D23 fine-tunes its selection of special events for 2010

Jim Hill

15 years ago

D23 is still a few weeks out from its really-for-real birthday (Just for the record, The Walt Disney Company launched its Official Community for Disney Fans back on March 10, 2009). But given that D23 just revealed that it will be holding first anniversary parties at Disneyland and WDW’s Magic Kingdom in March, this seemed like a pretty good time to talk with Steven Clark
– the Head of D23 – about how he felt the organization’s first year had gone.

Mind you, when Steven & I spoke on the phone this past Friday and I asked him about his favorite memory from D23’s inaugural year, Clark’s inner geek immediately came out.

“You have to understand that I’m almost as big a Star Wars fan as I am a Disney fan,” Steven explained. “So to be able to stand on stage at the D23 EXPO and then get my pictures taken with all of those stormtroopers was very very cool.”

But when asked about what he was proudest of when it came to the Official Community for Disney Fans’ first year of operation, Clark talked about his team at D23. In particular how quickly they’d moved when it came to addressing Disneyana fans’ comments & concerns about the Club.

“We made a point of really trying to hear what people were saying,” Steven continued. “Take – for example – the new two tiered approach that we’ve taken with D23 membership. We introduced our Silver membership level in direct response to those people who said that they wanted a more affordable option when it came to their family joining the Club.”

Clark also pointed to this year’s “50 and Fabulous” screening series (which will allow 400 D23 members at a time to come onto the Lot in Burbank and then see a Disney film that hasn’t been up on the big screen in ages) as a way the Official Community for Disney Fans is addressing previous comments & concerns.

“Those ‘D23 Day at The Walt Studios and Archives’ tours that we offered last year were incredibly popular with our members. The only problem with those events – due to the extremely limited number of people that we could bring into the Archives at any one time — had very low capacity. Which meant that – try as we might – we’d invariably disappoint those D23 members who didn’t make the list for the tours and thereby lost out on this opportunity to get on the
Disney Lot,” Steven said. “By bringing our “50 and Fabulous” film fest to Burbank, we not only give 400 D23 members the chance to come on the Disney Lot, they also get to see one of our classic films for free.”

This brings us to one of Clark’s main goals for 2010. Which is to have D23 deliberately stage bigger events in larger venues. Which will then allow even more members of the Official Community for Disney Fans to come and get in on the fun.

“That’s actually why we’re holding the Club’s 1^st anniversary parties inside of Disneyland and WDW’s Magic Kingdom. So that hundreds of our members will then have the opportunity to attend one of our events. So that they can see all of the care and planning that we put into a party like this,” Steven stated.

Photo by Jeff Lange

Speaking of planning … Though the list of special events that D23 released last week was already pretty impressive, Clark warned that the Official Community of Disney Fans has even more in the works for 2010. Things like the next D23 EXPO, which has yet to be officially announced.

“We’ve already been meeting with other divisions of the Company in regards to our next EXPO. And there are some pretty neat things in the works,” Steven said. “But as for dates, specific panels & programs, we’re really not ready to talk about that yet.”

But as for what D23 will admit is already in the works, here’s some of the highlights from last week’s press release. Which starts off with this Friday’s event at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Where members of the Official Community of Disney Fans will get to attend a performance of the North American touring company of “Mary Poppins.”

Mind you, what will make this D23 event special is what happens after the curtain drops. When Club members will get an exclusive post-show experience with the “Mary Poppins” cast. Which will include an appearance by an actor who appeared in the classic 1964 film (Anyone care to Bert … er … bet who that might be?).

On February 13^th, the Official Community for Disney Fans will present its next “D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives.” Three tours will be offered on this particular date. And given that each tour group can only accommodate 50 people at a time … Well, if you want to score some tickets this time around, you’d best be online on January 26^th at 10 a.m. PT and ready to plunk that $50 down.

Then – on March 5^th – D23 members from around the globe will be journey to The Walt Disney World Resort. Where – in honor of the Official Community of Disney Fans’ first anniversary – they’ll be invited to take part in a private dinner at the Magic Kingdom’s Diamond Horseshoe Saloon. Then – following an exclusive viewing of Mickey’s PhilharMagic – Imagineers
will then tell Club members about that theme park’s Fantasy Forest expansion project. This presentation will be followed by a dessert party.

On March 10^th, D23’s 1^st anniversary celebration shifts to the West Coast. Where Club member will have Fantasyland all to themselves for one magical night. Where
they can then see rare pieces of Disney history up-close. Not to mention hanging out with some seldom-seen walk-around characters as well as snacking on some delicious Disney-inspired dessert.

Then – on March 27^th – D23 members will get the chance to see a Disney movie that hasn’t been seen on the big screen since its initial theatrical release back in January of 1960, “Toby Tyle r, or 10 wqeeks with a Circus.” Reservations for this exclusive screening (which will be presented in the recently renovated, state-of-the-art, Studio Theater on the Burbank Lot) made be made starting on January 26^th at 10 a.m. PT.

April 10: 2010’s second round of The Walt Disney Studios and Archives tours will be held to this date

May 8: D23’s second “50 and Fabulous” screening for 2010, “Pollyanna,” will be presented in
the Walt Disney Studio Theatre

May 29-30: 2010’s “Flowers and Fireworks” event (which will be expanded to two days
this year) will be held at Epcot

June 26: A special celebration will be held at the Walt Disney Studios marking the 40th
anniversary of the Walt Disney Archives

July 10: D23’s third “50 and Fabulous” screening for 2010, “Swiss Family Robinson,” will be
presented in the Walt Disney Studio Theatre

August 14: 2010’s third round of The Walt Disney Studios and Archives tours will be held on this date

October 15-16: Club members will get the chance to “Sip & Stroll” around World Showcase during Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival

October 23: D23’s fourth “50 and Fabulous” screening,”The Sign of Zorro,” will be
presented in the Walt Disney Studio Theatre

November 13^th: 2010’s fourth & final round of The Walt Disney Studios and Archives tours will be held on this date

December 11-12: “Magic and Merriment” weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort

Speaking of this last event … When I asked Clark when he was most looking forward to 2010 schedule of special events, the Head of D23 revealed that his interests go beyond Disney and Star Wars.

“I’m actually a big Christmas nut,” he admitted. “And while I wasn’t able to attend last year’s ‘Magic and Merriment,’ members of my staff were. And they just raved about how great this event was. Which is why – when December rolls around again – I’ll definitely be going out of my way to attend ‘Magic and Merriment.’ ”

If you’d like to add a little magic & merriment to your own 2010 … Well, maybe you should consider signing up for D23. For further information on the Official Community for Disney Fans as well as the various special events the Club has planned for the coming year, please click on this link.

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