We are in Anaheim kicking off D23 week. I am very tired, but let’s do this.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Despite its faults, D23’s best feature is building a community. That was on full display when they kicked off the Ultimate Disney Fan Event series of experiences with D23 Day at Angel Stadium. While the first 23,000 fans received a Mickey bobblehead and two Disneyland Resort Cast Members threw out the first pitch, the best part was reserved for D23 members.
In two locations, members were able to participate in photo opps, enjoy a DJ, and receive the additional gift of postcards, which showed Disney’s long association with the team. But my favorite part was being able to talk with fellow members about the upcoming event. This continued as we sat in one of the sections that D23 sold tickets. We met all sorts of members with all sorts of hopes for the upcoming event. Between innings, we got to talk Disney for three hours, which is my favorite pastime.
The game ended with an Angels victory and the fitting score of 2-3. But while the win was fun, I am excited to bump into my new friends at the Honda Center and Anaheim Convention Center. I also hope that D23 Day at the ballpark becomes a new tradition. It is great to spend time with fellow fans watching a game instead of waiting in a line.
Honey, I Revived the Franchise (I Hope)
Tonight on ABC, they aired Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as part of The Wonderful World of Disney. It had been a bit since I had seen the 1989 original, but it made me think back about the status of Josh Gad’s Shrunk, which was reportedly going to return Rick Moranis to the role of Wayne Szalinski. Apparently the film, which was set to begin filming just prior to the pandemic, had been set back due to all of the normal Hollywood issues, and when they finally had time to make the film, the new budget realities sidelined the project.
This may be wishful thinking, but I hope that the broadcast airing of the movie that launched the franchise may foreshadow an update at the “Ultimate Disney Fan Event.” As a child of the 80s, I hope this is true just for the fact that I would love to see Rick Moranis back in action. There is new leadership in charge of Disney live-action films, so while I would love to see a revival of Shrunk, I hope we get an idea of what kind of films Disney will be making in the future. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids birthed a franchise that created several sequels, theme park experiences, and even a TV series. The franchise was created only because Disney made an original film. While Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Inside Out 2, and Deadpool and Wolverine show that sequels can create big returns, sometimes you need to make something new to keep the franchise lineup fresh. As David Greenbaum tries to leave his mark on Disney live-action, I can hope for two things, new franchises as well as a revival of an old one.
Is DMR on Life Support?
D23 released their map of the show floor. While there are exciting experiences such as creating your own Disney Channel wand ID, National Geographic’s Hexodome, and a walk-through of the TVA, one noticeable omission is Disney Movie Insiders. The movie loyalty program, formerly known as Disney Movie Rewards, has been rumored to be shutting down for some time. Other studios have discontinued their programs and Disney moving away from physical home video releases, has decreased point opportunities. Some also consider the closing of the Disney Movie Club as a harbinger of the associated program’s demise.
It seems fairly obvious that the program will not continue in its current form for much longer, but perhaps Disney will take this opportunity to revamp their loyalty program. Maybe they could evolve it to the Disney of today. D23 would be a great time to announce that they will be dreaming bigger with a company wide program that could possibly be tied to their official fan club. I have no idea if this will actually happen, but I have been through many iterations of Disney loyalty programs from Magic Kingdom Club, The Disney Club, and even Club Buzz, and none of them ever truly lived up to the hype. Perhaps now is the time to finally get it right.
Quick Hits:
- Everytime I think I am done buying sippers and popcorn buckets, they announce something super cool.
- So much for those Simpsons and Inside Out easter eggs inside this year’s iteration of Haunted Mansion Holiday.
- Congrats to the teams behind the Disney Treasure as the ship reached the milestone of float out.
6 Things To Watch For on Monday:
- D23 Week continues with an outdoor screening of The Incredibles at Anaheim’s Pearson Park
- Disney Store is launching a new Dooney & Bourke dog collection.
- Disney Store will also be revealing Her Universe’s Halloween merchandise.
- Get ready for Halloween with Disney Store’s villains collection.
- Speaking of Halloween, we will also see the launch of the Disney Munchlings Terrifying Treats line.
- Finally, Disney Store is promoting the launch of a new Star Wars shopping experience.
Hope to see some of you in Anaheim. Please drop by booth #500 in the D23 Emporium to say hi.