The Disney Store

[trekkie1701E]

When the Disney Store first opened, CEO Michael Eisner billed them as an outlet to promote the movies and theme parks.

The current plan (According to an article in the March 2000 edition of the Wall Street Journal): Transform some locations into a Disney home store for little kids (Selling beds, quilts, lamps, light switches, etc). And What about the others? Aimed solely towards pre-schoolers!

If Disney Store merchandise was selling so poorly (Which is why the original makeovers were ordered in the first place ... Which all failed miserably, by the way), Why not come up with better products instead of figuring out ways to diminish the stores reputation and, as a result, destroy everything that made the place so "uniquely Disney"? "Where" are the store collectibles (Animation cells, framed pins, sculptures, watches, lithographs, signed Disneyana, etc)? Where are the "Art of... " books and broader selections of CD's, DVD's and videos?

Current Disney should stop churning out sequels to practically every one of their timeless animated classics and instead focus on producing more original fare. This makes way for great merchandising opportunities and as a result would give the Disney Store greater business.

I am "sure" all those highly educated Disney business men thought of this, though.

Hey ... Why not just turn Disneyland into a giant playground with shops? There's an idea. After all, it would be cheaper to operate and future generations will only it as a giant kiddie area. Not the family entertainment giant it once was.

Just like some of the Disney Stores are now. And If Eisner gets his way, just like every Disney Store in the "near" future will be.

The company today preaches about family, yet at the same time ignores the very aspects and principles of family entertainment upon which they were built.

When The Disney Store debuted, CM's would always go beyond the "basic" customer service. They would greet you at the door & ask you what your interests were and automatically reserve future items based on those interests.

And Now, not only is this not practiced anymore at most locations, but the entire store has suffered because they're "not" practiced anymore. How? By destroying a "huge" part of what made The Disney Store so unique in the first place, people would rather go to a "regular" outlet such as Wal Mart or Costco for their Disney CD's, DVD's, etc.

The unique customer service offered by Disney Store Cast Members always left a sense of true commrodery and relationship with the guest. The friendly greeting at the door, the automatic reservation of Disney merchandise; This is what made many guests come back time and time again. Sure, they could have bought those soundtrack albums at Wal Mart. But It was at The Disney Store where they truly felt special. Where their newfound friends act as Cast Members. And Where that seemingly magical commrodery between guest and cast truly meant they were -- and Had to be -- no place else but Disney.

Taking this all away not only destroyed customer loyalty, but it threw away the ideals and principles that Disney was founded on.

The company is celebrating Walt Disney’s 100th birthday this year.

Happy birthday, Walt.

"It is not myself I am thinking about, but it is the effect of what might happen to whatever is left that bothers me" --Company founder Walt Disney

I went to my local Disney Store on the Sunday before Christmas, and it was practically empty! Save for a few people who were browsing the store (Half of which ended up not buying anything) ... it is now like a cramped, practically lifeless thing.

Makes me sad & mad at the same time...

Please join the official Disney Store campaign and sign the petition at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds

Even the tiniest improvement to these stores would be welcome; or at least I think so.

We cannot guarantee a change. But, if nothing is done, "nothing" will ever have a chance of changing.

Please join the campaign and than sign the petition (Plus a lot more) at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds

 

[beaker]

While I like how they always have Bear running on the big screen, they don't carry Bear stuff anymore. That was the sole reason I even wnet there.

Ack, but I still am longing for the Sesame Stores to come back *sigh*

 

[trekkie1701E]

Which years were the SS stores around?

 

[sarah_yzma]

ahh

yeah we have are a disney club member and we get discounts, and they are getting rid of the club after the new year! so friday we are driving 150 miles to go and get our 15 percent off!!!!

 

[Phillip]

The Sesame stores were in select malls accross the country from around 1994-1996 or so.

 

[pezbalubah]

The Disney stores are for the most part horrible now, it's all Disney princesses and Winnie the Pooh. Sone of them are however starting to get a few collectable pieces here and there.

I remember going into the Sesame Street store looking for anything kermit but they didn't have anything. But they gave me free stickers.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by pezbalubah
The Disney stores are for the most part horrible now, it's all Disney princesses and Winnie the Pooh. Sone of them are however starting to get a few collectable pieces here and there.

I remember going into the Sesame Street store looking for anything kermit but they didn't have anything. But they gave me free stickers.

Oh I cant even walk into the Disney Store now. No BEar stuff whatsoever, and beyond that not really much of anything. Wanna know what they had? Endless amounts of attrocious pink princess costumes or whatever, Treasure Plaent(Well the roboto is cool in a MST3K/Star Tours kind of way) and that cryptic koala from Lilo and Stitch. Oh, and Country Bears! wooot!

Yeah I miss the Sesame store! Before Fisher Price started churning out nothing but 1000% pure "Sesame Baby" garbage...this store featured respectible merchandise of the Sesame gang, and didnt resort to revisionist "Sesame Babies" dumbing down. (When I say Sesame Baby, I dont mean products for toddlers so much...just how they turned all the Sesame guys into 18 month olds...man Sesame toys were so much cooler in the 80's!) You'll have to go to Japan though to get actual Sesame merchandise now days.

 

[kansasteen14]

sarah I am also extremely mad about the Disney Club ending. Also even I wont stand up for the DIsney store,the only thing they have are pins which are in the back of the store and you have to go through an obstacle course.

 

[Gonzo]

Those Sesame Street Stores were the bomb....they had a lot of adult t-shirts and clothing, not to mention all of the other merchandise. It was like heaven on earth. I went to three of them, and the decor was different for all three; I remember one of them had an animatronic Oscar who would come out of his can and yell at you. In a nice but gruff way.

Sigh.

I miss those. And the WB Stores. I can't say that I miss the Disney Stores.

Quinnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[sarah_yzma]

Originally posted by kansasteen14
the only thing they have are pins which are in the back of the store and you have to go through an obstacle course.

yeah i only bought a lot before we went to disneyworld, since they are a LOT cheaper, and i just traded all of them, what i used to like was the Warner Bro. stores....they had lots and LOTS of film cells...wish i had an Animaniacs one...i almost bought one when i was eight but insted i bought some weird stuff, but i did buy some pinky and the brain stuff i still have my shirt with brain on the front that says ingenious and pinky on the back which says ungenious....hehehe-Sarah