UPDATED throughout: The Walt Disney Company has announced today that its 100th anniversary celebration, dubbed Disney100, will officially kick off at this fall’s annual D23 Expo fan event. While details about the company’s plans are still sparse, it’s a good bet that every arm of the Disney empire will have special plans in store for the anniversary. There will also be a novel digital offering from the parks division. More on that below.
A post on D23.com reveals, “Disney100 kicks off at D23 Expo on Friday, September 9, at 10:30 a.m. with an epic presentation that includes the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, featuring Disney CEO Bob Chapek.” See all the new details about the expo’s schedule below.
Disney has, of course, been planning for its 100th anniversary for years. At Destination D23 in 2021, the company revealed the logo for the Disney100 celebration.
In March of 2021, Disney revealed The Walt Disney Archives is creating an exhibition that showcases the company’s history and legacy, to debut at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia in February 2023.
“Along with the galleries, the exhibition will feature an immersive environment of sight and sound spanning 15,000 square feet, showcasing stories and characters from The Walt Disney Company’s last century,” according to a company announcement.
The event will also mark the debut of DisneyMe, an all-new digital avatar in the Play Disney Parks app. Guests can “express their Disney style” by creating their own unique DisneyMe. Guests at D23 Expo will be invited on a quest that can only be completed at the Expo. Attendees will uncover specially-designed Disney Wish and D23 Expo digital clothing and accessories for their DisneyMe around the show floor. Further details will likely be revealed at the Expo.
It’s a good bet there will also be updates from Disney+, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. See below for a general schedule indicating when each Disney entity will present at D23 Expo.
2022 D23 SCHEDULE:
Friday, September 9
10:30 a.m. – Disney100 kicks off at D23 Expo with a presentation that includes the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, featuring Disney CEO Bob Chapek. The Disney Legends Ceremony will once again honor those visionaries and artists who have made significant contributions to the Disney legacy. Names of the 2022 inductees to be announced in the coming weeks.
10:30 a.m. – Inside Look at the Society of Explorers and Adventurers at Backlot Stage
At 3:30 p.m., guests will be treated to new details, first looks, sneak peeks, surprises, and announcements regarding upcoming theatrical and Disney+ titles from Disney Live Action, Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Animation Studios. Studio heads, filmmakers, and cast members will come together onstage with the inside scoop on some of these studios’ most exciting titles.
Saturday, September 10
10 a.m. – Filmmakers, celebrity talent, and surprise guests will join representatives from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, among others, onstage in Hall D23 to showcase theatrical and Disney+ titles. Going behind the scenes of these studios’ highly anticipated films, specials, and series, attendees will see exclusive footage and be among the first to learn what else is in the works.
10 a.m. – A Peek Behind the Curtain at the Walt Disney Imagineering Illusions and Special Effects Development Lab at Walt Disney Archives Stage
12 p.m. – Uncovering Treasures from the Marty Sklar Collection at the Walt Disney Archives Stage.
4 p.m. – Dreaming, Designing and Bringing to Life the Disney Wish at Backlot Stage
At 3:30 p.m., Disney Branded Television will present an exclusive showcase of upcoming content. The showcase will feature appearances by talent and never-before-seen sneak previews of original content for Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior, including looks at the new Disney+ Original series National Treasure, American Born Chinese, and The Santa Claus.
Sunday, September 11
At 10:30 a.m., join Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro for a look at what will be happening around the world in parks, on the high seas, at home and beyond. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the what Disney Imagineers are at work on.
1 p.m. – Walt Disney Imagineering: 70 Years of Making the Impossible, Possible at Premiere Stage
4 p.m. – Disney Parks Through the Decades: A Disney Ambassador Perspective at Walt Disney Archives Stage
4:15 p.m. – The World of Duffy & Friends Revealed at Hyperion Stage
At 4:15 p.m., Disney Concerts will present a special performance of Disney Princess – The Concert, featuring Tony nominee Susan Egan. The cast will perform favorite Disney Princess and Frozen songs, including classics such as “Part of Your World,” “Let It Go,” “A Whole New World,” “Colors of the Wind” and “Almost There.” The performers will share exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the stage and screen.