The Walt Disney Studios and D23

Main Building - Walt Disney Studios

So before our December 2016 trip, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler was reading up on D23 and their annual opening of the Walt Disney Studios for D23 members. Now I haven't been the biggest fan of D23 because it is too Southern California centric and the rest of the country doesn't have the opportunity to take advantage of what D23 has to offer. But she decided we needed to be members anyway because one of the perks was being able to members being able to attend what amounted to be a D23 open house.

Hand Prints of Disney Legends Cover the Pillers

On our way to Disneyland we stooped in Bubank at the Walt Disney Studios for the D23 gathering and Christmas celebration. We parked in the Disney parking structure, walked over to studios and tried to get our acclimated with all the buildings and structures. Except for some Disney touches here and there it looked like any other large office complex, What was impressive was the walkway of Disney legends hand prints adorning the pillars outside main Studios building. Some were cool like George Lucas, others poignant like Robin Williams, but it was an interesting thing to see.

Roy Disney with Minnie

Outside of the Legends section just in front of the main building with 7 dwarfs statues seemingly propping up the roof, the rest of the place was pretty non-descriptive.. Big buildings, smaller buildings, and a log of open space. There was an area were the TV/Movie actors trailers are parked but hardly a big deal. I did get amused when a man with his briefcase used a security badge to get into one of the larger buildings. Imagine that, an actual working employee of the Walt Disney Company not connected with a theme park. Just looked like a guy going to work.

A Partner Statue You Can Actually Touch

Mrs. DLT wanted to go to the Employees Only Company store but its small and only a few people were allowed in at a time. By the time we made it over there, the line was a couple of hundred people deep so we blew that idea off. Out of the 4 hours of the D23 studios open house, we ended up staying about 2 hours then continued our way down to Disneyland.

Was it worth the trip? I'd say yes because you are able to see things that are normally reserved for employees . only. This is behind the scenes type stuff so for that I feel a little privileged, Would I go again? Probably not. I've seen it once and that was enough.

The big D23 Expo is this weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center. It's not free by any means but your D23 card gets you a bit of a discount..  But you have to admit, they put out a beautiful quarterly magazine.

ABC Television Studios Just Across the Steet from th Disney Stdios.

A Final Comment About Disney's D23 2013 Expo

You know who out front of the Anaheim Convention Center for D23 Expo
A Disney Photo

The 3 day Disney D23 Expo opened one week ago today. For the last week I have been reading reviews and forum comments from those who attended the event (and those who just like to give opinions for the heck of it). This was Expo # 3 and without a doubt it was the best organized, best run Disney D23 Expo to date with the fewest number of complaints except for glaring one.

 

There was virtually no new news about Disney Parks which Expo attendees seem to demand. If you pay admission to be a Disney insider, it would really help to have some cutting edge Disney Parks updates. The Expo just touched on what was already known.

 

The event catered to Disney shoppers which seems to be a trend that is growing in the Disney realm and depending on how you look at it, either good thing or something very unsettling. But all in all, everyone seemed to have a pretty good time of it and Disney announced there would be another Expo (in Anaheim again) in 2015. Already planning to avoid it.

The D23 Expo Comes to An End....Not With A Bang

D23 Cover Art From Disney

So there is the line in the T.S. Elliot epic poem The Hollow Men which classically ends.

This is the way the world end

Not with a bang but a whimper.

And so after today, the D23 Expo in Anaheim closes once again. The pack up has already begun and its only 10 in the morning. Disney's executives have played their big guns but this year they mostly shot blanks. No earthshaking news came out of the Expo but on the other hand, Disney seemed to be better able to manage the crowds so their didn't seem to be as many cranky people with their laundry list of complaints as in past Expos.

I think the people that attended, wanted to be there, and has a good time. It was all you could ask for. As for me, in past Expos, I kind of wish I could have attended despite my misgivings about D23. This year, I;m glad I stay away. When the highlight of the show is an animatronic hotbox ghost then, your probably not missing a whole lot.

The audio-animatronic hotbox ghost shown at the D23 Expo

Hey Disney....What About The Parks?

The D23 Expo with its previous two runs in Anaheim (2009 and 2011) has caught a lot of flack. Yep, there have been problems with crowd control, misjudging venue sizes, panel and event scheduling issues, and just generally Disney not having the real experience necessary to keep a large convention flowing instead of bottle necking and breaking down into chaos.

My favorite D23 Expo fiasco story occurred in 2009, the Expo's first year. In its inaugural year, the Expo was a 4 day event (instead of the current 3 day event) that started on Thursday with the keynote speech by Disney CEO Bob Iger. Well, turns out that on a Thursday, the Expo attendance was going to turn out to be pretty meager much to Disney's disappointment and there would be an abundance of empty seats for Iger's speech. Now that just wouldn't look good for those reporting on the event so quick acting Disney went over to Disneyland, grabbed every available on the clock cast member, then bussed them over to the convention center to basically fill empty seats and pad attendance. I think they even got a free lunch out of the deal. Yep, Iger's keynote speech was pretty full after all but many of those in the audience worked for him.

