Last month I took the plunge and became a Gold Family Member of The Official Disney Fan Club — D23! D23 was founded in 2009 and the “D” represents “Disney” while the “23” represents 1923 which is the year Walt Disney founded the company. D23 is known for its biennial convention, the D23 Expo! Ever since the very first D23 Expo in 2009 it has always been on my bucket list to attend one. This event is where all the latest Disney news breaks and the ultimate Disney fanbase can come together in one place! Talk about a Disney lover’s dream. I’m so excited that Nick and I will be headed back to Anaheim next August to participate.

When it comes to joining D23, there are three levels of membership. The first is a General Membership, the second is a Gold Membership, and the third is a Gold Family Membership! I’ve had a General Membership since the start of it all, but finally decided to upgrade to Gold Family Membership for the D23 Expo next year. Let’s talk about what each membership option includes!

D23 General Membership — $0.00/Year

D23’s General Membership is perfect for the fan in all of us! Without having to invest in annual fees, General Members have the chance to dip their toe into the D23 Club. I highly suggest this option if you’re looking to keep up with the latest Disney news, but not quite ready to plunge into all of the extras just yet! (You really can’t beat free!)

What’s Included in a D23 General Membership?

• D23 FanFare — A weekly subscription to the D23 e-newsletter featuring breaking news and special offers right to your inbox.
• Access to D23.com where you can stay connected to Disney news daily.
• Exclusive promotional offers and discounts all year long. (You can check out that extensive list of discounts here!)
• Access to limited-edition D23 merchandise and collectibles.

You can sign up for your D23 General Membership HERE!

D23 Gold Membership — $79.99/Year

When you become a Gold Member of D23 you’re in for a world of perks! From your annual Gold Member Gift to exclusive events and discounts, there’s a lot to look forward to. Once you purchase your D23 Gold Membership, you can expect your complete Membership Kit to arrive within 3-4 weeks!

*Important Note: Your D23 Gold Membership will automatically renew every year until it’s cancelled, so keep an eye on that!*

What’s Included in a D23 Gold Membership?

• Disney twenty-three Quarterly Publication — Your one-year subscription includes four issues exclusively for D23 Gold Members.
• D23 Membership Card and Certificate
• D23‘s 2018 Gold Member Gift — In celebration of Mickey’s 90th Birthday this year, the gift contains 23 reproduced treasures through the decades. (More on this Gold Member Gift a little later!)
• Access to Special D23 Member Events throughout the year.
• Discounts on your D23 Expo Tickets.
• D23 FanFare — A weekly subscription to the D23 e-newsletter featuring breaking news and special offers right to your inbox.
• Access to D23.com where you can stay connected to Disney news daily.
• Exclusive promotional offers and discounts all year long. (You can check out that extensive list of discounts here!)
• Access to limited-edition D23 merchandise and collectibles.

*D23 Gold Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable, so if you’re planning to gift someone with a D23 Gold Membership you can purchase that HERE!*

Ready to become a D23 Gold Member? Click HERE to become a member today!

D23 Gold  Family Membership — $104.99/Year

A D23 Gold Family Membership is the perfect way to share your love of Disney with family and friends! This third membership option includes all of the perks from the D23 Gold Membership, but also the added bonus of extra company at events. With a Gold Family Membership you’re allowed to bring up to three guests with you to special events! What better way to spend such special moment than with the ones you love? Once you purchase your D23 Gold Family Membership, you can expect your complete Membership Kit to arrive within 3-4 weeks!

*Important Note: Your D23 Gold Family Membership will automatically renew every year until it’s cancelled, so keep an eye on that!*

What’s Included in a D23 Gold Family Membership?

• Disney twenty-three Quarterly Publication — Your one-year subscription includes four issues exclusively for D23 Gold Family Members.
• D23 Membership Card and Certificate
• D23’s 2018 Gold Family Member Gift — In celebration of Mickey’s 90th Birthday this year, the gift contains 23 reproduced treasures through the decades. (More on this Gold Family Member Gift a little later!)
• Access to Special D23 Member Events throughout the year.
• Take up to THREE guests with you to select D23 Member Events.
• Discounts on your D23 Expo Tickets.
• D23 FanFare — A weekly subscription to the D23 e-newsletter featuring breaking news and special offers right to your inbox.
• Access to D23.com where you can stay connected to Disney news daily.
• Exclusive promotional offers and discounts all year long. (You can check out that extensive list of discounts here!)
• Access to limited-edition D23 merchandise and collectibles.

*D23 Gold Family Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable, so if you’re planning to gift someone with a D23 Gold Family Membership you can purchase that HERE!*

Ready to become a D23 Gold Family Member? Click HERE to become a member today!

If there were ever a time to join the D23 family as a Gold Member or Gold Family Member, I think 2018 would be it! If you’re a Disney lover like me, you’ll truly treasure each and every piece of content included in this exclusive D23 Gold Member Gift. The mouse who started it all turns 90 this November and his legacy is celebrated through all 23 pieces of this collection! From 1928 Steamboat Willie script pages to the 2016 Shanghai Disneyland Mickey Avenue Seal, it’s truly humbling as a Disney fan to see how the company has evolved and grown through the decades. Let’s take a look at what kind of treasures you can expect to see in this gift!

