Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? We all know the response to that oft-repeated refrain is “Mickey Mouse,” but “The Mickey Mouse Club” isn’t the only fan club Mickey heads up.
Disney’s most devoted fans belong to D23, the official Disney fan club. The “D” should be self-explanatory, and the “23” represents 1923, the year The Walt Disney Company was founded.
D23 serves many purposes, but one of the most important is keeping fans connected to what they love most about Disney — even from afar. Whether you visit Disney theme parks every week or only once a year, a D23 membership is your key to Disney’s magical kingdom.
What is D23?
Launched in 2009 under former Disney president and CEO Bob Iger, D23 celebrates Disney’s beloved characters, stories and experiences while also providing a new way for fans to connect over their shared love of Disney parks, movies, TV shows, characters, style, books, music, history or all of the above.
Today, D23 has more than 1.8 million members worldwide who receive perks like access to studio tours, movie screenings and other events, dining, merchandise and theme park discounts, exclusive sweepstakes, a newsletter with the latest news and behind-the-scenes details and the chance to extend their fandom beyond their park visits.
D23 members can also attend “D23: The Ultimate Fan Event,” held every two years in Anaheim, California. Officially, the biannual event is where Disney announces all the new lands and attractions coming to its global theme parks. But for those who attend, the three-day event is much more than that.
Related: Every new land and attraction just announced for Disneyland and Disney World in 2027 and beyond
I should know because I count myself among them. I just returned from this year’s D23 fan event, which took place Aug. 14-16, 2026. I learned firsthand from Walt Disney Imaginers about the projects they are working on, stood in an hourlong line to procure exclusive merchandise, and, yes, listened attentively as Thomas Mazloum, chairman of Disney Experiences, dropped announcement after announcement about what’s being planned and built at Disney’s theme parks.
If all of this sounds like the Dole Whip on top of your POG juice float, it might be time to become a card-carrying member of the D23 fan club.
How to join D23
Becoming a member is easy and (potentially) free. You can join online, and there are two basic membership types to choose from: General and Gold. There are three levels within Gold with slightly different offerings, but we’ll get into that in a moment.
Read through the options before you join, because you may be eligible for a free Gold membership if you have a Disney+ account.
D23 Membership benefits
A D23 General Membership is free and comes with select discounts and events, sweepstakes and a weekly email newsletter.
The various Gold Memberships include additional discounts, special event access and a welcome gift. That is really the only area where the Gold membership levels differ.
| D23 Gold membership tiers | Annual membership fees | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Essential | $49.99 | <ul> <li>Commemorative pin</li> <li>Collectible magnet</li> <li>$25 event discount</li> <li>D23 Disney Lorcana game card</li> </ul> |
| Gold Choice | $119.99 | <ul> <li>Everything in Gold Essential</li> <li>Choice of one premium gift from a selection that includes things like pin sets, clothing and collector statues.</li> </ul> |
| Gold Complete | $329.99 | <ul> <li>Everything included in Gold Essential and Gold Choice</li> <li>All four premium gift items</li> </ul> |
How to get a free D23 Gold Membership
There is one additional Gold Membership level I have yet to mention, available exclusively to Disney+ members — the D23 Gold Member Monthly Plan. This comes with most of the perks of a D23 Gold Membership, and you can sign up through the “Perks” section of your Disney+ account.
The only benefits you won’t have access to are the physical pins, magnets and other gifts and events that are open only to Gold Members.
Related: The best credit cards for your Disney vacation
Regular Disney+ subscription prices range between $11.99 and $29.99 per month. Here are a few credit cards that can help you eliminate or reduce the out-of-pocket cost for a Disney+ subscription, thereby lessening the cost of a D23 Gold Membership:
- The Disney® Inspire Visa® Card (see rates and fees) gives you up to $120 annual credit on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ purchases (up to $10 in statement credits per month after spending $10 or more on qualifying subscriptions).
- The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers up to $120 annually (up to $10 monthly) as a statement credit for Disney streaming purchases at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Enrollment is required.
- The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express from American Express offers a similar benefit of up to $84 annually (up to $7 monthly) as a statement credit for Disney streaming purchases at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Enrollment is required.
- The American Express Platinum Card® provides a more broad perk of up to $300 annually (up to $25 per month) in digital entertainment statement credits that you can use toward Disney+, among other eligible services. Enrollment is required.
This is just one of many perks available to Disney+ subscribers. Available benefits are updated regularly, and another current perk gives subscribers a 20% discount when they upgrade their free Gold Member Monthly Plan to a higher-tier Gold Membership.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event launched in 2009, the same year the fan club was introduced. Tickets to the biannual event are typically open to D23 members at any level, but this year, for the first time ever, only Gold members were eligible to purchase tickets (though they could purchase tickets for guests regardless of their D23 affiliation).
Ticket prices range from $49 for a one-day afternoon-only pass to $2,600 for a three-day pass that includes access to the Anaheim Convention Center and events at the Honda Center. Disney makes tickets available first to D23 Gold Charter Members who have had an active membership since 2009, then to D23 Gold Essential, Choice and Complete members and then, finally, to all other Gold members.
Most of the event is held at the Anaheim Convention Center, but the three nighttime showcases where Disney announces new movies and TV shows, theme park lands and attractions and honors Disney legends take place at the nearby Honda Center.
This year’s show floor was the largest in event history, spanning nearly 1,000,000 square feet and welcoming guests from 38 countries and all 50 states. Offerings included everything from panels with authors, filmmakers, Imagineers, composers and some of the biggest stars from Disney entertainment, interactive photo ops, opportunities to trade Disney pins, cosplay meetups and more.
As a huge fan of Disney parks, I spent most of my time browsing memorabilia or strolling through the Imagineering Pavilion. Not only were there models and concept art from the various projects Disney is working on right now at its parks around the world, but we also had the opportunity to speak with the Imagineers involved in their development.
Bottom line
More than any educational panel or immersive photo op, D23 is a place — both physical and digital — where people can celebrate, connect and come together to honor Disney’s wide-reaching, imagination-fostering, creativity-inspiring legacy.
Related reading:
- Disney Visa card offers: Earn up to $500 toward your next vacation
- A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World in 2026
- Sun, fun and savings: Tips for visiting Disney World this summer
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.