D23’s Destination D: Amazing Adventure Recap
Now that we have all recovered from turkey overload, we can take a look back at by far one of my favorite events D23 puts on: Destination D. This amazing event took place November 18th through the 20th at the iconic Contemporary Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort.
The first day was purely for checking in and waiting to get a chance to shop at the always popular Mickey's of Glendale pop-up shop. One of the surprises at check in was our very own MagicBand 2 themed to this event.
MagicBand 2 is the next step in giving guest a easier way to visit the WDW parks, with the ability to take the "puck" out of the band and attach it to a key chain or zipper pull type accessories. The first of the MagicBand 2s will be going out to Annual Passholders in December with the roll out to hotel guests and their availability to purchase in the park coming early 2017.
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The Mickey's of Glendale WDI pop up store is a must do for any D23 event and this was no different. Guests waited over five hours to pick up some exclusive pins and merchandise created just for this event.
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Guests also had the chance to stop by Walt's Great Adventures Exhibit from the Disney Archives.
Of course Day One was just the shopping and sightseeing day, Day Two is when the event really kicked off.Heading into our home for the next two days, we were welcomed by some great photo opportunities — really the only ones available due to the strict no photo/video/audio rules that ensure only guests of the event were able to experience all the sights and sounds.
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Kicking off the morning was D23's own Jeffrey Epstein have a sit down conversation with Chairmen of Disney Parks and Resorts, Bob Chapek. During the event, Chapek talked about things to come to the parks in the future, but always with an open ended tease. But he did spill the beans (blue beans?) that Pandora: The World of Avatar would be opening at Disney's Animal Kingdom Summer 2017 and gave a sneak peek of that and the Star Wars expansion coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios.
This recently revealed entry bridge to Pandora – The World of AVATAR will connect to Discovery Island when the new land opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom next summer. (Disney)
Pongu Pongu is a special drink location in Pandora – The World of AVATAR with a design that’s as eclectic as its Expat owner. (Disney)
Windtraders is a merchandise location in Pandora – The World of AVATAR where travelers can purchase souvenirs, including Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits and more. (Disney)
Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars-themed land will take on a whole new dimension after dark and feature adventures and surprises around each corner, including a signature attraction letting guests take the controls of the Millennium Falcon. (Disney)
Following the Bob and Jeffrey show was a presentation from Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline and film producer Don Hahn gave us a look back at the history of the True-Life Adventures and the current Disneynature films, while adding their own bit of humor.
A TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE –– Considered the first nature documentaries, Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures consisted of 13 films that celebrated the magic of nature with a unique Disney touch. (Disney)
These two really peeled back the curtain on the groundbreaking series that started the "nature documentaries" as we know them today. Together Cline and Hahn shared in site on the people who risked their lives to bring us the original True-Life Adventures and Hahn, who has been executive producer for many of the Disneynauture films, gave us a feeling of the sheer will and dedication — in some cases years — these film makers have to bring 90 minutes of film to the theaters
Film producer Don Hahn and Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives take the stage at D23’s Destination D: Amazing Adventures to explore Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventures series. (Disney)
Thankfully throughout the day we had Dr. Albert Falls to guide us along our adventure and always bring the crowd to a good chuckle....or in some cases a groan.
For me, one of the highlights of any D23 event is getting a chance to hear from Disney Legends. In this case, that included one of the few that has been at every Disney Park opening from Disneyland all the way to Shanghai: Marty Sklar. Sklar gave us a history of not only Adventureland but the Imagineers who helped build it.
CREATING A JUNGLE –– Walt Disney (right) and Harper Goff (left) take a test ride on the Jungle Cruise. The Jungle Cruise opened with Disneyland park in 1955 and was later introduced at Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. (Disney)
Disney Legend Marty Sklar takes Destination D guests through the earliest concepts of one of the most iconic Disney theme park lands, Adventureland. (Disney)
After a brief trip to the local water hole or quick service restaurant, it was time to learn explore "Adventurelands" from Florida to Shanghai with Imagineers Tony Baxter, Jason Grandt, and Luc Mayrand.
Imagineers Jason Grandt, Tony Baxter, and Luc Mayrand explore Disney Adventurelands around the world. (Disney)
This panel was a stand out, with great stories of Adventurelands from people who helped create them. Baxter, who not only designed one of the most extraordinary Adventurelands in Disneyland Paris but also was one of the men who helped bring Indiana Jones to Adventureland, shared stories of what changes had to be made to bring the adventures of the jungles to places where they may not translate so well.
