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? 

Dreaming Disney – Mousetaliga!

So there was a time when I claimed the Walt Disney World Resort was my home park.  I mean I had been there a few times and felt like I knew the lay of the land.  But then when the Between family was faced with the choice of vacationing in Duluth or the Wisconsin Dells, we chose another D with the Disneyland Resort.  Now this was a major curve ball.  Disneyland was a whole new world.  I did not know the park layout.  I did not know the best places to eat.  I was not sure that I would be able to get a Dole Whip.  In the face of uncertainty, I went to my preferred information gathering platform, podcasts.  In searching for Disneyland information I stumbled on several podcasts.  Most of them did not make the cut after planning for that future trip was complete.  But Mousetaliga not only made the cut but became a part of my regular podcast diet. 

The first reason I moved forward on listening is the four hosts.  Jeff or Chef Mayhem is the force behind DoomBuggies.com and an Haunted Mansion expert.  Jeff is the buddy whose Disney library and expertise you are jealous of.  Jeff often shares highlights from that library in readings from books, magazines or clippings that Disney enthusiasts are always glad he had and shared.  Kristin is the optimistic one.  She’s typically willing to give most things, well maybe not Walt Disney World, a chance.  Becky is the adventurer.  Be it food, running a marathon, Walt Disney World, or be it touring with an infant she takes on the challenge.  Becky’s husband Dave is the techy one.  Dave has an unnatural love for Tron, which at least for me is unnatural.  He has an extensive music collection and he has used his knowledge of Disney music and technology to start two separate websites separate from the podcast MouseVinyl.com and MobileMouse.net.  It’s really not fair for me to try to categorize the hosts in a niche as I work this through, in fact they may not even seen themselves in these ways.  The key for me, and one of the reasons I have kept listening is these four could be your friends.  They will likely remind you of people in your circle.  But they are the friends you have that also enjoy Disney with no eye rolls, and listening to Mousetaliga feels like entering a conversation; complete with sarcasm and in-jokes.  In episode 158 focused around listener email one fan stated the crew was his "fantasy group of friends."  That may just be the best way to say it.        

The second reason I listen is there is a lot of diversity to this podcast.  A typical podcast may start with a Mousetaliga Bits and Bites, a round table of items and opinions amongst the hosts.  Or perhaps there may be a Mousetaliga Emporium with reviews of recent books, movies, merchandise that the gang has acquired.  Many of the shows will combine one of these segments with a topic.  The third reason I kept listening is the topics.  I am Between Disney, so straight parks only news was not going to satisfy me.  I was already listening to enough of those shows.  But the topics of Mousetaliga run the whole gamut of Disney fandom.  The topic could be park centric, but it could also be a movie or book or something else that is available to me Between Disney.  I have to admit their reviews of Walt Disney Family Museum events have become a favorite since sitting in the Midwest the chances of me going to the museum are remarkably low, but the crew has a knack of summarizing the events in such a way I still feel I get a lot of edutainment value.  My favorite all time episode is episode 103 in which Kristin and Jeff discuss their visit to Alice Davis’ home.  In an earlier episode, number 99 Disney Mechanized Magic, Kristin retold how she met and started a relationship with Alice Davis.  That alone would be a dream for most Disney fans, starting a sincere connection with a Legend who knew Legends.  But to have Kristin and Jeff retell actually visiting her home and hearing of her sincere love of her late husband Marc Davis and her good friend Mary Blair.  It is incredible and you feel as if you are listening to someone like you, not a Disney sponsored host or author but your friends as they enter the life of a lady who is not just a Legend but a treasure.  I had to laugh recently as I listened to episode 156 as Kristin discussed appreciating a Privileged Disney Lifestyle as she typically has easy access to Disney events and parks.  Living Between Disney it was awesome to hear someone Disney Adjacent discuss how many of us, if not most, lack daily Disney access and have to generate our own Disney connections.   

The opening of Mousetaliga claims this is the “Wildest Podcast in the Wilderness”.  I have to admit if wild equals fun it may just be.  There is a lot of laughter and you really feel like you are part of this friendship.  Additionally, I have to give this crew a shout out as they have helped me beyond their actual podcast.  In the summer of 2011, I contacted the Mousetaliga gang through chat with questions about D23.  Dave responded and gave me information that was key to helping plan my family’s trip to the D23 Expo.  I guess in the end we are all friends after all!