News Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Under Construction, Shortcut Blocked

[James Alucobond]

I do really hope that, at the very least, the scattered displays are temporary during construction. The chandeliers really need larger merchandise tables with significant displays beneath them to make some sense of their placement.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Absolutely not. It is more de-theming. As Disney used to be known for, it can be meticulously themed and also squeaky clean. It does not have to look sanitary to be sanitary. (Think Adventureland.) Be it does have to be themed to be a theme park.
The Emporium on Main Street, USA, should look like a turn-of-the century shop — not like an Apple Store or Target.

Agreed, I forget to add my winky to denote a joke. I was joking

Seriously, its sad this is happening at the same time as we are seeing SUPER theming at EPIC! There is a candy store at EPIC where the theme is over the top and the store even has its own plush! Captain Cacao and the whole store is a sailing ship! Fantastic!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Boardwalk Candy Palace was recently renovated at DLP to tie in with the new M&M sponsorship and wasn't completely destroyed or dethemed in the process, unlike the Confectionary or Emporium at WDW.

Disney is more then capable of making nice shops, but for whatever reason, WDW's Main Street is more about utility

 

[jmuboy]

Honestly - this emporium update is infuriatingly bad and bland. Like for goodness sake a regional theme park could have “dressed up” this space better.

The Empirium makes the recent bland-indication of Mickey’s of Hollywood look like the height of interior design!

 

[jmuboy]

Boardwalk Candy Palace was recently renovated at DLP to tie in with the new M&M sponsorship and wasn't completely destroyed or dethemed in the process, unlike the Confectionary or Emporium at WDW.

Disney is more then capable of making nice shops, but for whatever reason, WDW's Main Street is more about utility

Ageeed here. It plays into the narrative that the MK is truly the WORST of all castle parks. I honestly think that WDW IS TRYING to win this award sonehow.

I always called the MK “the Walmart” castle park and DL “the Target” castle park. Both selling the same things. One just doing it with a bit more class and style.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Ageeed here. It plays into the narrative that the MK is truly the WORST of all castle parks. I honestly think that WDW IS TRYING to win this award sonehow.

I always called the MK “the Walmart” castle park and DL “the Target” castle park. Both selling the same things. One just doing it with a bit more class and style.

Magic Kingdom ops just keeps getting punished by upper mgmt cuts. How many stores are shuttered that could help spread out crowds from emporium? How many food venues closed that could take the demand off of Casey’s? They close things, yield management people to places that weren’t designed to handle it, then ruin the venue trying to make it work.

 

[larryz]

Honestly - this emporium update is infuriatingly bad and bland. Like for goodness sake a regional theme park could have “dressed up” this space better.

The Empirium makes the recent bland-indication of Mickey’s of Hollywood look like the height of interior design!

I think the Empirium is over in Batuu...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They close things, yield management people to places that weren’t designed to handle it, then ruin the venue trying to make it work.

That’s a great point…. The closed merchandise and f&b packs people in which creates the operational issues that causes the theming to be stripped away.

 

[aladdin2007]

That’s a great point…. The closed merchandise and f&b packs people in which creates the operational issues that causes the theming to be stripped away.

Agree and with the last few comments. I still think its time for certain execs long overdue to go who are not helping (you all know a couple names already) but there is also middle management somewhere calling these shots in TDO that do not get it and operating the parks like they are going out of business, and are purposely de-theming and undoing everything for the worse.

 

[wdwmagic]

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area​

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Ayla]

The larger stores at WDW have always had merch racks in the checkout line. That isn't anything new.

 

[wdwmagic]

The larger stores at WDW have always had merch racks in the checkout line. That isn't anything new.

I don't think anyone said it was new for WDW, but it is a new register setup in that area.

 

[aladdin2007]

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area​

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area

Magic Kingdom's Main Street Emporium Expands Checkout Capacity with New Register Area

www.wdwmagic.com

the bottom photo above, is the place going out of business or what! yikes

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

“I’ve got a a great idea - let’s remove most of the merchandise - that way the store won’t get so crowded” - who’s running this place!?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Remember when people wanted Apple to buy TWDC?...

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The wallpaper and light fixtures are doing the heavy lifting here when it comes to theme

 

[Andrew C]

Remember when people wanted Apple to buy TWDC?...

View attachment 856554

Sure. But Apple was smart enough to know that while this model worked for selling phones and laptops, it wasn't appropriate for WDW retail spaces.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Sure. But Apple was smart enough to know that while this model worked for selling phones and laptops, it wasn't appropriate for WDW retail spaces.

How did Apple think their retail was inappropriate for Walt Disney World? Because they didn’t open the Disney Springs store?

 

[Comped]

How did Apple think their retail was inappropriate for Walt Disney World? Because they didn’t open the Disney Springs store?

I think WDI were the ones who weren't terribly interested if Apple insisted they wouldn't change their store theming... Doesn't fit with Springs at all.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think WDI were the ones who weren't terribly interested if Apple insisted they wouldn't change their store theming... Doesn't fit with Springs at all.

Walt Disney Imagineering only approves design and they’re fine with deviations. Apple wasn’t even slated for a stand alone building that they would have built themselves.

The issue was just money. Disney charges higher than normal rent and takes a cut of sales. Apple usually gets discounted rent and is not keen on others getting a cut.