Walls down around the New Fantasyland DVC kiosk

[RandySavage]

^If it sold Buzz Lightyear and High School Musical merch, sure, and deservedly so. If it had well-costumed "merchants" selling in-theme goods, then, no, because it enhances Show.

The whole point of theme-ing is to transport the visitor, right. Disney spent hundreds of millions on the FLE, the designers did a great job in creating 'storybook' architecture and environments. They're at the finish line. Now occupy these spaces with something that continues to move the needle towards "place" (e.g. inside a fairy tale world), rather than away from it. At the very least, make the DVC signage secondary, as in Frontierland.

 

[WED Purist]

Do you honestly think that if they built a well themed group of buildings, and the reveal was another merchandise location; everyone would be happy? The same posters would ridicule having another store, really???? Why can't they put in one more attraction, even a B ticket? And if we put in a B ticket, the same crowd would complain that for that money, we could've had an E ticket. It's not the product, it's the preception. I wonder if those people eat in restaurants that only serve steak...

 

[RandySavage]

^ I'll avoid predicting how posters would react. My own reaction to the FLE in general is very positive, especially the environmental (landscaping, water features, rockwork, arch.) aspect. This "Prince Eric's Village" could have been half-***ed, since no major draws are there. Instead, Disney went the extra mile and turned out a brilliant little environment. It's easy to walk through there and maybe forget for a moment you're in a theme park - the goal of every themed environment.

So why let the "Disney Vacation Club" dominate the otherwise cool signage (and have the un-costumed DVC salespeople lurking there) and let that painstakingly-created sense of place be weakened. It's still a very cool little area. Makes me wonder how much say DVC has over WDI (as in, "Nope, we want "Disney Vacation Club" in big letters."

 

[danlb_2000]

Do you honestly think that if they built a well themed group of buildings, and the reveal was another merchandise location; everyone would be happy? The same posters would ridicule having another store, really???? Why can't they put in one more attraction, even a B ticket? And if we put in a B ticket, the same crowd would complain that for that money, we could've had an E ticket. It's not the product, it's the preception. I wonder if those people eat in restaurants that only serve steak...

Some people would complain, some always do, but a lot wouldn't since it was expected from the very beginning that this would be a shop. I wouldn't have complained about a shop.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

I don't think so.
A well themed, dedicated shop with unique merchandise would be much appreciated by most of the little girls leaving the ride or the Ariel meet & greet.

Slight aside here - how successful are these DVC kiosks? Visiting parks (usually 2 parks/day) for 10 days for years, I have seldom seen anyone engaging in serious discussion in any of these locations. Heck, I have rarely seen anyone even stop.

I think in all my trips over the years I've seen maybe a handful of guests at a DVC kiosk. I know personally we only stop because the CMs ask my daughter if she wants stickers as we walk by.

 

[orky8]

I think in all my trips over the years I've seen maybe a handful of guests at a DVC kiosk. I know personally we only stop because the CMs ask my daughter if she wants stickers as we walk by.

When what you are selling costs tens of thousands of dollars, you only need a handfull of sales.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

When what you are selling costs tens of thousands of dollars, you only need a handfull of sales.

True...True...

 

[Prototype82]

They already had such fantastic merch custom-made for the attraction. This blows.