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Author Archives: NDM252

Kristen K.

Kristen is a stay-at-home mom who runs a household of six people, two dogs, and a parrot. The greatest influence in her life was her aunt, who loved all things Disney and passed it on to her. Today the thing that Kristen enjoys most is passing on the “magic of the Mouse” to her own family. Kristen is a Disney Vacation Club and D23 member who loves to explore all things Disney. When not writing for the Disney Driven Life she can be found blogging at The DVC Mom.

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Contributed by Kristen K.

D23 DAY AT MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE ON SATURDAY 4/16

by NDM252 | Published: Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Image Copyright: Disney

Grab your wallet (Disney Dooney of course) and your lanyard because once again lucky D23 Members have been invited for a day of shopping, signing, and trading at the exclusive Imagineering Boutique, Mickey’s of Glendale.

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Posted in Beauty and Fashion, Collections, D23, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Events, Gifts, Hobbies, News, Pins, Shopping, Vinylmation | Tagged collections, D23, Disney, Events, gifts, Imagineers, News, pin, shopping, trading, Vinylmation, Walt Disney Imagineering, WDI
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY D23!

by NDM252 | Published: Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Happy Birthday D23! It’s been two years since Bob Igor announced the great new Disney fan club and community. The concept was to engage and involve the fans on a level that the company had never before done. The first year seemed bumpy to me with little fan engagement, apart from the spectacular D23 Expo and Destination D events. I wondered when I renewed my subscription if it was worth the “Gold” status when I lived so far from all of the member opportunities; however, the every vigilant Disney team stayed on top of the vision. Year two brought an expansion from events at the Park to include activities taking place in New York and Chicago, with more locations being added. I thoroughly enjoyed the D23 Bambi screening in Chicago and look forward to attending more member events both at the Parks and in my own town.

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Posted in Community, D23, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Events, History, Lifestyle, News | Tagged community, D23, Disney Company, Events, History, lifestyle, News
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D23 MEMBER SCREENING OF BAMBI

by NDM252 | Published: Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Photo Credit: Kristen Kirk, NDM 252

On March 1st, 2011 the Diamond Edition of Bambi is being released on DVD & Blu-ray to stores everywhere. I was excited to have the opportunity to attend a D23 screening of the film in Chicago to celebrate the release. The screening was followed by a question and answer session with the charming voice actor for young Bambi, Donnie Dunagan, and talented Disney animator, Andreas Deja.

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Posted in D23, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Events, Leisure, Movies, Relationships | Tagged Bambi, D23, Disney, Events, Family life Bambi, movies, screening
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D23′S DESTINATION D: WALT DISNEY WORLD 40TH AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

by NDM252 | Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Photo Credit: Kristen Kirk

Come join the the party as D23 recognizes Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary! The resort has changed so much since its opening in 1971, becoming more popular and magical every year. If you’re a D23 member, you can join the jamboree with Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary on May 14 and 15 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

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Posted in D23, Disney Company, Events, History, Leisure, Planning, Vacation | Tagged 40th Anniversary, D23, Disney Legends, Events, History, planning, Vacation, Walt Disney World, WDW
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D23 MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT EXTENDED FOR DVC MEMBERS

by NDM252 | Published: Tuesday, February 15, 2011

D23, has extended their opportunity for Disney Vacation Club® Members to receive a 10 percent discount off the purchase of new Gold and Silver D23 Memberships! The best part? No new end date has been given for this promotion.

D23 gives fans a look at all things Disney, on everything from Disney Theme Parks to Disney film, television, and stage productions to the legendary Walt Disney Archives. Gold Members receive the quarterly Disney Twenty-Three magazine — plus a special gift with each magazine! For those members who aren’t close enough to take advantage of D23 special events, the magazine is the highlight of membership, and its stunning archival quality makes each issue a joy to behold. D23 also maintains a feature-filled website, offers the member the ability to attend a variety of special events, and, perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to meet new friends who share their affection for Disney.

