Rumors. Musings. Casual.

[Sectorkeeper71]

I disagree wholeheartedly. Waiting in line for 3 hours to ride Guardians will never be offset in EPCOT by food booth lines or the vast majority of attractions’ five minute waits. Test Track, Frozen, and Rat may get a little help, but the target audience of two of those often aren’t stepping near Guardians.

I mean, wouldn't they have to be adding lines somewhere? Let’s say there are 4,000 people in line for a 2 hour wait. For them not to be clogging up everything else, your assumption would have to be those 4,000 people would not exist elsewhere. If they are still in the park, they would have to be doing something, whether lengthening lines in booths, restaurants, or other rides.

As much as I am in the anti VQ group, I think Epcot is the only park on property that can absorb them without running into too big an issue. The park has a lot of passive experiences, people eating rides, and a massive layout that can handle extra people on its paths most days. I think in the other 3 parks it flops more because each has an issue an issue in at least one of those areas

 

[JustInTime]

This is so true. We've bought so much stuff that was designed by Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily at Disneyland and through the Catalog, so it was exciting to hear that they had some new WDW product. The Country Bear figures and Big Al mug were decent, but then there was stuff like the Peter Pan boat and Castle that just ended up looking so chintzy. They'd show some of their mockups on Facebook and you can tell the quality is there. But Disney farmed out production to the cheapest supplier, and so the final product just looked bad. While my Dad bought the Bear figures and a friend bought the mug, I bought nothing even though I really wanted to *want* to.

Peter Pan’s boat is identicale to the ride vehicle so not sure what else you wanted. It matches the other ride vehicles they other done.

Im more concerned with Disney ing off as he is the next best thing to K&J.

 

[mickEblu]

Maybe it has changed since I've been, but Tokyo Disney had the worst merchandise out of the six for North American sensibilities. Mostly repetitive fab five cookie tins and trinkets. The Duffy line of course, if that's your thing. Almost none of it attraction specific.

Check out Ordinary Adventures TDR videos. They sell a bunch of attraction vehicle diecasts as well as figurines of various icons and things that can be seen around the parks.

 

[hopemax]

Peter Pan’s boat is identicale to the ride vehicle so not sure what else you wanted. It matches the other ride vehicles they other done.

Im more concerned with Disney ing off as he is the next best thing to K&J.

I wanted the paint / finish on the base, in particular, to not look so awful.

 

[DisneyDodo]

As much as I am in the anti VQ group, I think Epcot is the only park on property that can absorb them without running into too big an issue. The park has a lot of passive experiences, people eating rides, and a massive layout that can handle extra people on its paths most days. I think in the other 3 parks it flops more because each has an issue an issue in at least one of those areas

In theory, Epcot could absorb these guests via passive experiences, but that’s not currently enforced in any way. The people “waiting” for GotG can simultaneously be standing in line for/riding Soarin or TT or FEA or Rat (or even a headliner in a different park). Not only does this redistribute the waits elsewhere, but it also leads to the mad dash VQ lottery system, as anyone can reserve a spot for GotG without any sacrifice.

I like the idea of true VQs, where guests actually wait their turn, but don’t have to stand in a physical queue for long periods of time (which is especially difficult for children and their families - Disney’s primary market). Unfortunately, this VQ system doesn’t actually solve anything, and creates unnecessary headaches.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

In theory, Epcot could absorb these guests via passive experiences, but that’s not currently enforced in any way. The people “waiting” for GotG can simultaneously be standing in line for/riding Soarin or TT or FEA or Rat (or even a headliner in a different park). Not only does this redistribute the waits elsewhere, but it also leads to the mad dash VQ lottery system, as anyone can reserve a spot for GotG without any sacrifice.

I like the idea of true VQs, where guests actually wait their turn, but don’t have to stand in a physical queue for long periods of time (which is especially difficult for children and their families - Disney’s primary market). Unfortunately, this VQ system doesn’t actually solve anything, and creates unnecessary headaches.

I guess I could amend my statement to Epcot is *best suited* to handle VQ attractions.

Animal kingdom could be as well but frankly that’s not how people view the park. Many don’t care to explore the nooks and crannys of the park which is a shame, but thats not how folks plan their days there

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have this one and think it’s adorable:

The majority of the stuff was hideous

You might have missed the gist here

Not EVERY single item made by the kids below Shanghai magic kingdom was terrible

 

[LittleBuford]

The majority of the stuff was hideous

You might have missed the gist here

Not EVERY single item made by the kids below Shanghai magic kingdom

I’m well aware of the gist here, and I don’t agree with it. As far as I’m concerned, the 100 merch was a mixture of hits and misses, with a good number of appealing items. I would have bought more of it if I’d had the space.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m well aware of the gist here, and I don’t agree with it. As far as I’m concerned, the 100 merch was a mixture of hits and misses, with a good number of appealing items. I would have bought more of it if I’d had the space.

It’s rare of you to have a pro-Disney/Bob stance…I’m enlightened

 

[LittleBuford]

It’s rare of you to have a pro-Disney/Bob stance…I’m enlightened

Not all of us share your obsession with Iger. Believe it or not, my relationship with Disney is based entirely on my own feelings about its products and services, not the negative consensus of this forum, and still less on Iger, about whom I know next to nothing.

And again, please don’t preach to me about being pro-Disney when you continue to spend more of your time and money at WDW than I’m able to (more power to you—I’m jealous!).