Ah yes, attendance, there is also the story from 2009 that with numbers of people actually paying full price or discounted D23 members price falling fall short of expectations, stacks of admission tickets were given to supervisors and managers at Disney's corporate offices that were to be sold to Disney employees at a major discount (down to about $5.00). Well, even at $5.00, there were still tickets sitting on managers and supervisors desks to the point where they eventually just told their employees to help themselves to tickets in some cases. Ouch!

But there are aspects of the D23 Expo that are immensely popular with Disney fans. Certainly the presenting of the latest group of Disney Legends, special evening musical performances from Disney notables, and celebrity gawking at the Disney Studios presentation rank right up there with popular Expo events. But probably the post popular is the presentation by Disney Parks and Resorts on what's coming in the future for the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts (not to mention world wide Disney parks and the cruise line). This is what Disney fans die to hear. This is what focuses their rabid Disney vision toward the future. Remember 2009 and the announcement of Star Tours 2.0, Cars Land, and the Magic Kingdom expansion? Big news.....really big news.

But the rumors are that Disney is not going to have any major announcements about their U.S. based theme parks this year. Oh, there may be some minor announcements about increasing a Star Wars presence in the parks and maybe something will finally be said officially about that Avatar Land in WDW that no one seems to be really thrilled about. Major announcements is a tricky proposition. People tend to take them literally and in order to go through the motions of presenting a major announcement with concepts and artwork, Disney actually has to commit the hundreds of million dollars it now takes to build major attractions. Apparently they do have a lot of ideas, but aren't to the point where they are actually going to commit the money to build them. When Disney revamped Disney California Adventure at enormous expense the apparent position was to rest on getting return on their investment back on that before announcing more brand new building projects.

If that really is the case, I think you are going to hear more disappointment from Disney fans about this years D23 Expo. But if I'm honest with myself, in a perfect world, I wouldn't mind being at the Expo and check it all out. I'd be the one with a cynical look on his face.

Disney, D23, and Me

Image from insidethemagic.com

Disney fans have choices to make. There is no shortage of ways to spend your money on anything / everything Disney. And how you choose to spend your money earmarked, so to speak, for Disney really comes down to each fans business, tastes, and preferences. To criticize how someone else spends money on Disney neglects what you may have stuffed in your own closet.

Back in 2009 I guess, Disney announced it was going to create a special insiders fan club named D23 – D for Disney and 23 for 1923, the year Walt made it to Hollywood to begin his remarkable story. Many people rejoiced  thinking that at last there was something for them to put them on the inside track for special access to their own enhanced Disney experiences. But many others, like me, were immediately cynical about the concept.

Disney is a multi-billion dollar corporation run by college type executives that serves its shareholders by giving them return on their investment. Disney does nothing for its fans without an ulterior motive that affects bottom line profits. So once you put D23 in that perspective, one can see what the D23 fan club truly is – another Disney revenue stream, another way for Disney to separate money from its legions of fans.

So for the first year, Disney charged $75 a person per year to be a D23 member (no family plans here). For that $75 you did get a beautifully published quarterly magazine, some charter member trinkets, and the opportunity to purchase exclusive D23 merchandise and gain access to exclusive D23 events that were to be held around the country. And of course there would be a D23 Expo were members could get a discount off the steep admission price and enter a convention that would give them ample opportunity to spend even more money. D23 is all about money.

But after the initial excitement, cracks began to appear in the D23 model. $75 a person, per year? Why would four people in the same family all need a magazine? D23 events?  Unless you lived within a 100 miles of Disney headquarters in Burbank, events were few and far between across the rest of the country. Orlando held some D23 events but compared what the Disney Studios could offer; WDW most definitely came up short on the D23 side. I remember one Disney World fan website get so excited about the events that were coming Florida and how the D23 Expo would be held in Orlando every other year. Boy did that guy miss the boat. Disney is a Southern California based company. That’s where the good stuff is. That’s where the access to major Disney stars and celebrities exists. That’s where the key people that make the big decisions that run the company live and work.

Then there is the numbers question. The number of Disney fans in not unlimited. Once everyone who wanted to become a D23 member became one, there was no room to grow. The numbers stagnated then began to reduce as people jumped off realizing that D23 brought them little. So Disney added a second tier of pricing at about half off the $75 but eliminating the magazine (which really is pretty nice). But Disney’s ultimate goal, even at half off, remained the same. People with D23 membership will still spend money on D23 merchandise and events.

