This year marks twenty years of theatrical features for Pixar Animation Studios, who released their first full length movie Toy Story under the Disney banner in November of 1995. To celebrate, Disney is hosting a series of panels and events at this year’s D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, all honoring the studio that Buzz Lightyear and Woody helped build, which has become a cornerstone of the Disney empire.
As part of the festivities, the giant Buzz Lightyear helium balloon, flown six times in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and measuring 67.7-feet long, 39.9-feet wide and 34.3-feet tall, will come to the west coast for the first time ever. Buzz will greet guests of the expo outside the Anaheim Convention for the duration of the convention.
Pixar’s Inside Out is currently in theaters, raking in huge box office bucks and getting rave reviews, capping off their near-perfect streak of fifteen films over twenty years (we’ll just overlook Cars 2; everyone has a hiccup now and again), so it’s an even more perfect time to celebrate the Pixar legacy.
The D23 Expo runs from Friday, Aug. 14 through Sunday, August 16. Below is the full schedule of Pixar related events at the convention, including where to buy Hawaiian shirts based on those worn by Pixar founder and Disney Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. Is that maybe the ultimate Pixar collectible?
Every Story Is a Journey: The Upcoming Films of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios
Friday, August 14, 3:00 pm  – Hall D23
After meeting the Emotions inside the mind of an 11-year-old, taking a trip to San Fransokyo where a boy genius and his robot save the world, and falling in love with a queen with icy powers who wants to “let it go,†come see where Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios plan to take you next. In what has become a D23 EXPO must-see, host John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, presents “Every Story is a Journey.†Filmmakers will unveil never-before-seen footage from Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory and Disney Animation’s Zootopia and Moana. The event will include surprise announcements, musical performances, and appearances by the films’ star voice talent.
In Conversation with the Filmmakers and the Emotions Behind Inside Out
Friday, August 14, 2015, 11:30 am – Stage 28
Get the inside story on the making of Pixar’s summer release Inside Out. Hear from Academy Award-winning director Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.) and producer Jonas Rivera (Up) as they reminisce and share their personal stories of creating a world that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen.
Pixar Secrets Revealed! Hear the Stories They Didn’t Want You to Know!
Saturday, August 15, 2015, 3:00 pm – Stage 28
Ever wonder where your favorite Pixar stories began? Hear the stories you don’t know about the classic films that you love. Pixar senior development executive Mary Coleman hosts this experience, welcoming the storytellers behind some of Pixar’s most successful films, including Darla K. Anderson (A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Brave), Ronnie del Carmen (Up, Inside Out) and Dan Scanlon (Cars, Toy Story 3, Monsters University), as they talk about the twists and turns of crafting a narrative and share some of the crazy story ideas that didn’t make the final cut.
Toy Story: 20 Years Later, the Original Crew Looks Back
Saturday, August 15, 2015, 4:30 pm – Stage 23
From flipbooks to feature films, animation has taken audiences to fantastical new worlds, far beyond the limits of any real-world setting. Pixar Animation Studios has been at the forefront of this evolution, blurring the line between art and technology and bringing beloved characters to life with heart and humor. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of 1995’s Toy Story, the first computer-animated feature film, join members of the original crew, including filmmakers John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Galyn Susman, Ralph Eggleston, Sharon Calahan, Eben Ostby, Bob Pauley and Bill Reeves as they share their stories and the challenges they faced along the way.
ON THE EXPO SHOW FLOOR:
Animation – Show Floor Exhibition
For the first time ever, Pixar Animation Studios is creating a show-floor experience at D23 EXPO. Pixar teams up with Walt Disney Animation Studios for an unforgettable adventure that showcases magic from both animation studios, featuring live demonstrations, presentations and autograph signings with top filmmakers, free giveaways and interactive displays. With highlights from films like Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Zootopia, Finding Dory and Moana, animation fans will get the inside scoop on their favorite films and characters.
 Say Aloha to John Lasseter’s Film-Themed Hawaiian Shirts
Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter takes Disney and Pixar animation to heart—literally. For nearly every film—from Finding Nemo and Wreck-It Ralph to Frozen and Inside Out, Lasseter has commissioned an exclusive movie-themed Hawaiian shirt. And those who know the Oscar-winning storyteller know that he loves his Hawaiian shirts—and dons one for almost every occasion. Animation fans will see their favorite film characters “materialize†before their eyes in this colorful collection, which will be exhibited on the show floor.
Fans can take home their own shirt, thanks to Disney Store at D23 EXPO. This D23-exclusive Reyn Spooner-design features characters from all the feature films produced under the creative guidance of Lasseter. The simple, appealing collage joins many of Disney’s and Pixar’s most beloved recent characters on one wearable canvas. The shirt will retail for $99.95.
Tickets for the D23 Expo are available at D23EXPO.