Mayrand, Portfolio Creative Executive Shanghai Disneyland, gave a bit of the background for the Treasure Cove and Adventure Isle area of Shanghai as they would be explored in much greater detail on Day Three.
AHOY FROM TREASURE COVE –– Guests can enter a town taken over by pirates in Treasure Cove at Shanghai Disneyland. The adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa, and the rest of the motley crew have inspired attractions and entertainment at Disney theme parks around the world. (Disney)
ROWING THROUGH ADVENTURE ISLE –– Guests can explore the wilds of Q’olari River by canoe in Shanghai Disneyland. Adventure Isle is the newest “adventure land” in a Disney theme park. Beginning with Disneyland in 1955, Adventureland has inspired adventures in Disney theme parks around the world, from the Jungle Cruise to Pirates of the Caribbean. (Disney)
What would any Adventureland be without a Jungle Cruise? (Well, except Disneyland Paris...) Who better to tell us about the Jungle Cruise than a bunch of skippers?
Sharing stories, anecdotes, and more than a few bad puns, these former skippers took us on a trip thru the rivers of the world-famous Jungle Cruise right into how the Jingle Cruise came to be and ending with a trip to the Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom. This panel had the crowd roaring with laughter at tales of antics along the rivers and even a view of a few things that never made it, including a croc punching gorilla. The worst part about this panel was that it had to end, much like Sam Eagle has in Muppet*Vision 3D, with their glorious presentation had just over a minute and a half to give us a full tour of the Skipper Canteen. But it was still very entertaining.
Guests pass an elephant bathing pool during a Jungle Cruise expedition. The Jungle Cruise opened with Disneyland park in 1955 and was later introduced at Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. (Disney)
Closing out Day Two was a pair of panels that both ended up having more in common than many would have thought when we walked into the ballroom that morning. First up was a look at Disney's Polynesian Resort's 45th Anniversary with Disney artists Casey Jones and Richard Terpstra, Disney Vacation Club's Ryan March and D23's Steven Vagnini.
There really is nothing more fun than to hear people who are passionate talk about the history of my favorite resort. Going all the way back to the early days of Walt planning Project X, the Polynesian Village Resort was always part of the theme park area, but went thru many different ideas — even a volcano looking design tower. Vagnini, we could all tell, has a true love for one of the original resorts and really came across in all the work he poured into searching the Walt Disney Archives from rare photos and designs. But no visit to the Poly, as I call it, is complete without seeing Auntie Kau'l — a long time Cast Member of the hotel (and a heck of a hula dancer as we all found out) shared how she came to Walt Disney World from Hawaii and as she said "never went back." To end this panel, Kau'l had all 1,000+ guests stand and learn the hula.
Legendary cast member Auntie Kau’I, cultural representative Ku’ulei, and musician Kalei join Disney artists Casey Jones and Richard Terpstra, Disney Vacation Club’s Ryan March and D23’s Steven Vagnini to celebrate 45 years of Disney’s Polynesian Resort. (Disney)
The Polynesian Panel flowed very nicely into Jared Bush talking about Moana, a project he was a screenwriter on.
Screenwriter Jared Bush shared stories from the making of Disney’s newest animated film, Moana. (Disney)
Bush (co-director/co-screenwriter of Zootopia) is one of those people you can sit and listen to for hours. He gave us backstory on Moana, Maui, Pua, and everyone;s favorite dumb rooster, Hei Hei, as well as how the film came to be.
I had the chance to talk to Bush and, of course me being a life long WWE fan, asked about Dwayne Johnson and how he would address him. He said that was a question when he came on the film and one day Chris Williams, one of the co-directors, asked Johnson and he said, "It's always Dwayne, but if you did call him 'the Rock,' it would just be Rock because putting 'the' in front of it is just super weird."
After the Moana panel, all guests in attendance were invited to the beach of the Polynesian Village Resort for a early screening just for us of the film, which was a perfect way to end our second day of fun.
Guests from around the country and around the world celebrate amazing adventures at D23’s Destination D. (Disney)
Now onto Day Three of our Great Adventure.
Kevin and Susan Neary map out their new book, Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai at D23’s Destination D: Amazing Adventures. (Disney)
Day Three started with a look at one of the books I have been looking forward to since my first trip to Disneyland in 1978: Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai. Collecting park maps has always been a must do with each visit to the park and this book puts together a great history of those maps that date back well before Disneyland was even done, when Herb Ryman and Walt Disney spent the lost weekend creating the first view of Disneyland that would sell the idea to the bankers. If you're like me, this book is a must have — and it arrives just in time for Christmas!
