I doubt they can talk about Pixie Hollow with conviction, when lately they can’t seem to talk about it with any degree of certainty whatsoever. I’ve no idea what’s up with the project, because the mixed messages have been flying like crazy.

But like I’ve said, while there was some interesting news about new projects at the Expo most of the value for me involved history and the ability to suss out details I never knew before. There’s no substitute for being in a room with Bob or Marty or Tony, or standing there right in front of by-God X. Atencio. Sure, I know they can’t just come tell the same old stories over and over but as long as I have things to learn I’ll value events like this. And man, do I have a lot to learn!

http://d23.disney.go.com/

August 19-21, Anaheim, CA

Though I do hate to see Michael sad, or angry, or indifferent…or even hungry for that matter.

You’re right about the potential of D23 to *really* give the fans what they want. I always thought that they should at least be used to keep the out-of-print Disney Treasures DVDs on the market, and making these available online would be great. A D23-style Hulu where I could watch Adventures in Mathemagicland would be well worth the price of admission.

If Disney really wanted to do something with D23, they are incredibly well positioned for their “new media” strategy. I have no interest in paying dues for the privilege of buying $ ‘Pixie Jack and the Neverland Pirates Limited Edition Trading Pins”. But I’d gladly pay money to access a website where I could watch good quality transfers of all the ‘Wonderful World of Disney’ shows.

This year, it’s possible that they could unveil the entirely new Shanghai resort. There’s a lot still unknown about Fantasyland, and about future DCA expansion. There’s the Paris Studios expansion (when they’re going to announce Ratatouille, who knows?). Then there are all the projects brewing that might get the greenlight before then for all five resorts.

For all the hype, most of the stuff revealed in detail last year was already well-known. It was just the level of interaction – seeing the WDI models and artwork close up, and the face-to-face interaction with Imagineers – that was the big draw. How many people were really hyped about Rasulo’s presentation, versus how many were hyped by the P&R pavilion? As for “big” announcements, the Studio side actually had more up their sleeve last year than Parks & Resorts did.

The Fantasyland confirmation was exciting, true, but there’s so much left to know…

AV: LOL. I destroy everything I love!!

And you’re sooooo right. They had a multi-day press event for THAT, and some huge deal the other weekend because they RENAMED the Wide World of Sports. Thankfully, I’ve never heard Disney themselves use this excuse – it just seems to be something that circulates on the internets. Disney has plenty in the hopper to keep people interested. Then again, I’d sit through a 4-hour seminar on Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland so I might be an outlier…

I had to laugh at the “Extra Magic Hours” excuse – I had totally forgotten about that! That was a true classic of the genre. As to Pleasure Island, someone pointed out the other day that all the new “shops and restaurants” are being opened in Marketplace and West End to plug all the vacancies there – how’s that working for PI?

Sonny: I hear ya. I think the real star of the Expo were the panels that got very little fanfare – there was so much to learn from the animation side AND the parks side. It wasn’t about the big announcements and Nic Cage for me – it was about Baxter and Don Hahn and Kaufman and Kurtti et al.

I understand what Alain is saying, and it’s a plausible reason, but I think the people would come just to hear about the history. Let me hear Tony Baster talking about ANYTHING or show me video of construction being done. Us Disney Geeks love to hear about the future sure, but even more then that, we love to nerd out on the past.