My take on the whole "D23" program

[cdnmickeylover]

Well said Pete. I'm disappointed in the program and probably won't join because it would cost an extra $50 to ship it to Canada. I think Disney at times fails to realize that it has loyal customers and AP holders outside of the US. We've had AP's to WDW for the last number of years (and don't have one to a local amusement park) because we like Disney.

Does anyone know if it will be available for purchase at WDW? (and therefore maybe avoid the insane shipping charges for those of us outside the US).

I would have preferred something like the castaway club idea in that you got something if you returned to WDW. I like cruising knowing that we get something a little extra because we are returning cruisers -- although the castaway club card would be nice too (they can't seem to mail that to us here in Canada). We've been told that they can't mail it because of custom regulations.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I am gonna have to agree with this for the most part. I am a bit disenchanted with Disney recently. I am the loyal fan. Rarely recieve the PIN codes but keep going back with no rewards what so ever. I get really angry when people who never go get PIN codes in the mail or a situation such as last year they gave a PIN code to half our grand gathering to return and not the other half. It just seems so unfair. Enough of my whining I guess. But you really think that they would treat their loyal guests better than they do. Esp in todays economy. If it were not for the 4/3 deal this year we would not be returning without a PIN code offer. It just kinda sucks because we would love to visit twice but can not now. Maybe someone up top will read some of this stuff and understand where the fans are really coming from. Not some LAME program with a $850 pen. Give me a break.

 

[ADP]

Thanks for sharing your insight Pete! Taking time away from your trip on the Wonder shows how passionate you are about this topic.

You are a master with words. You've described your feeling very well! Enjoy the rest of your sea day on the Wonder.

 

[cchev]

Very well put and I'm glad you're giving Disney a chance on this one...I really do think they're trying and I think they will surprise us.

Cory

 

[Floydian]

Their general attitude is, and has been for some time, that is our privelige to do business with them, and not their privelige to have us as their customers. This program only reinforces that perception.

I agree with a lot of your sentiments, and can even see some truth in the one I quoted above. Now, I don't work for Disney anymore, and even when I did 3 years ago, it was only for a couple of months as a low-level nobody. However, I can still remember the comments, attitudes, and "preaching" of every supervisor and manager I encountered in training or at work during that time. I can say that, at least in the spring of 2006, that was most certainly NOT the attitude of the front line employees or low level management at WDW.

It was clear to me that we were to consider ourselves lucky that our guests had chosen to spend their time and money to visit us. That they could go any number of other places, spend their money any number of other ways, and to do everything we could to make sure that they left knowing they had made the right choice in WDW.

Then again, I never even saw a Disney "corporate fat cat", let alone got a sense of their attitudes, so I could have just been one of the "brainwashed masses".

 

[aspen37]

Well said Pete!
As of now I'm NOT 23. I'm going to wait a while and see how this plays out.
Thanks for taking time from your cruise to give us your thoughts on this. I can't wait to hear about your trip! Have fun!

 

[mikelan6]

I'll wait for the 50% off discount, which should be coming soon.

 

[Cyrano]

As others have said for the domestic fans it might be worth a try. Will be interesting to see what happens in a year for renewals

For those of us overseas Disney has even moreso missed the mark

 

[Tony NY]

Thank you ! you hit the nail right on the head " loyalty program" ya right it all about the all mighty dollar that is just my opinion on the RU23.

 

[firemanx]

Definately agree with you Pete. One of the big reasons I think they may really be aiming to satisfy fans is they get the last true link to Walt involved in this. Marty Sklar is not a bean counter. I think they did miss with the role out, but it could be developed into a great community. I think alot of this is coming off the cuff, and if done properly could become a great membership.

 

[eazyeray]

Pete (or anyone for that matter), when you get the "special gift" let us know what it is. Right now I'm a NO but a nice "special gift" may sway me. By the way this thread has brought me out of my self imposed post WDW vacation DISboard exile due to depressing "vacation deflation" (technical term.) I sooooo wanna go back.

 

[cobbler]

I agree. I told my husband that for now I will reserve judgement on the club and actually wait a few months to see what happens with it and how it turns out. It states that you can become a charter member as long as you sign up by the end of this year.

So my thought was wait for a while, see what happens and then have a full calendar year after improvements - if any - when/if I sign up.

If not then at least I can get the magazine. I do like the Disney history aspect of it as I really enjoy that element. One of the reasons I have loved the Disney Legends DVC cruise in 2007.

Hopefully it will turn out better.

 

[MrToady]

Sorry if this has already been posted.

I guess the Motley Fool agrees

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2009/03/11/thats-just-dumb-disney.aspx

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Disappointed, yes, very. My partner and I have gone to WDW in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008(solo), 2008, and I have a solo trip coming up next month. We drop an average of $6000/trip for the two of us. Our last trip we spent over $10,000 for the two of us and my MIL. My house looks like Disney exploded inside of it.

