Disney D23: The ultimate Disney fan club

December 18, 2011 in All Posts, d23 by Babes in Disneyland

Looking for a great Christmas gift for the Disney fan on your shopping list? Consider buying a membership to D23. There’s a lot of confusion in the Disney fan community about D23. Is it a club? Is it an expo? Here’s everything you need to know about D23 and why it may very well be a good fit for your Disney desires.

What is D23?

Many people hear D23 and think of the D23 Expo held every other summer in Anaheim. Wrong! D23 is the official Disney Fan Club for the Walt Disney Company. The goal of D23 is to bring the history, legends and luminaries of the Disney Company by providing them access to merchandise, events and special stories. The D23 Expo is but one of the events available to members (nonmembers pay more to go to the expo).

How do I become a member of D23?

D23 has two membership levels.

One-year silver level memberships are $34.99 and include:

Membership Card and Certificate that are suitable-for-framing. The member certificate features Donald Duck hand drawn by Disney Legend-and the voice of Donald, Tony Anselmo.

A special membership gift, a D23 Mickey Mouse Watch: Features charming Bandleader Mickey art and the numbers 2 and 3 highlighted (of course!) plus a leather band.

The opportunity to attend numerous D23 Member events throughout the year .

Exclusive merchandise

Subscription to bi-weekly D23 FanFare e-newsletter with breaking news and special offers.

Special promotional offers and discounts throughout the year.

Gold level one-year memberships includes all of the benefits plus a subscription to the “Disney twenty-three” quarterly publication. The one-year subscription (four issues) to the collectible magazine is filled with stunning photography, dazzling illustrations and the ultimate Disney insider perspective. And each issue comes with a surprise collectible gift! It’s an all-access pass to discovering the magic of Disney’s past, present and future!

Memberships can be purchased for yourself or as a gift by clicking here.

Is it worth the extra money to get the gold membership?


Sip and Stroll is an annual event that takes place at Walt Disney World.

The added benefit of the “Disney twenty-three” publication is definitely worth the difference in membership costs. The publication sells for $15.95 per issue on Disneystore.com (for members only, of course). More than a magazine, the large publication features stunning photography, stories and insight. It often features never-before-seen art and artifacts from Disney history and brings fans the inside scoop into Disney history.

What type of special events do members have the opportunity to participate in?

D23 offers its members amazing opportunities to get up close and personal with Disney and its history with events that take place on both coasts and throughout the country. The events range from movie screenings to Disney Studio tours to theme park events and more. Most events do require members pay an additional fee and travel arrangements, but for Disney lovers, there’s no way to put a price on the amazing experiences D23 is able to coordinate for its members.

New to D23 this year is an exciting opportunity for members to vacation in the very place Walt and his family adored, Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs. Said to be Walt’s own “Laughing Place,” the resort was Walt’s retreat from his busy work life and his influences can still be found throughout the ranch’s buildings. Guests will be treated to entertainment with Disney celebrities and much more.

Learn more about the Smoke Tree Ranch and the mystery behind Walt’s tie pin on the Partners Statue in this video:

In another trip scheduled for March, D23 members will have the opportunity to travel to Marceline and experience the town Walt Disney so adored as a youth in a way only Disney can bring history to life.

Want to see just how close D23 brings Disney fans to authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences? Check out part1, part 2 and part 3 (will be posted in the afternoon on Monday, December 19) of my Disney Archives experience hosted by D23! If you love Disney and Disney history, you won’t want to miss my glimpse inside the magic!

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