I saw on the news this morning that Disney is "officially" taking back control and operation of the Disney Stores We knew this was coming, as it has been in the news for several weeks now. For the past several years it has been run by the Children's Place, which is now in chapter 11 bankruptcy. It should be interesting to see what if any changes are made to the store. Unfortunately I personally won't be able to see much, as the store in our local mall closed this past month. :(

It should be good for the store, I would think. The products at the store weren't very good at all the past few years. I didn't know about the Children's Place into Chapter 11. Bummer. I like that store.

Here is to hoping that only good things come as a result. I would love it if they brought back some of the adult-sized clothes as well as more items for the home. To me, it only makes sense since its mainly adults buying things in there.

They closed one of the stores in one of the malls by my house. I have no idea why because it was one of the biggest around and it always had people in it.

I hope they bring back adult clothing too! The store that closed was the only one that had adult clothing because it was so big. The other two near me are two small and if they do have adult clothing you have a choice of two things.

I actually noticed MORE adult clothing after the Children's Place really got rolling. Right before they took over, you were lucky if they had one adult-size item.

I noticed that too Cathy...for a while any way. It did not take them long to cram the adult items in a corner and it slowly dwindled to a very small collection. Right now the one closest to me is pretty small and they have two small racks and shelves crammed with mens and ladies shirts a few dresses and shorts. Nothing in my size (XL/XXL depending on how big it looks since they seem to shrink a lot) or DH's and he is a large. The bigger store that is a little further sometimes has a better selection. My biggest pet peeve with the clothes is how only certain characters are on certain colors. Purple is my favorite color but they generally only have Eeyore on them, I don't like him. It is also hard to find just Mickey on womens shirts and he's my favorite.

I can honestly say I don't think I've bought anything in the Disney store in years. I used to not be able to go into a Disney store near payday - it was like a gambling addict working in a casino. For the past few years, though, though I desperately wanted to find something to buy, I found nothing. Same with the parks, actually. And my house is FULL of Disney. Its so bad, my in-laws joke that if they ever lose my address, they'll just ask Mickey where he is sending all his things.

We were just atlking about this yesterday, and I have to agree, I have not purchased much in the past 2 years. Every time I went online, it was the same stuff, over and over again. Nothing new or exciting, just the same old things. I would always do my Christmas shopping at the Disney Store, and haven't done that either.Have to admit, I was the same way, could not pass the Disney store in our local mall without spending money, and could never go online because they always had some great bargins. But since they were no longer run by Disney, they had nothing to offer, and nothing I really wanted. I am pretty excited to see if/or what changes now. :D

I noticed that too Cathy...for a while any way. It did not take them long to cram the adult items in a corner and it slowly dwindled to a very small collection.
That was the observation at my local store as well. Although, every once in a while they would have some AWESOME t-shirt sales that we would take advantage of - especially for our upcoming trips.

do you think they'll offer the advance purchase savings on the tickets again? we brought our tickets at the disney store for our last trip (2006) and saved a couple of dollars... not really much but it was some...

I was in my local Disney Store and I asked about Disney taking back control and she said they already did as of May 1. :D

If i could upgrade my 1 day base tickets there up to APs I would be so happy!

But I know it won't happen.

I may try to get a weekend job there, now! I live 5 mins from a Disney Store and have *always* wanted to work there. But, since Disney didn't own it and the stuff was such crud, I was no longer that interested. I had a friend that worked there when Disney owned it and he still talks glowingly of how great it was to work there.

I remember back in the mid to late 80's when the one in Seattle opened up (which is no longer there) it had some really nice stuff! My husband bought me a Mickey watch at the one in Bellevue when they had one there - the first "fancy" gift he ever got me (before we got married). Now, there's two left around these parts and they are really only geared towards kids. I still like going in, but it's not like it used to be. I hope it gets better too.

Of course, back in the 80's, we didn't have internet and if I wanted a dose of Disney, going to the Downtown Seattle store was the only way I got my "fix". I was such a deprived Disney child . . . ;) EVERYthing was cool in that store. It was like taking a little mini-vacation.

Does this mean the online store is likely to change, too?

Another Disney Store Closes! My neighborhood store is in the process of closing. (Giant sales, mostly little kids clothes, and toys, a few adult things.) The store has been in the Vancouver, Washington Mall for at least 15 years. It will be sad :crying: without my local store.

I used to work for the Disney Stores when they were owned by the WDC and again when owned by TCP. As far as "how" they were run, really not much different. When TCP took over, yes we lost the adult line but you have to realize that TCP is geared towards kids, the whole adult area was new ground for them. In my opinion it took too long for adult items to return, but they were making an effort.

As for their quality, it was on par with say a Macy's or JC Penney... certainly better that Target or Walmart. TDS under TCP had a much better buying power and therefore was able to drop prices significantly in certain areas.

