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Build-A-Bear & RideMakerz Closing at Downtown Disney for New Dining
- Thread starter TP2000
- Start date
Stevek
Well-Known Member
It's a bit of a catch 22...it's often very tough to get into any restaurant during peak dining times without waiting an hour or more so they can clearly accommodate more dining. That being said, they seem to be removing two relatively popular, very family friendly shopping locations/experiences. We did Build a Bear two or three times with our daughters when they were younger, was always a fun experience for them. If I had a son, I can guarantee you he and I would have been in RideMakerz building remote control cars on more than one occasion.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
We've done the build a bear once. It was kind of a one time and done thing. One of my daughter's friends had a birthday party there and we were forced to buy the bear. At the end of the day it is just another stuff animal sitting on my daughter's bed. It doesn't seem worth it. I guess people do it for the experience.
We never did Ride Makers because I feel the RC cars looked a little cheap for the price. We are into real RC cars and planes around here and these Ride Maker ones look like garbage. They are not customizable enough for a real hobbyist to get into. I would rather go build a lightsaber or a droid.
We never did Ride Makers because I feel the RC cars looked a little cheap for the price. We are into real RC cars and planes around here and these Ride Maker ones look like garbage. They are not customizable enough for a real hobbyist to get into. I would rather go build a lightsaber or a droid.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Build the Adventurer's Club in their place!
Rich T
Well-Known Member
I say build a new Sid Cahuenga shop along with other quirky collectible stores selling things theme park fans and movie fans would actually want to buy! And a *good* California souvenir shop. And a World of Nintendo store (I know that can't happen now). And a book store (try, try again). And a place where you can download all Disney theme park music (a digital update of DL Forever) .
And that show with the magical horses running around.
And Smash Burger. And Mod Pizza. And Taco Bell.
I'm done.
No I'm not. Permanent "Frozen" Indoor Ice Rink. Always snowing!
Wait, wait, do a whole line-up of fictional animated eateries like Snuggly Duckling and Gaston's and Tiana's and Gusteau's.
*Now* I'm done.
And that show with the magical horses running around.
And Smash Burger. And Mod Pizza. And Taco Bell.
I'm done.
No I'm not. Permanent "Frozen" Indoor Ice Rink. Always snowing!
Wait, wait, do a whole line-up of fictional animated eateries like Snuggly Duckling and Gaston's and Tiana's and Gusteau's.
*Now* I'm done.
Antaundra
Well-Known Member
If you own designer sunglasses those stores are a life saver. They'll clean, replace screws, tighten arms, buff out small scratches on any sunglasses that you bought from any Sunglass Hut for free. At the very least I get my sunglasses cleaned once a day while I'm on a Disneyland vacation, but I've also needed my lenses buffed and a screw replaced before.
What Down Town Disney really needs is a kiosk that fixes iPhone screens. I dropped my phone once and it ruined my day.
Whatever restaurants go into that space in 2018, I'm just hoping it's not another corporate-owned crap hall, like something from the Darden Corporation. I'm hoping for something with local ownership, a hip vibe, but with high quality food/service and fresh ingredients.
Definitely not another East Coast offering like Splitsville and their Krab sushi.
Something tells me I'll be disappointed, but let's hope.
Definitely not another East Coast offering like Splitsville and their Krab sushi.
Something tells me I'll be disappointed, but let's hope.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Is Tortilla Joes east coast Mexican food? Would Wil Myers like it?
westie
Well-Known Member
I've never had east coast mexican, except say in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot. That's pretty bad too. But I can tell you the worst hot dog and pizza I've ever had was in Chicago. So yeah, it must be a coastal thing.
NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
DTD seems to be something of a Catch 22 for restaurants. It seems like Disney invites restaurateurs to "go big or go home". As much as you or I would like a small quality place run by a local to go in there (I guess along with three others), the rent would probably make that impracticable if not impossible. Then, if one were to succeed, they would be criticized because of how hard it would be to get a table.
