D23 Delivers The Goods For Hardcore Disney Fans

By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, there are millions of people around the world who worship at the altar of Disney. Whether it's die-hard park lovers, Mickey Mouse collectors, or classic animation buffs, the 87-year-old conglomerate has built a huge fan base. And this past weekend, the Walt Disney Company celebrated "itself" with a massive D23 Expo in Anaheim California.

Sometimes it's hard to fathom how many well-known brands are part of the Disney family. Marvel Comics was acquired by the company back in 2009, the Pixar division has been going strong for years, and don't get us started on the Disneyland and Disney World fan base.

All of most famous properties were on display at the three-day event and each one showed off some pretty unique stuff. On the Marvel side, fans got a taste of the highly-anticipated 2012 film, The Avengers. Stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johansson were on hand to introduce exclusive new footage from the movie, which wowed the crowd.

Other Disney flick sneak peeks included footage from next March's sci fi epic John Carter and the new Muppet film. Fans also got treated to concept art from Sam Raimi's Wizard of Oz update, Oz The Great and Powerful.

On the Pixar front, head honcho John Lasseter arrived to huge cheers and announced two exciting projects. One happens to be an animated dinosaur movie, set to hit theaters in late 2013. The other was called The Untitled Pixar Movie That Takes You Inside The Mind, which we're sure has endless potential. You can look for that one in 2014.

But don't think movies were the only attraction at D23. Disney lovers also got treated to quite a few goodies from the company's theme parks. Concept art was revealed for the new Disneyland Shanghai resort and fans got to participate in live panels with the "Imagineers" who design the rides.

As expected, there was a TON of merchandise on hand. Characters from attractions like The Haunted Mansion graced floor and rare Mickey Mouse collectables were displayed. There were also original animation cels, movie props, and one-of-a-kind sculptures sold at a D23 auction.

The attendees of the event were also a sight to be seen. Truly an affair for the hardcore fans, the D23 guests put the Comic-Con crowd to shame. Throughout the halls of the Anaheim Convention Center, cameras caught Jack Sparrows, Buzz Lightyears, and tons of Mouseketeer hats roaming gleefully and posing for pictures.

Would you classify yourself as a massive Disney fan? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Comics, D23, D23 Expo, Disney, Disneyland, John Lasseter, Marvel, Mickey Mouse, Movies & CineMás, Pixar, The Avengers