So now here we are a after little over 4 years D23 first started at staring at the next D23 Expo that begins this Friday. These days, there is so little excitement about D23 that Disney took the next step with their fan club and added a “free” membership to D23 hoping that membership would trigger into bringing crowds to the Expo at a discounted members price. But as we a taught from childhood, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Once in D23, Disney’s hope is you continue to buy stuff and support the program. For people who enjoy what D23 offers - go right ahead. I’m a Disney fan. Just don’t need to spend any more money than I already do.

Here We Go Again - The D23 Expo - In 2013?

Here we go again.  Disney last week made a large press announcement for their D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center with dates August 9 - 11, 2013.  That's right - August 2013- book it.  Oh, and by the way, you can't even buy tickets for the Expo until August of this year. Now granted there are people who come from long distances to attend the Expo and this does require planning so the more time you can have in advance of the dates of the event, the more people can make actual plans.  But a year and a half?  Is there something else at work here?

The Disney D23 "exclusive" fan club started in March 2009.  D23 requires an annual membership.  For many, D23 hasn't exactly delivered the goods and may be sitting on the fence as to whether they want to renew.  Nothing like putting out a press release of the the organization's signature event to remind peole to renew membership (not once but probably twice) in preparation of something that is still along way off.  D23 Expo - Be there or be square...

D23 Expo Day 2 - Random Takes From A Distance

More bits & pieces from the D23 Expo gathered from around the web..... The presentation from Walt Disney Studios was easily the highlight of Day 2 at the Expo......No electronic devices were allowed inside the Disney Studios panel......god forbid, clips of their upcoming movies make it onto YouTube.....Anyway, John Lasseter head honcho at Pixar (as well as Walt Disney Animation and few other hats that Disney hung on his head) announced 2 new Pixar projects - untitled films about dinosaurs and a trip through the human brain.....He also gave updates on the 3 Pixar films that are in various stages of production.....Brave, Monsters University (with Billy Crystal), and Planes (kind of like Cars only about, well.... planes).

Got a preview from Disney Animation's Wreck-It-Ralph which is a horrible title for a movie but the crowd loved the clip that was shown......Walt Disney Studios showed clips from John Carter on Mars and brought out the cast.......They also talked about Tim Burton's latest Disney project., an update of his short film Frankenweenie - in black and white and 3D.......sounds weird.....consider the source.

Last but not least was the chance to roll out the red carpet for Marvel Studios.  The Avengers is expected to be one of next year's biggest movies and the first Marvel production that is 100% Disney owned....Many of the cast members appeared., but the standing ovation was reserved for Robert Downey Jr. and the huge success he has had through Iron Man.....Most of the throngs of people attending the Expo are Disney people, not necesssarily Marvel fans but the Marvel segment got a very positive reception.

The other big highlight of Day 2 was the panel discussing the details of Buena Vista Street, the new walkway the enters you in to DCA.....The lessons have been learned from DCA's hideous entrance and BVS looks to give a more immersive experience similar to Main St. Disneyland.....Main focal points of BVS, the Carthay Circle Theater, a new fountain, and a small park that will be home to a new Partners statue that are offset in such a way so the grand park across the esplanade will not be seen....nice idea.....

They announced the new parade route that will start at the Tower of Terror, go down Hollywoodland around the Carthay Circle Theater (actually a high end restaurant with parade viewing dining packages), then head up towards Paradise Pier.....no announcement about what parade will be coming.

While many have enjoyed the Expo, you are beginning to hear about how much Disney has scaled back from the 2009 Expo with reduced seating leading to long waits in line - sometimes 2 hours or more.....and you are beginning to hear more about how the lack of new information has given way to much more mass merchandising of Disney goods.......Again, we're back to the same old D23 story....you pay to join, pay to get into the Expo, then pay for all kinds of D23 exclusives once you are in........ $$$$$$

Model for the new DCA Partner's statue

D23 Expo Day 1 - Random Takes From A Distance

I'm not at the D23 Expo being several hundred miles away, but thanks to the miracles of the internet and twitter, I was pretty much able to follow the goings on from the convention floor from the various Disney websites and their reporters giving all the details complete with pictures.  I'm not a D23 fan but I kind of wish I were there because, while there was a lot of reporting of disappointment compared to the previous Expo in 2009, overall it seems like a fun event (if you like to stand in long lines).

No Bob Iger.  The CEO of Disney gave his opening remarks by video as he decided this was a perfect time to take his family on a vacation (i.e."I'm an important guy and something like a convention for Disney fans just doesn't fit my schedule").....Tom Staggs, Chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts, was there and looked quite comfortable in his presentations.....And yes, he was introduced by the talking Mickey just as he was when WOC premiered.....People like Tom.....they weren't really sure if they liked the things he and others talked about when they gave the overview of the Parks and Resorts.

