It was a welcome retreat from the heat and bustling crowds.
I was fairly wiped out after the 3-Day Expo weekend....and i did not do as much as i thought i would.
Let's get into that part of the story now....as like i said earlier, my Park days this visit all went by in a blur.
All the energy and excitement happened primarily at the Expo this time around, but there were still some special moments and unique moments that took place at the Park.
Read on....
So after spending one full day and evening in the Park, the next morning it was time to line up for my very first D23 Expo experience.
Before arriving, i had spent several months ahead of time researching this Event and reading many of the comments and reviews by various past attendees over the years.
Disney fans in general can be pretty vocal about things they have issues with, and i found plenty of negative but insightful paragraphs of people describing their own Expo experiences over the years.
It sounded like a big event that was disorganized and extremely crowded, but offered some amazing once-in-a-lifetime type of offerings that were temping.
I have watched from a distance for some years, the last Expo in particular, and was really unsure if this was something i wanted to actually attempt myself firsthand.
In the end, having weighed the options, i decided that yes i want to give it a try.
The primary reason was the chance to meet up with Tony.
This screen grab from last Summer really worked it's marketing magic on me when i saw it.
How could any Member of the 'Tony Baxter Fan Club' resist this type of direct appeal...?
So i was 'in'.
As time went on, i committed to buying my 3-Day Member ticket...but that turned into a rather un-Magical experience.
I believe i told the story earlier, so will not repeat here...but in a nutshell i had a extremely difficult time making the purchase online due to what turned out to be a annoying computer glitch on the Expo ticket purchasing website.
During the ordeal, i was starting to seriously question whether or not i had made the right decision to attend after all.
As my conflicting attitude toward it all was teetering on the edge, things were thankfully resolved within a few days and i was able to get buy my ticket.
I have to say it was not a good way to start my first Expo experience!
That was nothing compared to what awaited me Friday morning.....
Even when i was well aware ahead of time from my research that the traditional chaos that ensures every year at the Expo when it comes to the entrance lines and miss-management of the entry process into the ACC, it was still not enough to prepare you for what was to be beheld outside that morning.
It was still surprising to see in person.
Just masses of people...from all directions...with no real sense of order or info.
The two words i would use would be confusing and chaotic.
I did not partake in the 'overnight' lining up ....and did not see a real reason to arrive any earlier then 8:30am.
Scoring exclusive merchandise, and merchandise in general, was not something i was really interested in like a lot of other attendees seem to prioritize.
No, this was all about the overall experience and Mr. Baxter. Period.
The massive lines of people, and the overall confusing and chaotic atmosphere was quite a sight to see.
None of the staff members seemed to know what line was what, where the end of the lines were, and it took seemingly ice ages to move into the air conditioned bliss of the Convention Center.
In the meantime, everywhere you looked, was a absolute impenetrable sea of bodies...on ALL sides and down every pathway leading to the ACC.
It was a claustrophobic persons worst nightmare....thankfully, i am not one !
Waiting in long lines is not that bad when you have thousands of Disney geeks all around you....and the weather is nice.
But Friday morning was a different story.
Southern California was in the midst of a heat wave the week i was in town, and i felt like i was back in Florida at some points
Thousands were lined up for hours on the concrete in the direct sun and people were definitely cranky.
I swear i heard some people plotting to climb up the ropes holding the Buzz Lightyear hot air parade balloon in place to pop the darn thing just so we could all get a nice cooling breeze going through the Convention Center courtyard!
Needless to say it was not a very pleasant or fun experience, waiting there Friday morning trying to get in.
The sweltering sun, being completely surrounded by people all around you, and the long wait took it's toll.
I felt bad for any fellow newbies who had NOT taken the time to research the Expo and what it's like to attend one.
I am sure many arrived and were utterly aghast at what they saw and what they had to experience just to get into the building, not to mention realize they missed ALL of the 10am high profile panels !
I did not actually get into the Convention Center until about 11:30am.....and by that time the hours of standing and sun exposure had taken it's toll. I was knackered.
Felt like i had been there for a 3-Day Expo already by the time i got in !
It was not ALL that bad as it sounds however....i saw some 'friends' in line......
Dr. Jones and Sallah fit right into the hot scene, in line in front of me, contemplating the possible adventures and archaeological treasures that await them inside the ACC that loomed in the far, far distance.
I had to crack a smile when i saw these two....Sallah even had his 'Take Heed!" sign he holds up during the 'Indiana Jones Adventure' pre-show film in the Attraction!
"....but Indy....."
" NO camels..! "
Once inside, i witnessed the craziest feeding frenzy mania i have ever seen.
