I want to be where D23 is. I want to see, want to see all the fans, walking around dressed in–what do you call it? Oh, cosplay.

I want to be part of that world.

But alas, I am at home, sulking on the couch in my Tinker Bell pajama pants, watching lucky Disney lovers’ Instagram stories and trying to keep up with all the news. Only through the power of the Internet can I get a glimpse of the splendor. California is so far from me. It’s not just around the river bend.

I wish I could be there among the legends and the storytellers. I wish I could go the distance to the Anaheim Convention Center. If I had tickets, there’s just no telling how far I’d go to be there.

It’s really quite a travesty that I have never been to the D23 Expo. I’ve been to Disney World every year since I was five, and I’ve been to Disneyland a few times. But no D23. Attending the convention is on my Disney bucket list, along with visiting all the Disney parks around the world and venturing on a Disney cruise. Just like how Russell from Up had to collect his Wilderness Explorer patches, I must undergo every Disney rite of passage.

If I were at D23, I would make a beeline for the Star Wars section. That galaxy far, far away has brought me so much joy with it’s complex characters and vibrant worlds. The stories of those space operas have inspired me to write my own epic tales. If I were there, I would be able to fully bask in the glory of Star Wars and its amazing fandom. The “Imperial March” would fill my ears with its familiar, powerful sound. I would wear my Rey costume. I would see the Star Wars Land replica with my own eyes, not by a picture on a phone screen. As I scroll through such pictures, D23 calls to me and other Disney fans who are not in attendance. With all the photos and news and excitement, there has been a nerdy awakening. Have you felt it?

I mentioned my Rey costume earlier; it’s the only cosplay I’ve ever done. It would be a dream come true to be at D23 and see all the wonderful cosplayers, from princesses and pirates to superheroes and Jedi, from beginners to veterans. Such a place is surely bursting with creativity and magic.

So many secrets are being unveiled at D23, secrets I and many others will not know about until the films hit the big screen. Or until someone leaks them online. I’m missing out on seeing my favorite celebrities and purchasing exclusive merchandise. I’m missing out on trading pins with countless Disney fanatics. But perhaps I will be able to experience a whole new world of Disney magic at a future D23 Expo. Until then, I can only wish upon a star that one day I’ll be up where they walk, up where they run (to panels), up where they stay all day in the AC. Watch and you’ll see; someday I’ll be part of that D23 world.

Are you in the same boat as me? If you were at D23, what would you most like to see?

Edited by: Kelly Conley