Anyone still not heard at all since renewing?

[Mickeychick62]

[quote=Figment68;1056254786]
Here's the thing, why can't D23 just have a "hotline" phone number listed on its membership card?

Or have a "Guest Services" section on its own website?

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Ok, in case you haven't heard, there are 7 full-time people on the D23 staff to take care of everything.
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>>"I continually get the sense that D23 wants my $79 and then wants me to go away ... unless I will pony up another $50-$200 for the "privilege" of going to one of its events."

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So you think everything should be free?

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>>"Nope, this is my last year for membership. You know what they say, "Fool me once, shame on you -- fool me twice, shame on me." Shame on me for believing Disney MIGHT actually care what its fans think. MIGHT actually give us a forum for interacting with Disney and with one another."

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There is, it's called the D23 Facebook page.

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>>"MIGHT actually create a magazine half as good as "Tales from the Laughing Place."

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That's your opinion. My opinion is I disagree with that comment.


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>>"MIGHT actually put fans front and center, not pompous Steven Clark."

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Have you even met the man? He was so genuine and kind at Destination D and consistantly took time out to listen to fans and even went out of his way to generate the conversation.

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>>"MIGHT actually have a D23 Expo every year. "

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Why? Of course we'd love it, but I'm sure that there are many factors involved as to why they didn't. It was nice to have Destination D in the interim. Next year is going to be a banner year with BOTH DD and the Expo happening.

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>>"MIGHT actually do things that further the legacy and heritage of Disney, aren't just commercials for the Archives (which also happens to be run by, yes, Steven Clark)."

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Since when are they run by Steven Clark? Where do you get your info?

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>>"MIGHT actually be worth my $79. And MIGHT, just might, do something crazy like, oh, I dunno, have a website where you can update your address, change your phone number or make basic inquiries on your account. Nope, no longer interested, the hassle (which is still not completely over) of moving MORE THAN A YEAR AGO and still not getting everything straight with D23 is just ridiculous.

What a waste of money."

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Seems to me, IMHO, nothing is likely to make you happy, and that's a shame.

[Figment68]

>>Ok, in case you haven't heard, there are 7 full-time people on the D23 staff to take care of everything.


Yes, but that's like building a theme park and only having seven people staff it. They should have known that they were getting into a GUEST-SERVICE business and planned accordingly. I thought at Disney the guest was supposed to come first?


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So you think everything should be free?


>>Absolutely not, but basic membership should be free. Offer free BASE membership (taking away the certificate) and then layer in the magazine, events, etc., as special add-ons. I don't pay for membership in other affinity programs. The magazine is fine, but it is just NOT worth $80 a year. I just got an offer for Vanity Fair -- award-winning (and yes, ad supported) Vanity Fair -- for $12 a year. For a monthly publication.

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>> There is, it's called the D23 Facebook page.

But isn't Disney supposed to be a tech-loving company? Do they really need to fall back on Facebook, when they could create a content-rich, exciting, ever-changing website without a whole lot of investment or effort? I know guys in college who could write the code. You can't even COMMENT on news stories, and Disney Parks blog offers THAT functionality. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to the D23 website in a year, but I come to MiceChat every day.

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>> Have you even met the man? He was so genuine and kind at Destination D and consistantly took time out to listen to fans and even went out of his way to generate the conversation.

I have indeed. He loves adulation. But ask him a question about Disney history... really, try it. This should not be a PERSONALITY-BASED "club." The members are supposed to be the focus, not the corporate guy who heads it up.

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>>Why? Of course we'd love it, but I'm sure that there are many factors involved as to why they didn't. It was nice to have Destination D in the interim. Next year is going to be a banner year with BOTH DD and the Expo happening.

I agree! But if they want to generate some real heat and excitement, they should have done it every year. That was the original concept. Destination D (and this is a very personal assessment) held no interest to me. It was like going to another gathering of the same Disney fans, the same quasi-celebrities telling the same stories, and D-list entertainment. I'm REALLY glad everyone had a good time, I'm not knocking it, but it had like 1,500 people, which means they put on a great show for about 1/10th of the actual members.

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>>Since when are they run by Steven Clark? Where do you get your info?

A little place called The Los Angeles Times.

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>>Seems to me, IMHO, nothing is likely to make you happy, and that's a shame.

