Exit through the gift shop- when did that start?

[JAG107]

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?

Yes it did! 1987

 

[zero creativity]

I went to WDW for my senior class trip in May of 1995 and ToT exited into the gift shop. I remember buying a Hollywood Tower Hotel glass that I still have.

 

[Omnispace]

Here's a different one, though on a technicality -- Adventure Thru Inner Space. In the mid 70's it was changed so that one had to exit through the Character Shop -- actually, the Character Shop expanded into the former Monsanto post show so I assume the change happened whenever Monsanto dropped their sponsorship. Ironically, the Character Shop was one of the few places to buy Disney character merchandise so perhaps the piles of plush at the exit to an attraction started there.

edit: According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, Monsanto dropped their sponsorship of ATIS in 1977.

 

[bethymouse]

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.

Hmmm. I don't remember this.

 

[bethymouse]

Broccoli and co! I had totally forgotten about them! We bought all their plush Veggies and Fruits! I don't remember in which corner it stood.


Could you buy cars in the WoM post-show? If so, then technically that could be considered the first gift shop through which you exited...

I had the cool broccoli.

 

[bethymouse]

I despise those end of the ride gift shops!

 

[neoshinok]

This is great to read a discussion of a topic that, in the age of the internet, may not have a Wikipedia page dedicated to it and may not have a solid discoverable answer! Great thread.

 

[Knothead]

I always exit the Magic Kingdom through the gift shop.

 

[JenniferS]

I generally don't mind exiting through a gift shop.
In some cases, it's the best place to find attraction-specific merchandise, despite the general homogenization of store offerings.

True stand-outs include: PotC, ToT (a hotel gift shop, perfect!), Imagination (my 17 year old son loves Figment), and Winnie the Pooh.

Test Track and Mission:Space used to be way better.

Splash Mountain and VotLM are pretty lame. The offerings at Bonjour Gifts (?) was also pretty sparse.

Over all, DAK offers the most unique merchandise.

And why the heck is there no gift shop at the end of HM? I would absolutely spend big $$ there, as I do at Tower of Terror.

 

[Goofyernmost]

It sure doesn't bother me. I've yet, in all thirty years of visiting ever bought anything in any of them. I suspect I am not one of Disney's favorite guests. If they did follow me, I'm sure someone would lapse into a coma before I left.

 

[JohnD]

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.

Agree. POTC has always exited into the gift shop for as long as I remember.

From this past weekend, others come to mind.
MK: POTC, Splash Mountain, Pooh, Space Mountain
Ep: Maelstrom, China movie
HS: Back lot tour, Star Tours, ToT

 

[vonpluto]

Broccoli and co! I had totally forgotten about them! We bought all their plush Veggies and Fruits! I don't remember in which corner it stood.


Could you buy cars in the WoM post-show? If so, then technically that could be considered the first gift shop through which you exited...

Broccoli was between Kitchen Kabaret and the Farmers Market, about where the entrance to Soarin' is.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

And why the heck is there no gift shop at the end of HM? I would absolutely spend big $$ there, as I do at Tower of Terror.

Because the Mansion is supposed to be a lonely mansion on the top of the hill, outside town, up the Hudson river valley. You do your shopping in the New England fishing village, where the people are.

But that was then. Nowadays there are merchandise carts, Rapunzel towers, large view-destroying structures that house credit card sales points, and no boats leaving the village for a sail up into the wild and spooky hinterland.

 

[deanaandrich]

Mexico ride has always exited to the gift store.

 

[Susan Savia]

Got a nice T shirt while exiting through Test Track last January.

 

[JenniferS]

Because the Mansion is supposed to be a lonely mansion on the top of the hill, outside town, up the Hudson river valley. You do your shopping in the New England fishing village, where the people are.

But that was then. Nowadays there are merchandise carts, Rapunzel towers, large view-destroying structures that house credit card sales points, and no boats leaving the village for a sail up into the wild and spooky hinterland.

Meh. If the can build that ugly canopy, they can build a well themed gift shop that is aesthetically pleasing.

Are there even merch. carts still there? I don't recall seeing any when I was there earlier this fall. I had to get my tombstone coasters at DTD.

 

[JenniferS]

Mexico ride has always exited to the gift store.

The Mexico pavilion is fantastically done! You don't feel as if you're being dumped into a gift store, but rather that you have visited a traditional Mexican public market, dined al fresco, and then taken a relaxing moon-lit boat ride.

On a side note - please ditch the Three Caballeros, and restore El Rio del Tiempo to the way it was.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have to confess that I am always bewildered about gift shop buying. To me, if I am planning on a souvenir or gifts for others to commemorate my vacation (a silly premise when you think about it), it is a separate mission and not to be intermingled with my time in the parks.

Beyond taking time away from that, it also means that usually I have to carry it around with me all day. Not my idea of a good time. If I am overcome with the need to buy a t-shirt or something for my grandkids, I will head on over to Walmart and get a better product for less money.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

If you want gifts, go to Mouse Gear, The Emporium or head over to the 'Village where you can take your time and not be rushed - and actually have a vast selection. Of course, you might miss out on some of the "unique" attraction-oriented gifts, but you can always check online as well.

 

[mickeymatt]

I don't mind the gifts shops. There is something sixflagish about hocking ride photos though.