Dreaming Disney - Mickey Through the Decades

I live Between Disney. And in Betweenland there are some things that are just not going to happen. Though I will admit that I have lucked out and been able to schedule our family vacation to Disneyland over the last few years, so I ask for no fan pity. Some things are just pipe dreams for me. For example, I doubt I would ever be able to go to a D23 Studio Tour. I simply cannot imagine timing my vacation perfectly to match up with the schedule. But hey, I am still a lucky guy and having my schedule coincide with a D23 Expo once was probably as lucky as I was going to get.

But lightening struck again when D23 put out notice for sign-ups to attend Old Navy’s Mickey Through the Decades Collection at the Walt Disney Studios event. And best of all, it was scheduled for a day where the Between Family would not be going into Disneyland on a already scheduled vacation!

The day started with us renting a car and gulp driving through the LA area traffic. We left early to give ourselves plenty of time. This meant we had time to explore. We drove around Griffith Park, where Disneyland as an idea was germinated. And after we found the studio I searched the GPS for close by attractions and found the Hollywood Sign. With the sign adventure in our rear view mirror the Between Family was in full tourist mode when we checked in at the studio.

The event itself was somewhat of a free for all, with you choosing between several activities. There was one area where press photographed the three celebrities sporting Old Navy’s new Mickey Mouse tees. The three celebrities Jennifer Love Hewitt, Constance Marie and Brooke Burke mingled with the press, but really did not spend time with the other invitees. Though I did see some of their kids enjoying the offered activities. They took photos, answered press questions, but really did not interact with the fans. In fact I never saw anyone ask any of them for their autographs.

Old Navy's Mickey Collection

It was everyone else, like us, who got to have fun. The invited guests were given a voucher for a free t-shirt. Since Jeffrey and other staff pointed out there were plenty of t-shirts we skipped over the crowd of people at the Old Navy tent. Honestly, this may have been a mistake since there were a limited number of shirts in each style and the Between Family had to chose from the picked over remains. We instead went first to have our photo taken with Mickey, in a 50’s costume. He would be relieved by Minnie throughout the event with her 50’s themed dress also.

After our picture with the main mouse we jumped into the line to get a Disney artist to draw a custom Mickey sketch for us. You could get Mickey or Minnie. As I stood with the Between Kid, the artist asked him what picture was desired. The response was baby Mickey, which the child ahead of us had gotten. The artist instead described a Star Wars Mickey Mouse. The Between Kid said no, baby Mickey please. So the artist laughed and said let’s do baby Mickey for you but Luke Skywalker Mickey for dad! He saw the gleam in my eye! So of course I loved it and was thrilled to get my own custom Mickey/Star Wars mash-up. (Note, I did ask later a character artist in the park if they could make me an Agent Coulson Mickey. He stated currently Marvel is not included in what they can produce).

Mickey Skywalker

After the Between Kid got a Mickey temporary tattoo and grabbed some coloring sheets, we ate. And we ate in the Commissary! The food itself was burgers and hotdogs from a caterer. But it was super fun to be able to say that we were eating inside the Disney Commissary. And sitting inside away from the heat, we saw the Saving Mr. Banks trailer for the first time.

After eating, we went into a conference room to watch some of the new Mickey Mouse shorts. We were given popcorn, candy and bottled water. They were bragging that one of the shorts had not been seen yet. But I could not tell you which one since we had not seen around three of them.

Oh, and now the real fun began. When we left the Commissary building we noticed some guests walking around. So we tested our limits. We walked down to Pluto’s Corner and snapped some pictures. And since we made it that far, we took some pictures of the Animation Building. The Between Wife shook her head as I pointed out to the kids that this was the building that Walt Disney worked in. And then we walked a little further to get good pictures of the Team Disney Building. And since we were there we wandered around Legends Plaza, with me in full geek mode as I put my hand in the impressions left by Marc Davis, Roy E. Disney and others. So we may never be able to go on the official Disney tour. But it our unofficial self guided tour made the trip to Burbank.

The Team Disney Building

Reaching Out to a Legend

After we left the Studio and went to the beach. So it was an awesome day overall.

Yes I live Between Disney. But you never know what you may find Disney Adjacent until you open yourself up!

Dreaming Disney - D23 John Carter Preview

During my first two years of being a D23 member I was not able to participate in many of the events that D23 sponsored.  In my third year of membership I have been able to attend two!  Recently, I was able to attend the D23 John Carter nationwide previews.  I was pretty excited about the opportunity to both participate in a D23 event without needing an airline ticket and of course being able to see John Carter for free before it was released. 

I found the event relatively easy to register for.  I had pulled up the designated page about five minutes before registration opened.  I made sure to refresh often.  At the announced time the page was updated with a code, a code which I then used on a third party site, www.seeitfirst.net.  I did have to register and setup an account on the website after I provided the screening code D23 provided.  I was very quickly sent an email with my ticket enclosed and directions for the night of the screening.

On the screening night I arrived about an hour and ten minutes early and found that the line had already started.  The oldest Between Kid and I found ourselves about 40 to 50 behind the front of the line.  About 20 minutes later they announced that no cell phones would be allowed and that we could check them or take them to our car.  I have to admit, even at the D23 Expo I never had to check my phone though I knew it had occurred for some of the sessions.  They gave us the chance to take our phones and lock them in our cars if we wanted and fans watched each other’s place in line as shifts of fans went out to their cars.  I did see that checked phones were held in numbered paper bags, for which I assume audience members were given matching tickets. 