What if Alan Greeley decided to re-open the Golden Truffle there? What if Tim and Liza Goodell decided to try something new there? Or even Pascal Olhats? DTD credibility would shoot up (and Napa Rose would have some competition) and the tourists wouldn't know what hit them. Sadly, none of that will likely ever happen.
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Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Isn't Chicago kind of known for their hot dogs and pizza?
Agreed. The Umami Burger in Anaheim's Packing District is very popular.
I'm afraid Disney's business model for Downtown Disney doesn't allow smaller, local, and hipper establishments like Umami Burger to move in here. I'm no expert on modern property management business models, but the rents and entry fees Disney charges for Downtown Disney seem to block the local, smaller places from having a shot. They are left with big corporate behemoths like Darden Corporation who have the capital to step up and take over. The result is bland corporate food and sushi rolls made with Krab.
It makes Downtown Disney less fashionable and less desirable than it should be. But it pays the rent so TDA execs like Michael Colglazier And Friends probably don't care.
No kidding.
There's a very sharp young restauranteur and marketer here in OC named Hugh Pham who has been responsible for some really neat new dining concepts. He has done The Kroft restaurants in the Packing District and one in Tustin, and just opened a new full-service Japanese Omakase place in Irvine. These places take their dining craft seriously, offer high quality menus and very good service in a hip, stylish scene, and are aimed at a sophisticated SoCal audience. And they are local and successful.
Instead Downtown Disney will get Ruby Tuesday #815 or something dumb like that.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Agreed. The Umami Burger in Anaheim's Packing District is very popular.
I'm afraid Disney's business model for Downtown Disney doesn't allow smaller, local, and hipper establishments like Umami Burger to move in here. I'm no expert on modern property management business models, but the rents and entry fees Disney charges for Downtown Disney seem to block the local, smaller places from having a shot. They are left with big corporate behemoths like Darden Corporation who have the capital to step up and take over. The result is bland corporate food and sushi rolls made with Krab.
It makes Downtown Disney less fashionable and less desirable than it should be. But it pays the rent so TDA execs like Michael Colglazier And Friends probably don't care.
Yeah it's too bad. They should adjust their model to allow for DTD to not be so commercial. I said it in an earlier post, but it's kind of crazy that the food at the parks is on par, if not better in some cases than the food at DTD.
NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what Michael Kang (Formerly of Five Feet in Laguna Beach) is up to these days, but some company with deep pockets should hire him to come up with a menu. That would be another unexpected feather in the cap for DTD, but again that's just blue sky wishful thinking.
NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
Was Pham behind one of those places trying to go into the ARTIC train station? (I guess I could look that up for myself...)
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Well, it's interesting that this makes the news now.
I had heard earlier this year that Build-a-Bear Workshop was closing later this year, as was Ridemakerz.
I have a connection with the company, so this is no surprise to me....but I find it interesting that now of all times the news breaks.
Build-a-Bear and Ridemakerz are both owned by the same company.
That entire side of the building is rented out to Build-a-Bear.
The upper 'unused' level between the two stores is likely their storage space / stock room.
Both are closing not because of lack of sales...the BABW store alone is one of the company's top sales location.
They hope to find another location slot somewhere nearby, as they make a killing selling the DTD / Disneyland location exclusive bears and clothing outfits.
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I had heard earlier this year that Build-a-Bear Workshop was closing later this year, as was Ridemakerz.
I have a connection with the company, so this is no surprise to me....but I find it interesting that now of all times the news breaks.
Build-a-Bear and Ridemakerz are both owned by the same company.
That entire side of the building is rented out to Build-a-Bear.
The upper 'unused' level between the two stores is likely their storage space / stock room.
Both are closing not because of lack of sales...the BABW store alone is one of the company's top sales location.
They hope to find another location slot somewhere nearby, as they make a killing selling the DTD / Disneyland location exclusive bears and clothing outfits.
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Real lobster rolls, that's what DTD needs!
Direct from the Northeast...with buttered hot dog buns and overflowing non-frozen Atlantic lobster meat.
Oh, and that yummy creamy mayo-like texture.
Maybe a little lettuce...
Yum.
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