No more D23 in 18 months?

[gary403]

Anybody heard anything?

 

[hakepb]

I wonder what credit card will replace it, Disney PayPal?

(the Mickey Mouse club was closed and "replaced" by the new, exciting Disney Visa :/)

 

[gary403]

I wonder what credit card will replace it, Disney PayPal?

(the Mickey Mouse club was closed and "replaced" by the new, exciting Disney Visa :/)

D23 is the first official Disney fan club for dedicated fans, sponsored by the Walt Disney Company. The Charter Year of D23 was in 2009.

 

[zulemara]

We talked about it a bit on the show. I meant to post a list of the things we talked about but haven't had the chance yet. That said, sources say D23 is not well liked within the company and there is a power struggle about it which could lead to the end of it.

Personally, I think it needs to be retooled to make it better, but if they close it, that's fine too.

 

[thruthelookinglass19]

Interesting that this came up - about "retooling" it. In my email today, I received a survey from D23 about what I like about it, what didn't I like, what would make it better, etc.

Never heard anything about it going away. . . but can see it getting retooled, especially having just gotten that survey!

 

[hakepb]

Sorry, I was thinking the Magic Kingdom Club : http://www.yesterland.com/mkc.html

I did not mean to confuse you with the TV show.

 

[kbelle8995]

Although I am probably the audience D23 was looking for, there were several factors that took it off my list.

The cost- I was already paying a large sum for my annual pass.

The location- Too much focus on the West coast. And not once have they brought the Expo to Orlando.

If this is the end of D23, it won't bother me.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I will be glad to see it die (hopefully a quiet death).

I had been to the Expo and was seriously underwhelmed. This is because I had been to all ten Disneyana Conventions between 1992 and 2001 and saw that Disney did know how to run an enthusiasts convention.

Most of the events are in California. And when I go out to the West Coast I try to be there for a week because of the air fare and travel time.

Over half the events I have wanted to go to were sold out within a minute of reservations opening up. Because I was online and waiting for the reservations to open.

And no matter what Disney says, it is not a Fan Club; It is a profit center run by Disney for Disney without any real consideration for the customers.

For over 20 years I have been a member of the Disneyana Fan Club (formerly National Fantasy Fan Club) which is a fan-based Club almost 30 years old which is run by its members. There are local chapters both in the US and other countries. There is an annual convention as well as some chapters hold large conventions yearly (as well as their regular meetings). This year I went on a trip to Disneyland Paris with a group of about 50 people to help celebrate its 20th Anniversary. If you go to www.disneyanafanclub.org you can get more information about it.

 

[IllinoisJones]

I too received the survey email and many of the questions addressed our concerns. Would I go to more events if they were held closer?, What type of magazine topics do I want to read about?, etc. I had a conversation with a D23 Castmember about some of these concerns a few weeks ago and he eluded to me how shocked Disney is that there are highly passionate fans outside of California and Florida. I attended their Faniversary in Chicago which was awesome btw. But they couldn’t believe when tickets went on sale for all the cities at once, that their system crashed. We were in a 350ish seat theatre and it sold out in minutes. I told them they could have sold out at least 3 shows in that theater and they admitted they were caught off guard a bit by the response they received. Some people traveled from Texas and Colorado for this show! Due to the popularity, they’ve since added locations and shows. I could see how they’re wanting to give it another year and a half to get things right. We’ll see if they can correct their mistakes.

 

[jsebsirois]

I too received the survey email and many of the questions addressed our concerns.
I could see how they’re wanting to give it another year and a half to get things right. We’ll see if they can correct their mistakes.

I agree that following that survey they send to the members, they will try to make it better and then decide if they should close it.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Over half the events I have wanted to go to were sold out within a minute of reservations opening up. Because I was online and waiting for the reservations to open.

This is my major issue with D23. I'm a charter member and have never been to a member event. Almost every event I've tried to purchase tickets for, the tickets were gone in 5 to 10 seconds.

