Shortly after the sun rose over Walt Disney World Resort on Saturday, April 18, more than 100 D23 Gold and Silver Members gathered at AMC Downtown Disney 24 to celebrate the film considered to be Walt Disney’s crowning achievement in the art of animation: Sleeping Beauty.
Walt Disney World creative designer and animator Lon Smart––who began his career animating beloved characters in features from The Lion King to The Princess and the Frog––introduced the film with an exclusive presentation showcasing its history and breakthroughs in design, music, technology, and character personality.
Lon revealed that the production artwork created for Sleeping Beauty was so impressive that they were planned for art museums even from the beginning. “Every frame of this film is amazing,” Lon shared. “The details in the backgrounds. Even when a character touches a bush, every single leaf is animated! Who does that?”
Along with the screening of the animated masterpiece, D23 Members had the chance to mingle over coffee and meet with Lon and D23’s own Laura Sanchez. And as a special treat, each guest received a commemorative gift––a journal designed to look like the ornate book that opens the tale of Princess Aurora.
D23 will be back at Walt Disney World on June 6 to celebrate more behind-the-scenes movie-making magic in our special presentation of The Parent Trap. See you again real soon!