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Also available is a 1/2 inch square D23 pendant (including 18″ chain) and accented with a Swarovski crystal. The pendant can be redeemed for 1000 points.

There is a one item per member limit.

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Post tags: Are You 23, Collectibles, D23, Disney Pins, Jewelry, Merchandise, Swarovski

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Clark addressed concerns about why there hasn’t been a greater outreach by Disney to its fans in the past. He stressed that Disney has always reached out to its fan base in many different aspects but that they’ve always been at the hand of individual units. D23 represents the first time the company has formed a united front to bring that level of relationship to the Disney fan community. Clark defines D23 as pulling back the curtain, going behind closed doors, going backstage and meeting the cast members that make the magic every day, all summed up as the ultimate insider Disney experience.

Clark then talked about D23 membership and everything included in the package. An annual subscription to Disney twenty three magazine (published quarterly) carries a hefty cover price of $15.95 per issue, but Clark is quick to note that the magazine can be considered a collectible in its own right and that is considered the centerpiece of membership and does not and will not contain any advertising, just pure content with unprecedented access. Individual issues will be available at theme parks, the Disney Store, DisneyShopping.com and Barnes & Noble exclusively while back-issues will be available only to D23 members. He also touched upon the special exclusive gift from the newly formed Walt Disney Archive collection by revealing it will not be a pin and instead would be something he would be proud to have in his own home.

He talked about the upcoming D23 Expo in September in Anaheim at the Anaheim Convention Center. Pavillions will represent all divisions within the company as well as offering the Disney fan community to act as exhibtors themselves. Screenings will not only include upcoming releases but vintage Disney films as well as documentaries. He also spoke of auctions, signings and even a fashion show. On whether the expo may be held at other locations in the future such as Walt Disney World, Clark noted that the expo is committed to Anaheim for at least the first four years but they will consider additional locations in the future. He also noted that there will be smaller events planned around the country for D23 members such as special screenings and night-time events. Special in-park events are also planned although no details were available at this time, but Clark did hint at exclusives such as being able to experience new attractions first as well as other special activities.

A paid D23 membership isn’t required to indulge one’s self in D23. In addition to buying individual issues of the magazine off the rack, the website at Disney.com/d23 will remain free and and those interested in the D23 Expo will also be

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* For the Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens interview first talked about here on Stitch Kingdom, click here

To visit the site, click the banner above or point your browser to d23.disney.go.com

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D23 Membership Kit

Membership is $74.99 plus sale tax annually per individual. At this time, registration can only be done online at either Disney.com/D23 or DisneyShopping.com. In the future, vouchers will be able to be purchased at the theme parks, the Disney Store and the Disney Cruise Lines.

International guests are able to join, but will have to pay additional shipping as required (for now, domestic shipping is free).

Gift memberships are also available to give to loved ones in addition to those under the age of 18.

True Originals: Walt Disney and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit - A D23 Exclusive Limited Edition Figurine

The D23 Expo

It’s the ultimate Disney fan experience, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California (across the street from Disneyland), September 10-13, 2009. This four-day can’t-miss event will feature incredible speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and so much more! There will be something for children of all ages, fans, the whole family, and friends.

Tickets will go on sale this spring. Check the D23 Web site for more information. Members will be alerted the day tickets go on sale.

To purchase a D23 membership and/or see available D23 merchandise, click here.

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Since it’s only a matter of time that teen celebrity gossip site Just Jared Jr releases the photo as they claim in this article, I’ve decided to empathize with the masses and offer a better version of the photo that will appear in Disney twenty three magazine. I’d like to thank everyone for their support, especially the dozens of ‘Zanessa’ fans who have caused StitchKingdom to have the best day ever in terms of traffic by a huge margin. And for the record, kids, I’m not a girl. To see the photo, you must click the Show button below. You can click the photo again to enlarge it and the cross-hairs in the lower left hand corner to see the full sized version. Enjoy.

Show ▼

Zac Efron as Prince Philip and Vanessa Hudgens as Princess Aurora in this portrait by Famed Photographer Annie Leibovitz

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Post tags: Annie Leibovitz, Are You 23, D23, High School Musical, HSM, Sleeping Beauty, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron

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Thanks to a tip from a Distant Creations reader, I was able to get my hands on a copy (or two, actually) of Disney twenty-three magazine, the companion guide to the new Disney 23 Official Community for Disney Fans, or the ‘Disney affinity club,’ as CEO Bob Iger recently referred to it.

