This weekend, scores of Disney fans will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center Sept. 9-11 to attend the sold-out D23 Expo — the largest Disney fan gathering in the world. Occurring once every two years, D23 Expo celebrates all things The Walt Disney Co., including the worlds of Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars.D23 is the official fan club of The Walt Disney Co. The “D” stands for Disney, and “23” denotes 1923 — the year in which Walt Disney moved to California and opened his West Coast studio.
Cal State Fullerton professor emeritus of communications and Disney expert Andi Stein attended the first-ever D23 Expo in 2009. Stein also wrote the book, “Why We Love Disney: The Power of the Disney Brand,” and teaches a graduate-level course called “Deconstructing Disney.”
Stein’s course encourages students to analyze the historical, economic and cultural facets of The Walt Disney Co. to understand the organization’s influence on the entertainment industry.
Stein says: “D23 is the ultimate experience for anyone who is interested in or curious about the world of Disney. It reflects the influence Disney has had on its fans for nearly 100 years.”
“People continue to be fascinated by whatever Disney does, and they are eager to hear what the company plans to do in the future. D23 offers Disney fans a window into that future.”
“Cal State Fullerton is the perfect place to offer a course on Disney. We are in the heart of Disney country, with both Disneyland and the Walt Disney Studios within driving distance of campus. We also have many students who aspire to work for Disney in some capacity once they earn their degrees.”
“The release of Disney+ prior to the start of the pandemic helped the company tremendously, as millions of people subscribed to the service during lockdown. Since the parks have reopened, Disney fans have come back in droves. According to the company’s third-quarter earnings report for 2021-22, its parks division revenue was up 72% from the previous quarter.”
Learn more about Andi Stein on the CSUF News website.