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Posted in D23, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Disney Vacation Club, Finance, Lifestyle, News, Shopping, Vacation | Tagged D23, Discount, Disney Vacation Club, DVC
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ON TOP OF THE WORLD

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, February 7, 2011

Photo credit: Dennis Brown, NDU 5

For many a D23 member, a Walt Disney World vacation is all about makin’ memories. With 39 years of Disney vacation magic, I have quite a few to chose from. Today, though, I thought I would share one of the youngest Disney enchantments that I remember. I must have been about eight, and I can recall hanging half way over the railing, fifteen stories high. It was always windy up there and my baby blue sweatshirt flapped in the breeze. From this vantage point, it seemed like anything was possible. It must have been the best part of that vacation, because the memory still remains as if it were yesterday. I walked all the way out to the end of the catwalk. The emergency stairs beckoned me, and I wondered if I ran down far enough, could I wave at the people on the monorail as they entered and left the building? Before my adventure set in though, my aunt called for me to come in, and I went skipping back across the roof of the Contemporary Resort Hotel.

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Posted in D23, Dining Tips, Disney Company, Disney Reviews, Fitness, History, Recipes | Tagged Bay Lake Tower, California Grill, D23, Disney's Contemporary Resort, memories, restaurant, Top of the World, WDW
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2011 D23 EXPO

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, October 4, 2010

The D23 Expo 2011 website is up and running for all official information on the 2011 event spectacular. This fan celebration will take place August 19th- 22nd, 2011 in Anaheim, California. The 2009 Expo was a wild success and details about the 2011 event are slowly being announced. The 2011 festivities will include the following exciting events!

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Posted in D23 | Tagged 101 dalmations, D23, D23 Expo, Disneyland, trivia
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MR. BLUEBIRD ON MY SHOULDER

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, August 16, 2010

Each week in my inbox I find a copy of the D23 e-newsletter “FanFare”. It promotes Disney activities, profiles cast members, and special travel features of all sorts. In today’s issue I found a an article called “Songs of the South” which features Bill Hill and the Hillbilles who preform at Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Saloon. It’s a lovely article about the group and the authentic Appalachian bluegrass sound that brings you down home. Southern charm can’t be denied by many, yet for all the tribute paid in both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, few people today remember the movie the inspired such honor.

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Posted in D23 | Tagged movies, Song of the South, Splash Mountain
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D23 EVENT ALERT

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, August 9, 2010

Date: Saturday, August 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
What: D23 Members and their guests are invited to meet Marty Skylar and enjoy a day of shopping at Mickey’s of Glendale.

There are some days (okay, every day) that I wish I still lived in California. As a D23 girl it sure seems like a sweet spot for all sorts of exciting experiences exclusive to members. What’s new on the events schedule now? Shopping! It’s some pretty exclusive shopping at that.

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Posted in D23, News | Tagged D23, shopping
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D23′S DESTINATION D: DISNEYLAND ’55 AT THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, July 19, 2010

Are you a D23 member looking for a quick escape this fall? Then consider heading out West to help the Disneyland celebrate it’s 55th Anniversary! September 24-25th, 2010 D23 is hosting a fun filled weekend for the ultimate Disney fans at Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

A limited number of tickets are available to members (and one guest) for this nostalgic event that will take guests on an exciting journey through the past 55 years of history behind Walt’s flagship park. Two days of panels, presentations given by Disney Legends from all fields, will delight and entertain with historic stories of the Happiest Place on Earth. Events even include a 55th Anniversary for the Mickey Mouse Club. Original Mouseketeers will be on site to guide your journey back to the origins of the club that’s “made for you and me”.

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Posted in D23, Organization and Plannning | Tagged D23, Disneyland
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I’M 23, ARE YOU?

by NDM252 | Published: Monday, July 5, 2010

Greetings! My name is Kristen, and I’m Twenty-Three. It’s an honor to have been asked to write for Disney Driven Life and I look forward to sharing with you my love for all things Disney and the ways I continue to open up paths to the past, present, and future of the Disney Company.

As a child, my first introduction to Disney Clubs (not on TV), was the Magic Kingdom Club. The Magic Kingdom Club offered exclusive vacation plans, special ticket media, reduced golf and tennis, as well as special savings on meals and accommodations. The program was started as a benefit for corporations that would like to give added value to their employees. My aunt had had a membership through her job in the late 1970’s as I was growing up. Then, when I joined the Navy in 1989, I gleefully received my first card. It wasn’t really designed as anything extraordinary for the fans, but it gave me a little more access to information and discounts. A few years later I discovered Gold Membership and its wonderful subscription to Disney Magazine and converted my membership status. But, in 2000 the fun was over and I mourned the loss of my Magic Kingdom Club, especially its subscription Disney Magazine. For nearly a decade I turned to the internet to find my up to date Disney information, and managed to find discounts on my own, but something was missing to me in no longer having that company line to turn to.

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Posted in D23 | Tagged D23, Magic Kingdom Club
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