Merchandise Shortage

[castlecake2.0]

It’s interesting to see that world showcase seems to have the most variety of merchandise right now at all of WDW. See what happens when you diversify your selection and it’s not all the same 25 skus coming from the same factory?

 

[lazyboy97o]

It's a huge hit to capacity (which directly affects the experience, as you mentioned) but they've seemed very willing to diminish the overall park experience to save money/increase profit over the past few years, and it seems to be ramping up even more with Chapek as CEO.

If only they still had stores that didn’t require constant restocking because they were more experiential show pieces than volume retail venues.

 

[UNCgolf]

It’s interesting to see that world showcase seems to have the most variety of merchandise right now at all of WDW. See what happens when you diversify your selection and it’s not all the same 25 skus coming from the same factory?

I know I (and others) have many complaints about Disney now vs. Disney in the past, but I think the stores are by far the easiest place to point to show an overall decline.

Not only have they eliminated almost all of the themed shops (along with their corresponding merchandise) that really helped with place setting, and minimized the theming in the ones that do still exist, but the merchandise itself is so generic and homogenized across the parks and resorts.

I was going to buy some kind of Port Orleans Riverside merchandise (preferably a mug) when I was staying there a few years ago, and the only resort specific merchandise they had in the entire store was an ornament, which I did not want. That's crazy to me.

 

[UNCgolf]

If only they still had stores that didn’t require constant restocking because they were more experiential show pieces than volume retail venues.

Exactly. The loss of stores like Sid Cahuenga's and the Magic Kingdom antique shop (among many others) was a huge hit to the believability of those themed areas.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Exactly. The loss of stores like Sid Cahuenga's and the Magic Kingdom antique shop (among many others) was a huge hit to the believability of those themed areas.

Someone explained here one time how they organized the stores when building DLP. It was broken up into percentages (can’t remember exact numbers) but basically some stores were meant to be the volume sales drivers, some were meant to at least break even but had more specialized/expensive merch, and some existed merely to add to the story but were probably going to operate at a loss.
Epcot and Animal Kingdom still have some of those middle option stores, but studios and MK are almost entirely the first option.

 

[mkt]

Quality is worth paying more for.

The robots assembling the merchandise don't know in which country they're plugged in.

 

[UNCgolf]

Someone explained here one time how they organized the stores when building DLP. It was broken up into percentages (can’t remember exact numbers) but basically some stores were meant to be the volume sales drivers, some were meant to at least break even but had more specialized/expensive merch, and some existed merely to add to the story but were probably going to operate at a loss.
Epcot and Animal Kingdom still have some of those middle option stores, but studios and MK are almost entirely the first option.

I remember that. They've pretty much cut the last category out entirely at WDW, and yeah, even the second category seems to be on the way out -- World Showcase maybe excepted, but who knows.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It’s interesting to see that world showcase seems to have the most variety of merchandise right now at all of WDW. See what happens when you diversify your selection and it’s not all the same 25 skus coming from the same factory?

They’ve moved back to that…a little…but the first signs of merchandise rot were there about 20 years ago…
…the current state of days of Christmas would be the most horrific example now

 

[lazyboy97o]

Someone explained here one time how they organized the stores when building DLP. It was broken up into percentages (can’t remember exact numbers) but basically some stores were meant to be the volume sales drivers, some were meant to at least break even but had more specialized/expensive merch, and some existed merely to add to the story but were probably going to operate at a loss.
Epcot and Animal Kingdom still have some of those middle option stores, but studios and MK are almost entirely the first option.

It was Eddie Sotto.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly. The loss of stores like Sid Cahuenga's and the Magic Kingdom antique shop (among many others) was a huge hit to the believability of those themed areas.

Excellent examples.

or more simple ones: writers stop. Just a simple thing to have/run.

 

[UNCgolf]

Excellent examples.

or more simple ones: writers stop. Just a simple thing to have/run.

And they often functioned as mini-attractions themselves. I was unlikely to ever buy anything at Sid Cahuenga's or the antique shop, but I would go in and look at what they had because it was interesting.

Now I have very little reason to go in most of the stores, which basically creates additional capacity loss.

 

[Villains0501]

Excellent examples.

or more simple ones: writers stop. Just a simple thing to have/run.