As I talked to others in the line it became clear that not everyone there were D23 members.  Many, no most, had glossy ticket looking pamphlets with the Disney logo on them.  I never found out the source of these tickets, I guess I got distracted.  I had a printout!  So I asked the gentlemen standing beside him if he was there with D23.  No, he told me he was there with an invite from Disney Visa.  Later, a staff member went through the line asking for D23 and Visa members.  We were then pulled out of line and taken to the front!  So we jumped from around 50^th to 5^th.  The Between Kid was very impressed by this and kept making comments that we were VIPs.  So despite the fact that a third party not Disney was clearly running the event, our D23 membership made us still feel special.  This new line placement meant we saw John Carter from the middle of row, that wasn’t too high, wasn’t too low and was just right! 

Another advantage of being placed with D23 and Visa members were everyone standing around me were Disney fans.  We spent the time awaiting the movie sharing stories of parks, rides and other favorite movies.  And of course our kids kept coming up in conversation. 

In the end, this event did not have the bells and whistles that you often hear D23 events described with on podcasts.  But it was free.  And my membership did give me something I really wanted to do, was probably going to do anyway.  Did I mention it was free?  And we did hear staff explain to the others in line that Disney was doing something special for us, though I am not sure they knew what D23 was. I really appreciate that Disney was attempting to reach out to us D23 members Between Disney even in a small way.    

Dreaming Disney - D23 Between Disney

D23 is the official fan club for the Walt Disney Corporation.  Founded in 2009, the fan club offers two levels of membership.  The more expensive gold level membership provides members in 2011 a membership card and certificate, an exclusive Mickey watch, access to D23 events and merchandise, a quarterly magazine which Disney touts as a collectible and special promotional offers and discounts.  The less expensive Silver membership does not include the Disney twenty-three magazine. 

My history with D23 goes back to 2009.  On its launch date I debated if financially it was a good choice for me to be a member.  And on that first day I decided that it was not a good use of money for me.  The deciding factor at the time was that it was an expensive magazine subscription since the likelihood of me every attending a D23 event or using the other privileges was non-existent.  I felt pretty good about the decision, especially as podcasts I listened to discussed what Disney did wrong in launching a fan club, including price, and generally criticized this Disney mistake.  But as the Disney twenty-three magazine hit the mailboxes of podcasters that were members my opinion began to change.  The magazine actually sounded like it would be entertaining.  And I got my hands on a sample and decided that I would become a member, especially since it became a birthday gift.  I have never regretted being a member.  In fact my regrets are that I am only a charter member and not a first day member. 

Over these few years of being a D23 member I have been satisfied.  I live Between Disney which means that none of the D23 events largely placed in Orlando, Anaheim and major cities like New York are accessible to me.  And a lot of the associated discounts largely impact those living in or near those cities.  So, those are not items that draw me to D23.  Though I have loved getting reports from blogs, podcasts  and Twitter about events like the Expo and Destination D.  But in the end I decided that for me D23 is a high end magazine subscription and anything else is bonus.  And I really do enjoy seeing that magazine sitting on my step and I have read every article and every page of every issue to date.  So when analyzing my membership this way I have been satisfied with what I have gotten.  The magazine generally has a mix of coming soon (please spend money in the future) articles and historical articles and overall I won’t complain about the content.

Now there have been bonuses.  Every year I have received membership and renewal gifts.  These include a lithograph that someday when I get motivated I fully intend to frame and hang up I promise maybe but at least it’s still safe in its mailing tube!   I received a calendar of attractions that were never developed, and I really enjoyed the concept art though I never used the calendar.   Does anyone really hang up a calendar anymore?  And this year I got a D23 branded journal, it was simple enough that I have decided to use it to help keep track of my trips and Disney memories.  I admit it; I forget things and want to have my family’s reactions to rides recorded as early as possible.  Additionally I have gotten a watch that I occasionally wear and pins that I never wear.  Finally with every Disney twenty-three I have received items like patches, mouse pads, car air fresheners and more all Disney themed.  These gifts are not available to readers who buy the magazine separately at locations like Barnes and Noble.  So overall, the bonuses have been nice, but most are on my save for good pile in my office since they have not caught my interests. 

D23 does produce the weekly “Disney Geek” online video series which highlights future events and movies.  And the series is fun and though an attempt to separate me from my money entertaining.  Additionally on a less frequent basis D23 posts the “Armchair Archivists” series which highlights items with the Disney Archives from props to photos and pictures.  This series brings some really interesting pieces to Disney fans, like Walt Disney’s last recorded promotional video for the company.  But one does not need to be a D23 member to access these online videos.   

So, there I was, perfectly happy and content with my D23 membership.  Especially since Disneystore.com has exclusive D23 items which allowed me to get an autographed copy of one of Jason Surrell’s books.  My expectations were lowly set and D23 was exceeding them in actually sending me a magazine every four months without hassle.  But this year my D23 membership really paid off by allowing me to go to the 2011 Expo.  So my membership also meant discounted tickets for the entire family and the ability to enter early.  Which for my family meant we got a head start to wait in line to meet Phineas and Ferb and the “Voices of Phineas and Ferb”.  And my 24 seconds of interaction with Dee Bradley Baker are honestly epic and priceless.  And when I became a member I would have never anticipated that I would ever actually go to a D23 event and have my family interact with Talking Mickey.

So in the end, for those of us Between Disney, D23 can still be a good investment.  But you can’t expect D23 to bring the awesomeness to you, unless you feel a magazine is awesomeness.  But us still far from the gates can use D23 to keep us in the know and make us feel connected even when we are miles and months away.  Does a D23 membership help you feel closer to Disney while living Between Disney?