MAPPING DISNEY –– Written by Kevin and Susan Neary and curated by Vanessa Hunt, Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai (Disney Editions) charts the creative artwork and history of Disney park maps, from Disneyland in 1955 to today. (Disney)
Once the book was closed on the maps (sorry — too many trips on the Jungle Cruise), we moved on to a look at the new Adventures around Walt Disney World.
Imagineer Wyatt Winter took us to the Frozen land of Norway in Epcot to give us a look at how the new Frozen Ever After attraction was created and showed amazing footage of the newest electric Audio-Animatronics used in the attraction, including how they compare to the scenes from the film.
FROZEN FEVER –– Olaf and Sven greet guests on their voyage to Elsa’s ice palace in the new attraction Frozen Ever After in Epcot at Walt Disney World. (Disney)
My favorite panel of Day Three has to be Entertainment Show Director Tom Vazzana talking about the newest nighttime spectacular, Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!, at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Vazzana was pure energy talking about the new show and how it all came to be. He shared a trade secret of how the amazing effect of the "snow" and laser playing off each other came to be, pure luck! The way Vazzana described it, one night while putting the show together, "Laser Dave" turned on the laser as the "snow" was falling and the way it sparkled it just worked perfect. Vazzana also shared with us that he wanted to make sure this spectacular showed love to Orlando after the year the city has had; Orlando is mentioned three times just to make sure we all feel the Christmas love.
Following one of the most high energy presentations of the weekend, it was time for one of the funniest with Imagineers Jason Grandt and Alex Wright taking us on a Magic Journey through 45 years of Walt Disney World.
Imagineers Jason Grandt, with Alex Wright, took guests on a nostalgic journey through fondly remembered attractions from Walt Disney World Resort. (Disney)
Grandt and Wright may be Imagineers in title, but are true Walt Disney World fans at heart. These two put on a show that left everyone wanting more, they took us from the early days of planning the Magic Kingdom and its hotels through some of the early attractions all the while laughing and sharing personal stories and photos.
I have meet very few with such a love for If You Had Wings (and wall carpet) as these two. Between stories, photos, and home video I felt like I took a ride on a classic attraction that was gone before I ever had the chance to ride it. They talked about attractions long gone and even showed us plans from the 70s for a cove to be built next to the Polynesian Village so that the legendary wave machine could be turned back on for a surfing area of the Seven Seas Lagoon.
One of the most anticipated panels of the weekend had to be the Pandora - The World of AVATAR with James Cameron (writer, director, producer of AVATAR) and Imaginner Joe Rohde. This panel was a bit strange as Cameron and Rohde played characters who have visited Pandora. This meant that the entire presentation was done as if this planet was real and the new expansion of Disney's Animal Kingdom was a gateway.
Concept of Pandora – The World of AVATAR, coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom summer 2017. (Disney)
Throughout the presentation, photos of the new area taken by Rohde were shown and were absolutely stunning — Pandora will be a photographers dream. They also did touch upon the Flight of Passage attraction stating you will connect to some of the remaining AVATAR's as seen in the "documentary" Cameron made years ago as you soar over Pandora.
By far the most beautiful pictures show were from the NA'VI River Journey attraction that looks like it will be the real show stealer of the new area of the park.
Of coursem they couldn't just close this presentation with photos. Rohde wanted to share video he shot of the NA'VI Shaman of Song sending us, the D23 members, a special message:
As the afternoon started to roll on Senior Production Designer for WDI Chris Merrit took the stage to talk about a new book he and Pixar's own Pete Docter are co-authoring about Disney Legend and one of Walt's "Nine Old Men," Marc Davis.
Imagineer Chris Merritt shares photos and concept art from throughout Disney Legend Marc Davis’s career with WED Enterprises. Chris Merritt is co-authoring a new book on Marc Davis’s time at WED Enterprises with Pete Docter. (Disney)
Focusing more on Marc's time with WED Enterprises the book promises to have many great stories and pieces of history Chris and Pete have uncovered while going through not only the Walt Disney Archives but also a closet and desk at Marc's house. One of the "best gag men in the business" as Marc has been referred to many times some of the art that was displayed that will hopefully make it into the two book set due out in 2018 will keep Disney fans busy for days.
A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR MARC –– Disney Legend Marc Davis reviews concepts for the 1967 Disneyland attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. A Disney Studio animator and member of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” Davis also designed memorable characters and scenarios for many Disney theme park attractions. (Disney)
As our adventures continued Tony Baxter took the stage with Steven Vagnini took the stage once again to talk about projects very close to his heart, the Indiana Jones Adventure and to explore more of his history with WDI as they took us on Imagineering Adventures.
