D23 Memberships Discounted

[Tiggerish]

Just got an email from DVC, offering a 10% discount on new Gold and Silver D23 memberships for DVC members.

Wonder if they will make the same offer to APs.

I'm one of those who always considered D23 (a) too expensive and (b) sort of a "pay money for the right to pay out even more money for events", so never joined; not sure if I will consider joining now, but what I don't like is the qualifier of the discount only on "new" memberships. What about all the DVC members who signed up right away? What about them? Shouldn't they get the discount, too?

Anyway, just thought I'd pass along this news. The offer is good through September 30.

 

[Tigger1988]

I don't know if they're getting desperate or what but they've been begging me to re-up my membership. Got about 3 emails and one letter in the mail trying to get me back.

Didn't work. :lol:

 

[bgraham34]

I almost signed up to be a charter member but I just felt the price was too high for what you got.

 

[Tigger1988]

I almost signed up to be a charter member but I just felt the price was too high for what you got.

Unless you live out by DL it's basically a glorified magazine subscription. They don't even attempt to make it seem like anyone outside of CA residents matter.

 

[DVCOwner]

I have been a member for two years and I am begining to think that the D23 is for people that live near or go to DL only. I hope that they start doing more at WDW.

 

[bgraham34]

Unless you live out by DL it's basically a glorified magazine subscription. They don't even attempt to make it seem like anyone outside of CA residents matter.

Yeah that is another good reason. I would have been great if they had a Desert Party once a month in Epcot for Illuminations just for D23 members. I debated for months and actually bought the Haunted Mansion issue and that sealed the deal to pass.

 

[SoccerMickey]

I am a D23 member and I have been a big fan of it since it started. I enjoy the magazine, the events, and the website.
That being said, I think when 2011 rolls around I feel D23 will make the announcement that they will honor all current members until the end of the year but there will not be a paid Official Disney Fan Club after that. It seems every time they try something good they manage to upset and anger a lot of their membership base from the most recent Star Tours at Disneyland event fiasco to the ongoing complaints about prices and availabilty of events, subscription prices, and quality of certain events offered. The writing is on the wall with the fact a very cool event, the Destination D/Scavenger Hunt is still available! Right now the figure floating around for paid members is 12,000 and, if anything, I see that number decreasing as I don't think they have been successful in recruiting new members. As the original post asked if this is a move of desperation, I believe it is.
D23 had a table set up at all the different Au'lani DVC presentations at the Contemporary Resort and I never saw anybody sign up. Just the D23 agent there flirting with all the young men that were in attendance.

 

[devoy1701]

I am a D23 member and I have been a big fan of it since it started. I enjoy the magazine, the events, and the website.
That being said, I think when 2011 rolls around I feel D23 will make the announcement that they will honor all current members until the end of the year but there will not be a paid Official Disney Fan Club after that. It seems every time they try something good they manage to upset and anger a lot of their membership base from the most recent Star Tours at Disneyland event fiasco to the ongoing complaints about prices and availabilty of events, subscription prices, and quality of certain events offered. The writing is on the wall with the fact a very cool event, the Destination D/Scavenger Hunt is still available! Right now the figure floating around for paid members is 12,000 and, if anything, I see that number decreasing as I don't think they have been successful in recruiting new members. As the original post asked if this is a move of desperation, I believe it is.
D23 had a table set up at all the different Au'lani DVC presentations at the Contemporary Resort and I never saw anybody sign up. Just the D23 agent there flirting with all the young men that were in attendance.

Price was too steep for me for what they were offering. If the membership translated into some discounts for movie tickets, and at the theme parks, along with exclusive offerings where the event was free but not the transportation and lodging, or small events at WDW such as dessert parties like someone else suggested or maybe a member lounge in some of the theme parks, then I might have considered. Essentially It seemed like the $100 got me 6 magazines and a paper membership certificate.

 

[Tigger1988]

I just feel like they dropped the ball. Why should I pay a large sum of money to receive a magazine that anyone can buy at Disney Stores (and book stores)? Living somewhere other than FL or CA, the perks to me were next to none.

And the magazine itself isn't nearly as interesting as the now defunct Disney Magazine imo.

D23 could be something great (and I'm sure it IS something great to CA residents) but until they learn how to keep the rest of the country involved it'll never work. There's really no reason why the 2011 expo couldn't have been held in WDW.

