Today In Disney History ~ September 13th
D23 is the official fan club for The Walt Disney Company. It was founded in 2009. Robert Iger introduced D23 during the company’s annual meeting on March 10, 2009. D refers to Disney and 23 for 1923, the year when Walt Disney arrived in Hollywood and the company was founded. The goal of D23 is to communicate with Disney fans by “placing them in the middle of the magic.”
D23 and memberships include its own website, Disney twenty-three publication, yearly member gifts, member events, member exclusive merchandise and of course, the D23 Expo which is a Disney fan convention “bringing all things Disney under one roof.”
The original member cost to D23 was $74.99. In 2010 a second level of membership was introduced and was $34.99. Charter members became Gold Members. The second level membership was Silver and included all the benefits of Gold except for the Disney twenty-three quarterly publication. Then in 2013 a free membership was added which included limited discounts and locked content access.
The first D23 Expo was held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA from September 10-13, 2009. Pavilions from Walt Disney Imagineering showcased models and tests for future attractions, Corporate Responsibility, photo ops and projects for overseas troops and homeless shelters. There were products being introduced being sold by Disney in the upcoming years, a Disney Dream Store, costumes and props from Walt Disney Archives, a Collectors Forum and an area where people from all over the country showcased and sold memorabilia.
Celebrity appearances included John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Patricia Heaton, Kelsey Grammer, Tim Burton, Selena Gomez, Donny Osmond, Tom Bergeron, Kym Johnson, Betty White, Robin Williams, Joseph Fiennes, Johnny Depp (as Captain Jack Sparrow), as well as live performances by Miley Cyrus,[8] Honor Society, and the Muppets.
TMSM Today in Graphic by Sherry Rinaldi DeHart; Wiki
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