People were swarming the giveaway booth to snap up their free carry bags and souvenir guidebooks, each of which contained a pack of specially made trading cards.
I never saw such a crazed grab for such things in my life.
It was like the 80s all over again...with people running, squeezing, swatting, and pushing their way up to the counter to grab a Cabbage Patch Kid doll off of a toy store shelf.
I managed to get a few booklets, but after the draining experience outside and now this...i was starting to feel a little overwhelmed.
Once i was on the actual Show Floor, i was again starting to question my reasoning again and needed a immediate break.
Thankfully, there was a relaxing 'crash pad' situated next to the Show Floor entrance that had comfy seats and dimmed lighting.
The D23 Lounge for us commoners......it was just what i needed.
After a much needed few moments to gather my thoughts and cool off, it was time to search out the queue for the StagePass tickets.
I was not about to come all this way, all 3,000 miles coast to coast. to sit on my butt and NOT see Tony Baxter with my own eyes!
So today's goal was to secure a StagePass ticket to the ONE panel that was the 'must see' on my priority list - the 'Imagineering 60 years of Disneyland' panel which was to take place later that afternoon with several notable personalities.
So it was off in a slightly bewildered state to find the StagePass area.
I had to wait until the afternoon tickets became available, so wandered around the Show Floor a little to check out a few things in passing.
It was difficult for me to really concentrate on anything as i was distracted by the environment and slightly anxious about being able to get into the panel i had so hoped to partake in.
At the right time, i got in line and waiting probably about an hour and a half to get this small piece of paper guaranteeing a seat at the presentation.
It was a stressful experience in line...as at no time is there any real guarantee that the panel you wish to see will still be available for a StagePass when you reach the front of the line!
So i was tense...and i am a very laid back type of personality.
It takes a lot to rattle me...but that wait seemed all the longer because of the situation.
Finally i reached the front, and the session was still available, so i breathed a deep sign of relief when i was handed this slip of paper -
YES!
So after the crazy ordeal getting in, waiting in lines for about 4 hours total, sweating in the heat, worrying about the Passes, and fighting fatigue, I was going....and i was going to hear Tony talk !!
I now had the rest of the day to try to relax and enjoy the Show Floor until the panel began.
That was hard to do.
Naturally the lines for everything of any real substance were very long.
I remember that first day not really doing much except walking around and looking over the collectibles stalls, and the Disneyland Archives Exhibit from outside the ropes.
A photo of the general atmosphere on the Show Floor that day -
I kept an eye out for Tony, hoping i might spot him in the crowd and have a chance encounter.
This was the whole reason i came for this thing....for the slight chance i might meet him.
Although i knew he was doing a signing session later that weekend, i still could not resist the chance to possibly see him on the Show Floor among the attendees.
The more 'Tony Time' i could squeeze out of this experience, the better.
I didn't call this chapter of the venture 'TonyFest 2015' for nothing, ya know!
As the day progressed, and my energy level fluctuated,the time finally came for the Imagineering panel.
Although i arrived early, in the end my seat was a lot further back in the room then i would have had liked.
Here is a photo of what the scene looked like from my seat -
That slight disappointment was completely overshadowed when the man of the hour arrived on stage, halfway through the presentation.
It made all the not-so-fun elements i endured in the first half of the day melt away and now it was the first time i actually started to enjoy my experience.
Tony was wonderful, as always.
I really wish they had allowed him to talk more, but in the setting of this particular panel with it's many speakers, i could understand the limitations.
He was marvelous and is always a joy to hear talk about any topic.
A photo from the moment -
The most memorable part for me was when he began talking about what films he held in high regard as being personal inspirations for him.
He elaborated on the topic by noting that for some time he wondered what it was about these select films that held such appeal to him on a personal level since he was a kid, and what was the 'common thread' that tied these vastly different films together and fascinated him so much.
Films such as 'Camelot', 'The Ten Commandments', 'Mary Poppins' and 'Davy Crocket'.
So what is the 'common thread'..?
In the end he stated that what was similar in them that he drew such inspiration from was that all the main protagonists, whether it be King Arthur, Moses, Mary, or Davy, tried very hard to 'do good' for the people at large, and do what was 'right'.
To quote Tony himself during the session - "They all worked really hard to do the right thing, instead of what would have been easy to accept."
He related to that and said that he, too, always felt a desire to try to do what he felt was right and not take the easy way out.
I would say he has been very successful at doing just that!
Here is a video of the panelists from the second half of the presentation, including Tony, tell you how they first became interested in pursuing a career with the Disney organization -
Here is the complete, hour+ long presentation of the 'Imagineering 60 years of Disneyland' panel in full, via a video i came across recently.
Enjoy!
