News Round Up 2018

[tlmadden73]

So I forgot to mention after my recent trip...

World of Disney store at Disney springs sucks after the renovation.

It really does make me think Disney is changing it's Target audience from families to adults.

What kid is like...ooh Mommy look at the exposed brick I want to make a purchase here!

When I was little I wanted to go into the Disney store at the mall because it had all the characters and the interesting, colorful displays.

They basically took all the Disney fun out of that place.

I haven't seen the new World of Disney, so I will save my judgment until next month.

But, we are probably seeing a shifting market that was discussed a bit on the latest Dis Unplugged podcast.

Look at the youtube channels, look at the social media -- it's all about the millennials .. who are vlogging, Instagraming and Facebooking and "being part" of the experience with things like the marathons and festivals.

Who has more disposable income to spend on Disney gear you find in the stores - (shirts, dresses, collectibles, etc.)?
A single, 20-30-something with a good paying job or a middle-class family of 5 that just paid thousands of dollars just for tickets and hotels? All these extra hard-ticket events are more affordable when you don't have to pay for kids .

Plus Disney (because of the success of the Marvel movies) is probably MORE about Marvel Heroes and Star Wars than it is about the "classic" Disney right now. You get three Marvel movies a year (and all the products in store) and one animated Disney movie.

The last time I was at the World of Disney Store (in 2017) it seemed more about adult items and less about kid items. A huge focus on apparel as opposed to toys or stuffed animals, books, etc. Heck .. we couldn't even find anything "Moana" related anywhere despite the movie just being released on DVD days before.

Just watch the VLOGs on YouTube .. it's all about the food .. it's all about the shirts, mugs, ..... the experiences.

Disney is just changing to that changing demographic.

I too think kids could find the "exposed brick" warehouse looking stores a bit boring. I guarantee my son will be more drawn to the Lego Store and all its colorful sculptures inside and outside the building than the World of Disney store. I am surprised that the "Disney Springs" changes haven't forced Lego Store or T-Rex cafe to change their look or move (as they don't really "fit" into the look anymore).
At least they kept the spitting Stitch at World of Disney .. (right? they did keep that?)

 

[scrappinginontario]

Maybe it's me, but I doubt any kid is looking at the décor. Their primary interest is going to be the merchandise.

When my DD was younger we used to enjoy the ceiling of the WDW, spotting new things each time we visited! It was part of our trip that we looked forward to from the time she was really little!

This was fun to look at!!


This is just boring!

To your point:

In St. Louis, we have access to more than one Disney Store. One is the new style, one is still the old style.

My 9yo daughter had a Disney gift card and we tried out the new-styled one, for the first time. She literally did not want to buy anything because she didn't like the way the store looked. She wanted to go the other one for the decorations she was used to. The next day we went to the old-styled one and she spent her gift card on the same products that she could have bought at the first store.

We loved the look of the old World of Disney Store in DS and often spent a lot of time and money there. In August we visited what's open on the new store at DS and neither of us spent a penny. There was still lots of inventory, we just didn't feel the 'need' to purchase. I agree that the atmosphere of a store really does make a difference!

 

[danikoski]

I did when I was little. Maybe I was an odd kid. I was always drawn to the entryway that had the pirates in jail.

The Mall of America one (at least last Spring when I was there last) seems to have more Marvel decor than Disney Classic decor now....

I still like going to the Disney store and see the characters and toys (even before I had kids). Now the closest ones to me are in Minneapolis or Kansas City...and yes, they are sometimes all Marvel and Star Wars.

The last one I went to in the San Francisco area disappointed me because they had almost no boys infant/toddler clothes. It was almost all princesses and pajamas. I did find some clearance Star Wars stuff for my 14 yr old though. But the selection of a lot of things seemed small.

 

[MommaBerd]

@scrappinginontario - Wow! Those photos really show what huge changes have been made! I would never guess in a million years that the second photo was from a Disney store.

 

[sherlockmiles]

I just went to a Disney store for the first time in over 10 years.
We stopped going when they went totally away from all adult and household items and art.
The only reason I went in was to kill some time between appointments. I was pleasantly surprised at the range of items that had - little ones, teens, adult, house. I commented to one of the CMs and he said "Yeah, we learned our lesson." If I hadn't gone in that day, I wouldn't have known they had gotten better. I was excited to see so many halloween (at the time) items (like the poison apple cup) that I had considered purchasing on line. Know I'll need to check them out before ordering online.

