Main Street Bakery to Serve Starbucks Coffee

[Master Yoda]

Sorry, I haven't read this whole thing but I just have one question. Is the title of this thread correct? "Main Street Bakery to serve Starbucks Coffee" or should it have been titled "Main Street Bakery to become Starbucks"? The first I'm fine with (even very happy with) the later not so much and it seems like a lot of the post on here think it will be the later. I just think a Bakery (It can sell Starbucks Coffee) fits better in the theming of Main Street USA than a Starbucks. The Theming is the 1900's not the 21st century. If there is a little sign inside that says "We proudly sell Starbucks Coffee" and the big sign outside says Main Street Bakery, great. If a big sign goes out on Main Street with the Starbucks logo and inside there's a modern looking lounge and only a menu of Starbucks baked goods and coffees not so good.

The title is correct. The Main St Bakery will be "serving" Starbucks drinks and pastries as well as many, if not all, of the items currently being offered in the Main St Bakery. It will not become a Starbucks.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Sorry, I haven't read this whole thing but I just have one question. Is the title of this thread correct? "Main Street Bakery to serve Starbucks Coffee" or should it have been titled "Main Street Bakery to become Starbucks"?

It is most commonly expected that the Starbucks location will resemble something like the one at DCA. Some of us have reservations about it, others not.

You be the judge:

 

[cba]

Sorry, I haven't read this whole thing but I just have one question. Is the title of this thread correct? "Main Street Bakery to serve Starbucks Coffee" or should it have been titled "Main Street Bakery to become Starbucks"? The first I'm fine with (even very happy with) the later not so much
and it seems like a lot of the post on here think it
will be the later. I just think a Bakery (It can sell
Starbucks Coffee) fits better in the theming of Main
Street USA than a Starbucks. The
Theming is the 1900's not the
21st century. If there is a little
sign inside that says "We proudly
sell Starbucks Coffee"
and the big sign outside says Main
Street Bakery, great. If a big sign goes out on Main Street with
the Starbucks logo and inside there's a modern looking lounge and only a menu of Starbucks
bakedgoods and coffees not so good.

They'll be selling what'd you see at a regular Starbucks along with the brownies and cookies they already sell. The theming is also going to be the same as it is now.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

If that's your argument than you must at least admit that selling Dasani bottled water or branded ice cream bars (Disney or not) on MS is a problem too, as it does not support the theme either. If you want to be theme accurate with coffee, you'd just call it "coffee" and leave it at that. Except that does nothing to indicate how it will be prepared or what it will taste like. A brand like Starbucks does.

At some point theme has to give in order to provide a better or more comfortable experience to guests, like having cash registers that take credit cards, emergency exit signs or toilets that automatically flush. Having coffee available that meets the average guest's expectation is just that.

I would love for everything at MS to be turn-of-the-century themed. Thematic immersion is not binary: there is no such thing as 'is themed' or 'is not'. It is a matter of degrees. And the more, the better.

There are many ifs-and-buts. For example, MS is not a historical museum. It is nto a living city. It is a hyperreal theme park environment. Therefore, the castle works, whereas horse poo detracts from the theme.

The problem with Starbucks is that it is something you walk into in the real world. Ideally, the bakery would be themed as, say, a bakery / coffee house ran by Italian immigrants, serving you coffee with turn-of-the-century names, in period cups, by waiters in period costumes. That would be immersion. The more of that, the better.

How intrusive outside brands can be, migth become apparant if one forms a mental image of the most themed area in Orlando, Potterland. Everything in this area is Potter. Butterbeer adds to the theme, instead of trying to discreetly blend in. See the difference in approach?
Now imagine the butterbeer carts being sponsored by Budweiser. An American, non-fantasy world brewer. Even if discreet, even if the carts look for the most part the same as before, it will be a theme intrusion. The Potter magic will have lessened a bit.
(An entirely hypothetical case, because UNI did succeed in doing what Disney couldn't: come up with a concept of their own that adds tremendous value to 'beer'.)

 

[Mawg]

The title is correct. The Main St Bakery will be "serving" Starbucks drinks and pastries as well as many, if not all, of the items currently being offered in the Main St Bakery. It will not become a Starbucks.

My only thought is I bet Starbucks entered into an agreement with Disney that Disney would not sell any competing products that Starbucks offers so a lot of the pasties would have to go. Hope I'm wrong but I would think Starbucks would be pretty smart about this. But, I’m happy to hear it will still be Main Street Bakery and I hope they will still be selling that delicious Cinnamon Roll even if I can get it elsewhere now.

 

[Mawg]

It is most commonly expected that the Starbucks location will resemble something like the one at DCA. Some of us have reservations about it, others not.

You be the judge:

Buena Vista Street is themed to the 1920's - 30's with a Spanish influence and that's what the video looks like. I don't think Main Street Bakery will look anything like the Video when they are done. It sounds like they will keep the 1900's theming. I'm not concerned with it looking like the video you posted, it won't. They just better not try and sell me a Starbucks travel mug that I can pick up anywhere. I have confidence they will do a good job with it even if I am snorting a little pixie dust.

 

[Clyde]

Oh come on, are you even serious? The relevant prices are the specialty coffee drinks. This is what $bux build their empire on. The techniques to sell people a coffee caffeine fantasy drink for $6,79 where they used to drink a coffee for $1,99. That's their business model.

Have you people ever even visited a Starbucks?

I get one almost every day. I get a 20oz coffee with sugar free hazelnut squirts and cream. $3.49. Not terrible. Not awesome, but definitely not highway robbery either.

That being said, I hear what you're saying. Just don't see the problem as long as it still looks like it belongs on main st USA and not a reg starbucks location in the mall.