Absolutely not true. I'd love to see a concept like Disney News brought back, which offered membership in the Magic Kingdom Club (which was otherwise free), discounts at the parks, etc., for about $12 a year. In today's dollars that would be about $30 or so. Or Disney Magazine. That was a swell magazine, was ad-supported and had terrific articles and photography.

A lot can make me happy. Watching a Disney movie, hearing Disney music, going to a Disney park. What makes me UNhappy is how WELL Disney used to be run, how it used to be firing on all cylinders, really feeling fresh and exciting and alive.

Think of the time around 1990 when Disney World was expanding rapidly, the animation business was getting going again, the Disney Store was a special destination, and "Disney" really had magic ... that's the time I absolutely "re-fell" in love with it for the first time since I had been a kid, because it felt like at Disney ANYTHING was possible. EPCOT Center was different and alive and kinetic... Disneyland had just opened Splash Mountain... "Beauty and the Beast" was a movie I saw over and over again.... Touchstone movies were truly fun to watch.... there were new resorts and new attractions opening all the time at Disney World.... Euro Disney was on the horizon.... "Disney" meant new, revolutionary things. And now it just means more Pixar sequels and Pirates movies and "retheming" of attractions and price hikes and "declining by degrees" as one of the Disney bloggers puts it.

On top of that, they want us to spend $80 a year to "celebrate" this. I would have GLADLY paid twice that 20 years ago when there was something new and exciting around every corner, when Disney had no competition-- it WAS the competition!

So, despite that basic disappointment, I still love Disney very much, but everything about D23 just falls flat to me. Sorry.

[Mickeychick62]

>>Ok, in case you haven't heard, there are 7 full-time people on the D23 staff to take care of everything.


"Yes, but that's like building a theme park and only having seven people staff it. They should have known that they were getting into a GUEST-SERVICE business and planned accordingly. I thought at Disney the guest was supposed to come first?"

I think everyone in the corporate offices was surprised at the immense response to D23, despite it being a very small part of the company. I think they are doing the best they can.


==========================

So you think everything should be free?


"Absolutely not, but basic membership should be free. Offer free BASE membership (taking away the certificate) and then layer in the magazine, events, etc., as special add-ons. I don't pay for membership in other affinity programs. The magazine is fine, but it is just NOT worth $80 a year. I just got an offer for Vanity Fair -- award-winning (and yes, ad supported) Vanity Fair -- for $12 a year. For a monthly publication."

Ok, you think there are difficulties NOW running things and getting stuff. I can only imagine what it would be like with that suggestion. As you mentioned, Vanity Fair is ad supported, so that is why it is more reasonably priced for a year subscription. The idea behind this club was to give fans access to behind the scenes of the Disney Company and to celebrate the history and the love for all things Disney. So many times I read that either D23 is not exclusive enough, we can find this info anywhere on the Net. Or it's too exclusive, the event fees are too high so it limits who is able to attend. They can never win.


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>> There is, it's called the D23 Facebook page.

"But isn't Disney supposed to be a tech-loving company? Do they really need to fall back on Facebook, when they could create a content-rich, exciting, ever-changing website without a whole lot of investment or effort? I know guys in college who could write the code. You can't even COMMENT on news stories, and Disney Parks blog offers THAT functionality. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to the D23 website in a year, but I come to MiceChat every day."

Then you are missing out on a lot of interesting information by not going to the D23 homepage. I think the reason why they went with a Facebook page is it's accessibility to the general public. It's easy to navigate. There's nothing stopping you from posting a comment on any of the stories/articles.

I check the MiceChat D23 page every day too and unless there is an upcoming event that we're excited about or a new issue that has been released, there is really not that much chat activity. (no offense-I really do enjoy participating here) I think it's great, too, that we can always count on someone here to re-post important info from the 'official' page, to here so it doesn't get missed.
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>> Have you even met the man? He was so genuine and kind at Destination D and consistantly took time out to listen to fans and even went out of his way to generate the conversation.

"I have indeed. He loves adulation. But ask him a question about Disney history... really, try it. This should not be a PERSONALITY-BASED "club." The members are supposed to be the focus, not the corporate guy who heads it up."

