Disney announces D23 , " The Official Community for Disney Fans "

It's the major Disney news of the day - if not of the month: Disney announces today the D23 web site and magazine, "the first official community for Disney fans in the Company's 85-year history. ".

It's hard to believe that it took them 85 years to think about it (!), but that's it, Disney has finally decided to take care of all the Disney fans in the world with a great web site and a classy magazine as well. I can't stop thinking that all the different "non-officials" web sites and magazines like "Tales from the Laughing Place" did "open the road" to Disney D23. That somebody in Burbank finally thought that "may-be-we-should-do-something-for-all-these Disney-fans"...

But, hey, here it is at last, so today should be a zip-a-dee-do-dah day!



Let's have a closer look to all this, beginning by the D23 web site. As Bob Iger will explain to you on the "What is D23" page: "D23 is Named in honor of the year 1923, when Walt left Kansas City, headed for Hollywood and founded what would become the Disney Studios, D23 gives Disney fans VIP access to all things Disney through this brand-new Web site; Disney twenty-three, the club's beautiful quarterly magazine; and, in perhaps the most exciting news of all, the D23 Expo, a Disney fan mega event to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center this fall!
Through D23, fans will go backstage and behind closed doors to get the inside scoop from every part of Disney, while experiencing the nostalgia, adventure and fantasy of Disney as never before."

If you still don't believe that all this is is real, here is Bob iger himself in his official announcement.



The web site has different sections, one of them talks about "the latest news and features" with different "Feature Stories" - and you will be pleased to know that an updated "Great moments with Mr Lincoln" will come back to Disneyland later this year...



Other sections of "News and Features" include:
- Late-breaking news, press releases, and photos of interest to fans from every part of Disney.
- "Twilight Bark" — inspired by the Disney animated feature 101 Dalmatians — offers up the latest tidbits and news "bites" from all around the world of Disney.
- Feature articles and interviews on current Disney topics from theme parks and animation to television and motion pictures, as well as historical retrospectives.
- Official Disney Bloggers — Get regular updates on films in production at Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, current Walt Disney Imagineering projects, and the Walt Disney Archives.



Another section dedicated to "Expos and special events" will inform you on how a D23 member can participate to "a special D23 members-only showing of Up, Pixar's latest animation masterpiece!" and you will learn also everything about the first D23 EXPO! The D23 Expo — to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center from September 10-13, 2009 — will be "The Ultimate Disney Fan Experience," featuring incredible speakers, celebrity appearances, breathtaking exhibitions, interactive experiences, sneak peeks, film screenings, one-of-a-kind merchandise, and much more. All Disney fans are welcome, but D23 members will receive a discount on Expo admissions and early access to the show daily. D23 will also offers unique members-only special event opportunities throughout the year.

Talking about members, there is a "Membership Certificate and Card": The D23 membership card and suitable-for-framing member certificate — both specially created for D23's Charter Year — feature many of Disney's most beloved characters.
more interesting, the "Surprise Collectible Gift and Member Merchandise": Each member who joins D23 will receive an exclusive collectible gift from the new Walt Disney Archives Collection. This merchandise line was created specifically with D23 members in mind, and each piece is authorized by the Walt Disney Archives. D23 members will have exclusive or early access to a wide assortment of Walt Disney Archives Collection pieces.
The D23 membership will cost you $74.99 a year. It will also allows you to buy special D23 merchandise on the D23 online store as you will see below.



The Disney Archives section is also very interesting and have its own sections:
- "This Day in Disney" — A daily walk down memory lane.
- "What's Old Is News" — Go back in time and enjoy rare, vintage and classic articles, stories, interviews, press materials and other highlights from deep within the Disney Archives.
- "Ask Dave" — Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Dave Smith answers your questions about Disney history.
- "Archives Library" — helpful Disney reference tools including biographies, filmographies, award chronologies, Disney A to Z updates, historical profiles and other archival information.



And then there is the D23 Magazine, the cherry on the top of the cake, a classy quarterly publication: Disney 23 is a hybrid entertainment and lifestyle magazine that is the all-access pass to discovering the magic of Disney's past, present and future. Its name pays homage to 1923, the year The Walt Disney Company was founded.




The premiere issue of Disney 23 includes exclusive features such as:

- Interviews with Tim Burton, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
- Inside look at the new Disney/Pixar animated film Up, featuring interviews with Director Pete Docter and Producer Jonas Rivera, concept and production art, and a look at the new animated short Partly Cloudy.
- A rare look inside Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. Meet the Pixar team and learn the secrets behind the success of their films.
- The doors open for two of the most exclusive, magical suites in the world: the Cinderella Castle Suite at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Dream Suite overlooking New Orleans Square and the Rivers of America at the Disneyland Resort.

Disney twenty-three's regular featured departments will include:

- A Walk with Walt: A look back at the trials and triumphs of the man who made dreams come true and whose imagination started it all.
- D Society: From gala movie premieres and grand openings to candid Disney moments and memories, D Society takes readers backstage and onto the red carpet.
- PHOTOfiles: The legendary Walt Disney Archives Photo Library houses millions of Disney's most cherished photographic memories, and the Archives team shares its Top 100, five in every issue. Let the countdown begin!
- Where in D?: Try to identify where in the world of Disney each issue's mystery photo was taken.
- The Funny Pages: For the first time in decades, enjoy the vintage newspaper comic strips that helped make many of Disney's most popular characters famous.
- Making Magic: Crafts for children of all ages, inspired by Disney's favorite stories and experiences.
- Recipes from Disney's most popular restaurants and eateries, past and present.

Stitch Kingdom posted a review of the first issue, and you can read it HERE.



Finally, Disney created a online D23 shop on the Disney Shopping web site. As i've said you need to be a D23 member to buy those exclusive collectibles. Some are not cheap, but there is nice items like this 12" high sculpture of Walt with his first creation - no, it's not Mickey Mouse but Oswald the rabbit! at $224.95



Let be honest, these D23 web site and magazine are real good news, and even if it took them sometime to create them, we can wish to both site and magazine a warm welcome.......in the community of Disney fans.

All pictures and Video: copyright Disney