The only event that I planned to go to and could have obtained tickets for was last year's Sip & Stroll. I planned my annual WDW trip around the dates that had been published months in advance and then D23 changed the dates for the event after I had made hotel ressies, purchased airfare, etc.

My other issue is that they don't announce the event details far enough in advance for me. I need at least six months notice to plan for travel.

It surprises me the premium prices they are charging for many of the member events and how fast they sell out.

Have you seen the prices for next year's expo? $1500 for the premium package. Even at that price, I bet the tickets are gone within seconds on 8/9.

 

[ethanwa]

Honestly, I like D23, and I'm not from CA or FL.

The biggest thing for me is that there are a lot of exclusives with D23... events, merchandise, magazines, etc. And if you have money (which I am fortunate that I do), you can do the events and pay the premiums to get the special treatment. I enjoy it and I hope it continues. Before D23 a LOT of the cool events/treatment were nearly impossible to do.

That being said, they need to make improvements for me to continue to like it. First, we don't get enough benefits for our $75. Four magazine a year is not enough. I don't know what they could do to improve this, but there need to be more EXCLUSIVE stuff. Heck, even the magazine you can just buy in the store. If you HAD to have a subscription to get the magazine at least that would be a little special. And if you go to an event you should be treated like kings not customers. Disneyland Off The Map event eating at Club 33 is an awesome event, but they limited it to only a few people!! Which brings me to my next complaint....

Tickets to events! Gone in 5 seconds! What the heck! Every one of the D23 members has experienced this and its lame. Make the events BIGGER. Or have them in GROUPS, like they do with the studio tours. And how about random selection for who gets the tickets with pre-registration? Or how about seniority first, so Charter Members are actually rewarded for sticking around? Or how about earn "points" doing specific D23 online activities that can be used to reserve tickets in advance? There are all kinds of ideas to go off of.... make it fun, interactive, enjoyable to earn those tickets and those spots to the great events.

Anyway, just my thoughts. I personally hope D23 stays but also improves in a few areas.

Ethan

 

[pilferk]

Although I am probably the audience D23 was looking for, there were several factors that took it off my list.

The cost- I was already paying a large sum for my annual pass.

The location- Too much focus on the West coast. And not once have they brought the Expo to Orlando.

If this is the end of D23, it won't bother me.

The bold, above, is what disuaded us. We considered it, right as it launched (some of the initial join swag was neat), but it just didn't look like we'd get much use out of it...and it's an awful lot to pay for a magazine.

We're still waiting. They haven't really done anything much on the east coast...and I've no desire to travel to California all that often (plus, it's expensive to do so).

 

[LuJoy]

Oh, boy, here we go again. The short answer is: No. Where does this random rumor come from? If there is some kind of insider "power struggle" -- a concept that's almost laughable for D23 -- then you can bet that D23 has at LEAST two more years until Iger retires, since Steven Clark, who runs D23, reports to Zenia Mucha, who's an Iger favorite.

But I guess this is likely all a result of the survey D23 sent, which was very well done and a good tool to assess how members are feeling.

Seriously, though, stop with the "D23 only does things on the West Coast" rants. Let's see, there's Sip & Stroll and Fanniversary (in New York, Boston and Orlando with Philadelphia and Atlanta just added), there are screenings with Walt Disney Studios, there is Destination D which alternates between the east coast and west coast, there was the whole Orange Bird event, there is the upcoming Epcot 30th anniversary, there are a host of events happening on BOTH coasts.

If you really have time to attend all of these events, then I want your job!

D23 costs $75 a year. An annual pass costs $200-$800 a year. There is no comparison.

What I hear is a bunch of parks people who are complaining LOUDLY that D23 isn't run by the parks but the way I see it they have had decades to get this right. The parks have no "affinity" program, there are no "best guest" programs at the resorts, there are no perks to being a park passholder except, golly gee look at this, the ability to attend high-priced events that are basically ways to get you to spend MORE money on merchandise. At least when D23 does an event, it does the EVENT, not just makes it into a way to sell commemmorative pin sets.

