Millennials This Exclusive Disney Event Was Made Specifically for You and There Is a Catch
The Princess Diaries turns 25 this year, and Disney is marking the anniversary with something that goes far beyond a streaming banner or a retrospective social post. D23 members are invited to the actual filming location of the Genovian Consulate for an immersive pop-up experience featuring original props, archive costumes, and the specific rooms where the most memorable scenes from the 2001 film were shot.
The catch is the D23 membership requirement. If you have one, tickets just went on sale. If you do not, this is a compelling reason to get one immediately.
What the Experience Is
The D23 Genovian Pop-Up Experience takes place at the Doheny Mansion in Los Angeles, the historic building that served as the Genovian Consulate in the original Princess Diaries film. Disney is staging the mansion with original furnishings and decor from the movie, turning the actual filming location into a walkthrough of the scenes guests have had memorized for two decades.
The parlor where Mia first met Queen Clarisse is part of the experience. The dining room from the royal dinner, where everything went spectacularly wrong, is there. The ballroom where Mia officially accepted her crown closes out the visit. For anyone who has seen the film enough times to remember exactly how each of those rooms looked on screen, walking through the actual building where those scenes were filmed is something well beyond standard fan merchandise.
The Walt Disney Archives is opening its vault for the event, displaying tiaras, jewels, costumes, and props from both The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2 for the first time at this location. This is the first time the Doheny Mansion has hosted an event officially themed to the franchise.
What Every Ticket Includes
Every ticket to the event includes the full Genovian Consulate walkthrough, a red-carpet entrance with a photo opportunity in front of the mansion, access to the archive displays, and the ballroom finale. Guests also take home an exclusive swag package featuring a themed junk journaling kit with a soft-cover journal inspired by Mia’s diary, custom sticker sheets, die-cuts, and a commemorative event lanyard.
Why This Film Earned a 25th Anniversary Event With Disney
The Princess Diaries came out on August 3, 2001. The film holds up in ways that most films from that era do not. Anne Hathaway fell out of her chair during her audition, and director Garry Marshall cast her partly because of it. Julie Andrews returned to Disney for the first time since Mary Poppins, specifically to work with Marshall. Whitney Houston produced both films through her BrownHouse Productions company. The sequel marked Chris Pine’s motion picture debut. Julie Andrews performed the first song of her film career since throat surgery in 1997 and helped write it herself. The mattress surfing scene was performed without a stunt double by a woman in her mid-sixties.
According to Marshall, the fictional country of Genovia exists somewhere between Spain and Italy. It has never appeared on any map. Yet it has been living rent-free in the heads of an entire generation for 25 years.
This event is the first time the franchise has been honored at the actual filming location with archive access included. For millennials who grew up with this film. It is worth knowing about, regardless of whether a D23 membership is in your wallet.