I used to work at the Disney Store in the Florida Mall which is about 15 miles or so from WDW and we had Cast Members in all the time from WDW telling us that our costumes for kids were considerably higher quality and significantly less expensive.

Don't get me wrong, I think Disney should never have given the stores away, but I think it made them open their eyes to the possibilities and potential.

My personal opinion is that the prevalence of licensed Disney products sold through mass market retailers like Wall*Mart and Target made the Disney Stores irrelevant. Brandweek reported this week (http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003815568) that Disney licensing is going to hit $30 BILLION this year.


In just five years, retail sales of Disney products have doubled


That growth is not coming from $90 adult denim jackets sold at the Disney Stores, that growth is coming from the absolute saturation of Disney-logo merchandise at every level of retailer from Fred Segal to the Dollar Tree, from grocery stores to furniture stores.


The International Licensing Industry Merchandiser's Assn. currently ranks Disney merchandise as the world's top licensor.


When the Disney Stores were in their prime they were one of the ONLY places to get Disney merchandise, much less GOOD Disney merchandise, outside of the theme parks. Now you can't walk into a store without finding Tinker Bell splashed on some t-shirt, or Disney-licensed arm chairs, or for crying out loud Disney WATERMELONS?

I own a collectibles store that has specialized in Disney product for 8 years and I can't even begin to cataloge the changes I've seen in such a short time.

I don't think the Disney Stores will ever return to their heyday until - or unless - they can carve out a niche of products that hasn't already been licensed to death. I think that leaves...

...
...

... I can't think of anything.

AVP

My personal opinion is that the prevalence of licensed Disney products sold through mass market retailers like Wall*Mart and Target made the Disney Stores irrelevant.

That growth is not coming from $90 adult denim jackets sold at the Disney Stores, that growth is coming from the absolute saturation of Disney-logo merchandise at every level of retailer from Fred Segal to the Dollar Tree, from grocery stores to furniture stores.


I was thinking this very thing yesterday. I was at Ralph's grocery store (unfortunate name for a grocery store if you ask me, but I digress). They had all SORTS of food with Disney branding. They have Mickey burgers, and Pooh-bear raviolis. They have Incredibles strawberry milk mix, and other characters on little bags of sliced apples, etc. Literally in every aisle, you will see the characters. The funny thing, is that it seems that these items are almost an off-brand. They are cheaper than the name-brand products.

It used to be that Disney (and other brands) could demand the big bucks because their logos were exclusive and special. When I go into Walmart and buy something Disney that is like 90% as special as the thing in the park, but only 30% of the price, they can't demand the full price from many people.

We have two Stores closing in my area of Phoenix this week:crying:. They closed one of the most popular stores too, three stores in the greater Phoenix area in a matter of a few months! One of the girls in one thats closing said that the whole company is closing like 120 stores nation wide. So hopefully they will get back to the quality factior and not quantity!

I just have to say with a 6 yrold nephew, we love the Mickey shaped burgers. They are just the right size for my little guy!:D

I was at Ralph's grocery store (unfortunate name for a grocery store if you ask me, but I digress).

Off topic, I know...but is that "Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery" in Lake Woebegon, Minnesota. That's an inside joke from NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion" show every Saturday night.

On topic: Does anyone know if there is a list of locations that will remain open? Which stores will make it and which are going away? The only one we have in Minnesota is at the Mall of America. I would hope that one would stay.

I remember when it originally opened in the Mall. I was very impressed with the theming of the store and all of the goodies they sold. The collectable room was always where I headed first. So many treasures! And you've got to understand that I wasn't even a Disney fan at the time!:eek: I worked at Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America and I was a Snoopy nut (and still am...I just added Disney fan to my resume in the last 5 years.)

When the change over took place they remodeled the store and I saw it and was just saddened. They took all of that cool decor out and it was just...white. All the walls were white, the fixtures were white, the floor was white. Just too much white...it looked like an outlet store. So bad! The merch was ok...but nothing for adults...no clothes, no collectables.

I am hoping that, over time, the Disney Stores will retain even a little bit of there former glory. The best way to do that is to create an exclusive line of merchandise that can only be obtained in the Disney Stores...not in Walmart, not in Target, not in Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. Heck, not even in the Parks! That just might keep the Disney Stores around for a long time.

Eric

It was very difficult for the Disney Stores under Disney to keep up with other retailers. Most Guests complained about the prices and would often say under their breathe that they might just as well shop at Walmart. Well if you ever paid attention to the quality that TDS offered, it far exceeded any of the competition and therefore set the price. I own an embroidered button down shirt that I purchased 20+ years ago. It had been worn religiously and washed weekly - to this day the silk-screening and the embroidery are perfect as the day it was bought. Yes I paid $48 for it, but I can't say the same for a $10 tee purchased at another retailer just 2 years ago.

