Welcome back to this year’s D23 coverage! Today, I’ll be covering all the news and announcements from day 2 connected to Disneyland. As I mentioned yesterday, you can find info on all the other Disney announcements from these sources:
So, what did attendees learn on Day 2?
HAUNTED MANSION 50THÂ ANNIVERSARY PANELS
Saturday’s lineup included a few different sessions celebrating the Haunted Mansion’s 50thanniversary. First was The Haunted Mansion: Celebrating 50 Years.
 Source: MiceChat
The panel covered a range of topics, including:
- Examples of at-home Imagineering illusions, like using laundry detergent as glow-in-the-dark paint
- Conversations and planning for the mansion between Imagineers Chris Merritt and Marc Davis, including the design of a Phantom Drummer resembling the Hatbox Ghost
- Stories about X. Atencio, who worked on both the Mansion and Pirates as a writer, despite having no experience in show writing
- An early script for the Haunted Mansion
The panel ended with the Haunted Mansion’s tightrope walker (from the stretching portrait) and muppet Uncle Deadly reciting the early script for the attraction.
 Source: Laughing Place
Later in the day, Disney also shared collections of Haunted Mansion merchandise and memorabilia from the last 50 years. I couldn’t find any good pictures from this session, so let me share this AMAZING cosplay from the floor. Check out this fully operational costume, complete with moving doom buggies!
 Source: Laughing Place
POSTCARDS FROM THE GALAXY’S EDGE
The Immersive Worlds panel brought together Imagineers Jeanette Lomboy, Luc Merin, Joe Rohde, and Scott Trowbridge. The panelists discussed their roles in designing recent immersive projects in parks around the world, and Trowbridge shared some new insights about the new planet of Batuu:
- Galaxy’s Edge was intentionally designed so that visitors can’t see the whole land from any given space. Instead, visitors have to explore the land fully in order to see all of its spaces, adding mystery and realism to the land.
- On a similar note, Galaxy’s Edge encourages exploration, drawing guests from passive roles as spectators into more active roles as participants in the story.
- Imagineering believes technology enables immersion unlike ever before. By having more immersive lands, they believe they are fulfilling what Walt would’ve done if this technology had been available in the 50s.
THE PANEL WE’RE ALL WAITING FOR
I’ll have another post tomorrow with D23’s most anticipated session, the Parks & Resorts panel.