Disney weighs sale, closure of stores -report (http://www.forbes.com/newswire/2003/05/16/rtr973146.html) - Reuters, 5/16/03

QuikQuote: Walt Disney Co. is debating whether to close additional retail stores or even sell all or part of the underperforming chain, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The report also states that a decision has yet to be reached, and that changes could be weeks away. The number of Disney retail stores has already been reduced to 387 in North America and about 160 overseas, the Journal reported.

Presser was good at retail. I can truly see that now.

Another article on this:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/dowjones/20030516/bs_dowjones/200305160045000050

If they close, I say GOOD RIDDANCE! Either change or close; TDS angers me to no end these days.

What I would like to see happen (my opinion only) is most if not all the "mall" Disney Stores close up shop. And instead, have Disney open several "World of Disney" stores, similar in scope to the one in Orlando.

I think the downfall of TDS was when they started marketing just to children, with nothing but plushes and limited selections of toys and videos. Please! The adults have the money, and sure - they're going to spend it on their kids - they're also going to spend it on themselves!

Give me a place where I can pull up in the parking lot and see a wonderfully Disney-themed building. I walk inside, and I see animatronics, lights, color and sound all combining into a Disney masterpiece. I enter to find myself on the Main Street of this store, offering different counters and shelves of different things, probably displays of the latest and greatest. In front of me is "The Hub", where a large, circular desk staffed with helpful CMs not only checking out customers, but offering information and maps of the store. Around this Hub are entrances to the different themed departments.

One direction is Children Clothing, which leads into the Toy Section. In another direction is Adult Wear, leading into a Jewel/Collectibles section. In yet another direction is a Media section, offering books, software and music, leading into a Housewares and Specialty Items section - the housewears section also is home to the Disney Candy Kitchen, where there's fresh fudge and cookies baked daily. And still another section leads into Character Corner, where all manner of plushes and specifically character-themed items are kept. From this section is a special entry-way into a room full of Theme Park items, up-to-date with those souvenirs and keepsakes you wish you had purchased at Disneyland, or WDW, Disneyland Paris or in Tokyo.

Last but not least - in one corner of The Hub - is a glass elevator that takes guests up to the second floor, where a slimmed-down Disney Quest occupies one-third of the floor, the second-third is a Disney-themed restaurant called "Showcase", which features well-known recipes from a different World Showcase restaurant each evening. And the final-third is Disney U, where each night, in 3 different classrooms, Guests can take (paying of course) classes in animation, horticulture, cooking, imagineering, etc. All taught by a group of Disney Professionals who spend a few weeks away from their normal duties in the organization teaching in these Disney University satellite classrooms....

Yeah, well, one can dream.... :)

I love this idea! The only thing that I would change is:
Have huge, wraparound movie screen on the wall, such as the Circlevision Theater in Disneyland. Both floors would be smaller than the store itself, so guests on each floor could experience what's on the screens. Animatronics would be hanging from the ceilings and walls; including the giant plane from PLANE CRAZY and a huge Aladdin & Jasmine on the magic carpet from ALADDIN. Tinkerbell hovers above the entrance; and everytime the door opens, the sound of her "sprinkling" pixie dust can be heard.

Anway, back to the dark age called "reality":

If they close, I say GOOD RIDDANCE! Either change or close; TDS angers me to no end these days.

Eisner & Co are clueless! Period! It's like "Gee, Tom; we lowered the quality of merchandise, got rid of all Disneyana, thus literally re-writing the Disney principles; so why are the stores failing?"

It's not God d@mn rocket science.

Why some fans still believe "Everything Disney touches turns to gold" is completely beyond me.

Easy, wdtv, time for your valium...

I really like your idea, Mark. Two things pop to mind (and I'm not trying to be discouraging, only realistic): what you've described would be incredibly expensive to build and would take quite some time to make back that initial investment; also, I don't think they would sell the latest and greatest theme park merchandise because they want you to VISIT the parks to get some of that stuff. I'm sure some Disney management would be uncomfortable with the DisneyQuest part (even scaled down) because of the problems they had with extending that idea to other parts of the country. The Disney Institute-like concept would face the same resistance, although if you take away the "people don't want to go on vacation to learn" complaint then it just might work.

The current incarnation of The Disney Store is pretty lame, so I hope they do SOMETHING to the concept. Taking it back to the original form is one option, but your idea is certainly worth digging into deeper!

Sorry if I sound like a raving lunatic or something...

I am just so darn sick of Eisner & his ways of running Disney, I could just scream.

>>Sorry if I sound like a raving lunatic or something...<<

You don't - - you sound like most of the informed Walt Disney enthusiasts I know.

>>I am just so darn sick of Eisner & his ways of running Disney, I could just scream.<<

You are completely justified to feel this way. Keep telling the truth!

Thanks for the support!

And regarding the two story DS idea: it may be expensive in the short term, but it'll pay off in the long term. Hundreds of people would wanna go to this new store; not just young kids, but older children & adults as well. This is the problem of many top business execs today: they don't see any long term problems. Cut back ... save $$ ... then lose $$ ... and risk losing customers.

As I said before, it's not rocket science!!