D23 - paid membership????

[elvistelth]

I guess you are more easily satisfied than I am.

[harra]

I guess you are more easily satisfied than I am.

It's all about personal preference. I only have two indulgences in life that I would call fun: Photography, and Disney

Every 2 or 3 years I purchase some more lenses or upgraded equipment for my photography hobby.

At Disney, I occasionally purchase a WDCC collectible if I can find a Scrooge McDuck figure. I also buy pins that hold special meaning to the trip I'm on.

Other than that, my life is pretty much necessary expenses only. Disney is how I make myself happy instead of going to the mall to do some.

For me D23 gives me the following:

• A ~$64 one-year subscription to Disney Twenty-Three
• Some other trinket that I'm sure would sell for more than $11 at the Disney theme parks if retailed there.

These are things I'd buy anyway. But it also gives me the possibility of future benefits. If it doesn't pan out, I'll not re-up my membership.

For me $75 is less than what I spend on eating in a weekend. So, I can choose to eat at home a few times more and it's paid for. Easy for me to accomplish.

[harra]

I guess you are more easily satisfied than I am.

Oh, and I'm not easily satisfied. It took me 3 years to decide on what TV to buy. I do not part with my money easily. Lot's of decision goes into any purchase that isn't a mandatory expense

[elvistelth]

Oh, and I'm not easily satisfied. It took me 3 years to decide on what TV to buy. I do not part with my money easily. Lot's of decision goes into any purchase that isn't a mandatory expense

TV example notwithstanding; paying $75 for 4 magazines torpedoes your credibility in the frugality department in my view.

[harra]

TV example notwithstanding; paying $75 for 4 magazines torpedoes your credibility in the frugality department in my view.

Never said I was frugal. I said I was fiscally responsible...big difference. I don't turn my 3-ply toilet paper into 3 rolls of single-ply.

The fact that we don't own a single magazine subscription says a lot in the fact that I decided this one was worth subscribing to. At least it says a lot to me.

I have worked 15 hour days for a good 10 years to be able to have the small luxury of buying Disney stuff and a few electronics with a little disregard to cost. I spend within my means and save for the future. If you can do that, then no one should have the right to question how you spent your excesses beyond that

[Crazy Hakim]

Just one more passing thought. I read somewhere that the entire magazine will be without any advertising. So, thinking about some of the mags my wife gets, you can go 20 pages and not see a single article! Then, compare it to something like Consumer Reports, another mag that accepts no advertising, that too is a rather expensive little magazine, usually around 24-30 pages each month.
Just a little justification for the price of the single issue magazine.

For the record, I joined as soon as I got Lou's Twit that the site was up and running.

[harra]

For the record, I joined as soon as I got Lou's Twit that the site was up and running.

Me and a few other people on Twitter had purchased our memberships before the site was even up. Someone had found that they ability to purchase was already on DisneyShopping.com. So we were all members before the official announcement was even made at the stockholders' meeting

[clion]

Ray,

Thank you for a reasoned argument regarding D23. I was one of those initial doubters when I first saw what D23 entailed. Yesterday I decided to sign up for one year. I will give D23 a shot and see if it was/it really worth it. The one thing I hope is that the D23 Expo will come to Florida in years to come. Personally, I would hope Disney would put on TWO expos -- West and East.

[harra]

Ray,

Thank you for a reasoned argument regarding D23. I was one of those initial doubters when I first saw what D23 entailed. Yesterday I decided to sign up for one year. I will give D23 a shot and see if it was/it really worth it. The one thing I hope is that the D23 Expo will come to Florida in years to come. Personally, I would hope Disney would put on TWO expos -- West and East.

It all comes down to ECON 101 and a Cost/Benefit Analysis. If the benefits outweigh the costs (in your opinion), then it's a worthy purchase.

I have a feeling that the reason the Expo is at Anaheim for 4 years is because the Anaheim Convention Center gave them a primo rate if they gave a certain committment and that was 4 years.

Who's to say what will happen. I'm sure they are just as cautious as many of the people who are delaying joining. They aren't going to tip all their cards until the concept is proven.

Yes, I believe they were confident in their analysis before getting this project approved, but if anything in the current economy has taught us is that nothing is predictable anymore. So, if D23 proves to be successful, you may see more than one Expo. Or different types of Expos in different locations.

[Mrs Potts]

Wow! This thread is getting heated - for anyone that isn't on board for a paid membership, I saw "membership only" rewards on ebay yesterday. Including the t-shirts. Personally, I was kind of miffed about that and wondered what others that did pay $75 think. I know I can't make it to California, but I'm obsessed with the Magic of Disney. Besides, I've got a year to become a charter member - plenty of time to think about it.