What the guests don't realize is that you get what you pay for and that shopping in the "Clearance" rack does not keep a store running at top levels for very long.

As for Collectibles, I miss them greatly. But as with any other guest, I was there to look. I couldn't afford a $3500 Capodimonte or a $5000 cel. These are such high end items, they belong online or in the Parks.

One word of advice, if you want the Disney Stores to thrive and grow, don't shop the discount retailers; don't buy the cheap imitations. And above all, let your voice be heard. Talk to the Store Managers, let them know what kind of product you want to see. Call Guest relations and tell them you want a higher quality of product. The name of the game is making money, if you don't purchase the Disney merchandise from the discount retailers, then they won't carry it anymore, just common sense there.

I understand the money crunch situation, maybe we all need to look at it from a different point of view. Make the purchases more of a special treat or a luxury. Take the time to save up for that really cool piece of art, or that great new Mickey handbag. We are all into the instant gratification that cell phones and the internet have brought us. Kids these days don't "earn" much of anything anymore, it is just handed to them and they expect it. I remember having to do chores and special things around the house if I wanted to go to the movies with friends or get that new toy. Today kids expect their parents to buy them everything - hence more retailers selling bad copies of great product.

As a consumer, you have the power to make the changes you want. Just take the time to pay attention to where you are spending your money.

It was very difficult for the Disney Stores under Disney to keep up with other retailers. Most Guests complained about the prices and would often say under their breathe that they might just as well shop at Walmart. Well if you ever paid attention to the quality that TDS offered, it far exceeded any of the competition and therefore set the price.
I was just about to say this very thing...
While I know that we are in a day and age where low cost is more of a factor than good (or dare I even say "high") quality, its not hard to understand why more Disney-licensed items are sold at Wal-Mart than TDS.

However... I know that if I want something to last, I will pay more for it at TDS. From my experience, the quality is excellent and I do end up getting more than my monies worth in comparison to what I have found at third-party vendors.

The store in our mall (Dallas area) just closed last mount as well and my 6 year old has been devastated. The mall was near his pre-school and for two years my wife would go with a group of other moms and their kids every Friday after school. The routine was to get pretzels from Mr. Pretzel, an ICEE and play around an indoor fountain than everyone would go to the Disney store right next door. More often than not most people did buy something from the store. This became my son’s favorite thing to do.

I asked the manager why they were closing and she said they were consolidating nationwide and their store’s numbers were slightly lower than other stores in the area. A store also opened in a nearby outlet mall (just a non-decorated plain store with merchandise). My sons does not like that store and is indifferent if we go in or not. The next closest Traditional store is about 20 miles away so with today's gas prices not something doable that often. The mall where the store is closing is not hurting but it is not a heavy traffic mall. What my wife pointed out is that during weekdays it is a mommy mall with young kids and most go into the Disney store. She said it is always the busiest store during the day. What is being lost is that the traditional Disney stores make the kids feel the magic whether they buys something or not. Every single time my son left that store he would say when are we going back to Disney which to him means WDW or Disneyland since we have been to both a combined 5 times over the past 3 years. Isn’t this one of the things the stores are meant to do, keep the magic alive and make people want to go to the parks? Now that the store is gone that desire to go back is somewhat lost.

We just got back from an 8 night trip from WDW. Due to lucking out with very cheap airfare and getting a higher bonus this year we were fortunate enough to stay at the Wilderness Lodge. I don’t need to tell everyone here that for a family of four with Dinning and a park hopper netted Disney well over a $5,000 from us including out of pocket expense there. It is too bad that the stores don’t get some of the credit for that because if it was not for that store I am not sure we would go the the parks as often. My son would always put on his Mickey shirt to go to the store. When he got back the day he found out it was closed, he took it off and put it in the back of his closet where it still is at. Time will tell, but if the kids don’t ask about it I will not be planning another trip anytime soon.

It is unfortunate, to say the least, that some stores are closing.

You may have spent a pretty penny to go to WDW and I hope you enjoyed every second of it, but what most people don't understand is that the various entities of the Walt Disney Company are all treated as if they are stand alone companies. The money spent at WDW stays there and is used to create and update the magic there.

Having worked at TDS, I saw many Mommy and Me type outings and maybe 1/3 to 1/2 actually bought anything of substance. I always enjoyed talking with the kids and asking who their favorite character is, I did everything in my power to create the magic for everyone that stepped into the store.

When it comes down to it, you are in a store and you are going to be sold to and there were more than enough Guests who were disgusted that we were simply doing our jobs as sellers. We all understand that you can't buy everything every visit, I had quite a few Guests that would be in daily but would maybe purchase once every couple of months or so.

TDS is a great place to get that Disney "fix", but if there is more money going out than coming in, then they aren't going to be able to stay open forever.