Lack of Kingdom Hearts in the parks

[King Mickey]

Why is there such a lack of Kingdom Hearts items in the parks? It is obviously popular world wide and an extremly genious idea. The only place i've seen merchandise is in the Japanese pavilion in Epcot and that's only a few things. You'd think there would be more with how popular it is and how much money it's making them.

 

[Master Yoda]

The simple answer is there is not a large enough market for it at the parks. It is a very popular niche game but a vast majority of people do not know it exists. When you look at the sales figures the entire KH franchise has moved about 15 million games since its launch in 2002. By comparison COD Black Opps has moved 18 million by itself.

 

[erasure fan1]

The simple answer is there is not a large enough market for it at the parks. It is a verey popular niche game but a vast majority of people do not know it exists. When you look at the sales figures the entire KH franchise has moved about 15 million games since its launch in 2002. By comparison COD Black Opps has moved 18 million by itself.

Exactly, The games are good but they are by no means "main stream". They would need to release a true kingdom hearts 3 for all platforms, (360, ps3, wii, ngp, 3ds...) and it would have to be critically acclaimed for any chance of a bigger presence. And even then I doubt it would happen.

 

[cynic710]

i consider myself a good example of why it isnt big in the park..

i am a huge disney fan, bigger disney park fan, and the biggest walt fan..not to mention an avid gamer. but i never played kingdom hearts because the anime theme of it doesnt appeal to me.

 

[Master Yoda]

i consider myself a good example of why it isnt big in the park..

i am a huge disney fan, bigger disney park fan, and the biggest walt fan..not to mention an avid gamer. but i never played kingdom hearts because the anime theme of it doesnt appeal to me.

Same here. I do not care for the game style either which does not hep. I'll put up with the third person action adventure game format for Star Wars but that is about it.

 

[DisneyWorldDork]

I think what would be cool is if they at least had a M&G in Japan with Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, goofy, and maybe even King Mickey. I know that there was a M&G with Sora before.

 

[wizards8507]

I think what would be cool is if they at least had a M&G in Japan with Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, goofy, and maybe even King Mickey. I know that there was a M&G with Sora before.

The point is, nobody would get it. I'm willing to bet that at least 50% of people on this board (of huge Disney nuts) would not have any idea who "Sora, Riku, and Kairi" even are. I'm a 21/M and a fairly active "gamer" and I would have no clue who they were if I didn't see the thread title in which we were having this conversation. Compare that to Mulan, who I don't particularly care for, but who I would at least recognize as a Disney character and brand.

Side note: I'm pretty sure user "King Mickey" has made each and every one of his 23 posts on these boards complaining that nobody takes Kingdom Hearts seriously.

 

[DisneyWorldDork]

The point is, nobody would get it. I'm willing to bet that at least 50% of people on this board (of huge Disney nuts) would not have any idea who "Sora, Riku, and Kairi" even are. I'm a 21/M and a fairly active "gamer" and I would have no clue who they were if I didn't see the thread title in which we were having this conversation. Compare that to Mulan, who I don't particularly care for, but who I would at least recognize as a Disney character and brand.

Side note: I'm pretty sure user "King Mickey" has made each and every one of his 23 posts on these boards complaining that nobody takes Kingdom Hearts seriously.

I do actually agree with this, most people probably would have no idea who they are. Just a fan boy's dream lol but I totally understand what a waste of money it would be to set up that kind of thing.

 

[MansionGoer13z]

This is one thing Disney does not need, a horde of cosplayers clogging up the Japan section of the World Showcase just to get Sephiroth's, Cloud's, Squall's Sora's Kari and Riku's autograph during a meet and greet. That's what E3 and Comicon is for.

 

[David Roberts]

A lot of the explanations that are being given make no sense at all. Yes, Kingdom Hearts is not as widely known as alot of the other video games, but it's wide enough known that it's merchandise is sold in other stores throughout the U.S.. This person is not asking for Disney to start turning out and produce all new merchandise. It already exists... Just bring it to a store in Disney World (The Japan store would make most sense) and let's see what kind of sales they get.

And if you think people at WDW don't know what Kingdom Hearts is...tell it to my cousin, who brought several shirtsm down for our vacation, couldn't make it from one end of the park to the other without being asked by several people if he had bought the shirt on property.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I saw years ago the blond haired guy from KH (sorry, don't know the name) was in in the parks for pictures, I think it was DStudios. My daughter was too young then to know about KH yet, but now is 14 and she loves LOVES KH, and would go crazy if she could meet them.

 

[FigmentJedi]

It doesn't help that the franchise has gotten stupidly convoluted over the years. What with Xehanort being like five people or Sora having all those squatters in his head right now.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Why is there such a lack of Kingdom Hearts items in the parks? It is obviously popular world wide and an extremly genious idea. The only place i've seen merchandise is in the Japanese pavilion in Epcot and that's only a few things. You'd think there would be more with how popular it is and how much money it's making them.

Okay first off..Where have you found Anything KH Realated in the Japan Pavillion..In the 8 years I've gone...They have had nothing...Absolutley Nothing...BUT! The only time they did anything to promote KH in the Park was during 2004's MNSSHP For the release of KH: Chain of Memories for The Game Boy Advance....Here' the pics to prove it.

Also during the 2009 Halloween Party I cosplayed as Sora in the parks and many characters knew exactly who I was..

I even had Mickey & Stitch Hold my Keyblade.

 

[King Mickey]

Ok, thx for all the input. No i havn't made all 23 posts about KH, just this one. The stuff i've seen is the occasionally merchandise item, not much else. Yes it would be a gamble but they should at least start small and see how it goes.

 

[DisneyWorldDork]

They also used to have a section of Innoventions that had a bunch of stations set up where you could play Kingdom Hearts. I remember it being crowded. My mother wouldn't even let me in there because she knew that if I started playing I wouldn't stop for a long time :king:

 

[King Mickey]

See, popular. And if you set it up it will gain more awreness and grow in popularity.

 

[Master Yoda]

See, popular. And if you set it up it will gain more awreness and grow in popularity.

There is a big difference between niche popular and mainstream popular. You are on a Disney fan site surrounded by people who know such obscure things like the relevance of M.T. Lot Construction or what a Utilidoor is and a full half of the people responding to this thread have no interest in Kingdom Hearts. I'll wager that if you grabbed 100 random guests at WDW 80 of them would not know what Kingdom Hearts is. Trust me, if Disney thought that there was a dime to be made on KH merchandise it would be at the parks. The simple fact that it is not speaks volumes to its mainstream popularity.

 

[lebeau]

Obviously, I am a big Disney fan. I pride myself that I know a fair amount of a lot of aspects of Disney culture. The extent of my knowledge of Kingdom Hearts is that it is some kind of Disney-related video game.

Lots and lots of people know less about this than me.

 

[erasure fan1]

Okay first off..Where have you found Anything KH Realated in the Japan Pavillion..In the 8 years I've gone...They have had nothing...Absolutley Nothing...

Ive seen a couple items from KH in the Japan pavilion. It was 2yrs ago and 1 of the items was a mini keyblade about 6in or so. The other was a keychain I think.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I guess the thing is that though Kingdom HEarts is a popular video game, video games aren't as mainstream to the public unless if they're either a Nintendo franchise, a mascot from the old days like Sonic or Mega Man or a violent video game that gets on the nerves of soccer moms and politicians