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View Full Version : World of Disney store. Anaheim vs. NYC?



bradk
04-03-2005, 02:57 PM
I know this is a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone has been to both and can offer a candid comparison of the two?

I went to the World of Disney flagship store in NYC the other night. It was the first time I had been to a disney store since they closed all the Disney Stores here, which was some time ago.

Anyway, I was rather underwhelmed by it. The store was much more impressive when it was the Disney Store. There was a lot of WDW merchandise, but nothing spectacular. They had the Mr. Potatohead stuff which was nice, but again, nothing special.

Other than the inventory being unimpressive, they also changed the functionality of the 3rd floor which used to have a very nice gallery and snow globes and all that. now it's a little merchandise but mostly this cinderella court thing they do 5 times a day for $50pp plus a temporary meet & greet with winnie the pooh.

I also wasn't too thrilled with the CMs. Most of the time at the Disney Store, there was always a greeter. Usually it was a challenge not to have someone come up to you and ask you how you're doing and offer to help. Not so here, in fact, the few roving CMs I encountered just walked by playing with their toys. I did speak to someone ahead of time when I called who was very nice and the woman at guest relations was spectacular, but so much in fact, that I suspected she was just brought in from another location to help train people here.

So, with all that said, how do the two compare? because it's not even that I feel like I don't need to visit the one in Anaheim because I can always go to the one here. It's quite the opposite. I'd love to spend time there but if it's anything like this one, I'm not sure it's worth it.

I Heart Disneyland!
04-03-2005, 03:37 PM
I went to the Disney Store in NYC a couple of years ago and THAT store was impressive. 2 stories, and it was so much fun. I think it was on 5th Ave? Maybe not...I forget. Anyway--it was way fun for me and my stepdaughter.

bradk
04-03-2005, 03:44 PM
yes, it's on 5th ave @ 55th st I think. it's actually 3 floors.

you probably went when it was the Disney Store though. It was awesome at that time. They literally had everything the online/catalog sold.

I Heart Disneyland!
04-03-2005, 04:01 PM
yes, it's on 5th ave @ 55th st I think. it's actually 3 floors.

you probably went when it was the Disney Store though. It was awesome at that time. They literally had everything the online/catalog sold.

It was definitely the Disney Store back then, we were there just a few weeks prior to 9-11. :( I forgot, it IS 3 stories. It was amazing too!

bluepearl
04-04-2005, 11:26 AM
I haven't been to the NYC World of Disney but I worked at the Anaheim one for a few years. As a Guest before and after my time there, walking through the store isn't a complete attraction within itself. You might find the statues, architecture and details impressive, though.

But... I totally enjoyed my experience at the WoD in WDW. It was HUGE, lots of room to walk around (as opposed to the sardine can feeling Anaheim's WoD can be at peak hours), and just enjoyable in general. I wanted to go almost every night! :p Maybe because I worked at DLR's for so long I couldn't appreciate ours. :shrug:

stinkerbell
04-04-2005, 11:41 AM
I've been to both within a few months of each other in the fall.

I was not all that impressed with the NYC store....I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it just felt like a big Disney Store. And I wasn't in the mood for Disney stuff. I'm also not really into knick knacks or Disney attire and I wasn't planning on lugging around toys for my kids from the store.....so I bought nothing and we just wandered through very quickly. It was the same with the big Toys R Us....it just wasn't what I was in Manhattan for.

I really like WoD in Anaheim (haven't been to the WDW one), because when I'm in Downtown Disney, I'm all about the Disney experience and I'm usually with my kids and shopping with them in mind. I spend hours and hours there on every trip!

bradk
04-04-2005, 11:55 AM
so was that last year? i believe the store re-opened here back in october.

Mickeyslittlehelper
04-04-2005, 03:06 PM
I went for the first time last week and I loved it. I managed to buy over $60 worth of stuff. They got some cool things like statue of liberty and nypd mouse ears which i had to get. I ended up getting a free lithograph of the characters in central park. Overall i was really happy with the store.

bradk
04-04-2005, 03:30 PM
but have you been to the anaheim one?

the nyc store would be nice if you've never been to it, but it was so much better when it was the disney store. inifinitely better almost. it sounds like the anaheim store may be better, but it's hard to gauge what others' expectations are.

the only really neat thing about the experience was it had been two years since someone had asked for my autograph when signing a credit card receipt. felt almost like home.

i got the poster too. no idea what to do with it though.

Mickeyslittlehelper
04-04-2005, 05:06 PM
Yeah ive been to the Anaheim one. The one there has more park specific merchandise, and it may be better. I just liked the one in NY because it was something Disney, in NY. Yeah, I had to lug around that huge poster for a couple of hours. :)