Merchandise Watch '11: Turning the Corner on Unique Souvenirs?

[828tnt]

Recently, I've seen a lot of complaints about the declining uniquity and quality of merchandise at WDW. While this was definitely true up until at least 2008, I don't think this is the case anymore. Significant strides have been made since then, especially in 2010, and merchandise is now much improved.​

I think everyone likes to bang on this drum because it's a popular one, but I think merchandise has gotten exponentially better in the last two years. To be sure, it's not as good as it was from 90-98, but we have noticed more ride and land specific items (take a look in the Space Mountain gift shop--Tomorrowland AND Space Mountain items! Not just High School Musical!) and the more generic merchandise was more clever, better designed, and generally better.​

Other notable merchandise I’ve seen in the past year:
-40th Anniversary Logo Items
-2010 merchandise (among other things) featuring the old “D” script
-retro-inspired shirts for nearly every land in the Magic Kingdom, and for EPCOT
-Figment merchandise featuring Dreamfinder
-Resort-specific merchandise at the Polynesian, Boardwalk, and Animal Kingdom Lodge (the only three resort gift shops I checked).
-Magic Kingdom-specific Summer Nightastic shirts last summer

Anyone else care to indicate what they’ve seen—establish this as a “Merchandise-Watch” thread of sorts?

Merchandise still has a ways to go, especially in location (HSM stuff doesn't belong in Tomorrowland, period), but I think the corner has been turned.

great thread btw. i think i've noticed better resort options over the past few trips. and for the more frequent visitors, this is a nicer touch. especially those who stay at a variety of resorts.

It's difficult to word this properly so I don't sound like an arrogant snob, but I think the dichotomy makes sense. It seems to me that Disney has two starkly different audiences it needs to appease here: collectors or more affluent guests who have more discerning tastes (the minority) and more 'value conscious' (to put it politely) guests who just want something that say they visited WDW (the majority).

I think nine times out of ten, you'll find that the former group has more discerning taste, prefers more understated designs, and will pay more for quality than the latter group. The latter is generally less discerning, prefers ostentatious designs, and wants things as cheap in price as possible. Disney is trying to appease both demographics, and I see this as fine.

Yes, I'm painting with a really broad brush here, but this is the reality as I see it.

ETA: you mention ties--I don't suppose you have any photos? I'd love another 'hidden mickey' one that I can wear to the office on casual Fridays!

this is well said, and right on the money! i think sometimes the more discerning guests, although far out numbered, can still come close to out spending lol. maybe disney is just catching up to this?

 

[DSNY MJK]

I think that they are starting to come up with some great stuff, but definately still have a ways to go...Being a person with a little bit of size...It would be nice if they had more things in 3X,,,Especially in the sports store at Downtown Disney...They have some great polos but they only go to 2X...

 

[Admiral01]

And the original park and attraction are both superior to T-shirts based on them...which seemed to be the point the other poster was really after.

Indeed they are. Well said Wilt.

 

[inluvwithbeast]

http://www.disneystore.com/disney/s...e&Dr=pPublished:1/?CMP=Parks&att=TWT_we04.02b

WDW facebook posted this. That's quite a bit of bling.

 

[Amelia's Man]

Just got back from our WDW vacation, and while there was a good bit of 40th Anniversary merchandise, I was a bit disappointed that I could not find ANYTHING with OrangeBird on it!
I remember this character from my first visit to WDW back in the summer of '72! I thought with the anniversary/retro thing going on in the parks I would have found SOMETHING!
On a side note: I did get some stir sticks with the old style Polenesian logo on them from the bar! I asked the bartender if they were brought out for the 40th Anniversary, and he said that no, in fact they were from the ORIGINAL stock that they STILL have at the POLY!
If you're going, make sure you stop by the bar in the Ohana lounge! Nice little souvenir! :animwink:

 

[aladdin2007]

Just got back from our WDW vacation, and while there was a good bit of 40th Anniversary merchandise, I was a bit disappointed that I could not find ANYTHING with OrangeBird on it!
I remember this character from my first visit to WDW back in the summer of '72! I thought with the anniversary/retro thing going on in the parks I would have found SOMETHING!
On a side note: I did get some stir sticks with the old style Polenesian logo on them from the bar! I asked the bartender if they were brought out for the 40th Anniversary, and he said that no, in fact they were from the ORIGINAL stock that they STILL have at the POLY!
If you're going, make sure you stop by the bar in the Ohana lounge! Nice little souvenir! :animwink:

The last time I saw Orange bird merch was at the American Adventure of all places in May. There were new shirts and totes and such just a few months back. Maybe they are out of stock right now or arent carrying them any longer.

