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Credit: Inside the MagicDisney’s D23 Expo is the biggest fan event of the year for the studio, but recent updates have some die-hard Disney supporters losing faith in the company. As recent announcements run the range from bizarre to outright greedy, has the magic finally run out?
The expo is essentially The Walt Disney Company’s answer to the San Diego Comic-Con, and Disney pulls out the stops for it every year. It’s the biggest gathering of Disney Legends, talent, and Imagineers on the company’s calendar, and is essentially the biggest advertising opportunity for everything under the Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and other affiliate brands.
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As grand and glorious as the event has been in the past, this year’s announcements have been marred by multiple controversies that paint The Walt Disney Company in a rather unfavorable light. Not only have certain developments excluded a huge percentage of the company’s fanbase, but even some of its most vocal supporters like @mr.unofficialceo are calling out the House of Mouse.
D23 Demystified and Disillusioned
@mr.unofficialceo With the likely chance we’ll be getting final plans for Disney’s revamp of Dinoland USA this weekend, lets talk about what I would do, if I were CEO of Disney… 🦕🧭🐆 #disney #d23 #news #animalkingdom #encanto #indianajones #dinosaur #imagineering #disneyparks #ceo #disneyadult #distok
Billed as “the ultimate fan event,” D23 is where the fanbase gets its first taste of everything new and exciting coming down the production pipeline. However, this year strikes a different chord with audiences as Disney seems to be tightening restrictions on multiple features.
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While a certain level of exclusivity is to be expected, cutting live-streaming out of the event presents a bad omen across the board. Its as if the company is intentionally keeping things quiet to avoid as much backlash as possible, and multiple Disney influencers (including the famous Disney Dan) are warning fans on social media.
@disneydanyoutube Disney cant be this dumb. #d23 #disneyparks #disneydan #disneydan #expo #disneyland #disneyworld #disneyadult #fyp #greenscreen #d23expo #d23expo2024
From the reports circulating the fanbase and the response on social media, many Disney buffs are quickly losing hope as to what may or may not be announced at this year’s D23. Some fans like @shawninorlando, have even speculated that Disney knows its newest announcements will not be well-received and the company is doing as much damage control as possible before it all blows up.
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Things have also ventured into bizarre territory, especially with the recent announcement of D23 sharing live updates on Fortnite. Restricted access, Fortnite exclusive content, or whatever, things are not looking good for the House of Mouse.
What’s Going On
The truth of the matter is that the general public likely won’t know the full extent of Disney’s plans until after this weekend. By putting streams behind a paywall or something as ridiculous as a Fortnite level, the studio restricts information in a way that paints a very deceptive picture.
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At some point, it becomes less about what can we expect from this year’s D23 Expo and more “what are they trying to hide?” Either way, Disney is truly going to have to pull off a massive magical feat to stay on their good side after these reports.
Do you think Disney is hiding something awful, or is this just another case of corporate greed? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments down below!