 

[Master Yoda]

My only thought is I bet Starbucks entered into an agreement with Disney that Disney would not sell any competing products that Starbucks offers so a lot of the pasties would have to go. Hope I'm wrong but I would think Starbucks would be pretty smart about this. But, I’m happy to hear it will still be Main Street Bakery and I hope they will still be selling that delicious Cinnamon Roll even if I can get it elsewhere now.

Not according to the official blog and what they have already done at DCA.

 

[Mawg]

Not according to the official blog and what they have already done at DCA.

mmmm yummie, I really don't understand the complaints then. It's like saying they shouldn't be able to sell coke products.

 

[Mawg]

It seems odd though that it will be closed for 5-6 months just to add Starbucks products. I'm going in early June, don't think this meets midsummer.

 

[flynnibus]

With the exception of iced coffee, all Starbucks products are more expensive. Often, much more expensive. To this one needs to add two further mechanisms: people order expensive additions to their Starbucks products ("large vanilla with milk please" = $.90 + $.49 + $.59 !!). These are absent in the MSB.

And, secondly, a one on one comparison is not the full picture. The second mechanism is that Starbucks has a more elaborate menu, more expensive choices. The MSB menu is roughly comparable to the standard offerings of Starbucks. There is no equivalent in the MSB to the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato with extra's for $6.50.

Numbers are not disclosed, but it seems a safe bet people walking in for a coffee will spend twice as much at Starbucks as they do in the Main Street Bakery.

You just said the offerings from Starbucks EXCEED the offers of MSB.. yet the base products are near the same. So the price won't be 'double' unless you CHOSE to add more to your order. You argue prices are going up - no, OFFERINGS are going up and you'll pay more if you partake. If you don't, and just want coffee, well then the rest of the menu prices are moot.

And when comparing to the PIG Cafe.. realize DL food is more expensive then WDW food almost across the board. Cali...

 

[flynnibus]

Firstly, tell Yoda about those higher average sales prices.

'higher average sales price' is not the same thing as raising prices. The former as stated in my post is because of additional offerings not available previously that will have a high uptake. People will spend more because they are going to be buying higher priced products.

Secondly, well obviously Disney has to court its sponsors. If it were the other way round, Disney should raise its sponsorship prices.

The point was.. Starbucks seemed to hold all the cards. It was Disney seeking the product, not simply trying to sell advertising. Disney sought them, not just any coffee company.

 

[GoofGoof]

It seems odd though that it will be closed for 5-6 months just to add Starbucks products. I'm going in early June, don't think this meets midsummer.

The release says it will open early summer so I assume that means May or maybe June at the latest. There is a good chance it is open by the time you are there. The long time frame is to refurb the inside. This will be more than just adding some Starbucks machines to the exisitng structure. They just did a refurb of the inside of the ice cream parlor this past year and it took a few months and really looks about the same other than fresh paint. The buildings are pretty old now so they probably have some deferred maintenance that needs to be performed too.

 

[WDW1974]

Who is, or what is Voce?

They are a consulting company for social media and they advise Disney.

 

[WDW1974]

Just how am I wrong? You seem to "think" you have all the answers as well. Do you have facts, figures, photos, recordings, eyewitness accounts, etc. to back up some of your alleged answers???

I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I just may choose not to chime in every second with my "knowledge" and create a 53 page thread over something that was put into motion long before it was ever even discussed on this site. It's fun to sit back and watch the know it alls duke it out. Fight on. You amuse me.

Welcome ... and have a truly MAGICal stay!

 

[SirLink]

They are a consulting company for social media and they advise Disney.

OK, thought people were spelling 'voice' incorrectly

 

[mickey2008.1]

Im not a big frills coffee fan, just give me a good cup of coffee with cream and I am happy. But go messing with MS and a big Starbucks sign in MS would just look dumb. We all know WDW has its fair share of corporate entities (coke, Budweiser,McDonalds, ect...) and thats fine, but they blend in well and do not have there own store designs or signage outside. I would expect this to remain the same Starbucks. How long did Nestle sponsor LwtL? Never bothered anyone then , why now? If WDW keeps it's standards of control, only a select few will know where to find Starbucks.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Hah! Starbucks wants to open a location in Montmartre, Paris. The locals are up in arms. They don't want their *cough* authentic Place du Tertre to lose its local flavour.

Of course, Place du Tertre is already a theme park, more crudely 'French' themed than EPCOT's France pavilion. As much a fake turn-of-last-century vibe as MS USA. Still, best to leave $bux out. It is an alien theme breaker. Regardless of how much it wil try to discreetly blend in.

Go, Frenchies, go! You are as always the last bastion of sanity in a world gone mad!

http://www.parisfierte.com/

 

[WDW1974]

Many in France didn't want McDonald's ... even more didn't want Euro Disney.

Seems to me that the Empress has an issue with a coffee brand that's a bit much.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Many in France didn't want McDonald's ... even more didn't want Euro Disney.

I'm with them! I don't need to see that McDonald's in the Louvre(!). A cultural Fukushima.

EuroDisney is bringing the best of America to Europe, a celebration of Americana, above reproach by default. I do however understand that my French friends don't share my exception for Disney.

Surely you of all people here would appreciate the humourous irony of the very same discussion that we've had here currently raging on Paris fora? The exact same arguments, the exact same heated division for and against! Awesome! You can even sign an uncannily familiar petition here: http://www.france-petitions.com/petition/273/starbucks-a-montmartre-non-merci-1
I've signed it with your name, I'm sure you too want to preserve the thematic integrity of Montmartre!