"Out of the Wild" small shop to close

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
So this is the way now huh? any small to mid size shop or attraction closing is turned into cheap backyard picnic tables that look totally amateurish. This better not become the trend for such closures. lets keep a tally.

Space # 1. Once a qiurky attraction, a cross between a mini roller coaster and a mouse maze is demolished to make way for a square stamp of concrete with 3 out of place, anyones backyard picnic tables. Primeval Whirl

Space # 2. A small quaint shop with a concentration on Animal Conservation selling animal trinkets and a hub for The Disney COnservation Fund. Out of the wild Gift Shop
Space # 3?TBT
Space #4?TBT
This is a minor, completely forgettable shop that most people indeed forgot existed. You can buy this stuff elsewhere with air-conditioning.
 

llrain

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
That’s a little dramatic. Space 1 the coaster had reached the end of its life. The seating area is temporary. Space 2 was no longer deemed necessary as a gift shop and is being turned into a space guests can use to relax and recharge. The parks need more areas for guests to sit, it’s been said on here for years. Guests can donate to the DWCF at any register.
I hope the cm enjoys her new location and its incredible backstory and can use that storytelling to continue to contribute to the DWCF.
I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be dramatic. Its just ironic that these 2 spaces have turned into park benches. There's plenty of already "open/empty space" not occupied by a shop or attraction that could be utilized. No one knows really if this is temporary or permanent and i'd love to revisit this subject in 5 years to see if any of these spaces even change out of parking spaces.
As proven in this thread alone, that Out of the Wild space is scarcely know by anyone, do you really think its going to be a much used "space to relax and recharge"? The dang train ride itself is relaxing and gets one a recharge, no?
I personally only know about it because if our friend that worked there, other than that, I'd have never known it existed to this day, let alone a place to kick up my feet to relax.

To me it just feels like a easy no cost fix to a space. Like I mentioned, they can pop up any unused space and turn it into a rest area.
And I agree, whole heartedly that it was deemed necessary to close the space. Whenever we were there visiting her she never really had guests buying anything, I'm not arguing that at all. It screams laziness, cost effective (Free conversion basically), uninspired from the top to "just do something with the space that doesn't cost much".

Thank you for the sentiment of the CM, she will grow into the new space and flourish, it's just about change and being in the new environment.
 

JustInTime

Well-Known Member
They had alot of animal plush mostly , beverages, the candy packets, animal puzzles and small toys. It was across from the petting zoo basically right outside the doors when you exit the back of the main building. It is basically the same size as the World Traveler shop at the World showcase entrance, honestly its small than the World Traveler, much smaller..best i can think of though. How bout this, its so small they dont even sell trading pins, I mean everywhere sells trading pins.

Goes to show, she was in a low traffic area, postage stamp size space, getting almost $500,000 in conservation donations alone!
Yes! That’s so cool. Sad to hear it’s closing.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
A lot of area back there for AK expansion huh
Baby steps...? What's left there? The animal hospital, The petting zoo, the Animation academy that's in the wrong park, and the Song of the Rainforest (if it's still even open).

I 'm not even sure the shortlived show was still happening "Once upon a Mouse" outside of the petting zoo area.

But, if this is a very slow attempt to shut things down in RPW it's a possibility that it could be something else down the line..
 

No Name

Well-Known Member
Baby steps...? What's left there? The animal hospital, The petting zoo, the Animation academy that's in the wrong park, and the Song of the Rainforest (if it's still even open).

I 'm not even sure the shortlived show was still happening "Once upon a Mouse" outside of the petting zoo area.

But, if this is a very slow attempt to shut things down in RPW it's a possibility that it could be something else down the line..
It’s not baby steps toward anything, they aren’t shutting things down there to build something new. The person in charge of closing the shop wouldn’t really have any knowledge of that.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
It’s not baby steps toward anything, they aren’t shutting things down there to build something new. The person in charge of closing the shop wouldn’t really have any knowledge of that.
I was just asking what was left there and the questioning of baby steps was wasn't this area at one point announced in 2018 was to be closed?
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Baby steps...? What's left there? The animal hospital, The petting zoo, the Animation academy that's in the wrong park, and the Song of the Rainforest (if it's still even open).

I 'm not even sure the shortlived show was still happening "Once upon a Mouse" outside of the petting zoo area.

But, if this is a very slow attempt to shut things down in RPW it's a possibility that it could be something else down the line..

