Sid's One of a Kind Shop to close?

[WDW1974]

I've mentioned this in other threads, but it seems to get buried in discussion of blue alien sex kittens, Mater and his hometown and my motives, so I thought it was deserving of a thread of its own.

Seems like the best shop TPFKaTD-MGMS has ever had and a place I have spent thousands of dollars at in the past may well be on the way out. It was locked up tightly well before park closing numerous nights last week.

About half the merchandise and display tables are gone. More ominous, the photo of the man who played Sid until his death a few years back is gone. And when the shop has been open, there's usually just one CM manning it.

I've asked and the CMs there know nothing about Disney turning it into a vinyl and pin hut (they'll need to replace the BAH locale when that finally comes down) or a Duffy shop or even the park's Starbucks as a friend's young brother hypothesized.

But it would be tragic to lose one more piece of another WDW park's soul.

Anyone out there actually know the real story?

Talked to folks at Guest Relations, but they either really don't know or they're spinning the company line.

 

[JustInTime]

You know, that is one of the best shops in the parks and it really helps the theme in the area. I would positivity hate to see that close. Though if this means the BAH is leaving, bring it. But why can't we have both? I hate the notion of making things back right but at the cost of cutting quality. I am sick of it,

 

[Taylor]

I've mentioned this in other threads, but it seems to get buried in discussion of blue alien sex kittens, Mater and his hometown and my motives. So, I thought it was deserving of a thread of its own.

Seems like the best shop TPFKaTD-MGMS has ever had. And a place I have spent thousands of dollars at in the past may well be on the way out. It was locked up tightly well before park closing numerous nights last week.

About half the merchandise and display tables are gone. More ominous, the photo of the man who played Sid until his death a few years back is gone. And when the shop has been open, there's usually just one CM manning it.

I've asked and the CMs there know nothing about Disney turning it into a vinyl and pin hut (they'll need to replace the BAH locale when that finally comes down) or a Duffy shop or even the park's Starbucks as a friend's young brother hypothesized.

But it would be tragic to lose one more piece of another WDW park's soul.

Anyone out there actually know the real story?

Talked to folks at Guest Relations, but they either really don't know or they're spinning the company line.

That would be horrible I only discovered it a year ago because of this site. I think the average guest sees it but doesn't know what it is I hope it stays!

 

[lazyboy97o]

In a way, I am surprised it has lasted as long as it has. What little kids are interested in old movie memorabilia? And they're not even all films owned by The Walt Disney Company!

 

[afar28]

God if they turn that into a Duffy store that would be a disgrace. Already too many of those. That is unlikely though

 

[M.rudolf]

This truly upsets me Sids always has a well rounded merchandise. From new to old if you wanted it you could find it at Sids. I always enjoyed look at all the memorabilia. It was the only place I could find a decent Monroe autograph.

 

[jmuboy]

Why is Sid's portrait gone? And why did they remove his cool junk filled truck so many years ago?

 

[The Duck]

It was closed most of the day (possibly, all day)during my visit last January.
One fond memory is going in there with my mother (who was well into her 70's at the time) when she saw McLean Stevenson's ice bucket and remarked that she and my father had one just like it when they were first married.
Also, my mother was a huge fan of McLean Stevenson when he played Col. Blake on MASH but she wasn't about to pay $30.00 for an old ice bucket.

 

[wedenterprises]

This would be sad. The entire park should feel more like this shop, not LESS.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This would be sad. The entire Resort should feel more like this shop, not LESS.

Fixed that for you.

 

[wedenterprises]

LOL. ^^

although the direction I would take MGM would probably mean removing this store, ha!

 

[WDW1974]

This would be sad. The entire park should feel more like this shop, not LESS.

Agreed. If they want to see why their DCA makeover is so successful and why WWoHP is too, then all they have to do is look at the way retail is handled.

Rest assured, more generic crap (can we say the 's' word here, mods?) in every shop is NOT that way.

 

[Kuhio]

The truly generic and interchangeable nature of the merchandise at most WDW stores (other than, say, the ones in EPCOT's World Showcase pavilions) is made readily apparent if one has the chance to check out some of Disney's "lesser" competitors.

Not being able to fall back on the crutch of slapping the images of "world famous" characters on every item of merchandise, parks like SeaWorld and Busch Gardens have actually done pretty well in terms of stocking their stores with park/area/theme-appropriate items, some of it of very high quality. SWO has some really beautiful merchandise locations that sell high-end items and jewelry. At BGW (which is pretty much beautiful throughout), you can still find items like steins, nutcrackers, and carved wood items in locations that would be theme-appropriate for the merchandise in question. And the seasonal stuff -- like Howl-O-Scream themed items -- is largely sold at a few specific locations, not strewn haphazardly everywhere around the park.

It may not seem like much, but having some care and thought put into merchandise placement -- as opposed to stocking the same generic product in Adventureland as in Hollywood Boulevard or Future World -- is not only refreshing, but goes a long way toward reinforcing the themes and narratives that are ostensibly at the foundation of a "theme park."

(As an aside, I also think a tiny part of the reason for the decline of Sid's shop is the fact that no one could be relied on to know what Sid's last name was a reference to, or how to pronounce it correctly...)

 

[jlg263]

I've mentioned this in other threads, but it seems to get buried in discussion of blue alien sex kittens, Mater and his hometown and my motives, so I thought it was deserving of a thread of its own.

Seems like the best shop TPFKaTD-MGMS has ever had and a place I have spent thousands of dollars at in the past may well be on the way out. It was locked up tightly well before park closing numerous nights last week.

About half the merchandise and display tables are gone. More ominous, the photo of the man who played Sid until his death a few years back is gone. And when the shop has been open, there's usually just one CM manning it.

I've asked and the CMs there know nothing about Disney turning it into a vinyl and pin hut (they'll need to replace the BAH locale when that finally comes down) or a Duffy shop or even the park's Starbucks as a friend's young brother hypothesized.

But it would be tragic to lose one more piece of another WDW park's soul.

Anyone out there actually know the real story?

Talked to folks at Guest Relations, but they either really don't know or they're spinning the company line.

I used to work in that area (up until May) and ever since I started working there in 2009 there has only been one CM at a time (unless another is just hanging around, but only one actually assigned). It was sometimes like punishment being there for 3 hours at a time with no one else, haha. So that isn't really an indication of anything. Also, the store opens about 11 am and closes an hour or so earlier than park close. Sometimes earlier. So that's not really anything unusual either. It's included in the same merchandise area as Mickey's of Hollywood, Keystone, and a few others. All of the props and autographs are from Michael Wehrmann.

I still work close by and haven't heard anything about it leaving, but I haven't actually set foot in there in a month or so. I walk past it around 3 every day and haven't noticed anything too alarming. I always make a point to peek in the doorway and see if I know anyone working That's interesting that the Sid picture is gone though! But I wouldn't read too much into it. Things get knocked off the wall there a lot.

 

[Figment82]

The day they stopped selling older Disney movie posters was the day Sid's "closed" in my book. I purchased a movie poster from The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band for only about $5 just a few years ago. I used to love flipping through the poster selections on the porch, now it's the same stuff they sell at Art of Disney.

 

[asianway]

I know this is touchy, and I can see it both ways, but should they have recast the role of Sid once the actor passed? He appeared on at least one video I have and really nailed it. His continued presence -beyond a photo- may have drawn more people in.

A year ago, they started recasting Citizem roles, where they never had before.

 

[Atomicmickey]

Another, awful, symptom of the disease of Wal-Marting. I'm surprised it lasted as long
as it did.

I'm sure, if you look at the numbers, it's not pulling its weight, and in a bean counter
world, that's all that matters, sadly.

It's a vicious decline that eats itself, though. Once people catch on to the fact that each
store has the same merchandise, why bother to go in to more than one? "Oh, another
themed area with the same stuff".

Why do we get that, and the powers that be, don't?

Or, perhaps boutique/individual/unique Theme Park merchandise is just something that
doesn't sell like it used to, in this day and age? Perhaps we, the fans, just aren't enough.

I'm my own worst enemy, because though I always enjoyed browsing in Sid's, I never did
buy anything there. Honestly--I figured the overhead in a theme park was so high that
any one of those collectibles would have been vastly overpriced--and/or, not truly authentic.

And finally, there's Ebay. There's where the collectibles market has gone. You don't haunt
places like Sid's anymore looking for treasures, you autobid on them.

 

[Disneyfan_76]

And finally, there's Ebay. There's where the collectibles market has gone. You don't haunt
places like Sid's anymore looking for treasures, you autobid on them.

Sadly, this is a very good point and probably one of the main reasons for the possible decline of this great shop. Still, let us hope that they find a better solution that turning it into a generic store.

 

[wdwmagic]

The type of merchandise they are offering there appears to be out of favor with people these days. The similar store at Downtown DIsney closed, and whenever I see these at the malls, they are always empty. Tough economic times mean that people are no longer willing to pay $300 for an 8x10 with some scrawl on it. Those that are willing to do that more than likely get them online. I really don't think Disney can be blamed for this one. Hopefully the store can be repurposed into something useful if indeed it does close as the memorabilia store.

 

[wiigirl]

In a way, I am surprised it has lasted as long as it has. What little kids are interested in old movie memorabilia? And they're not even all films owned by The Walt Disney Company!

True...but its still one of my favorite stores to go into. I will admit I have never bought anything, but I love to walk through it.