Sunset Blvd shops reopen after refurbishment

[dpunky]

I'm not heartbroken about the new changes to these stores. I just looked at the pictures and the changes don't look bad.

 

[jmuboy]

I was ready to be angry over these changes. But the 3 interiors are all still very distinctive in their ceilings, flooring, and cash wrap/ display décor. The one major change is that the walls that divide the shops are much shorter giving the store the more open feel. Maybe I will feel different once I see the stores in person, but what they did to Main Street’s Emporium is MUCH worse than what was done to this store(s).

My question is about the names. Is this building still considered three separate stores inside the map? I mean, what is the name of this new shop? Mouse About Town? Sunset Club Couture? Once Upon A Time? Carthay Theater Mall?

 

[MKCP 1985]

I was ready to be angry over these changes. But the 3 interiors are all still very distinctive in their ceilings, flooring, and cash wrap/ display décor. The one major change is that the walls that divide the shops are much shorter giving the store the more open feel. Maybe I will feel different once I see the stores in person, but what they did to Main Street’s Emporium is MUCH worse than what was done to this store(s).

My question is about the names. Is this building still considered three separate stores inside the map? I mean, what is the name of this new shop? Mouse About Town? Sunset Club Couture? Once Upon A Time? Carthay Theater Mall?

Disney Parks Retail (c) ?

:lol:

As long as the outside themes different retail shops and the inside maintains its sections with area-specific merchandise, I have no complaints with the fact you can walk through all three stores without going outside to enter each one.

 

[uklad79]

I mean, what is the name of this new shop?

Walmart Superstore Disney Studios (store number 1231412413)

Well some of the merch sold at Disney is now the same quality and as generic as the stuff they sell in Walmart on the 192. Soon they will be selling those "Disney Dreams Florida" T-shirts they sell in Walmart.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't care how nice the redo looks.

The Emporium looked great when it devoured Center Street too.

It's still a huge mess.

And that's likely what will happen here.

And I would guess that it is all one shop now with meaningless facades like on Main Street.

This is how Disney P&R goes with retail in Florida. The WalMart approach.

Magical ...

 

[CBOMB]

Yes the new refurb looks nice, but that still doesn't change the fact for me that the individual stores have lost their identity. WDW use to be individual shops with unique merchandise. It wasn't conceived to be like a shopping mall. I'm sorry, but i just can't help but feel they are making the same mistake here as they made on the west side of Main Street. It just doesn't feel right. It loses the feel of what was intended for these areas.

 

[mrerk]

boo I hate when they did this to mainstreet. That is why I love going to Disneyland it has still has a few unique shops.

Have to agree with that. I dropped some serious cake at the Radko shop in NOS.

 

[jmuboy]

What did these three individual stores sell before? Watches, Men’s Golf clothing and inexpensive collectables / snow globes is what I remember. But I probably have not given these stores a serious look in a while. I don't shop too much at WDW anymore because the merchandise is so bland. I browse through the Art of Disney stores and the WoD at DTD and I've seen about all I need to. Everything else at WDW seems to just be a variation on what those 2 stores sell.

Anyway, back to my basic questions which is - has the merchandise that’s there now changed that much from before the rehab?

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

The merchandise looks largely unchanged. Granted, I haven't been there, but I did look at some pics. Looks like the same stuff that was there in June 08.

 

[Spyne]

I don't mind that too much, having a few stores combined into one big one. But at the same time, it's a shame that each store lost their own theme and it's all one giant theme now. Oh well, we'll learn to get used to it I guess.

 

[wedway71]

I just looked at the pics. I can appreciate the cozy feel of the 3 seperate stores but honestly don't mind the new layout. I am basing my opinion on looking at the pics so havent actually been there yet.

I am trying to use my 20 years of Retail Management experience to figure out exactly why they made this move. Without being there in person, I only have one idea. It may be wrong but here it goes....

Maybe they had a traffic pattern issue. A guest would shop the first store and load up their bags then leave without being able to know or see what the other 2 stores had to offer. They may or may not walk out of the first store and enter the other 2. Maybe Disney thought if they can keep the shopper in the area and let them visually see all of the merchandise by being able to easily walking to another store area they will buy more?

Again, that is just my thoughts and dont work for Disney.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I just looked at the pics. I can appreciate the cozy feel of the 3 seperate stores but honestly don't mind the new layout. I am basing my opinion on looking at the pics so havent actually been there yet.

I am trying to use my 20 years of Retail Management experience to figure out exactly why they made this move. Without being there in person, I only have one idea. It may be wrong but here it goes....

Maybe they had a traffic pattern issue. A guest would shop the first store and load up their bags then leave without being able to know or see what the other 2 stores had to offer. They may or may not walk out of the first store and enter the other 2. Maybe Disney thought if they can keep the shopper in the area and let them visually see all of the merchandise by being able to easily walking to another store area they will buy more?

Again, that is just my thoughts and dont work for Disney.