Yes, our family loved Writer’s Stop. Not a single bookstore on property now with the loss of that and the Virgin store in what was formerly Downtown Disney about 10 years ago now. We’re currently at the parks now and even the small book and media section in the Emporium at MK is gone. Was really hoping to grab a copy of that hardcover 50th coffee table book, but no books of any kind anywhere here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes, our family loved Writer’s Stop. Not a single bookstore on property now with the loss of that and the Virgin store in what was formerly Downtown Disney about 10 years ago now. We’re currently at the parks now and even the small book and media section in the Emporium at MK is gone. Was really hoping to grab a copy of that hardcover 50th coffee table book, but no books of any kind anywhere here.

Just as an FYI for you when you get back home…a lot of the 50th anniversary items appear and disappear on the shopDisney app…I think it’s a supply issue.

the book will most likely reappear

 

[Villains0501]

Just as an FYI for you when you get back home…a lot of the 50th anniversary items appear and disappear on the shopDisney app…I think it’s a supply issue.

the book will most likely reappear

Yes, thanks for the tip! Last I checked it was backordered on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and you never know in what condition stuff like that will arrive. Was hoping to get a pristine copy in person, but oh well. Maybe on the next trip!

And to throw in my $.02 about the merchandise homogenization, I’ve also noticed it with Disney’s character ornaments of late. They used to make specific character Christmas ornaments for the parks that were similar to but also distinctly different from the Sketchbook character ornaments sold on ShopDisney. Now, they’re all the same, and quite a few are also being sold at my local Target’s Disney outpost this year. How special and unique.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes, thanks for the tip! Last I checked it was backordered on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and you never know in what condition stuff like that will arrive. Was hoping to get a pristine copy in person, but oh well. Maybe on the next trip!

And to throw in my $.02 about the merchandise homogenization, I’ve also noticed it with Disney’s character ornaments of late. They used to make specific character Christmas ornaments for the parks that were similar to but also distinctly different from the Sketchbook character ornaments sold on ShopDisney. Now, they’re all the same, and quite a few are also being sold at my local Target’s Disney outpost this year. How special and unique.

The decline in ornaments is pathetic…

the poster child for me is the discontinuation of rhe radko line…guess it wasn’t Chinese made enough??

i saw they did release 4 for the October 1 thing…but they were shunted straight to eBay by the vultures. I also noticed they aren’t selling at the prices asked…good.

since I’m monologueing…the park attractions, resort and world showcase ornaments they’ve release the last 2 years are cool…hope that continues.

I paid eBay ransoms for the Italy and okw ones last week

 

[networkpro]

Speaking of Christmas ornaments, this year's Christmas Tree resort specific pins are almost all gone. A few stragglers here and there but most are sold out

 

[Villains0501]

The decline in ornaments is pathetic…

the poster child for me is the discontinuation of rhe radko line…guess it wasn’t Chinese made enough??

i saw they did release 4 for the October 1 thing…but they were shunted straight to eBay by the vultures. I also noticed they aren’t selling at the prices asked…good.

since I’m monologueing…the park attractions, resort and world showcase ornaments they’ve release the last 2 years are cool…hope that continues.

I paid eBay ransoms for the Italy and okw ones last week

Yes, I have a few beautiful Radko ornaments I bought from the Disney catalog many, many years ago. That was back when there was real artistry in the high-end Disneyana merch the company sold, as typified in the gorgeous 5th Avenue NYC Disney Store, which is now also sadly gone with the wind…

Currently the AK, DHS, and EPCOT Radko ornaments still seem to be available everywhere. The MK Radko is sold out, which is not surprising.

I have not had a chance to see the World Showcase ornaments up close this year, but we’ve only spent a few hours in EPCOT so far. Can’t wait to see what I find tomorrow in God’s gift to themed retail spaces: the Creations Shop.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Decent Christmas ornaments? Let’s rock.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I have not had a chance to see the World Showcase ornaments up close this year, but we’ve only spent a few hours in EPCOT so far. Can’t wait to see what I find tomorrow in God’s gift to themed retail spaces: the Creations Shop.

If it's anything like it was 2 weeks ago... you won't find much.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Yes, thanks for the tip! Last I checked it was backordered on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and you never know in what condition stuff like that will arrive. Was hoping to get a pristine copy in person, but oh well. Maybe on the next trip!

And to throw in my $.02 about the merchandise homogenization, I’ve also noticed it with Disney’s character ornaments of late. They used to make specific character Christmas ornaments for the parks that were similar to but also distinctly different from the Sketchbook character ornaments sold on ShopDisney. Now, they’re all the same, and quite a few are also being sold at my local Target’s Disney outpost this year. How special and unique.

I will never forgive them for shuttering Disney Store to sell their things at Target. TERRIBLE decision and I hope they live to regret it after seeing what it looks like in practice.