jt04
Well-Known Member
The strategy was to get out of the large dance club business. Everything else has been decided after that. They had much much bigger concerns at the time. See DCA for example.
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Magic Masters to close at Downtown Disney West Side - replaced by 'Something Silver'
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
The strategy was to get out of the large dance club business. Everything else has been decided after that. They had much much bigger concerns at the time. See DCA for example.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
Well, I'll just say it - As far as I'm concerned, that is the final nail in the West Side's coffin. That was the only shop down there left worth visiting. Unless we decide to go to Cirque or a movie, I can't imagine ever stepping foot on the West Side again.
As for the Bowling Alley - No thank you. I have bowling alleys and arcades where I live.
As for the Bowling Alley - No thank you. I have bowling alleys and arcades where I live.
jt04
Well-Known Member
Well, I'll just say it - As far as I'm concerned, that is the final nail in the West Side's coffin. That was the only shop down there left worth visiting. Unless we decide to go to Cirque or a movie, I can't imagine ever stepping foot on the West Side again.
As for the Bowling Alley - No thank you. I have bowling alleys and arcades where I live.
I'm pretty sure Bon Jovi fans wouldn't be allowed in anyway. :lol:
Their strategy ended at the closing of the clubs. They underestimated the furor such a move would provoke (and let's not consider a comedy club and the AC "dance clubs"), and underestimated their ability to fill the space with anything else. The Hyperion Wharf fiasco has been just that, and now even that concept art has been pulled from the walls at DtD.
I'm not a D&G type of guy (and you now that). But the PI/HW situation has been one mess of things after another. And bringing in trinket shops or trendy clothing stores that can be found in malls isn't the solution either.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
Then the place will be pretty empty.:animwink:
jt04
Well-Known Member
DTD had the misfortune of getting caught in the timeframe of the major management upheavals and also not being a high priority to upper management. So all the complaigning in the world will never change that and many of the folks involved have moved on. It was time for the fanboy community to move on two years ago. It really is useless to keep making the point about PI. It would be like me complaigning that the FLE does not look like the original artwork two years from now.
And for what it is worth I have always though they should keep the AC and CW. Who knows if they will?
djkidkaz
Well-Known Member
Hahaha! Awesome! :ROFLOL:
DTD had the misfortune of getting caught in the timeframe of the major management upheavals and also not being a high priority to upper management. So all the complaigning in the world will never change that and many of the folks involved have moved on. It was time for the fanboy community to move on two years ago. It really is useless to keep making the point about PI. It would be like me complaigning that the FLE does not look like the original artwork two years from now.
And for what it is worth I have always though they should keep the AC and CW. Who knows if they will?
The clubs closing came about well-before the major management changes.....
But I'll agree with you about the place DtD has enjoyed on the priority list. And that's a problem.
jt04
Well-Known Member
Depends on how you define "well before". My main point was that the reimagining did happen during the transition. Iger has indicated the DTD's are not high on his priority list when he called the shopping centers.
However, if you made a list of all the changes in the last two years it is undeniable that a deliberate purposeful plan is underway. As I have said a million times, this had to take years because you have to juggle the interests of third parties.
I am certain Steve does not want this thread turning into another PI/HW debate so I am out of here. Besides logic can't reason with the emotions of the PI die hards.
Now, it is D23 day and it is time to move on. :wave:
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
Okay, now I am completely convinced that Anaheim's Downtown Disney management team is in charge of recruiting new stores for Orlando too. This is the third store announcement for WDW's Downtown Disney just this summer where an existing store from Disneyland's Downtown Disney makes the leap out to Florida.
Something Silver - Downtown Disney, Disneyland Resort
And the Something Silver news fuels this suspicion the most because Something Sliver is exclusively a West Coast store, with only eight (8) locations in upscale malls in Seattle, Portland, Orange County and San Diego. And now also... 3,000 miles away in Florida too.
Little Miss Matched, Ridemakerz, Apricot Lane, BLINK by Wet Seal, and now Something Silver. All stores that existed first in Anaheim, and then were cloned for Lake Buena Vista in 2010 and 2011. I think TDO threw in the towel on Downtown Disney property management and is just letting Anaheim run things for a while. That's weird.
The only store we felt was worthwhile to go in at DTD Anahiem was the World of Disney Store... all of the others just felt like an upscale outdoor mall with the kinds of stores I can see at one of the 10 malls I have within a 20 mile radious of me. I really hope the Marketplace in Orlando stays intact because it's looking like I have no need to shop at the Westside.
If it is true that TDA DTD Management is calling the shots (or atleast advising) the Orlando team, I hope we will get to see some of the night time entertainment out there though. Despite the shopping, we really enjoyed the mood and lively atmosphere that DTD Anahiem gave off every evening with their live music.
WDWFREAK53
Well-Known Member
Here is my take on Magic Masters (along with other Magic Shops).
A lot of people go in...see the trick...and maybe one or two people purchase the trick.