First Impressions: First of all, I hesitate to call this a magazine. It’s not at all what might first come to one’s mind at the thought. No, this is actually more of a timely coffee table book. With 62 pages of content, this quarterly periodical packs in plenty of full color photos (when available) laid out in a very contemporary fashion accompanied by some well detailed articles. Quite arty. The pages are binded with glue, not staples and the pages are of a thicker stock than traditional magazines. The cover, which features an embossed title, might as well be hardcover. Priced at $15.95, it’s a modest investment. And I almost forgot to mention, it comes complete in a plastic, resealable protective pouch.

So what exactly is D23 aside from the tagline? According to the inside cover, D23 (referred to throughout the issue as Disney twenty-three) ‘celebrates the adventure Walt embarked upon and the amazing legacy that lives on in the work of Disney storytellers, animators, film-makers, Imagineers and Cast Members around the world.’

An inset details membership into D23 and implies an annual fee, but money is not something needed to be discussed here. Membership includes a year’s subscription to the publication, membership card and certificate designed by Disney Master Artist Dave Pacheco, a ‘surprise’ collectible gift from ‘the new Walt Disney Archives Collection’ (no doubt, these are the pins that were initially displayed on DisneyShopping.com), exclusive special events and merchandise opportunities and discounted admission to D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience in Anaheim, September 10-13. Potential members can sign up at disney.com/D23, the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts and DisneyShopping.com as well as the Disney Store.

The Content: For the most part, the content is sure to delight any fan of anything Disney. There’s something for everyone and D23 goes out of its way to encompass as many of its outlets as possible. While some content seems dated (and I don’t mean the 1923 stories), it’s counter-balanced with things

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Thanks to Distant Creation / Inside the Magic’s Ricky and and one of his readers, we now have some amazing additional details on D23′s new magazine and the dates of the first expo to take place in Anaheim in September (d23expo.com was one of the domain names registered to Disney and currently forwards to http://d23.disney.go.com which currently serves up a blank page). For all the details, read the article here.

In related news, he also covers some of the D23 trademark applications here.

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The overall theme was setting focus on the Disney brand name and transforming Disney.com into one stop shopping for all things Disney. On the movie front, this means shying away from producing non-Disney branded films (the deal with DreamWorks involves minimal investment relying mostly on the use of ‘other people’s money’ and results in bigger profit margins for the distributor). Iger also discussed the concern of movie piracy but suggested rather than using the record industry as an example, that the company consider lowering price points and simplifying distribution such as digital downloads that get the product into the consumer’s hands more quickly.

On the theme parks, Iger said attendance is ‘chugging along reasonably well’ and that current attendance is on par with last year’s, but concedes that per capita spending is down on items such as merchandise and that discounts are abundant. Iger mentioned the ‘fantastic’ American Idol Experience which he ‘experienced,’ but denies ever auditioning for the attraction.

Addressing an audience member’s concern on the recent announcements regarding layoffs and early exits, Iger said decisions were difficult as he personally knows many employees affected by the situation but that the boss was the bottom line and that if demand for services is falling, upkeeping the numbers of employees just isn’t justified. He noted that the company is growing by developing projects in other countries and that creates jobs and redeployment of the employees was a considered option but ultimately not a viable one.

Buzz words for Iger included affinity, subscribers and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and how those things could be leveraged by the company in respect to someone who’s a fan of Disney in general. Although these words and phrases were peppered throughout the presentation, it all ultimately built up to where Iger talks about the ‘Disney subscriber’ being able to be a ‘member of a Disney affinity club which is something [he thinks we'll] be able to see sometime soon … maybe even as early as a few days.’

For your enjoyment, a clip of Iger all but mentioning D23 by name follows:

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Post tags: Are You 23, Bob Iger, Business, D23, Movies

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Merchandise available while supplies last. A limited number of pieces will be available on the day of the event. We ask that only two (2) items be signed per Guest. We ask that you bring no personal items to be signed. Event merchandise must be purchased on the day of release at the event location. Valid Disneyland® Resort receipt may be required. Artist signing is subject to space and time availability and is not guaranteed. Artist will only sign their respective merchandise purchased on the day of the event only. Event information subject to change without notice. Separate admission is required to enter Disneyland® Resort theme parks.

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Location: Disneyana Shop, Main Street, U.S.A.

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Are You 23? Jiminy Cricket Sure Is!

Here it is, folks! Straight from the insert booklet to the Platinum Edition DVD of Pinocchio (which will be released on March 10), Jiminy Cricket chirping in on D23, the Official Community for Disney Fans (whatever that means!).

A review of the DVD coming soon, but, can you blame me for stopping writing one to share this

UPDATE: Make sure to follow all of Stitch Kingdom’s D23 coverage by visiting http://stitchkingdom.com/tag/d23

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D23 Pins

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