And then there are people who complain that D23 events sell out too quickly. Do I hear this right? On one hand, D23 isn't worth the price, it isn't successful, it isn't popular, but on the other hand the events sell out in SECONDS. Gee that sounds pretty popular to me!

Until I hear some kind of definitive SOURCE about the incessant, never-ending rumor of D23's demise, I will continue paying me $75 a year (that's six bucks and change a month) to get the magazine, get my certificate, get my membership card that I can use to save money at some pretty good places, get my free goodies every few months, and be able to say I am part of the official Disney fan club.

 

[LuJoy]

It's an awful lot to pay for a magazine, but what magazine looks like this, comes wrapped in cardboard and plastic, and sends free gifts with each copy? When you think of one that's $75 a year, let me know.

 

[Waltgirl]

Dump it. Bring back Disneyana, they were THE BEST.

Heck, bring back the MKC, Disney Magazine and the Disney Catalog. Ahh the good old days!

Waltgirl

 

[pilferk]

It's an awful lot to pay for a magazine, but what magazine looks like this, comes wrapped in cardboard and plastic, and sends free gifts with each copy? When you think of one that's $75 a year, let me know.

My sub to PC gamer. I get a CD packed with add ons and demos, at least one CD per year with a slew of free games (and sometimes 2), and a bunch of extras.

My sub to the official X-box magazine. I get a CD full of demos and extras and occasionally other bonuses.

There are others (my wife subscribes to a nice scrapbooking magazine that gives out quarterly bonuses/gifts..and they're quite cool).

All come wrapped in plastic. Only the scrapbooking mag doesn't come backed with cardboard.

NONE of them are remotely $75 a year. Do they look like coffee table books? No..but I can buy 4 Disney related coffee table books a year for roughly the same price and get more content. In fact, I usually do. Or I could just buy the magazines at B&N...and spend a LOT less on them....and forgo the freebies.

That you find value in it is fine. Relative value is subjective. Nobody is harshing your buzz. I don't find the value in it. Different strokes for different folks, and all that.

 

[pilferk]

Seriously, though, stop with the "D23 only does things on the West Coast" rants. Let's see, there's Sip & Stroll and Fanniversary (in New York, Boston and Orlando with Philadelphia and Atlanta just added), there are screenings with Walt Disney Studios, there is Destination D which alternates between the east coast and west coast, there was the whole Orange Bird event, there is the upcoming Epcot 30th anniversary, there are a host of events happening on BOTH coasts.

I didn't see anyone say "only" (maybe I missed it).

I saw a lot of "mostlys".

Looking at the list of events, both past and present, that looks to be true. Most of them, and certainly most of the "larger" events, seem to be on the west coast.

Destination D, to date, will have had 2 incarnation on the west coast, and one on the east. Have they said they're alternating? Or was the 2011 simply for the WDW 40th?

You find value in it. Great. But certainly you can see how others might not...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

D23 is nice for what it is....

but its just and attempt to charge you for what amounts to the old magic kingdom club while they try to drive more merchandise straight down your throat...

if it went away, nobody should weep.

for me, the mickey monitor and the vacation club quarterlies do just as much or more to get the juices flowing...and they don't actually charge me more for what i already pay a lot to have to get those things anyway.

 

[ethanwa]

D23 is nice for what it is....

but its just and attempt to charge you for what amounts to the old magic kingdom club while they try to drive more merchandise straight down your throat...

if it went away, nobody should weep.

for me, the mickey monitor and the vacation club quarterlies do just as much or more to get the juices flowing...and they don't actually charge me more for what i already pay a lot to have to get those things anyway.

I pretty much disagree with everything you said. I'll be very sad to see D23 leave (if it does).