We are Disney art and Disney pin collectors. We are complete pixie dust addicts, but D23, not so much. I was hoping for something much different than what I got. Quite frankly, the merchandise that they rolled out with the membership details is what completely turned me off. I feel like Disney is completely missing the point of what their bread and butter fans want.

LOYALTY ACKNOWLEGEMENT
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL EVENTS
EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE that is reasonably priced and of good quality

We got a none of this, IMHO. I am a Disney fan, but I am so not D23.

 

[wishspirit]

As others have said for the domestic fans it might be worth a try. Will be interesting to see what happens in a year for renewals

For those of us overseas Disney has even moreso missed the mark

Another kick in the teeth for international Disney fans!
We don't get pin codes, we don't get good online shopping in fact the whole Disney Online UK is hard to use and devoted mainly to films and Disney Channel! We have Disney Stores that have almost no adult stuff at all, our movies come out a good 3 or 4 months after yours, it took 4 months for me to get a Disney promotional DVD after requesting one! We get no recognition as Disney fans (except maybe trying to be pushed to go to DLRP, don't get me wrong, its 2 nice parks, but it's not Disneyworld!)

It already costs us a lot to get to Disneyworld, this is $75 (plus outrageous fees to do so) I am NOT willing to spend.

Our family are DVC members, my mom is an AP holder yet still international fans are not considered worth making the effort for!

Plus looking at the Motley Fool page, I could go to Six Flags for a year with that money! (I know Disney isn't six flags, but wow!)

 

[cchev]

I do agree that it is too much for internationals. Disney is an international giant, not a mom and pop store, so they shouldn't really need to charge that much more for people from England of all places.

I personally don't really have much of an issue with D23 so far...could it have been better? Of course. But for the cost it is ok. But the cost is no longer justified if you are international.

 

[WaltD4Me]

The Motley Fool article even mentions the DISboards! Cool.

I am soooooooooooooooooo curious as to what is going to happen with D23. I wonder if they are scrambling around today working on making it more appealing or are they all sitting around stunned by the critism and wondering where they went wrong? I really believe D23 has potential, I hope Disney can make it work.

 

[Becx N Gav]

Plus looking at the Motley Fool page, I could go to Six Flags for a year with that money! (I know Disney isn't six flags, but wow!)

You'd never get an annual pass for Alton Towers for that much

It does make me wonder why we get left out all the time, I'd love to have a Disney Visa but that's another thing we can't join

It looks as though DLRP is having to cut prices, I saw a commercial yesterday advertising 40% off hotel and ticket packages I've only ever seen 20% off before!

 

[sunshine girl]

I am not, at this point, going to join... and I usually don't hesitate to spend $$ on Disney! I am the biggest Disney fan of anyone in my big circle of friends and family.

I like the idea of a fan club, but I'd rather have special merchandise that says, "Magic Kingdom Club" or "Walt Disney Club" or "Walt Disney Signature Club" or something grand like that... D23 sounds like a trendy radio station. There's underlying significance but to me it's too far under!

Anway, that's just me being a nerd.

If they offer a perk that is exciting enough to me, of course I'll join anyway! But a magazine, merchandise with D23 on it that I can't really afford, a certificate and a mystery gift aren't enough. No harm in Disney trying to make money, but.... hmmm. As Seth and Amy would say on SNL... "$75??? Really???"

 

[steve76]

I am soooooooooooooooooo curious as to what is going to happen with D23. I wonder if they are scrambling around today working on making it more appealing or are they all sitting around stunned by the critism and wondering where they went wrong?

I've been wondering this too. I'd be interested to know how many members Disney expected to sign up for D23, and how many people did. I guess we'll never really know. Clearly a lot of people did sign up, either out of hope that it will evolve into something better (very possible) or because for them it would be genuinely worth their while (e.g. intended to attend the event at DL or buy the merchandise). I wouldn't be surprised if they do actually meet their targets - after all, this kind of thing is clearly designed for the few and not for the masses.

I'm sure the RU23 members will be happy customers, and that Disney probably signed up plenty of people. The problem for Disney is that they p*ssed many other people off in the process (such as those that wanted to 'be 23' but are not able to pay and those from outside the US). This is surely down to stirring up speculation and building up expectations - as I think Pete said a while ago on the podcast, if you're going to do that kind of thing, then you really have to deliver.

If Disney had launched the whole thing without the viral marketing campaign launching weeks in advance, then I don't think this would have been such a hot topic. Those that have joined would still have joined. Those, like me, who have not joined, still wouldn't have done, but wouldn't have been so annoyed. I think that Disney have now discovered the potential downside of viral marketing.