The BIGGEST Disney fan event of 2024 is coming up, and we’re watching for any and all updates to help us prepare. Luckily for us, Disney just dropped a bunch of HUGE announcements!

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event takes place this summer from August 9th through the 11th. The event will have panels and presentations from Disney executives, where we expect to learn more about Disney’s entertainment and theme park plans. There will be exhibits featuring Disney artifacts, a special sweepstakes, exclusive merchandise, and more! Let’s check out all the huge news that Disney just released.

The 2024 D23 Expo (or D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event) takes place in Anaheim, California. Most of the event is held in the Anaheim Convention Center, but three special showcases will be held at the nearby Honda Center. Tickets go on sale starting March 26th, and we’re expecting them to sell out FAST (we’re talking within MINUTES).

Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s dive into the details!

Ticket Prices and Details

For these ticket prices to make sense, you need to know that there are actually a couple of different venues for D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The Anaheim Convention Center has a show floor with activities and pavilions showcasing Disney-themed exhibits, including a new Walt Disney Archives exhibit called “A Great Big Beautiful Car Show.” It’ll also have limited-edition merchandise shops, shows, panels, and presentations.

Some of the BIGGEST presentations, though, will take place at the Honda Center. This stadium will host three marquee showcases (one each night): the Disney Entertainment Showcase on Friday, August 9th; the Disney Experiences Showcase on Saturday, August 10th; and the Disney Legends Ceremony on Sunday, August 11th.

Because there are two different venues this year, ticket prices look different than they have in years past. You can get some tickets without access to the Honda Center for cheaper, or buy tickets that include access to both the Convention Center and the Honda Center, which are more expensive.

Here’s a look at what tickets will cost for the event:

• The D23 Ultimate Fan Pass 3-Day Ticket: a 3-day assigned seat for evening shows at the Honda Center and 3-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $297/ticket
• The D23 Ultimate Fan Pass 1-Day Ticket: a reserved seat for that date’s evening show at the Honda Center and same-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $99/ticket
• The D23 Preferred Ultimate Fan Pass 3-Day Ticket (exclusive to D23 Gold Members): a 3-day floor seat for evening shows at the Honda Center, and 3-day access to all experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center—starting at $999/ticket.
• The D23 Fan Pass: access to the Anaheim Convention Center ONLY
  • 1-Day Pass
    • Gold Members: $79/ticket
    • General Members: $89/ticket
  • 3-Day Pass
    • Gold Members: $209/ticket
    • General Members: $259/ticket

D23 Gold Members get first access to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets, beginning on March 26th, 2024, at 12PM PST. D23 Gold and General Members who are Visa Cardmembers (and pay for their tickets with their Visa) get pre-sale acces to a limited number of 1-day and 3-day tickets beginning March 27th, 2024, at 12PM PST. Tickets for all D23 Gold and General Members go on sale starting March 28th, 2024, at 12PM PST.

Note that you MUST be a D23 Member to buy tickets. You can join D23 for free or upgrade to a Gold Membership, which costs $99.99 per year for one membership or $129.99 per year for two memberships.

Tickets for this event usually sell out FAST. You’ll want to have the D23 website open with your cursor at the ready a few minutes before the tickets actually go on sale. If you’re not able to get tickets, don’t worry — we’ll be bringing you all the updates and announcements from the event, so you can still keep up with everything going on.

D23 Day at Disneyland Resort

Before the official event kicks off on August 9th, Disneyland will host D23 Day in the park! The first-ever D23 Day at Disneyland Resort is on Thursday, August 8th.

D23 members will find a custom cavalcade, an energetic dance party, special photo opportunities, themed snacks, D23 merchandise, and more at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

Three Special Showcases at Honda Center

The Honda Center will host three of the most exciting events of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. On Friday, August 9th, the Disney Entertainment Showcase will offer “exclusive looks at the movies, series, and stage shows fans love and a glimpse of what’s next.”

On Saturday, August 10th, the Disney Experiences presentation will take place! This will show guests “the latest on new and highly anticipated projects in development around the world for Disney parks, experiences, and beyond.” We’re hoping to learn more about Disney’s theme park expansion plans during this presentation!

Finally, on Sunday, August 11th, Ryan Seacrest will host the Disney Legends ceremony, where the Walt Disney Archives will honor the 2024 class of Disney Legends: Colleen Atwood, Angela Bassett, Martha Blanding, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, Mark Henn, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rohde, and John Williams.

The Biggest Show Floor in D23 History, Including a NEW Exhibit

The Anaheim Convention Center will have a show floor that’s filled with exhibits and experiences. Disney says that this is “the largest, most expansive show floor in D23 history.” Some fan-favorite returning pavilions include ones themed to Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney+, Marvel Studios, Disney Experiences, and Lucasfilm.

A NEW exhibit this year will be “A Great Big Beautiful Car Show” hosted by Walt Disney Archives.

This show will display famous Disney cars!

D23 Day at Angel Stadium

Another first-of-its-kind D23 event will be part of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2024: D23 Day at Angel Stadium!

This event will take place on Sunday, August 4th. The first 23,000 fans through the gate at Angel Stadium will get a one-of-a-kind D23 Mickey Mouse bobblehead souvenir to commemorate the occasion. You can purchase tickets here.