 

[devoy1701]

I just feel like they dropped the ball. Why should I pay a large sum of money to receive a magazine that anyone can buy at Disney Stores (and book stores)? Living somewhere other than FL or CA, the perks to me were next to none.

And the magazine itself isn't nearly as interesting as the now defunct Disney Magazine imo.

D23 could be something great (and I'm sure it IS something great to CA residents) but until they learn how to keep the rest of the country involved it'll never work. There's really no reason why the 2011 expo couldn't have been held in WDW.

I agree. I bought 2 issues of the magazine, and although I liked them, the fact that I could buy them and not be a member was not smart...and I actually feel I get a better value out of my Celebrations magazine than I did from D23.

 

[Phonedave]

I don't know if they're getting desperate or what but they've been begging me to re-up my membership. Got about 3 emails and one letter in the mail trying to get me back.

Didn't work. :lol:

Yeah, same here.

I enjoyed it while I was a member, and I think it is worth it for the magazines plus the little doo-dads they send, but only if you want the magazines in the first place.

The magazines are OK, but not something I want every month. I was nice while it lasted. I don't feel cheated by they initial membership, it's just not something I wish to continue.

-dave

 

[Fizbain32]

We never found there was anything more for us than the magazines as well. We agree , we liked the Disney Magazine much better. we just received the discount offer as well. Not sure that it is enough to make us jump in. The old Disney Club was a better deal.

 

[DisneyNut7578]

I have been a member for two years and I am begining to think that the D23 is for people that live near or go to DL only. I hope that they start doing more at WDW.

I agree!!

You know, I have been teetering on whether to get this or not since it's inception. It seems like it's really spectacular if you are close to DL, but if you live anywhere else, it woudl be a waste. Maybe they should do more stuff for WDW visitors or fans and then I'd join for sure.

They should rename it D23CA

Then again, if they came out with a HUGE WDW AP discount, that would push me over the edge. hint...hint

 

[mkt]

I almost signed up to be a charter member but I just felt the price was too high for what you got.

I said that since day 1. It's not worth it to me.

 

[JWG]

Hmm... I'm a DVC member, can I get a $7.50 refund?
I also am a D23 Charter member. I really think they need ongoing events at their theme parks for us who don't live near a park. So, while a monthly event would be nice, what are the odds you'll hit that date on your vacation? DVC has Welcome Home Wednesdays, why can't D23 have a louhge or weekly event?

Even some type of events at Disney Stores or 10-15% off deals at the stores, etc.

I so want to be a member of a valuable fan club/organization. I'm even willing to pay for it... make it happen Disney!

Maybe they should, I don't know, survey their existing members?!

 

[Tiggerish]

I clicked thru to the D23 website, and they do have some non-Disney discounts for members that would be of interest (there's one from a spa company, and an online scrapbooking site), and would potentially increase the value of the membership, but unfortunately there are too few of them that are nationwide. That seems like something they might be able to expand if they had a larger membership base.

Also, the D23 events that they've done at WDW sounded great from the reports of some WDWMagicers who attended, and I'm not saying they weren't good value for the $$$$$, but they were just too expensive for my bank account! Even if one had coincided with one of my trips, I don't think I could have justified the extra cost. No offense to anyone who did decide that it was worth it to them.

I was a member of the old Disney Club, that was a great program.

 

[Tigger1988]

Yup, officially desperate. Newly announced "Refer a friend" program.

http://d23.disney.go.com/pages/ReferAFan.html

 

[KevinYee]

I like the D23 guys, but I too wondered about desperation when I got the "refer a friend" email today.

 

[tirian]

I joined D23, and after getting the first few glossy mags and a couple of cool retro trinkets, I was content with my membership. I said content, not thrilled. But the magazine's design has become hokier, less professional, and more mainstream Disney Channel; and the cool retro trinkets from Year 1 have been reduced to one EPCOT Center patch. I take advantage of the WDW events, but I can't imagine why someone living outside the immediate DL or WDW area would want to join D23. The value simply isn't there.

Like Kevin, I like the concept behind the club, and I hope the guys figure out how to make it work.

 

[bgraham34]

There are some many things they could do for D23 members outside the special events that they have in DL. I know that some parks had Annual Pass holders lounge maybe they should bring that back but for D23 members.