PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
Let down by Plaza chicken or Knott's chicken?
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The Downtown Disney Thread
- Thread starter Sharon&Susan
- Start date
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Knotts
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
But Plaza let me down too the last time. Which is probably why I haven’t had it in a while. But I’ve been to Plaza enough time that I’ll chalk up to an off day. I’m overdue so I’ll have to eat lunch there in a couple weeks. Although I do also want to try that new hot honey chicken sandwich from Golden Horseshoe.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
Also Per MiceChat's preview:
" Disney’s Dress Shop is no more. The location has been replaced by the Storyland Boutique, which is set to open this weekend. We were able to preview the new shop, which is currently focused on cute Kawaii-inspired items. If it’s soft and plushy, you’ll likely find it here. "
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
I really hate the exterior of this. It looks like the old 90s or early 2000s entry sign, that I never cared for. Like it or not, it is in direct conflict with the Palm Springs Mid-Century design of the re-opened part of the district. What exactly is the point of all the remodeling if there is no overall aesthetic in mind?Disneyland Resort has shared a first look at Disney Wonderful World of Sweets - the new shop opens today at 3pm PT:
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
The mid-century stuff is closer the Disneyland Hotel, decently far away from the redone sweet shop.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
The window display with the train is wonderful. Great addition.
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
Ok? It's one big mall. My question stands: what's the point of changing any of it if there is no overall design plan?
NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
waltography
Well-Known Member
Westside is mid-mod, eastside is California Craftsman (at least above the storefronts), and there's a roundabout in between the two that's an art deco transition. I forgive the eastside having a bit of an Irvine Spectrum look where they slot storefronts in a box because they're tied to the Grand Cal.
I prefer the neighborhood design approach compared to when the philosophy behind DTD was just "leaves everywhere."
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't call any incarnation of Downtown Disney I've seen particularly cohesive.
In particular, the two halves of the shopping area (separated by Disneyland Drive) have never really meshed all that well together. So if that's the case, I don't see any harm in differentiating them further.
While I can understand the desire for a cohesive area, I also think the newer/redone area works much better in person than I was expecting it to. It doesn't really read as a jarring transition when you're there.
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
@waltography and @PiratesMansion : Fair enough. I still don't like the 90s/2000s-ish exterior of the shop. 
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
waltography
Well-Known Member
Came back from Downtown Disney this afternoon.
I just love the feel of the new sweets shop. It's so cheerful and bright and whimsical, and there's so many nods to the parks in the decor (and so much of it moves! the kinetics are great inside). They keep the ticket system Marceline had but nearly triple the amount of registers so everything moves efficiently. The caramel corn is absolutely the best thing too; it's just as I remember from Epcot. I imagine they don't have a whole lot of time-intensive sweets Marceline's used to have like the fudge since they are relaunching; can't wait for them to start bringing those back once they settle in.
Disney Storyland Boutique was pretty crazy opening day today. They launched several new hot-item things (including some stuffed sakura keychains and plushes from Tokyo!), so the line to check out snaked around the store while it inherited the Dress Shop's two lone registers. I'm excited for new merch to cycle in.
I just love the feel of the new sweets shop. It's so cheerful and bright and whimsical, and there's so many nods to the parks in the decor (and so much of it moves! the kinetics are great inside). They keep the ticket system Marceline had but nearly triple the amount of registers so everything moves efficiently. The caramel corn is absolutely the best thing too; it's just as I remember from Epcot. I imagine they don't have a whole lot of time-intensive sweets Marceline's used to have like the fudge since they are relaunching; can't wait for them to start bringing those back once they settle in.
Disney Storyland Boutique was pretty crazy opening day today. They launched several new hot-item things (including some stuffed sakura keychains and plushes from Tokyo!), so the line to check out snaked around the store while it inherited the Dress Shop's two lone registers. I'm excited for new merch to cycle in.
etc98
Well-Known Member
It seems like there definitely is an overall design plan, it’s just that they’re splitting it into two areas, each with their own style. A mid century style on the side closest to the mid century Disneyland Hotel, and a craftsman/traditional style closer to the craftsman Grand Californian.
Think of it like a mini Disney Springs. They have Town Center, The Landing, Westside, and Marketplace areas that each look completely different.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
Again, as I said to @waltography and @PiratesMansion: fair enough.
Honest question for the three of you: How is this Craftsman?
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
I mean, the shops have always had their theme/signage/style placed on top of the craftsman style facades / traditional Downtown Disney theming. Nothing has really changed here...
The section near the hotel was always a weird mash IMO, between Rainforest Cafe, Lego, ESPN, AMC.
The front side was always more aligned in theme with the Grand Cali and such. Now the hotel side is a Mid-Century modern, more cohesive theme, and the front side remains the same.
waltography
Well-Known Member
The eastside was more in line with the Irvine Spectrum "hole in a box" store design where the first floor is up to the tenant but above and around it was craftsman (Moroccan in Spectrum's case). It's not particularly good, but no different than it was from DTD's start.