I don't quite understand what you are referring to as a 'personality-based club'. Steven Clark doesn't HAVE to be in attendance for things to come off. (just as long as Jeffey is there! ) Would it be better for him to not be there and people think him indifferent? As to him not knowing all of the Disney history. Why would we ask him that? I'm sure if you went up to Steve Jobs and asked him a question about something in Pixar's history, doubtful he would know it. I don't see how that can be considered a flaw.

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>>Why? Of course we'd love it, but I'm sure that there are many factors involved as to why they didn't. It was nice to have Destination D in the interim. Next year is going to be a banner year with BOTH DD and the Expo happening.

"I agree! But if they want to generate some real heat and excitement, they should have done it every year. That was the original concept. Destination D (and this is a very personal assessment) held no interest to me. It was like going to another gathering of the same Disney fans, the same quasi-celebrities telling the same stories, and D-list entertainment. I'm REALLY glad everyone had a good time, I'm not knocking it, but it had like 1,500 people, which means they put on a great show for about 1/10th of the actual members."

The fact was it was a great time for the members there. It was nice to actually be able to attend everything and not get shut out. Even tho' you may have heard the stories before, count yourself fortunate. I'm sure you were in the minority. I thought getting to see pictures and footage of things that haven't been seen in ages to be fascinating. D-list entertainment?!?! How many fans would have LOVED to have been to that concert and heard Richard Sherman playing his own compositions!

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>>Since when are they run by Steven Clark? Where do you get your info?

"A little place called The Los Angeles Times."

Well, according to the Disney Employee phone directory, his title is VP corporate communications.

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>>Seems to me, IMHO, nothing is likely to make you happy, and that's a shame.

"Absolutely not true. I'd love to see a concept like Disney News brought back, which offered membership in the Magic Kingdom Club (which was otherwise free), discounts at the parks, etc., for about $12 a year. In today's dollars that would be about $30 or so. Or Disney Magazine. That was a swell magazine, was ad-supported and had terrific articles and photography."

That was a few years ago when things were cheaper to produce and the idea behind the Magic Kingdom Club was to generate interest in the Company. That's no longer needed because with the age of information, people can find out what they want to know more quickly and there is also more of an abundance of advertising. Growing up, I don't ever remember the volume of Disney commercials like we have nowadays.

Also, I don't understand why it is so important to be ad-supported? I remember in the beginning that people were commenting that they didn't want to be reading a magazine that was going to be just one ad after another. It's nice that every page is informational, in some fashion. Not someone trying to sell me cologne, a car or feminine products every few pages.


"A lot can make me happy. Watching a Disney movie, hearing Disney music, going to a Disney park. What makes me UNhappy is how WELL Disney used to be run, how it used to be firing on all cylinders, really feeling fresh and exciting and alive."

Unfortunately things are not always going to be new and exciting. It's the same trap--you bring in new attractions, shows, etc. and there are some people that don't like it. They want things to be classic, the way Walt made it. Then there are other people that want to get rid of things that could be considered out-dated and tired. Once again, Disney can't win.

"Think of the time around 1990 when Disney World was expanding rapidly, the animation business was getting going again, the Disney Store was a special destination, and "Disney" really had magic ... that's the time I absolutely "re-fell" in love with it for the first time since I had been a kid, because it felt like at Disney ANYTHING was possible. EPCOT Center was different and alive and kinetic... Disneyland had just opened Splash Mountain... "Beauty and the Beast" was a movie I saw over and over again.... Touchstone movies were truly fun to watch.... there were new resorts and new attractions opening all the time at Disney World.... Euro Disney was on the horizon.... "Disney" meant new, revolutionary things. And now it just means more Pixar sequels and Pirates movies and "retheming" of attractions and price hikes and "declining by degrees" as one of the Disney bloggers puts it."

I do agree that was a wonderful time in history, however it was not without it's pitfalls. Case in point was the Disney Stores. They kept expanding them until they ceased to become special because there was one in every mall. That point in time it seemed to be about trying to generate as much revenue as possible to support all the growth.

"On top of that, they want us to spend $80 a year to "celebrate" this. I would have GLADLY paid twice that 20 years ago when there was something new and exciting around every corner, when Disney had no competition-- it WAS the competition!

So, despite that basic disappointment, I still love Disney very much, but everything about D23 just falls flat to me. Sorry.[/quote]

One last thing and I'll get off my soapbox (thanks to everyone for bearing with us in this discussion) When D23 was announced and they told you what you would receive for your membership, what exactly were you expecting to get out of it?