Disney
fans will be given unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV
shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 at
the Anaheim Convention Center when Disney and D23: The Official Community
for Disney Fans present the first-ever D23 EXPO.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO are available beginning today at
http://www.D23Expo.com.
Admission includes access to all experiences and
entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for
the full four days of festivities. Admission is discounted for members of
D23.

“We hope this will be the ultimate event for the multitude of fans who
have been so instrumental in Disney’s success,” said Disney President and
CEO Bob Iger. “The D23 Expo represents the finest in Disney entertainment
from across our great company and will offer a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable
experience for people of all ages to enjoy.”

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle added, “The upcoming D23 Expo at the Anaheim
Convention Center will serve as an exciting opportunity to present Anaheim
to the millions of Disney enthusiasts around the world. For the thousands
of inaugural-year D23 Expo attendees who will visit our city in September,
this will be a special and a memorable time in the birthplace of Walt
Disney’s original theme park. It is a great honor for Anaheim and the
Anaheim Convention Center to host this event.”

Among the centerpiece events of the D23 EXPO will be an extraordinary,
exclusive opportunity to get early glimpses of several all-new Disney
feature films. Only at the D23 EXPO will guests preview a wide range of
upcoming movie events, including The Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel,
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, TRON, Toy
Story 3, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Walt Disney Pictures will present these special sneak peeks in a
state-of-the-art cinema built especially for the D23 EXPO.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will take D23 EXPO guests behind the
scenes to explore the rich legacy and exciting future of Disney’s theme
parks and vacation destinations worldwide. Highlights will include a
special look at what’s being imagineered for the future of Disney’s
California Adventure, a peek behind closed doors at the amazing new
technologies defining today’s and tomorrow’s Disney theme park experience,
and the opportunity to meet and hear from the Imagineers, Cast Members and
key Disney Parks and Resorts executives who create lasting memories for
millions every year.

In many different ways, the D23 EXPO will explore the history and
heritage of Walt Disney and the company he founded more than 80 years ago.
The D23 EXPO will be home to the 2009 Disney Legends Awards – a 22-year
tradition that pays tribute to the talented men and women who have made
indelible contributions to Disney entertainment. This year’s recipients
will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 12, marking the first time
the prestigious event has been held off Disney property.

In an extraordinary exhibition designed especially for the D23 EXPO, an
incredible collection of classic and contemporary Disney props, artifacts
and costumes will be accessible to the public for the first time ever.
“Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” brings together such amazing pieces
as the fully restored, 11-foot model of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea; the stunning, jewel-encrusted book used in the opening
moments of Sleeping Beauty; and other rare surprises from throughout
Disney’s history. Ranging from the original Mickey Mouse Club and the
musical classic Mary Poppins to recent hits like Pirates of the Caribbean
and High School Musical, the “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” is a
never-before-experienced exhibition that’s a D23 EXPO exclusive.

The D23 EXPO spotlight will also shine on Disney Channel’s brightest
stars in a can’t miss-special event. There will also be an ESPN Sports
Lounge, live broadcasts from Radio Disney, and a preview of ABC’s new fall
primetime shows, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks at
http://www.D23Expo.com.

For Disney fans who want to take home part of the magic, Disney
Consumer Products will offer myriad opportunities to do just that. Only at
the D23 EXPO will guests be able to walk through the eight-room “Disney
Dream Home,” celebrate the holidays Disney-style, see fine art created
before their eyes, learn about Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, experience
Disney couture fashion shows, meet and hear from the authors of a dazzling
array of Disney books, prepare for trick-or-treating with the latest Disney
Store Halloween costumes, and more … all under one roof.

The D23 EXPO also will be home to the “Disney Dream Store,” where
guests will find exclusive D23 EXPO merchandise and collectibles; the
Disney pin-trading headquarters; and much more, including the chance to
build your own Mouse ears.

Showcasing Disney’s appeal to fans of every generation, the D23 EXPO
has created a multi-layered experience: Avid Disney enthusiasts can attend
dozens of specially created panels and celebrity-speaker events, details of
which will be announced over the next several weeks. Younger Disney fans,
meanwhile, will be able to experience special interactive play areas, meet
their favorite Radio Disney DJs broadcasting live, watch “Princess
makeover” demos from the Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique, and have fun in the Baby
Einstein play area. Together, families can enjoy the Disney Crafts Center
and learn about scrapbooking, Disney-style.

All activities at the D23 EXPO are included in single- and four-day
admissions, including the “50 and Fabulous Film Festival,” which honors
three classic Disney movies that are celebrating their golden anniversaries
this year. Sleeping Beauty, The Shaggy Dog and Darby O’Gill and the Little
People, all originally released in 1959, will be presented on the big
screen, one movie each evening, for Disney fans of all ages to enjoy
together. Also featured at the D23 EXPO will be a special screening of Walt
Disney Pictures’ upcoming Tinker Bell: Lost Treasure, along with an
in-depth exploration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition,
which will be released this fall by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO, which go on sale today, are $37 for a one-day
adult admission and $27 for children 3-12. To experience every bit of
entertainment and excitement at the D23 EXPO, four-day passes are also
available at $111 for adults and $81 for children. Members of D23: The
Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on up to four
same-day admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 EXPO for
themselves and their guests.

Special vacation packages are available at the D23 EXPO website, from
both the Walt Disney Travel Company (including Disneyland Resort hotel
accommodations, D23 EXPO tickets and theme park admission), and the Anaheim
Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, which is offering a limited number of area
hotel rooms at special rates to those attending the D23 EXPO.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in
1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the
first official community for fans in Disney’s 85-year history. D23 gives
its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing
them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney
twenty-three; a rich website at http://www.disney.com/D23; a new collectibles
line, The Walt Disney Archives Collection; and special events for D23
members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 EXPO in Anaheim,
California, September 10-13, 2009.