You don't answer my point about the shopping mall. A guest going to Old Navy isn't going to be confused if he has to walk by an Orange Julius to get there. He "gets" what an Old Navy is and he also knows that facilities in which you find Old Navy often includes un-Old-Navy-ish experiences.
Malls are not universal - tho most serve a diverse range. But that very expectation of what they will have is what I am talking about. None of this is about a SINGULARITY or only ONE customer type- be it either extreme... its about an identity and profile they are trying to promote to attract both their tenants and their customers for mutual success.
They don't get spiteful if it's a free-to-play experience. Disney Springs doesn't cost you anything to walk around, so there doesn't need to be this understandable "vision".
Yes they do - you don't just assume people will come to your place simply because you exist. Especially a place like DS which apparently wants to cater to the non-tourists too. You have to establish an identity that will draw the type of clients you are seeking.. and match that with the tenants you hope to attract. Yes, some examples are just the melting pot of middle america... but that is not the ONLY model, and when you start doing mashups, you tend to fail.
The mall you outline is very typical suburb... they will aim for middle class and offer both pockets of niche and mainstream stuff. These places have an identity.. and they largely stick to them. Are you likely to find the dollar store, or a payday loans place there? Or how about all designer shops? No, they don't fit the tigher, more upscale model most modern malls are trying to promote themselves as.
Your example of a mall is not the only model out there - Contrast for instance with a mall say like the type of shops you'll find at the Ventian Canal Shops in Vegas. You're not going to find JCPenny there.. but instead barney's. You're not going to find Borders Books, but instead a rare book store. People don't get upset walking through that they couldn't find their $10 Old Navy jeans because the place has a pretty well understood identity and image of what kind of retail and audience its catering to.
If you want a less extreme example... Take Tysons Corner 1 and 2 (Or Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria their current names). These are massive suburb malls (over 420 stores between them) and they are literally right across the street from each other. Galleria differentiates itself by trying to be more upscale in its setting and the types of shops it has. You won't find your Old Navy jeans here, inbetween the Louis V shop, or Porsche Design, etc. But these identities are well understood by customers and they know... if you are seeking Macy's level you goto Tyson's Corner... if you want Cartier... you goto Galleria.
Mall does not mean 'anything goes' - and success means establishing a standard of quality and experience your guests can relate to and come to expect when they visit. Fail to make that well known, you may miss your audience. Mislead, confuse, or just be scatterbrain, and you lose customers through frustration and you fail to maximize your draw.
There are very few people who are visiting Disney Springs without knowing why they're visiting Disney Springs.
I couldn't disagree more. You're missing the first big point about 'they chose DS in the first place vs alternatives'.. let alone the entire notion of shopping for entertainment.. or simply 'lets get some food'. Stop thinking ADRs and scheduled experiences and get back to the real world.