There was no groundbreaking news.....just updates to projects in the works or in progress.....all of them were well known......For Disneyland, they are expanding Fantasyland into the Carnation Pavillions area and setting up a new Fantasy Faire (by day - at night, it will be continue to be used by private groups).....so you get a little extra theming in kind of a dead area.......no announcements about new Tomorrowland or Frontierland projects were made to great disappointment......nothing even remotely resembling the line of stormtroopers that came out to announce the new Star Tours in 2009.....more updates on the WDW MK Fantasyland expansion, the Aulani Resort in Hawaii, and Shanghai Disneyland.....who cares, not me......And more updates on Carsland but nothing new.....

They had the presentation of this year's class of Disney Legends......when Regis Philbin is the most recognizable name (living), not a very good year......except for the Disney Legend designation for the late Jim Henson with his family on hand and Kermit to sing Rainbow Connection......Now there's a legend.

Apparently everything under the sun was up for sale and what was a convention has partially morphed into shopping mall - the part of D23 I loathe.....I would have liked to have seen the Disney archives collection as there is something special about seeing a costume or prop you remember from a movie being a few inches in front of you......

Anyway, apparently today's D23 Event is sold out as the highlight of the day will be what Hollywood celebrity types come out to show their faces to the crowd as part of the Walt Disney Films presentation.....I'm betting Robert Downy Jr. will be today's biggest appearance.....now if he would only show up in a full Iron Man suit.

D23 Expo 2011: Where's the Buzz?

So we're a week away from the D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center. Regular readers of this blog know that I am not a fan of Disney D23 fan club for a whole list of reasons but I don't have anything against anyone who wants to be a D23er. It's your money. But I do follow D23 from a distance and keep track of what is being written about the Expo on various Disney websites, blogs, and forums. Compared to the 2009 D23 Expo, the one thing that is most noticeable is the incredible lack of "buzz" about this year's Expo. In 2009, excitement was everywhere and rumors were running wild. In the end, Disney ended up losing money on the deal even with all the excitement.

This year everything about the Expo seems to be manufactured, attempts to generate some grassroots enthusiasm that doesn't seem to be there. The website owners and reporters will be there in full force trying to be the "first" with a D23 exclusive through Twitter. They promote their own meet-ups and lounges at the Expo but their readers seem to have taken the build up with a great big "Yawn". (Note: If you follow D23 reporters via Twitter, make sure you set your Twitter account to not except tweets during your normal sleeping hours. Nothing like getting a text tweet at 12:30 in the morning with some D23 reporter saying he just got on Matterhorn).

Now I'm sure the Expo will be great. Disney excels at delivering great shows but the question will be "does anyone really care enough the invest in the cost of attending the Expo and what is available for purchase inside?". In a brutal economy where almost everyone is effected, Disney is pricing out a large segment of its base from D23 and the Expo. The Expo will be well attended I am sure but there is no way of telling of how many people will be there with discount ticket provided by Disney to prop up the crowd numbers. Disney never, ever, announces numbers. And what is the future of D23? I have my theories but it comes down to unless the D23 model changes, it is not sustainable in the long term.

D23 and the Almighty Comic-Con

While Disney prepares for next month's D23 Expo, 130,000 people will be descending on San Diego this week for the truly great Comic-Con. You see, Comic-Con is the convention and exposition that Disney's D23 Expo only wishes it could be. Comic-Con is such a fan experience that Disney sent people down there to see just how they do it. The Anaheim Convention & Visitors Bureau tried to steal it away fro San Diego. Film and TV studios fall over themselves trying to promote their latest efforts to the masses at Comic-Con. Nobody walks away from the Comic-Con experience without thinking "that was one great time".

In the meantime, I've heard very little build up to this year's D23 Expo as the concept of the D23 exclusive fan club seems to be running out of steam and quickly. It was just the wrong idea at the wrong time. Comic-Con promotes "experience", D23 comes off as another Disney money grab. D23 might have worked in the the late 90's or early 2000's when people really did have some disposable income. For most people, money is tight and the D23 concept of paying Disney an annual membership fee for the rights to pay them more money for "D23 exclusives" is tough to swallow. Just ask Netflix about what happens when people see an opportunistic money grab - "cancel my membership" was a popular phrase in Netflix accounting computers after they increased their subscriptions fees this past week. Will this be the last D23 Expo? If the sustainable numbers aren't there, then I would suspect it would be the last event for Anaheim. They may give it a try in WDW but the logistics just aren't as good back there because the "home office" just isn't up the road like it is in California. I tend to think D23 will morph itself into something else, something that opens up Disney to the masses outside who don't think about Disney and Mickey night and day. I keep hearing the word "Marvel" for some reason.