D23 Expo with Pinkvilla: Inside the 3-day Disney extravaganza with Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland & more

For the uninitiated, D23 Expo is like the Comic-Con of all things Disney. Whether it be their movies, shows, products or even Disneyland. I was lucky enough to be amongst the few to get a chance to witness this extravagant three-day spectacle in live and living colour. Before the event kickstarted I was welcomed into Disneyland Park in Anaheim to get the feel of their latest attraction, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. At the wee hours of the morning, we were pepped up to enter a galaxy far, far away.

From the interiors of the land to the customised food and beverages, the attention to detailing is what struck me the most. My favourite moment during the entire Galaxy's Edge tour was getting a big furry hug by Chewbacca and riding the Millennium Falcon as the gunner. I was able to live my own Star Wars story. The rest of the day went on touring the rest of Disneyland Park and as it was my first time, I witnessed in person as to why they call it the happiest place in the world. And the fireworks were worth the hype!

When I reached the Anaheim Convention Center for the D23 Expo, I was astonished to see the vibe of 7000 fans waiting outside for the event to kickstart. I was even more amazed to know that the same fans had begun camping days in advance to be able to enjoy D23 Expo up, close and personal. To see rows and rows of fans and cosplayers come together to enjoy the fandom moment was an unexplainable feeling. First up, I got to attend the Disney Legends ceremony which started with a Christina Aguilera soul-stirring performance of Reflection from Mulan (1998). As an MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) fangirl, to see Robert Downey Jr. become a Disney legend and tell us that he loves us 3000; you have to be there to believe the deafening atmosphere!

Disney Plus presentation was eagerly awaited with the most anticipated series being Jon Favreau's Star Wars series The Mandalorian. Other big reveals included new Marvel series on She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight. We also got more details about previously announced series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki and What If. However, the cherry on the cake was Hillary Duff's return back to the Disney stage to announce a Lizzie McGuire spin-off series along with a new version of High School Musical. But, that was not all! Ewan McGregor made a surprise appearance to reveal that he was reprising his iconic role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for Disney Plus.

Disney Studios presentation had me and others salivating as we got the deets on the interesting lineup of films for the next few years. In paticular, The Eternals cast came on stage to reveal their new looks that had everyone excited, especially Angelina Jolie fans. Then, there was the inclusion of fellow Game of Thrones star Kit Harington as Black Knight in The Eternals. Furthermore, the entire cast of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker came on stage to give us another sneak peek of the upcoming film which will also feature the late Carrie Fisher. The moment, however, was stolen by one Tom Holland, who appeared on stage with Chris Pratt to talk about their upcoming animated film, Onward. Given the recent Sony-Marvel Studios backlash over Spider-Man, it was the first time we saw Tom address the crowd about what a crazy time it has been for him. To see him say that he loves his fans 3000, it garnered the loudest reaction of the night.

While these were the important events at D23 Expo, there were other things happening around the block to keep one and all entertained. From digging deep into the costumes of Disney characters to witnessing the 25th Anniversary of Disney musicals, the three-day journey was jam-packed and felt like a winter wonderland, as opposed to the scorching heat in California.

If there is one aspect that I will take back from the entire D23 Expo experience, it's the fandom culture in the West. While I thought I was one of the crazy fans, I was pleasantly mistaken. The cosplayers in paticular get a special nod because they really work hard to get their costumes just right! Some of them have even picked up the accents of the actors who play the iconic characters! So much of their time is dedicated to the franchises and to see D23 Expo as kind of a token of appreciation for the loyal fans, is something to remember!

ALSO READ: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: 5 aspects about the Disneyland spectacle that will leave Warsies in awe

It really was a once in a lifetime experience and on a side note, you'd probably want to book your tickets for the next one!