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Disney has announced a number of exciting enhancements and expansions on the horizon for D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, including details about new events coming in 2025, as well as returning fan-favorite offerings like Destination D23, which will be bigger than ever before when it returns to Walt Disney World Resort on August 29 through 31, 2025. Disney also rolled out expanded membership plans for D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, giving fans even more options to choose from.
The news was shared at a D23 Member event at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank that included a special advanced screening of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, featuring an introduction from animator Wayne Unten. Michael Vargo, head of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, announced the exciting slate of events that fans can look forward to as well as details around the new membership offerings. Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, and Disney Legend Don Hahn were also there to talk to Members about what they can look forward to in 2025. Following the film, guests were treated to a tour of Walt Disney Animation Studios, getting a behind-the-scenes look at the award-winning creative engine.
“We are always looking for ways to give fans more of what they want,” said Michael Vargo. “From signature events to new virtual offerings that dive deeper into the Disney vaults and allow more D23 Members to participate, we are excited to bring all of this and more in 2025.”
D23 will continue to offer complimentary General Membership, which includes the weekly FanFare newsletter, seasonal activations, and access to sweepstakes and general events that take fans behind the magic.
Beginning January 1, 2025, D23 will offer three Gold Membership plans – expanded from two, previously – that will provide more flexibility and choice. Each Gold Membership plan will continue to include access to D23 events, discounts, and special offers, with the addition of an exclusive D23 Gold Membership Kit, complete with a membership certificate and card, a Savings Passport (providing discounts with Disney and Friends of Disney), collectible Stitch pin, Goofy and Max car magnet, a special D23 Disney Lorcana trading card featuring Iago from the Disney classic Aladdin (1992), plus, beginning with the Spring 2025 issue, the Disney twenty-three publication will come in a visually stunning digital and interactive version. All of these benefits will be available as part of the Gold Member Essential Plan offered at $49.99 per year.
The Gold Member Choice Plan, offered at $99.99 per year, provides fans with everything in the Essential Plan, plus one of four new D23 Gold Member Exclusive Premium Items to be selected by the Member:
- One-of-a-kind, fashionable D23 Gold Member Spirit Jersey;
- Limited-release collectible D23 Gold Member Pin Box Set featuring 10 pins with original character designs;
- D23 Gold Member Fan Pack complete with a D23 Gold Member-embroidered crossbody bag, water bottle, and chino twill cap;
- Enchanting replica of the Disneyland Park Entrance plaque (measuring 12” x 7”), a reproduction of the original plaque text draft with Walt Disney’s annotations from 1955, along with a first-to-market exclusive edition of the brand-new Disneyland 70th anniversary book, The Happiest Place on Earth, written by Disney Legend Don Hahn and former Disney Imagineer Christopher Merritt.
The Gold Complete Plan includes everything in the Essential Plan and all four D23 Gold Member Premium Items for the price of $299.99 per year.
For D23 Gold Members who join or renew in 2025, a print version of the latest issue of Disney twenty-three will be available for purchase on DisneyStore.com.
SLATE OF SIGNATURE EVENTS
In 2025, D23 will continue to offer an outstanding array of new and returning global events and experiences for Members, including:
- Destination D23: From August 29 though 31, 2025, D23 Gold Members are invited to gather at Walt Disney World Resort for a fan experience like no other, with Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney! This fan-favorite event will more than double in size to be the largest Destination D23 yet and, for the first time ever, will take place at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. D23 Gold Members can enjoy a weekend filled with exclusive presentations from the Walt Disney Archives and Walt Disney Studios, as well as spectacular entertainment and peeks into all the worlds of Disney, along with a variety of unique interactive activations and shopping experiences. More details, including tickets-on-sale information, will be announced in Spring 2025.
- D23 Spotlight Series: D23 is teaming up with partners across the company, including the Walt Disney Archives, to create the new D23 Spotlight Series. These in-person events will alternate between Orlando, FL, and the greater Los Angeles, CA, area, taking fans deeper into unique topics such as a celebration of the Walt Disney Archives’ 55th anniversary, a retrospective of the Disneyland® Resort throughout the years with “Disneyland: Fond Memories of the Past” presented by Director of the Walt Disney Archives, Becky Cline, and more to be announced.
- Virtual Presentations in theD23 Gold Theater: Each month, the new D23 Gold Theater Series will allow fans to interact with and watch live and prerecorded digital presentations featuring incredible speakers, talent, and magic makers from across the worlds of Disney. The inaugural presentation debuts in January and will revisit the fan-favorite presentation from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2024, “Jolly Holiday: A D23 Musical Celebration of Richard M. Sherman.” This incredible session will embark on a melodic journey down memory lane featuring beloved Disney Legends, luminaries, and performers including John Stamos, Hayley Mills, Ashley Brown, Michael James Scott, and more. Additional live programs will be announced at a later date, including “The Happiest Place on Earth: 70 Years of Disneyland” with Disney Legend Don Hahn and author Chris Merritt, as well as the fan-favorite “Weird Disney,” hosted by Director of the Walt Disney Archives, Becky Cline.
- Official Tour of the Walt Disney Studios: D23 is thrilled to offer more of its year-round Official Walt Disney Studios Lot Walking Tours and, due to popular demand, more tours and dates will be offered than ever before. These D23 Member exclusive tours give fans a rare opportunity to visit some of the iconic locations across the Disney Studios Lot including the original Animation Building, historic soundstages, Legends Plaza, the Walt Disney Archives, and more.
- Walt Disney’s Los Angeles Tour: The Walt Disney Archives, in partnership with D23, announced a new tour experience designed exclusively for D23 Gold Members. Walt Disney’s Los Angeles Tour will take guests to many of the famous places that Walt Disney frequented in Southern California including some locations of personal significance to Walt, a tour of Walt’s offices at the Disney Studios Lot along with an Ink & Paint Building Experience, and a signature meal at one of Walt’s regular restaurants. Tour details and dates will be announced in 2025.
- Anniversary Celebrations: In 2025 D23 will celebrate several milestone anniversaries of movies, shows, and theme parks with exciting in-person events across various cities. Some of the fan favorites D23 Members can look forward to celebrating include the Disneyland Resort (70th), Home Alone (35th), A Goofy Movie (30th), Toy Story (30th), The Emperor’s New Groove (25th), and more.
- Additional events include:
- D23 Night with Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Sunday, March 23, 2025
- D23 Day at Angel Stadium returns on Sunday, May 25, 2025
- More advance screenings throughout the year of select Walt Disney Studios feature films and series.
While 2025 has a ton of magic in store for D23 Members, there are still plenty of offerings left in 2024. This month, D23 Gold Members will receive the winter issue of Disney twenty-three, featuring a stunning cover showcasing Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2. Throughout December, get ready to celebrate the holidays with a variety of events and offerings during D23’s Warm Seasons Greetings.
Additional details, ticketing information, and more will be available on the fan club’s website at D23.com/Events. All events and dates are subject to change.