Disney Legend Tony Baxter, alongside D23’s Steven Vagnini, shares stories from his iconic Imagineering career, from Space Mountain to Indiana Jones Adventure. (Disney)
Baxter talked in great length about his history but really took us on the story of the great adventures in Disney Park, ranging from one of his first projects, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, through the creation of Splash Mountain and really shedding some great light on one of the biggest adventures, the Indian Jones Adventure in Disneyland.
THE WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS –– (Left to right) Imagineers Claude Coats, Tony Baxter, and David Schweninger review a model of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World. Originally designed for the Florida resort, the attraction first opened at Disneyland park in 1979 and later inspired versions at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. (Disney)
If I had to choose one story out of the entire weekend that I loved hearing, it would have to be Baxter giving a great backstory on the Indiana Jones Adventure's lost effect of the "roof crumbling" that lasted for about two months after the attraction first opened in 1995. It was later turned off due to it running pretty much nonstop, but I was one of the lucky few that got to experience it before that.
Shanghai Disneyland Portfolio Creative Executive Luc Mayrand shared details of Shanghai Disneyland’s Treasure Cove, which is home to Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack’s Stunt Spectacular and Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure. (Disney)
Continuing our Imagineering Adventure, Luc Mayrand came back to the stage to talk about two of the most amazing adventures of Shanghai Disneyland, both based around Pirates of the Caribbean.
MAKING A DEAL WITH DAVY JONES –– Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure is a spectacular indoor boat ride that takes guests on a new rollicking adventure with Captain Jack Sparrow to steal the priceless treasure of Davy Jones. The Shanghai Disneyland attraction is the newest iteration of the classic attraction, which opened at Disneyland park in 1967. (Disney)
Giving many of the attendees their first look at the amazing Battle for the Sunken Treasure attraction and Eye of the Storm stunt show that makes up the Treasure Cover section of the park did nothing but make me want to return to Shanghai and revisit these amazing adventures because there is nothing like either anywhere else in the world!
Dr. Scott Terrell, Director, Animal and Science Operations, shares how his team has prepared animals for the extended nighttime hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (Disney)
Heading around third base we had a chance to learn about what goes into keeping the animals of Disney's Animal Kingdom safe and on a schedule as the park starts to extend into the evening hours with Dr. Scott Terrell, Director, Animal and Science Operations.
THE MAGIC OF NATURE –– Live animals roam the savanna during a new nighttime excursion on Kilimanjaro Safaris in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. (Disney)
Dr. Terrell not only shared many of the details of what goes into making sure the animals get the rest they need and make sure they are at maximum health for all guests to see, he also brought along a few of the residents of the park to show off.
A black vulture from Disney’s Animal Kingdom joins Dr. Scott Terrell, Director, Animal and Science Operations, as he shares how his team has prepared animals for the extended nighttime hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (Disney)
The final presentation of the day was from the man who knows adventure better than most: Imagineer Joe Rohde.
Imagineer Joe Rohde talks about the past, present and future of Disney’s Animal Kingdom at D23’s Destination D: Amazing Adventures. (Disney)
Rohde wrapped up the day by telling stories of the creation of Disney's Animal Kingdom and his personal adventures in bringing new stories to life in the parks. He also shared a funny story about how he started his earring to pay tribute to that tradition in different parts of the world, but now the people that used to do that are all wearing Gap clothing.
TREE OF LIFE –– The Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom stands at 145 feet tall and features more than 350 animals carved into its trunk. (Disney)
Oh, before I forget, the "parting gift" from D23 to guest in attendance was a night of fun on them at Magic Kingdom, and I would say that is a good way to wrap up the event!
D23 Vice President, Michael Vargo (Jeremiah Good)
To wrap up my experience of the D23's Destination D: Amazing Adventures, I have to say this was one of my favorite events ever. I have been to all the D23 Expos and all but one of the Destination Ds along with countless other events, but this one had a fun feel from start to finish and was well run with a wide variety of topics covered to keep even the most die hard fan happy. I personally enjoyed walking out between sessions and seeing D23 VP Michael Vargo taking time to speak with anyone in attendance and making sure everyone was having a good time. To all the Cast Members and volunteers that helped make this event a success, THANK YOU!
For those of you unable to make it to Destination D, you still have plenty of time to join me and thousands of other Disney Fans and the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim so get your tickets and every bit of information you need HERE.