Benefits Extend Beyond Theme Parks For Magic Kingdom Club Members

When the Magic Kingdom Club was established in 1958, pretty much only the theme parks existed as places where members could take advantage of specials and savings.

Now with retail outlets, on-line stores and enough merchandise to fill 20,000 leagues under the sea, Disney has created a new club where members not only get savings, but also can preview parks, in addition to receiving other perks.

For instance, 3,000 Disney Club members already have signed up to preview Disney's new California Adventure in Anaheim a week before the park opens to the general public Feb. 8. The members paid $20 for the privilege, less than half the park's $43 adult admission price.

"They won't ever see that price again," said one Disney spokesperson.

The offer was good through Jan. 15.

Membership to the Disney Club costs $39.95 and includes all members of a family living at the same address. The membership lasts for one year, with a renewal rate of $29.95. A membership to the Magic Kingdom Club went for $65 and lasted two years, according to the spokesperson, but the offers pertained only to the theme parks and did not spill over into the retail stores or on-line merchandise.

Last fall, Disney converted 176,000 active Magic Kingdom members into the new Disney Club, and added an additional three months to those memberships. Since then, 52,000 additional members have been enrolled, with 20,000 of those 52,000 members signing up during a one-month soft-launch period.

"We've surpassed our goals," she said. "We haven't done a lot of print marketing. That's beginning to roll out this month."

Chris Castro, vice president of corporate communications, would not confirm the numbers, but said membership has been ahead of projections.

The Disney Club replaces the Magic Kingdom Club in order to be more inclusive of all the different items and experiences Disney now can offer.

"Part of the reason is that we have this great, loyal, engaged customer base that wants to be informed about the company, and I think that's a great thing for any company," Castro said. "We want to provide that interactivity to one of our most engaged consumer bases."

Additional perks of membership include an annual subscription to Disney Magazine, savings on select Disney resort accommodations and special vacation packages to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.

Also, members can get special rates on selected annual passports, or membership, to Disneyland and Disney World, discounts on select Disney books, CDs, videos and DVDs, and preferred ticket access on select Disney theatrical