That makes sense, and I'm not at all against Disney doing things to make more money. I just don't like the general trajectory that the merchandise has taken over the last several years--it pretty much sucks across the board nowadays. I used to struggle to choose what I would buy from a long list of items that I wanted, now I struggle to find much of anything that I want. Oh well, it saves me money...

 

[Missing20K]

I don't mind that too much, having a few stores combined into one big one. But at the same time, it's a shame that each store lost their own theme and it's all one giant theme now. Oh well, we'll learn to get used to it I guess.

That is exactly the attitude that Disney wants in its customers, just so they can continue to Walmartize (thanks WDW1974 for the nomenclature) and instead of people disagreeing with Disney's decision and being relatively upset, they just "deal with it" or "it is what it is." If you liked the fact each store had a unique theme and now they don't, why is it ok? Or better yet, why would you just accept the fate, and "get used to it?"

When does it end? Will we all just "get used to it" with regards to the descent of SSE, the poor show of SGE, or the maintenance and cleanliness issues?

P.S. I'm not trying to criticize you personally, in fact, I hope you stand up for your belief that the previous version was superior. I agreed with that, but I disagreed with just accepting the fate of Disney without any recourse.

 

[WDW1974]

I like that Missing20K poster ... seems to have a good grasp of reality (unlike others in the fan community).

WalMarting isn't ever a good thing.

Retail locations used to be themed to their locations and were designed to further the story of the area along ... and sell stuff too.

Now, Disney is convinced that everyone wants the same crap and they force it down your throats in every location.

So don't expect a Space Mountain tee at the end of the ride when you step into the shop, but High School Musical 2 DVD? Or a Jack Skellington tee? Maybe a Tink sweatshirt?

This is just more of the same. And there's no good defense for things like this.

But, hey, they are helping me out. Instead of dropping hundreds or even thousands of dollars on merchandise as I've done on past trips, I didn't buy one thing in my visit there ... and that was with CM pals offering up their 50% holiday discounts.


So Disney is doing its part to help me save money ... I'm sure that's the Mouse's goal!

 

[HDS]

I feel the same as well. The merch was the same everywhere at every park. I was hard pressed to find something that really stood out among the mass throngs of sameness. To me when they combine store fronts like this it just becomes overload.

 

[hcswingfield]

We usually spend 1 day in each park. I remember when the merchandise used to be unique to the parks - or at least some of it was. If I saw a T-shirt in AK that I liked, I bought it because I knew I probably wouldn't find it in the park we would go to the next day. Now I just wait till the last day to shop, since everything is pretty much the same everywhere, and I don't spend as much on merchandise now - when I give myself a day or two to decide, I usually end up deciding I really don't want that T-shirt after all.

 

[wedway71]

I really can't tell who is to blame for the lack of merchandise. Is it the Financial people in Merchandise who feel it is cheaper to make less products and spread them around the parks? Or is it the Product Developement people who are just lazy thinking the can have the same generic Tshirt in 100 locations verses having each store having their own branded merchandise?

Dont worry guys..... I will be there running the show soon....

 

[unkadug]

I really can't tell who is to blame for the lack of merchandise. Is it the Financial people in Merchandise who feel it is cheaper to make less products and spread them around the parks? Or is it the Product Developement people who are just lazy thinking the can have the same generic Tshirt in 100 locations verses having each store having their own branded merchandise?

Dont worry guys..... I will be there running the show soon....

And I will applaud you when you bring back the Magic Shop on Main Street! :wave:

 

[Missing20K]

I like that Missing20K poster ... seems to have a good grasp of reality (unlike others in the fan community).

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I just try to call them as I see them, and leave others to judge for themselves.

The fact:
It's not hard to see the serious decline in numbers of unique stores and merchandise. This is just another example.

My personal opinion:
If this pace continues, there will just be big malls interspersed between attractions. (I might be using a bit of hyperbole here, but if the suits think they will make more money doing that, I bet they would. I disagree with this logic, but that would turn this post into a book.) I don't like the direction Disney merchandising is headed.

 

[WDW1974]

I really can't tell who is to blame for the lack of merchandise. Is it the Financial people in Merchandise who feel it is cheaper to make less products and spread them around the parks? Or is it the Product Developement people who are just lazy thinking the can have the same generic Tshirt in 100 locations verses having each store having their own branded merchandise?

Dont worry guys..... I will be there running the show soon....

It's the Marketing people, first and foremost, because they set the direction for the whole WDW resort.

Then, it's the merchandising people (and development people as well) who decide what lines to sell and where.

It's also the park ops people who make decisions based on how much money they can suck out of various locales.

Ultimately, though, it starts at the top with Jay Rasulo, who has done nothing but bland down and homogenize (AKA WalMart) the parks.

When you can't find one western item in Frontierland or one future themed item in Tomorrowland but plenty of pirates, plush and princesses, well that stuff ultimately comes from on high.