 

[TeriofTerror]

I’m well aware of the gist here, and I don’t agree with it. As far as I’m concerned, the 100 merch was a mixture of hits and misses, with a good number of appealing items. I would have bought more of it if I’d had the space.

If Disney wants to sell more merch, do you know what they should do? Bring back package delivery to the resorts! (Rant over. Please go back to your regularly scheduled broadcast.)

 

[LittleBuford]

If Disney wants to sell more merch, do you know what they should do? Bring back package delivery to the resorts! (Rant over. Please go back to your regularly scheduled broadcast.)

Sort of related, but I tried to buy something that had sold out during my last visit by phone after getting home and was told they no longer provide that service.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Believe it or not, my relationship with Disney is based entirely on my own feelings about its products and services

…these must be tough times then.

And again, please don’t preach to me about being pro-Disney when you continue to spend more of your time and money at WDW than I’m able to (more power to you—I’m jealous!).

It doesn’t matter how much I spend…how much I know…or how - admittedly annoyingly - much my predictions about their recent to medium term mistakes are bearing fruit…

I’m just a hater

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If Disney wants to sell more merch, do you know what they should do? Bring back package delivery to the resorts! (Rant over. Please go back to your regularly scheduled broadcast.)

I think airline fees killed that as much as Disney did. And online shopping coupled with limited unique offerings

 

[TeriofTerror]

I think airline fees killed that as much as Disney did. And online shopping coupled with limited unique offerings

I usually fly Southwest, so I fly down with a suitcase full of water bottles and would gladly fill my empty suitcase on my return trip with merch to bring home if it's 1. stuff I actually want, and 2. convenient to purchase.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I think airline fees killed that as much as Disney did. And online shopping coupled with limited unique offerings

Agreed. Online shopping hurt, but baggage fees nailed that coffin shut, along with the utter dearth of creativity and originality that Disney merchandise used to be known for. Now it's formulaic - Pick the most base/lame design, slap some characters on it, send the order to China for fulfillment, and hope it doesn't get stuck on a shipping barge off the coast of LA. But then there are the "Disney adults" who have to have 87 different Loungefly's and 243 Mickey ears at their house, plus every t-shirt and spirit jersey, along with those who proclaim loudly "how cute!" and "adorable!" everything they put out is. Or else the goal seems to be to put out the dumbest and goofiest looking items with the hopes that enough rubes will buy it before the rest gets shipped off to the Character Warehouse to be sold for only half the profit margin compared to what it was sold for in the parks. Sorry, but I have taste.

Saw the merch for the upcoming Princess Half Marathon. More of the same old crap. Bad design on a t-shirt, spirit jersey, Loungefly, and ears. I'll bet the 2024 merchandise is pretty damn close in design to the 2023 merchandise, which was close in design to 2022, which was close... You get my point.

Whoever has been in charge of designing merchandise for the past 7-8 years should be fired and sued for gross negligence. They've sucked the life right out of the room.

 

[asianway]

Agreed. Tokyo does a much better job at this

When was the last time you were in Tokyo? That’s not the case at all. You get a decent small line when a ride opens or closes but that’s it. Mostly cutesy vip & Duffy stuff based on the season

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Agreed. Online shopping hurt, but baggage fees nailed that coffin shut, along with the utter dearth of creativity and originality that Disney merchandise used to be known for. Now it's formulaic - Pick the most base/lame design, slap some characters on it, send the order to China for fulfillment, and hope it doesn't get stuck on a shipping barge off the coast of LA. But then there are the "Disney adults" who have to have 87 different Loungefly's and 243 Mickey ears at their house, plus every t-shirt and spirit jersey, along with those who proclaim loudly "how cute!" and "adorable!" everything they put out is. Or else the goal seems to be to put out the dumbest and goofiest looking items with the hopes that enough rubes will buy it before the rest gets shipped off to the Character Warehouse to be sold for only half the profit margin compared to what it was sold for in the parks. Sorry, but I have taste.

Saw the merch for the upcoming Princess Half Marathon. More of the same old crap. Bad design on a t-shirt, spirit jersey, Loungefly, and ears. I'll bet the 2024 merchandise is pretty damn close in design to the 2023 merchandise, which was close in design to 2022, which was close... You get my point.

Whoever has been in charge of designing merchandise for the past 7-8 years should be fired and sued for gross negligence. They've sucked the life right out of the room.

I bet a lot of that falls on the ketchup man…and he’s enjoying retirement

 

[asianway]

Just looked up the Country Bear stuff and dang.

The Kevin Kidney & Jody Dailey stuff from 15 years ago is incredibly done. This stuff? Garbage. And it's a shame because it's park specific merchandise- which is sorely lacking.

I bought so much of that stuff I was worried if need a bigger house if they kept it up. The next few years had some nice big figs and the last of the WDCC line.

My fears of needing a bigger house were unfounded. Today I buy practically nothing

 

[HauntedPirate]

I bought so much of that stuff I was worried if need a bigger house if they kept it up. The next few years had some nice big figs and the last of the WDCC line.

My fears of needing a bigger house were unfounded. Today I buy practically nothing

I think the last time I bought even a t-shirt at WDW was 2014. My wife got me one from the 50th when she was there but otherwise there's been one or two shirts that have caught my eye and neither was worth the price they are charging in the decade since 2014. I'd love a new golf polo but not for the price they want. They got rid of my white chocolate covered Mickey pretzels. Merchandise designs have fallen off a cliff creatively. Why give them your money for inferior offerings? I have no need to buy stuff just to say I bought something.