World of Disney store in NYC closing?!

[gummie22]

The WoD NYC Store is Closed Permanently!

We went to the store today to do our last pin trading, and the store was closed! We were told that 12/31 was the last day, but when we arrived, the doors were locked and the cast members were cleaning up the last of the merchandise and shelving. It was so sad! My son was in tears. Tons of tourists just yanked on the doors and got a big surprise! People were in shock! People were taking pictures of the very sad scene. We will miss our piece of the World away from the World!
:shrug: Lorri

 

[Disney05]

My sister went past there yesterday. She said the line to get in was crazy.

 

[daliseurat]

I guess we made it in right before it closed. It was MADNESS. Virtually nothing but pin sets and random pins and Mr. Potato Head parts. People grabbing what they could and waiting in a horrific line to purchase. We looked around at the empty walls. It was so sad. 2nd and 3rd floors closed. This really was a beautiful store, with some unique items. It was always very busy with long lines of people. Such a shame. Hope the rumors of a new store come true, even if it isn't a WORLD of Disney store.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

Did anyone get any pictures in its last days? Crazy to think I was there less then a month ago, and would have never known!
I've been there a few times, and have some pictures inside there, but I wish I had more! It really was a beautiful store, and a wonderful addition to NYC. I will really miss it---I have great memories from there!
I guess my NYC potato head parts are collectible items now!

 

[EaglesfanNJ]

Did anyone get any pictures in its last days? Crazy to think I was there less then a month ago, and would have never known!
I've been there a few times, and have some pictures inside there, but I wish I had more! It really was a beautiful store, and a wonderful addition to NYC. I will really miss it---I have great memories from there!
I guess my NYC potato head parts are collectible items now!

I have some pictures from about 3 weeks ago, i will post them here when i get a chance. We're from NJ, it's about a 2 hour train ride for us to get into the city, so we braved the elements and went during the holidays..............NEVER AGAIN!!

Lines for everything and anything were ridiculous. If you guys think people in WDW can be rude and thoughtless, try walking amongst that junk in NYC during the holidays.

Anyway, sorry i got off topic.....The store itself was a madhouse, line had to be formed against the building just to get in. All merchandise with "NYC" was 40%. You would have thought they were giving the stuff away the way people were scooping it up. It is a shame to see it go, i will be the first to say what a beautiful store it is. Gave me that feeling of being in a shop in WDW by just walking around and browsing....you forget it's 20 degrees outside. There is a 3rd floor to the store with beautiful figurines and artwork...always reminded me of Magic of Disney Animation store in DHS.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Confirmed for a return to the city this fall. Here's a pic of the location I snapped as I went by this afternoon.

For those trying to visualize, they're on the East side of 7th Avenue, between 45th and 46th streets.

 

[MarkTwain]

Confirmed for a return to the city this fall. Here's a pic of the location I snapped as I went by this afternoon.

For those trying to visualize, they're on the East side of 7th Avenue, between 45th and 46th streets.

Great!

Glad I can still find a little piece of Disney in the Big Apple... and hopefully, even grander and better-themed than before.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

I hope its more then a typical mall Disney store----but YAY for the fact that its more in the middle of everything! No more walking out of our way just to visit the Disney Store!

Thanks for grabbing a pic!

 

[Ashitaka]

From Crain's New York:

The new Disney store will feature technological advancements, as inspired by Steve Jobs of Apple Inc., including a new theater, where visitors can see Disney movies, TV and publishing in a “new way,” Disney's Mr. Fielding said. “We have projection televisions in all of our stores, but this will be presenting things in a new, immersive and experiential way that's never been done before.”

The flagship will also host events timed with film premiers and Halloween, along with talent appearances, and will have an interactive Disney Princess castle ranging over 12 feet tall as one of its design centerpieces.

Unlike the former Fifth Avenue World of Disney store, which was operated by Disney Parks and Resorts, the Times Square Disney Store will be operated by Disney Consumer Products.

So it is going to be more than just a mall store.

 

[Pens24]

I hope that it is more than a regular disney store....we went to the WOD store a few days before it closed and got a lot of WDW merchandise....hope this new store will be worth going to

 

[BillyBuff]

Plus Disney was collaborating with Apple on some techie stuff for their stores...

http://www.licensemag.com/licensema...ll-2010/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/650342

 

[bgraham34]

I hope that it is more than a regular disney store....we went to the WOD store a few days before it closed and got a lot of WDW merchandise....hope this new store will be worth going to

I heard its suppose to be very interactive. Whatever that will mean. I just wonder if they will still have the meet and greets.

 

[Tiggerish]

I used to work right down the street from the 55th Street WOD, and would visit a couple times a week just to absorb some atmosphere (and spend a few bucks occassionally). I have great memories of the store from its early years.

I did think that it had closed a while ago, though. I was in NYC in November and did not walk the few blocks out of my way to stop by because I thought it was already closed!!

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I hope that it is more than a regular disney store....we went to the WOD store a few days before it closed and got a lot of WDW merchandise....hope this new store will be worth going to

You won't get parks merchandise in the new store, as it's being run by the Consumer Products division, not Parks and Resorts.

I heard today, however, that Disney also bought the basement movie theater that was part of the old Virgin Records store (which is being split into three separate store- Forever 21, Disney store, and MAC Cosmetics). The movie theater, as I remember (it spent most of its life at Virgin closed, with a velvet rope across the entrance) is a few hundred seats big.

 

[Mickey_777]

From Crain's New York:

Quote:
The new Disney store will feature technological advancements, as inspired by Steve Jobs of Apple Inc., including a new theater, where visitors can see Disney movies, TV and publishing in a “new way,” Disney's Mr. Fielding said. “We have projection televisions in all of our stores, but this will be presenting things in a new, immersive and experiential way that's never been done before.”

The flagship will also host events timed with film premiers and Halloween, along with talent appearances, and will have an interactive Disney Princess castle ranging over 12 feet tall as one of its design centerpieces.

Unlike the former Fifth Avenue World of Disney store, which was operated by Disney Parks and Resorts, the Times Square Disney Store will be operated by Disney Consumer Products.

Very exciting...my wife and I still make trips to NYC regularly to visit family so this is gonna be cool...