2018 Gold Member/Gold Family Member Gift Contents

1. Steamboat Willie Original Script Pages from 1928: Mickey Mouse debuts on screen as animation’s first cartoon synchronized to sound! Take a look at the script that started it all.
2. Mickey Mouse Comic Strip Fan Card from 1931: Mickey made his way into homes through newspaper “funny pages” in the 1930’s. 
3. Miniature Cel from the Parade of the Award Nominees from 1932: At the 1932 Academy Awards dinner, Mickey Mouse appears in color for the very first time on screen!
4. Mickey and Minnie Doll McCall Printed Pattern Number 91 from 1932: Due to inability to accommodate the overwhelming demand for huggable Mickey and Minnie toys herself, official doll maker Charlotte Clark created a home-use pattern for mothers to make these mice at home. I guess you can say the Disney toy craze has been around for decades! 
5. Hyperion Studio “Ickymay Ousmay” Crest from 1933: Do you speak Pig Latin? This whimsical coat of arms was created as the Disney Studio on Hyperion Avenue continued to prosper and expand. The banner is glorifying the source behind all of the company’s success! Any guesses?
6. Carl Laemmle Scrapbook Page Art from 1935: A historic greeting that Walt sent to Carl Laemmle, a Hollywood Pioneer who once distributed Disney Oswald cartoons at Universal Pictures.
7. Walt Disney Productions Logo from 1940: Disney adds a Burbank campus to the company which allows increased productivity and endless possibilities! This logo art began to appear on everything from mail bicycles to electrical generators.
8. The Nifty Nineties Animation Drawing from 1941: This Mickey sketch was drawn by Disney Legend Fred Moore!
9. Aircraft Worker Insignia Sticker from 1942: This treasure is a great representation of the Disney Company during the Wartime Era. (You can learn all about that here!) Mickey represents the “can-do” spirit of the American home front!
10. “Walt Disney and Staff” Christmas Card from 1947: With artwork by Hand Porter, this Christmas Card was one of Walt’s traditional holiday greetings. The inside features a calendar and Mickey’s co-stars from Fun and Fancy Free.
11. Television Prop “Book” from 1954 and Portrait Enclosure from 1953: Walt Disney’s first weekly television broadcast was not about his innovative theme park ideas, but instead about the mouse that started it all! His on-screen scrapbook contained this portrait of Mickey by Disney Legend John Hench.
12. Television Commercial Model Sheet from 1954: Artist Tom Oreb was the first to re-think Mickey in a geometric, contemporary way for animated television commercials in the 1950’s.
13. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Record Cover from 1957: This iconic art by Disney Legend Al Dempster features Mickey at his magical best! 
14. “Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club” Mouseketeers Fan Card from 1957: This card features the young stars of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club during the third season. Looking for more on the Mickey Mouse Club? Check out this post! 
15. Walt Disney World Mickey Mouse Revue Attraction Poster from 1971: This was a Magic Kingdom opening day attraction in Fantasyland that eventually closed in 1980 and was moved to Tokyo Disneyland. This area of the park is now occupied by Mickey’s Philharmagic. 
16. Disneyland Backstage Cast Magazine from Summer 1978: Charles Boyer’s “Triple Self Portrait” fronts a celebration of both Walt and Mickey in this fun Summer issue.
17. “Happy Birthday, Mickey” Button from 1978: This button was released in honor of Mickey’s 50th birthday back in 1978!
18. “We Are Doing It” WED/MAPO Poster from 1981: Disney Imagineers used this post for inspiration as they continued to build both EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland!
19. “Oh, What A Merry Christmas Day” Vocal Lead Sheet from 1982: Mickey returns to the big screen in Mickey’s Christmas Carol after a thirty- year absence.
20. Tron Film Print with a Hidden Mickey from 1982: It will take a sharp eye to catch this Hidden Mickey!
21. Tokyo Disneyland Souvenir Gift Bag from 1983: Classic attractions are displayed in a carousel of color as Tokyo Disneyland welcomes visitors to explore the new “Kingdom of Family Dreams” in Japan.
22. Disney Channel Launch Party Napkin from 1983: To celebrate its premium cable service in April 1983, Disney held a launch party in honor of this milestone for Mickey!
23. Shanghai Disneyland Mickey Avenue Seal from 2016: Mickey greets the sunshine of new horizons on Mickey Avenue in Shanghai Disneyland. 

As you can see, this gift is truly unique and a Disney treasure in its own right! Although this is only my first D23 Gold Family Member Gift, I have a feeling I will be renewing for years to come especially for this amazing touch of Disney’s past, present, and future.

Tips To Save On Your D23 Membership

Ready to take the plunge and join Disney’s Ultimate Fan Club? I’ve got a few tips to help you save some money on this exciting endeavor! And every dollar counts, amiright?

1. Disney Visa Cardholders can save 15% on their D23 Gold Membership or Gold Family Membership from now until September 30, 2018 using code “D23DisneyVisa18“. *Discount codes for Disney Visa Cardholders may also be available again in the future, so check your inbox for deals!*
2. Sign Up For Ebates! With Ebates you can get 1% Cash Back (or more!) on all Shop Disney purchases. Your D23 Membership will be purchased through the Shop Disney site, so this could be a great way to save while you spend. Sign up now & get a $10 Welcome Bonus!
3. Join Honey and add the plugin to your browser. I only discovered Honey about a year ago, but every since it’s been saving me money left and right! Let Honey scour the internet for coupon codes for you instead of wasting time doing it yourself. Sign up for Honey today!

Well, there you have it! Your complete guide to all things D23. Joining new clubs that require an investment can be daunting, especially if you don’t feel very informed. So I hope this blog was just what you needed to take that leap into the D23 world like I did! 

Are you ready to join D23?