The Biggest Sweepstakes in Disney History

Disney announced that, as part of The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, they will host the Ultimate Disney Sweepstakes: FAN-tastic Prizes! This is “the biggest company-wide sweepstakes in Disney history,” with lots of prizes up for grabs.

The sweepstakes opens on July 8th, 2024, which is one month before the D23 Expo kicks off. One of the prizes that guests can win is a ticket to sail on the seven-night maiden voyage of Disney’s NEWEST cruise ship, the Disney Treasure!

You must be a D23 Member to enter these sweepstakes. It’s actually FREE to join D23 as a general member, so there’s no cost to enter the sweepstakes! The sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states, and you must be 18 years old or older to enter.

Disney Legends

The Disney Legends ceremony will take place on Sunday, August 11th, at 5PM at the Honda Center. This award “honors artists and visionaries throughout the company’s history who have pushed the envelope of creativity, challenged conventional wisdom, and broken the restraints of the status quo in search of new possibilities and excellence.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger said, “To be named a Disney Legend is the highest honor our company can bestow on anyone, reserved for those whose talent and achievement have earned them an enduring place in our history. The fourteen individuals to be honored as Disney Legends this year have each made extraordinary creative contributions across the worlds of Disney and we look forward to celebrating them at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.”

Here’s a list of the fourteen Disney Legends who will be honored this year:

• Colleen Atwood — Atwood is a costume designer who has been nominated for a dozen Academy Awards and has won four Oscars, including for her work on Alice in Wonderland (2010). She has also designed costumes for Disney films like Planet of the Apes (2001), Into the Woods, Lady and the Tramp (2019), and The Little Mermaid (2023).
• Angela Bassett — Bassett is an actress who has starred in Disney’s Black Panther films as Queen Ramonda.
• Martha Blanding — Blanding was the first permanent full-time Black Tour Guide at Disneyland Resort. She “personified the philosophy of creating happiness for others while embodying the principles of hospitality and courtesy Walt Disney sought to establish for Disneyland Cast Members.” She later became the senior manager of Disneyland Resort Merchandise Special Events.
• James L. Brooks — Brooks is a film director and producer who has won awards for projects like Terms of Endearment. He co-created The Simpsons, which has become the longest-running primetime scripted show in TV history.
• James Cameron — Cameron is a celebrated director, writer, and producer who has worked on iconic films like The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Titanic, Avatar, and Avatar: The Way of Water.
• Jamie Lee Curtis — Curtis is an actress who has starred in Disney films like Freaky Friday and Haunted Mansion (2023).
• Miley Cyrus — Miley Cyrus is a singer, songwriter, and actress who started her career as a Disney Channel star. She starred in the series Hannah Montana, which premiered to the largest audience of any Disney Channel Original Series.
• Steve Ditko — Ditko is a comic artist and writer who worked on Marvel stories like Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery and Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts.
• Harrison Ford — Ford is an iconic actor who has portrayed some beloved Disney heroes like Han Solo from Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
• Mark Henn — Henn is a Disney animator who worked on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Moana, and many other Disney stories. He was the supervising animator for young Simba, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana.
• Frank Oz — Oz is an actor, director, producer, and writer. He has directed films like The Dark Crystal, Muppets Dake Manhattan, and Little Shop of Horrors. He has acted in live-action movies like The Blues Brothers and Knives Out and voiced characters in Inside Out, Monsters, Inc, and Inside Out 2.
• Kelly Ripa — Ripa has worked in media with ABC for over 30 years as a co-host and executive producer of Live. Ripa has also authored a New York Times best-selling book Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories.
• Joe Rohde — Rohde was a Walt Disney Imagineer for 40 years. He was the overall creative executive and supervising designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom and also worked on The Adventurers Club, Aulani, and Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT at Disney California Adventure.
• John Williams — Williams is known for his work on the music scores for over a hundred films, including all nine Star Wars saga movies and all five Indiana Jones films.

Shopping and Merchandise Details

Disney announced some details about the shopping and merchandise that will be available at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. There will be limited-edition merchandise and collectibles available at destinations like Mickey’s of Glendale, The Hollywood Studio Store, and The Emporium.

Disney also said that the event will “feature exclusive D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event branded products.”

D23 Gold Member Perks

D23 Gold Members will get access to the pre-sale window and discounted tickets (more info in the section of this post titled “Ticket Prices and Details”). They will also have access to additional benefits, discounts, and offers from pavilions and shops on the show floor and throughout Downtown Disney.

D23 Gold Members will also get a commemorative, collectible pin!

A Secret, Private Lounge for Select D23 Members

D23 Charter Members who joined D23 back in 2009 get a special perk: access to a private lounge that’s located just off the show floor at the Anaheim Convention Center!

Transportation Details

Disney announced that there will be “several transportation options” so that guests can “maximize their time at the different venues.” There will be a complimentary round-trip shuttle service between the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center just before and after the evening shows. There is also parking at the Anaheim Convention Center on a first-come, first-served basis.

We’ll be watching for more updates from Disney, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news!

Learn more about the pricing for the 2024 D23 Expo here!

Are you going to this year’s D23 Expo? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney to attend their media preview of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