They spend $20+ on the trick that just "WOW'd" them and they open it up...and it's a piece of invisible string and a playing card. So, you just spent $20 on a playing card and a piece of string.
Sure, you get a cheap thrill out of performing it once or twice, but after that...you put it in the drawer and it never comes out again. I mean, how many people walk around with Magic props in their pockets?
The best tricks won't be purchased...they will be things that you can just pick up wherever you are. Unless you plan on making a living doing "magic," spending money on "magic props" is a waste of money.
(I love magic...and will practice doing tricks any chance I can...but even I know to steer clear of Magic Shops). (I even proposed to my wife doing a magic trick!)
The majority of people used this store as a free show...with zero intention of spending money there.
Now, having said that...there is a market for magic because it does draw the people into the store. I know it was proposed at one point but it never got off the ground, but DTD is the perfect place for a Magic themed restaurant. Not only could your waiters/waitresses be magicians...but there could be a stage show going on and different effects could happen at your individual tables.
A lot of people go in...see the trick...and maybe one or two people purchase the trick.
They spend $20+ on the trick that just "WOW'd" them and they open it up...and it's a piece of invisible string and a playing card. So, you just spent $20 on a playing card and a piece of string.
Sure, you get a cheap thrill out of performing it once or twice, but after that...you put it in the drawer and it never comes out again. I mean, how many people walk around with Magic props in their pockets?
The best tricks won't be purchased...they will be things that you can just pick up wherever you are. Unless you plan on making a living doing "magic," spending money on "magic props" is a waste of money.
(I love magic...and will practice doing tricks any chance I can...but even I know to steer clear of Magic Shops). (I even proposed to my wife doing a magic trick!)
The majority of people used this store as a free show...with zero intention of spending money there.
Now, having said that...there is a market for magic because it does draw the people into the store. I know it was proposed at one point but it never got off the ground, but DTD is the perfect place for a Magic themed restaurant. Not only could your waiters/waitresses be magicians...but there could be a stage show going on and different effects could happen at your individual tables.
theguitarman
Member
Wow...my mind is blown!!! That would be an AWESOME restaurant!!! In fact, I would practice my magic, and move down to become a waiter! Oh man, so many good ideas for this restaurant!!!
As for Magic Masters, again very sad that it's closing, such an interesting and well designed store! Plus, you are right, free magic! I always thought they should have some more advanced tricks that they take you to a little room in the store (which would clearly be accessed by pulling on one of the books on the fake bookcase to open a secret door to the room) and show you how to use your new trick, or teach you a trick the requires only the knowledge/sleight of hand, as opposed to a prop.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
The Magic/llusions restaurant was a working idea from David Copperfield, Michael Eisner, and I believe George Lucas. Though it might have been Katzenburg and not Eisner since Eisner squandered Katz' idea (an ego thing) of a themed restaurant franchise across the US and he ended up opening a chain on his own with the help of Lucas.
Sadly, we never got to see what could have come from the Magic Restaurant Theme.
Monorail Lime
Well-Known Member
This closing was inevitable and has nothing at all to do with Disney's vision or plan for DTD. Magic Masters, which is a third-party entity not owned by Disney, is in bad financial shape and had to shut down all of their other retail locations over the past few years. The DTD location only survived this long because it was locked into a long-term contract.
worldfanatic
Well-Known Member
I always wondered how this place (and other magic shops) stay in business.
I've never seen anybody buy anything.
I'm no jewelry buff, but Something Silver at DLR's Downtown Disney is actually pretty cool.
My wife always drags me in there. They've got some cool Disney jewelry and the place always has several shoppers inside.
I guarantee they'll do much, much, much more business than Magic Masters.
71jason
Well-Known Member
Which is basically the problem with relying on 3rd party tenants (cough, Virgin, cough).
Really this kind of shop would be ideal in one of the parks, where it could be run by Disney as a loss-leader that still establishes atmosphere. Maybe on Main Street, which is themed to the turn of the 20th Century, the golden age of magic. Maybe with a miniature Mickey robot that did magic tricks. If only Disney would ever build something like that.
WDWFREAK53
Well-Known Member
Is this post being sarcastic? (Sorry, can't tell because it's just text).
If not...there was a Magic Shop on Main Street....and it was my favorite shop when I was little
theguitarman
Member
Is this post being sarcastic? (Sorry, can't tell because it's just text).
If not...there was a Magic Shop on Main Street....and it was my favorite shop when I was little
I don't think that he was being sarcastic, and I think it would be GREAT to have a magic shop at MK again! I am all for returning to individual shops on Main St!
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Look up 'David Copperfield's Magic Underground' when you want to see how to make $35m disappear.
Is this post being sarcastic? (Sorry, can't tell because it's just text).
If not...there was a Magic Shop on Main Street....and it was my favorite shop when I was little
I don't think he was being sarcastic, he probably just didn't know about the Magic Shop.