It’s not baby steps toward anything, they aren’t shutting things down there to build something new. The person in charge of closing the shop wouldn’t really have any knowledge of that.
Zootopia.....
 

FerretAfros

Well-Known Member
I doubt this shop ever did a ton of business, but there's a lot to be said for the practical value of having a small shop selling various sundries in such a remote part of the park.

The main building at Rafiki's Planet Watch is 20-30 minutes away from the shops in Africa, by the time you consider the long walk to the train station, waiting for a train, riding the train, and the short walk on the other end. In essence, it should be viewed as a mini park of its own, with all the facilities associated with that. Just there needs restrooms out there, it's not unreasonable to expect there's a place where guests can buy sunscreen, packaged snacks, pain killers, small toys, (undoubtedly film and batteries in an earlier era), etc. without having to make the long trek back to the "mainland."

I'm not sure if they're currently open (Covid-convenient budget cuts, and all), but the small gift shops at TTC, outside Epcot's gate near the bus stops, and the gazebo in front of DAK are great examples of similarly unglamorous-but-necessary stores that carry basic supplies to help people start and finish their day as they enter/leave the respective parks. They are part of a longstanding tradition dating back to the 50's, following in the footsteps of the Newsstand at Disneyland (most similar to the small counter kiosk in DHS that can be accessed from either side of the turnstiles), providing basic necessities and small souvenirs for guests who find themselves unexpectedly needing something.

Disney's parks are a premium product, and it's perfectly reasonable to expect that there are some locations in the parks that aren't as profitable as others, in order to maintain a level of convenience for the guests. Just like you can find food locations open well outside of normal mealtimes, basic necessities should be reasonably accessible from anywhere in the park.

I doubt many people ever purchased their favorite souvenir at this location, but it provided a valuable addition to the park's overall roster of offerings. Similar to how smaller exhibits and walk-throughs can help round out a park's attraction roster, there's a lot to be said for the value of small out-of-the-way locations like this and the convenience they offer.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
I doubt this shop ever did a ton of business, but there's a lot to be said for the practical value of having a small shop selling various sundries in such a remote part of the park.

The main building at Rafiki's Planet Watch is 20-30 minutes away from the shops in Africa, by the time you consider the long walk to the train station, waiting for a train, riding the train, and the short walk on the other end. In essence, it should be viewed as a mini park of its own, with all the facilities associated with that. Just there needs restrooms out there, it's not unreasonable to expect there's a place where guests can buy sunscreen, packaged snacks, pain killers, small toys, (undoubtedly film and batteries in an earlier era), etc. without having to make the long trek back to the "mainland."

I'm not sure if they're currently open (Covid-convenient budget cuts, and all), but the small gift shops at TTC, outside Epcot's gate near the bus stops, and the gazebo in front of DAK are great examples of similarly unglamorous-but-necessary stores that carry basic supplies to help people start and finish their day as they enter/leave the respective parks. They are part of a longstanding tradition dating back to the 50's, following in the footsteps of the Newsstand at Disneyland (most similar to the small counter kiosk in DHS that can be accessed from either side of the turnstiles), providing basic necessities and small souvenirs for guests who find themselves unexpectedly needing something.

Disney's parks are a premium product, and it's perfectly reasonable to expect that there are some locations in the parks that aren't as profitable as others, in order to maintain a level of convenience for the guests. Just like you can find food locations open well outside of normal mealtimes, basic necessities should be reasonably accessible from anywhere in the park.

I doubt many people ever purchased their favorite souvenir at this location, but it provided a valuable addition to the park's overall roster of offerings. Similar to how smaller exhibits and walk-throughs can help round out a park's attraction roster, there's a lot to be said for the value of small out-of-the-way locations like this and the convenience they offer.
I don't know how selling all that in a place supposedly dedicated to saving the planet would square with the message of the place.
Not only is it a losing retail location that costs more to staff than it generates the packaging and just consumption of non-essential stuff seems to be in conflict.

Once they get Zootopia built out there it's another story....
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Once they get Zootopia built out there it's another story....
Would rather have had this..
https_2F2Fcdn.evbuc_.com2Fimages2F397530942F2379230219662F12Foriginal.jpg

But, that's just me..
 

No Name

Well-Known Member

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
I was just asking what was left there and the questioning of baby steps was wasn't this area at one point announced in 2018 was to be closed?

Yeah, but then they backed off that and did stuff like open the Animation Experience there. My guess is they have no plans to shut it down in the near future, although it's probably a long-term plan.
 

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