer in Zootopia 2. And for Pixar’s Hoppers, actors Piper Curda and Bobbie Moynihan shared the stage with the movie’s director, Daniel Chong, and its producer, Nicole Paradis Grindle.

Sometimes the celebrities did more than answer questions or share anecdotes. During the “What’cha Doin’ with Phineas and Ferb” panel, the show’s creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, had a rapid-fire sketching session of their favorite characters from the show.

And there were so many musical performances by talent from the screen, the stage, and beyond. Michael James Scott and Joey Fatone performing “Trashin’ the Camp” from Tarzan was certainly a happy, high-energy surprise.

There really was someone for every kind of Disney fan.

Journey Beyond the Berm… Err, Convention Center

On August 30, the fun extended from the convention center and into Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park for an extra-special D23-exclusive pool party called Kuzcotopia Night, to honor the 25th anniversary of The Emperor’s New Groove (there was also a themed panel earlier in the day). Attendees were guaranteed admission, but other D23 Gold-level members could purchase tickets to the event. There were roaming characters, Exotic Bird Bingo (as a nod to Kronk’s hobby), a dance party, free snacks & drinks, and of course, shorter waits for all of the water park’s attractions.

And while they weren’t exclusively for attendees, several other special events also took place.

August 29 was a night for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, and the after-hours party had a special ticket listing for D23 Gold members.

That same date was also the opening of the highly anticipated (and rightly so!) new pirate-themed dining experience in Adventureland, The Beak and Barrel. You can read my experience at the restaurant and get acquainted with the menu and the location’s backstory here:

Avast, The Beak and Barrel NOW OPEN at Magic Kingdom!

Additionally, D23 held events in Disney Springs for days leading up to Destination D23, like speed-puzzling competitions (hosted by Ravensburger, of course) and a special screening of A Goofy Movie.

My Personal Destination D23 2025 Highlights

There was so much going on during and outside of the panels that it was a bit difficult for me to pick my favorite parts. But after much thought, here are my top highlights:

Learning Lesser-Known Facts from the Panels

Destination D23’s panels are peppered with fun facts and interesting images that you just won’t find anywhere else (and that includes the internet!). I loved the Easter egg hunt-like experience of discovering these nuggets of knowledge.

Here are some of my favorites:

• During the Walt Disney Studios panel, Conan O’Brien’s character for Toy Story 5, Smarty Pants, was unveiled. Smarty Pants is a potty-training toy, so instead of signing the red wall in Pixar Studios like most actors who contribute to Pixar films, Conan left his mark in the studio bathroom. His message, along with the caricature he drew with it, was shared for the first time with Destination D23 attendees.

• During the Disney Villains: Icons of Evil panel, a new video of Andreas Deja, the animator responsible for many of the well-known bad guys of Disney films, such as Gaston, Jafar, and Scar, was shown. Andreas shared inspirations behind and sketches of characters (like the birthday card shown below, created for Imagineer Marc Davis). I was especially tickled by the fact that Gaston’s personality was inspired by men working out in the gyms in Los Angeles. Being a master of bringing so many villains to life, Andreas is working alongside Imagineers on the creation of the future Villains Land coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

• Many Disney Parks fans know that Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was inspired by Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, but that wasn’t the only reference used. The architecture of France’s Loire Valley was also incorporated, thanks to a Frenchman named Roland Hill, whom Walt Disney met while serving in World War I. During that time, Walt had observed Roland sketching buildings and ruins in his spare time. Some years later, Roland moved to the United States and worked on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea before being transferred to WED. It was there that Roland proposed adding a French influence to the castle’s design.
• Dorothea Redmond’s gorgeous mosaic mural in Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella Castle snuck in cameos of two fellow Imagineers, Herb Ryman and John Hench. I will never look at that mural the same way ever again!

Exploring Destination D23’s Shopping Areas

Being a merchandise-oriented individual (I helped launch MiceMerch for this website), I was pleased with the items sold at Destination D23 (although I will mention the scale of the shops is much smaller than that found in previous D23 Expos). The majority of the event-exclusive products were sold at The Walt Disney Company Store, Mickey’s of Glendale, and Disney Studio Store Hollywood, but some could also be found among the companies in the Ink and Paint Marketplace (more on that in a moment). There were a good number of merchandise collections created specifically for the Destination D23, not to mention the vast number of pins released for the event.

The Ink and Paint Marketplace was home to the third-party companies that create licensed Disney merchandise, and with Lug being the presenting sponsor, their booth was front and center with other companies’ booths, like Ravensburger and Bath & Body Works, surrounding it.

Find out more about my favorites from Destination D23 2025’s Ink and Paint Marketplace, plus where and how you can purchase these gems now that the event is over, in this article: 

Destination D23 Merchandise Gems: What’s Hot & Where to Find Them

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Discount Disney Tickets and Travel 

From Orlando to Anaheim, the next D23 event is D23: The Ultimate Fan Experience 2026! Find the newly announced dates and other event details here:

NEWS: D23 Expo Returns to Anaheim in August 2026

As I mentioned, the panels are packed with information, some of which was teasers and news about developments coming to Disney Parks. You’ll find the Walt Disney World-related updates in this WDW Update!

WDW UPDATE: Rivers Run Dry, Villains Rise & Muppet Mayhem!

And speaking of “updates,” here’s some Tron-related news out of Destination D23 that includes a ride overlay:

TRON: Ares Powers Up — And the Parks Plug In!

Let’s Hear from You

Which event is more your style, Destination D23 or the D23 Expo (or “The Ultimate Fan Experience” as they call it today)? What aspects appeal to you the most? Are you the sort of Disney fan who likes to learn the minutiae of the company’s history? Let us know in the comments below!

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Disney for inviting me to attend Destination D23 (I paid for my own airfare and hotel). It was an extraordinary Disney experience.