With a name that has “beauty” in the title, you’re going to have to deliver something that’s pretty spectacular and that’s exactly what was delivered in Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

That spectacle was exactly the topic that many Disney fans flocked to learn more about with the Beauty and the Beast: 25th Anniversary panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

Disney guru and Beauty and the Beast producer Don Hahn oversaw the panel which included great stories, interesting anecdotes, and fun tidbits from a well established group of individuals. Panelists included film directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, along with other Disney notables including David Pruiksma, James Baxter, and Nik Ranieri who discussed classic film that would become the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

A wealth of topics were covered during the hour long session and it felt not nearly long enough. From challenges with marketing to not make Belle’s dress pink or lavender, to dealing with the challenges of bringing to life inanimate enchanted objects, to putting hand-drawn animated characters into a CG realized world during the ballroom scene, there was a lot of really great stories shared.

There was also some great insights on working with Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, and Angela Lansbury. Plus, the difficulty in casting Robbie Benson as the Beast.