 

[ilasch]

Just got back from our WDW vacation, and while there was a good bit of 40th Anniversary merchandise, I was a bit disappointed that I could not find ANYTHING with OrangeBird on it!
I remember this character from my first visit to WDW back in the summer of '72! I thought with the anniversary/retro thing going on in the parks I would have found SOMETHING!
On a side note: I did get some stir sticks with the old style Polenesian logo on them from the bar! I asked the bartender if they were brought out for the 40th Anniversary, and he said that no, in fact they were from the ORIGINAL stock that they STILL have at the POLY!
If you're going, make sure you stop by the bar in the Ohana lounge! Nice little souvenir! :animwink:

This probably isn't nearly what you were looking for, but those LE 40th ear hats do in fact have Orange Bird on them:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/02/walt-disney-world-40th-anniversary-ear-hats/

 

[Admiral01]

This probably isn't nearly what you were looking for, but those LE 40th ear hats do in fact have Orange Bird on them:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/02/walt-disney-world-40th-anniversary-ear-hats/

Does the map inside the hat show the unbuilt resort that was to sit on the unused land between the Contemporary and the TTC? I think it does. That is neat.

 

[FutureCEO]

Coming back from a 10 day trip to Disney, the merchandise is better but still a disappointment. Same things in one store as in the next store. The American pavilion for merchandise was horrible. While Disney is geared towards kids, they can have some adult merchandise too.

 

[mp2bill]

I also wish they stopped putting years on merchandise other than commemorative items such as Christmas ornaments and similar.

Same here

 

[Prototype82]

All I know is that the only way Belle's village will have anything on Hogsmeade is if they blow us all away with some killer Beauty and the Beast merch. When they do that, I'll have the perfect source for my sister's birthday presents.

 

[SoupBone]

A few things - first, I saw this poster in One Man's Dream earlier this month. I did not see it on display underneath the Train Station at the Magic Kingdom

Second, I would really like to see them add more posters to the Art on Demand (including this one). I'd love to see this poster, Thunder Mountain, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride added to the options.

I've been trying for nearly 3 years to find a Casey's Corner poster that is supposedly produced in Disneyland Paris.

You can see it here---> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_AFJLhywfG...T22_yzAg8/s1600-h/Casey's+Corner+Poster+E.jpg

I'm not sure why I've read that it was produced when I can find no one that has ever seen one. I would love for them to offer all of those attraction posters.

 

[captainkidd]

My guess is in 5 years, we won't even see shirts that say Walt Disney World on them anymore. Everything will be "Disney Parks".

 

[invader]

My guess is in 5 years, we won't even see shirts that say Walt Disney World on them anymore. Everything will be "Disney Parks".

I think we might be pleasantly surprised. Apparently it isn't being as money saving as it was supposed to be.

 

[jmick71]

I thin we might be pleasantly surprised. Apparently it isn't being as money saving as it was supposed to be.

i always felt, in recent years, that the "Disney Parks" campaign on the merchandise has always led me to spend less money on souvenirs because almost all the merchandise looks the same, in every single store.

so yah, i bet that happens with allot of guest so i can see how it is not working


i have herd that some guest are begging to have more resort specific merch

 

[puntagordabob]

i have herd that some guest are begging to have more resort specific merch

We are members of that group!

 

[sjmiller]

I also wish they would leave the backs alone. Also last year I was told my sweatshirt was almost an "antique" because it was Disney's MGM Studio. That sweatshirt is my favorite and also very quality. I looked for another with the quality stitching but all they have now are the shirts that are printed.

 

[jmick71]

We are members of that group!

HA HA HA :lol:
i think we all are!

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Just got back from a trip to WDW, and while I enjoyed the 40th merch (there isn't quite as much as I expected, though), and there were a handful of retro Epcot shirts, the rest was the same old.

Let me clarify my opinion a bit, though. There were some fresh designs that weren't to my taste, but show promise. The larger issue to me is actually the homogenization of the stores...every store literally had the same stuff in it. That has gotten to a dangerous point, I think.

The good news is, I didn't spend nearly as much on souvenirs and gifts as I thought I would...that's a crummy choice for "good news," though.

 

[theguitarman]

Wow!!! I am so disappointed right now! I don't think we are turning the corner, I think quite the opposite. Here is a new example why.

Whenever I have something that I wanted to buy from the parks, since the "Disney Store" never has anything, I would call WDW Mail Order. They would ALWAYS be out of things, so I would call Disneyland DelivEars! They would always come through, and have all sorts of great merchandise. Well, today I was looking to get an old set of Vinylmations (Muppets Series 1), so I called WDW Mail Order, and no luck. But, I was confident that DelivEars would come through for me! So I called them....and I was redirected to the same person in Orlando!!!! To sum things up, you can no longer call Disneyland for merchandise, they have taken ALL the old numbers for merchandise and they all forward to the same Orlando person, and they are helpful people, but they don't have anywhere CLOSE to the amount of merchandise available as DelivEars did!!!!!! Looks like at the end of June, they made this change...I am not happy about it! :veryconfu :hurl: :hammer: :fork: :brick: