The Disney Store

[TP2000]

The Disney Store has improved greatly now that The Children's Place doesn't own them and Disney is in full control. Here in SoCal they are turning the existing Disney Stores into brand new concepts that's like a 21st century mini-Disneyland instead of just plush and t-shirt shops in a mall.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/store-267531-disney-concept.html

I checked this new concept Disney Store out myself last week. It's a dramatic improvement over the old concept, which was quite frankly rather cheap looking and very predictable and boring. This new Disney Store is a sparkling jewel of gee-whiz modernity compared to the sorry, old Wal-Mart version that Disney Store had devolved into 10 years ago. The Cars RideMakerz station is super-cool, and my favorite part!

Even the CM's staffing the Disney Store are now crisp and fresh and friendly and attractive, and dramatically improved over the lumpy, grumpy sloths they had working there in the past.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

It's back. It opened 11/4

1540 Broadway - right in Times Square.

Disney Princess Castle with Magic Mirror

First ever CARS custom remote controlled car building experience

Disney Store theater

Blue glitter trail that leads people through the store while magical trees display Disney images

Store Opening Ceremony each morning.

Or, so says the brochure they sent me. I have not made it over there yet. Maybe this coming weekend I'll hit up the new Disney store and wander around Times Square a bit and do some early Christmas shopping.

-dave

I'm going to stop by on Friday after work. While I am sure the store will be nice, it won't have the nice merchandise mix that the World of Disney used to have.

 

[Phonedave]

I'm going to stop by on Friday after work. While I am sure the store will be nice, it won't have the nice merchandise mix that the World of Disney used to have.

Oddly enough, while the brochure I got in the mail said opening 11/4, this is what I got in email today

* For the Grand Opening, please do not line up before noon on November 9.
Toy Story Action Figures Promotion Restrictions: † Limited time offer, while supplies last. Valid only on select merchandise. Merchandise must be exchanged for identical item or returned at discounted price with valid packing slip. Offer valid on phone orders placed online at DisneyStore.com and Disney Store retail locations. Not valid on purchases from Disney Store outlet locations. Discounts based on original retail prices. Intermediate markdowns may have been applied. Disney E-Commerce reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.

 

[mickeysshoes]

Im in King George I went looking for one for Halloween for some Minnie ears. I dropped my jaw when they said the closest was up near Potomac Mills. What!?

That is the store by me and I hate it. :wave:

 

[lebeau]

We lost all of ours, but I don't really miss them. When the last one closed, I poked my head in from time to time. Even with "going-out-of-business" discounts, there was nothing worth buying. Now if I want something, I go to the website. Even then, there's precious little worth buying.

If they ever open up a Next Gen store around us, I'd go for the experience. But the old stores were not a destination and they sold the same junk as Wal-Mart at much higher prices.

 

[foreverbelle]

I'm in Northern VA as well, we have two the Potomac Mills Mall, and they have one at Tyson's corner as well. The one at Dulles Mall seemed to close overnight about two months ago.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Oddly enough, while the brochure I got in the mail said opening 11/4, this is what I got in email today

* For the Grand Opening, please do not line up before noon on November 9.
Toy Story Action Figures Promotion Restrictions: † Limited time offer, while supplies last. Valid only on select merchandise. Merchandise must be exchanged for identical item or returned at discounted price with valid packing slip. Offer valid on phone orders placed online at DisneyStore.com and Disney Store retail locations. Not valid on purchases from Disney Store outlet locations. Discounts based on original retail prices. Intermediate markdowns may have been applied. Disney E-Commerce reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.

I believe today is the "Grand Opening"

 

[Frau Farbissina]

We have one in Raleigh, which I go to occasionally. The manager was from a store in the Tidewater area (Virginia Beach, I believe) that closed down; they sent her here to manage this one. She was always as sweet as can be but they just fired her for embezzelment! Her employees loved her, so I can only imagine she had something really bad going on to do something that stupid.

As an aside, most of the employees at that store know NOTHING about WDW travel and can barely sell you a parkhopper without getting confused.

 

[fosse76]

Oddly enough, while the brochure I got in the mail said opening 11/4, this is what I got in email today

It's two levels of mall-style experiences.

The princess castle doesn't look like anything any other store couldn't have built.

I didn't see and Ridemakerz experience, other than a shelf of items.

The adult offerings are laughable. Very little selection, and nothing any normal person would be caught dead wearing.

The Marvel display is one tiny corney on the second floor...almost like an afterthought.

Saw the vinylmation. I just don't "get it."

There is stuff for boys, Marvel, Cars, Toy Story. But it's a small fraction for what is available for girls. I didn't see any Pirates merchandise, but it was too crowded and I only had a few minutes before I needed to make my call time. Maybe I'll stop in again tonight after my show.

 

[Tigger1988]

I saw several stations where boys can customize/build their own Ridemakerz car.

 

[raven]

Even the CM's staffing the Disney Store are now crisp and fresh and friendly and attractive, and dramatically improved over the lumpy, grumpy sloths they had working there in the past.

:lol: I laught because I actually knew of a Disney Store CM that reminded me of her.

 

[216bruce]

Two? Great Northern and ...? I remember there being at least four on the west side of Cleveland, now I only know of the one. And like you said, the remaining one is nothing but children's clothing and toys. I miss the days when it was a double store with the Disney Store on one side and the Disney Gallery on the other.[/QUOTE]

I thought there was still one in Mentor. I know Strongsville's closed.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I live just east of Kansas City and all but one in Overland Park, Kansas have closed. I still go every once in a while as its about 25 miles to one.
I miss going all the time, but hey that's excuse to do more shopping when I'm in the World right??:sohappy:

 

[gamblepsu]

In central PA, we went from 4 all in Malls to 2 at the outlets.

 

[a2zdisney]

In Northeast PA we had two and unfortunately both closed. Our closest DS is an hour and a half away. We miss the Disney Store and it's cast members!!

 

[Captain Hank]

Two? Great Northern and ...? I remember there being at least four on the west side of Cleveland, now I only know of the one. And like you said, the remaining one is nothing but children's clothing and toys. I miss the days when it was a double store with the Disney Store on one side and the Disney Gallery on the other.

I thought there was still one in Mentor. I know Strongsville's closed.

Yup, Store 482 (at least, that's what it used to be called, not sure if it changed) in the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor. As far as I know, it's still open. I worked there off and on seasonally from 2004-2007, both under Disney and Hoop. It was MUCH better under Disney, and I ended up moving down to Florida before it transferred back to Disney ownership. Hoop was an incredibly frustrating company to work for. Nothing against that individual store, though. I had some really great managers and awesome fellow Cast Members.