PHOTOS - Temporary store to open during a major update to World of Disney at Disney Springs

[AshaNeOmah]

Yset aside a day or two just to go to World of Disney.

You spend up to two days just in WoD? Or visit one or two times in a trip?

 

[lazyboy97o]

There goes what was left of a true Disney immersion of the formerly named downtown Disney..we all thought the marketplace area would go untouched as a place to still feel Disney over there..

In what does World of Disney immerse?

 

[KBLovedDisney]

You spend up to two days just in WoD? Or visit one or two times in a trip?

At least (last May trip I spent 3 days in Disney Springs alone, didn't stay in WoD the ENTIRE time, but it takes up a good majority), and sometimes I even go to WoD after a park trip day. It has always been a big part of Disney world to me.

And now I sound like a crazy shopper lady...

Edit: Well, the way they currently have the store, it is like going to a park. You can't look at and do everything all in one trip.

 

[LAKid53]

Didn’t they just expand that store? Do they really need to “fix” it again? I am pretty sure that store will keep expanding until it takes over all of Disney Springs.....

Just the Marketplace portion.

 

[LAKid53]

The new World of Disney store will remove nearly all of the themeing and props. More of a "vanilla box" with departments that can be changed out easily. Lots of white slat walls and apparently more along the lines of other shops in Springs like Uniqlo.

Half of WoD will be closed during the renovation, necessitating the extra space. Once complete, the other half will undergo work.

Believe it or not, Disney is hoping their sales go up signifcantly as a result of the renovation (not sure I see the connection between a bland store and higher sales, but I digress). I wish it weren't true, but generic is the way they are going, from what I've heard.

So they are going to unbrand the store that sells the brand...smart. Obviously the guys that make these decisions know a lot about merchandising....

 

[deeevo]

Looks familiar, in some way. In fact, it wouldn't surprise if the pic below is the design they are shooting for. @COProgressFan says they are looking for increased sales. Apple stores have sales through the roof.

You beat me to it. I was thinking the same thing. Sales are through the roof because Apple doesn't build a crap product, they have a cult following, and they are loyal to their customers I think?... I am a hard core Andriod user so I am not sure but the point is a pretty store front will not increase sales.

 

[LAKid53]

Sure, just like this new software update from this phone carrier will hopefully promote higher sales of their new stuff...

(Yes, I'm venting. Bad morning and this doesn't help)

Edit: WoD is so old school Disney cool that to me it is like them going in and removing GMR all over again times 10 (because I love shopping and this was my go to just because the way this store is themed I might add)

I'm always amazed that some retailers fail to understand that letting customers wander through an eclectic and well branded store can (and in my case, does) result in higher sales. I can guarantee that just about every trip to WoD resulted in more items than I planned because I wandered around and found stuff that appealed to me.

 

[LAKid53]

Hmmmm...not sure how I feel about all this.

World of Disney is a chaotic mess, but I love it. Not sure I understand the redesign- Disney Springs is elegant but it’s like that family member that has a beautiful house and you are afraid to touch anything. I think it works because it does stand out against the sea of beautiful stores that, frankly, all look and feel the same. Me and my wallet are drawn there despite bypassing most of the other vanilla stores.

With the Disney store- I don’t know, I kind of get it. As a grown man who loves Disney, there is a slight part of me that feels...silly....judged...as I enter the Disney store with the giant Mickey cutout that serves as the door and giant winnie the pooh characters everywhere. Disney is now synonymous with classic Disney as well as Star Wars and Marvel and I can understand them wanting to go after a more mature audience. If Disney is babyish and only cartoon characters, you alienate part of your audience. But if a Disney store is more hip and more trendy and you can still find all the stuff you love- then I get it.....

But they have stores solely dedicated to both Star Wars and Marvel....in Disney Springs.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

It's also cheap and easy to maintain

"Things in life worth having don't come easy." - Dr. Kelso

 

[Minthorne]

Is it true if this works they are going to redo Main Street USA in the same style?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm always amazed that some retailers fail to understand that letting customers wander through an eclectic and well branded store can (and in my case, does) result in higher sales. I can guarantee that just about every trip to WoD resulted in more items than I planned because I wandered around and found stuff that appealed to me.

This is exactly what is missed in the rush to imitate Apple. Their stores follow their brand. They are eclectic in the ridiculous lengths they go to in order to make that image.

 

[HauntedPirate]

The best example of this drudgery....Look at the cold souless entryway to the New "Improved?" Disney stores..

That fits the cold, soulless leaders of Disney today like a glove. And not a Mickey glove.

 

[Horizons '83]

Is there a confirmed start date?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Shocking that Disney is really compromising the "Disney Difference" at Disney Springs to an uninspiring outlet mall that are all over the country

The only "Disney difference" TPTB want these days is the premium you pay for their merchandise.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Is it true if this works they are going to redo Main Street USA in the same style?

Yes.

Cinderella Castle will become an Apple Store

 

[KC00]

This bums me out quite a bit. I am not all that bothered by the recent resort room refurbishments that lots of folks seem to hate and I don't even mind the relatively bland Yacht Club Quick Service/Shop combo that just opened. But this is really disappointing. I haven't enjoyed WOD all that much since the last time they sort of reorganized everything because the layout now seems to make even less sense to me than it did before but I think that could be solved with some more clever layout planning. They don't need an overhaul like this.

I am not much of a souvenir shopper and have not been for quite some time but I still usually make some time to visit WOD at least once during my trips and I almost always end up buying something. If they change it out to Apple store style, I'll just skip it all together. WDW trip time is too precious to waste any of it shopping in a generic white walled big box store.

 

[yensid67]

Looks like I will be doing my Disney shopping at Walmart...less chaotic and the EXACT SAME items with the SAME TAGS in the shirts! Disney hopefully will see the discord this is causing here on WDWMAGIC and keep WoD to the original design or at least implement the props!

 

[jt04]

Fill Stitch with helium and cut it loose.

 

[MisterPenguin]

This is just the beginning of a proposed Marketplace makeover.

I wonder if they'll come up with a converted previous-building story.

 

[HiYa Pal]

I’m going to get roasted for this, and I do love the current theme, but I feel like for a more cohesive overall Springs theme (think about how all the stores on main street or any of the parks “main streets” all have a cohesion but they aren’t the same over and over), the store needs a “cleaning” it could go more Co-Op or D-Living, and have fun, well merchandised/curated displays, against a cleaner back drop. But if they touch the characters in the ceilings, I may loose my s#$*...