I agree with clion on having 2 expos - East & West

[squishybear]

I completely agree with you Harra.

I think its good that Disney is starting up a new fanclub. The price is a bit high, but if you compare it to the average price you pay for Disney things, its not that bad. It's very easy to compare this price to lets say, 'People's magazine, but they are not the same. The issue looks wonderful, and I think Disney put a lot of effort and time into it.

If you don't like it, Disney isn't forcing you to join.
I also think that the 75 dollar fee makes it feel like a club. If its only 10 dollars, everyone can join and the unique experience of belowing to a club of 'True' Disney lovers is lost.

75 dollars is not the end of the world for most people, but it does eliminate the people that aren't that serious about Disney.

At least that's my opinion
p.s. i don't mean to offend anyone who can't pay the price but are real Disney fans.

[Bobby2]

How does D23 look like WDWradio? I can't see how they are alike at all. For starters there are no forums, plus so far the topics are very different. Ray is right it reads more like 2719 Hyperion blog than an online fan forum.

I am not as passionate one way or the other as some are about D23. I equally do not believe one member is right or wrong. I went and took at Hyperion and I think we are commenting about two different views. Content and presentation. DWT and now WDWRadio has a very cutting edge appearance to them. Lou's upgrades are not run of the mill and I am very impressed, the site is very creative. My first impression when I went to D23 (this page http://d23.disney.go.com/index.html) and the home page of Lou's (WDW Radio.com - Disney news, information, trivia, history, games, shopping and more!) is how they are styled created very much the same. I don't believe it is a stretch that D23 was looking at all the forums out there for sparks of creativity.

Now content is a different issue. Again I don't think there is going to be a right or wrong answer here. WDWR has a warmth to its pod-casts, articles, surveys etc. I follow All Ears for their meals and gut impressions of revisions to WDW. Ears will aways tell it like they see it even if it isn't favorable. Mouse Planet is always on top of the latest happenings and are very timely and well researched. I think they are quality sites too. Neither have the cutting edge creativity in their visual presentation. WDWR to me wins that category by a landslide, but they are top notch in content. Time will tell how the site and information on D23 develops. I'll hold out because I see Disney's Travel Channel presentations and I personally find them to be one big info-commercial, but fun to look at. Disney has always been able to tap into all types of markets and are successful in getting fans to believe they must have it. Pins are such a good example. It is beautiful marketing and kudos to them. Time will also tell how much retail will be pushed on D23, too early to speculate with certainty. The unveiling at the Annual to stockholders seeing poorer return possibilities indicates to me they plan to churn more than a fan base from this magazine and site launch. Again kudos to Disney's marketing creativity especially in the current economic climate.

What I, as a personal decision will not do is pay $16.00 for a magazine.
That price tag to me is appalling. As example, others opt to stay at Pop vs. Grand Floridian because they believe the price of GF is appalling. Eat at Pecos because they find Victoria's appalling. What is acceptable to one is not the other.

And Harra I did pick up a bit of knowledge from your post. Thank you.

[WDWmemories]

Wow good discussion!
I agree this is really a 'cost vs. benefit' discussion for each individual. Personally, for me, $75 seems high. I hope they reconsider their pricing, but then again Disney always offers premium products at premium prices.

[Cinderella2]

I toyed with joining until I read what Ray had to say.
I am going to buy this as a gift for someone who has read the Imagineering field guides and Lou's books as well as many other Disney books until they are frayed. It isn't about the cost of the magazines even though I agree they are kind of high. For me it is about seeing the joy on his face when he gets them in the mail. He will unconsciously rattle off interesting Disney factoids without a thought and I lovingly listen to every one of them all while wondering "how in the world does he retain all of that?!"

He loves history and I think of this as an investment in days of extra smiles in our house, he will be like a kid on Christmas. Of course I then get the added benefit of enjoying all of it too, I think of it as spending $75 for the both of us.

Of course it didn't help that one of the inaugural pins is Mickey in an airplane, two of his great loves together. I can feel the dollars draining through my fingers now.
I admit I am one of those people Disney saw coming a mile away, but I know it. And it is a cost vs. benefit issue for me, although of course those of you who know me know I have spent twice this on a cute pair of shoes.

[harra]

I toyed with joining until I read what Ray had to say.

I'm not sure if you are saying I talked you out of joining or I wrote something that turned you off of joining for yourself and encouraged you to buy a membership as a gift for someone else?