D23 My Thoughts

First Year Thoughts: Like many I was skeptical when Disney first announced the D23. I thought the price point was too high and I was unsure if they could deliver. I have been proven wrong at almost every turn. So far I have been extremely impressed with the quality and variety of events and pieces that have gone into the community. My biggest complaint is that many of the events have been so limited in space and the demand so high (a victim of their own success?). I have been fortunate/lucky/quick enough to be able to attend several events. The first being the Disney Studio and Archive tour back in June and then the Disneyland USA event in July. Both were extremely well run events and it was great to participate in. I was also able to attend a couple of the pay events. I went to the D23 Expo in the fall, Magic and Merriment event at Walt Disney World in December and then the Frist Anniversary Party at Disneyland in March. The quarterly magazine is great and even the small details of shipping it in a cardboard box to protect it are appreciated. You can tell a fellow fan/disneygeek thought that up.

Second Year Thoughts: As the second year of D23 comes to a close I am still enjoying the club. This past year I was able to attend the Destination D: Disneyland 55 event in Anaheim. There were plenty of events offered but my calendar just did not line up and the couple that did line up I had already attended in the first year (like Magic and Merriment) so I opted to skip them the second time around. Also new this year the club launched a couple of web series. One feature the D23 Disneygeek and another Armchair Archivists. The magazines continue to impress with their variety of articles and great photography. The one disappointment I have is with the renewal process. I wish they would give a cut off date to ensure on time delivery of the next magazine. The magazine comes out on February 1st and charter members do not have to renew until March 10th. Early renewal deadline was January 31st. I renewed in mid January and now as of March 9th still no February Magazine.

Third Year Thoughts: This year was highlighted by the second Expo in Anaheim as well as a Destination D in Orlando to celebrate Disney World's 40th Anniversary. The D23 team continued to put on quality events but I did feel a trend upwards in terms of price points for many of the events, especially with what is coming in 2012. The Disney Twenty Three magazine continues to explore the company and bring many interesting stories to life. The team has started to branch out with more events occurring around the country so more members have a chance to experience them. It should be fun to see what is in store in the coming year as D23 continues to evolve and mature.