Exit through the gift shop- when did that start?

[Bairstow]

Does anyone know when it became standard procedure at Disney World (or Disneyland) to always dump guests into a gift shop after an E-ticket attraction?

The earliest I can think of is Maelstrom->Puffin's Roost. Are there earlier examples?

 

[Tom]

July 17, 1955?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

July 17, 1955?

No, no. God no.

Classic Disney was about elegance and surprising sophistication. The insulting in-yer-face strategy of exits through gift shop are Eisner era. Can't think of the exact first, probably late eighties.

 

[marni1971]

ToT was built that way, planned in 91-2....

Alien Encounter was re routed before it closed...

 

[DisneyJoe]

I recall a trip to WDW in the mid 70's and exiting PoTC into a gift shop I believe, as I still recall wanting some of the items there and my parents denying them to me. I don't know where else pirate merchandise would be located then.

 

[Bairstow]

ToT was built that way, planned in 91-2....

Alien Encounter was re routed before it closed...

I thought Alien Encounter always dumped into Merchant of Venus.
They even had that cool little panel with the sparks and eyes embedded in it.

Of course, Star Tours dumping into Endor Vendors would have been before that.

Did the original Star Tours at Anaheim dump into retail?

 

[Bairstow]

I recall a trip to WDW in the mid 70's and exiting PoTC into a gift shop I believe, as I still recall wanting some of the items there and my parents denying them to me. I don't know where else pirate merchandise would be located then.

Oooh, good one.
Although, if we're going to be picky, was that entire plaza a retail space back then?
I recall it having more fountains and resting spaces back in the day, with the retail portion gradually swallowing up the entire indoor plaza area.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

I recall a trip to WDW in the mid 70's and exiting PoTC into a gift shop I believe, as I still recall wanting some of the items there and my parents denying them to me. I don't know where else pirate merchandise would be located then.

Ironically in sitting here trying to place the timing of it myself it was POTC that came to mind. I was thinking I couldn't remember a time where it didn't empty into a gift shop. The shop itself has changed and the way it's setup when you exit has slightly but I think it always did empty into a gift shop.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The exit to Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland is open to a shop adjacent to the exit walkway.

ToT was built that way, planned in 91-2....

Has the Splash Mountain shop always been there?

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Oooh, good one.
Although, if we're going to be picky, was that entire plaza a retail space back then?
I recall it having more fountains and resting spaces back in the day, with the retail portion gradually swallowing up the entire indoor plaza area.

I remember a large fountain in the middle of what is now the expanded gift shop and the rest of the area was less shops as you said but I think indeed it always was a gift shop, allbeit a smaller one, that you exited into.

 

[Bairstow]

I remember a large fountain in the middle of what is now the expanded gift shop and the rest of the area was less shops as you said but I think indeed it always was a gift shop, allbeit a smaller one, that you exited into.

I'm really interested in this now, and this page is helping a little: http://www.omniluxe.net/wyw/ca.htm

I'm still wondering though if at the time House of Treasure wasn't off to the east side of the plaza and there was still a way to exit the attraction without setting foot in the retail space.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think the shops were there at the exit of POTC but the exit wasn't THE shop. In the link provided by @Bairstow you can see a definitely walkway. Think about the exit now. You have to weave thru the merchandise displays. There's no clear walkway to the outside.

 

[Sassagoula-Rvr]

I don't have a problem with it if the shop has ride specific merchandise...

 

[RandomPrincess]

Was the little gift shop at IASW in DL always there?

 

[ExtinctJenn]

I think the shops were there at the exit of POTC but the exit wasn't THE shop. In the link provided by @Bairstow you can see a definitely walkway. Think about the exit now. You have to weave thru the merchandise displays. There's no clear walkway to the outside.

It's moments like these that I wish I took photos of exits! LOL

 

[BoarderPhreak]

They sort of always existed to some extent, but Disney has perfected and honed this to an annoying, Nth degree these days.

I don't even stop and walk right on through.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

It's moments like these that I wish I took photos of exits! LOL

I know, right? Maybe a new angle when in the parks is to look for the shots to get of the less obvious things. Look for what is most mundane and compose it.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

They sort of always existed to some extent, but Disney has perfected and honed this to an annoying, Nth degree these days.

I don't even stop and walk right on through.

The problem is, like with POTC, when you have the exiting guests come in waves it's like this cyclic thing where the shops get instantly jam packed with people. I don't enjoy shopping when I can't get to the displays. Just when the shop(s) thin out so you can take in the merch the next wave hits. I find the shops themselves annoying as all heck. JMHO.

 

[Jenna]

I'm relatively new to 'The World', first visit was in 04 so I can't help with the original question but had to pop in and say, I actually really enjoy exiting in to a gift shop. I like looking at all the merch, particularly if it's ride specific I know it's probably not so great if you have kids who want everything they see but it suits my nosiness down to the ground.

 

[marni1971]

Good call about PotC, though back in the day it was a quaint little themed square with a shop to one side.

The Briar Patch was always there from what I recall.

Alien Encounter never always dumped into a store. The east theatre (2) used to dump into the main concourse for Mission to Mars. It then re routed to exit next to the bathrooms facing the Raceway. These doors are still there. Thirdly it was routed to dump into the store. The west theatre (1) dumped next to the overflow line facing the hub before it was re routed.

So, in Orlando it looks like 1990 saw Star Tours as the first purpose built exit into a store?