 

[scrappinginontario]

@scrappinginontario - Wow! Those photos really show what huge changes have been made! I would never guess in a million years that the second photo was from a Disney store.

Yes! And it's even the same ceiling although looking in different directions.

This is facing the same direction before the renovations


and after


Although these pictures were from Google, I do have pictures somewhere of the ceiling before the renovations. LOL - somehow didn't feel inspired to take any pictures afterwards!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

DS15 and I went to WoD this summer. First time since he was 10. His exact words were: R.I.P. my childhood It looks like something a Mom would pin from Instagram or something, not a fun kid store. Who exact is their Target audience again?

 

[andyw715]

When my DD was younger we used to enjoy the ceiling of the WDW, spotting new things each time we visited! It was part of our trip that we looked forward to from the time she was really little!

This was fun to look at!!
View attachment 358997

This is just boring!
View attachment 358998



We loved the look of the old World of Disney Store in DS and often spent a lot of time and money there. In August we visited what's open on the new store at DS and neither of us spent a penny. There was still lots of inventory, we just didn't feel the 'need' to purchase. I agree that the atmosphere of a store really does make a difference!

Although I haven't been to WDW many times, I always tell people that are going for the first time not to forget to look up!
So many people are to into going from one place to another as fast as they can that they miss out on some cool stuff if they'd get there nose out of the phone and look around.

 

[jjwags23]

I’m not sure where to post this so my apologies. I just want to be sure someone sees it.

I have never been to a D23 event like this. I’m wondering how early people typically line up for these things.

1. Registration opens at 12:00 pm on Friday. How early should I get in line?

2. Mickey’s Glendale Shopping opens at 1:00 pm on that same Friday. Will this line be crazy long on the first day? Keep in mind there will be no PINs available to buy, that’s all presale.

3. And then finally, on the days when the Ballroom is open for the presentations with General admission seating starting at 8:15, How early do you think we need to be in line?

Thanks for your help!

 

[rteetz]

News

Disney Has Spent $20 Million to Support Anti-Gambling Measure on November Ballot

 

[Iowamomof4]

DS15 and I went to WoD this summer. First time since he was 10. His exact words were: R.I.P. my childhood It looks like something a Mom would pin from Instagram or something, not a fun kid store. Who exact is their Target audience again?

I'm not sure if it was intended or not, but I think the bolded is pretty much accurate. The pictures I'm seeing make me think A LOT of what my recently-remodeled Target store looks like. Modern, sleek, clean, bland.

 

[TwoMisfits]

News

Disney Has Spent $20 Million to Support Anti-Gambling Measure on November Ballot

Well, that's where the price increase money went for this year...

Really, though, it's about Disney trying to keep their monopoly on "entertainment related" vacation destinations for Florida. Could you imagine a brand new Vegas pt2 by one of the beach locations? Especially if it went with an "undersell" plan to get the gambling adults in? That could crush Disney...somewhere with the same size footprint, with multiple entertainment/show/ride/gambling options, by a beach with acres of hotels...

They are spending to keep out competitors...it's a shame they are pursuing that strategy vs just keeping themselves as the ideal spot...

 

[rteetz]

News

Tasty Fall Treats around Walt Disney World Resort

 

[dlavender]

Well, that's where the price increase money went for this year...

Really, though, it's about Disney trying to keep their monopoly on "entertainment related" vacation destinations for Florida. Could you imagine a brand new Vegas pt2 by one of the beach locations? Especially if it went with an "undersell" plan to get the gambling adults in? That could crush Disney...somewhere with the same size footprint, with multiple entertainment/show/ride/gambling options, by a beach with acres of hotels...

They are spending to keep out competitors...it's a shame they are pursuing that strategy vs just keeping themselves as the ideal spot...

It also explains how all of a sudden their side of the issue has come out with these fancy new TV ads......

It's not only to retain customers, but also employees....It's tough enough for them right now to retain and hire enough staff. Having more competition will hurt them even more, whether its having to pay more to entice or just not having a large enough labor pool to draw from with more people in the space.

 

[The Pho]

When my DD was younger we used to enjoy the ceiling of the WDW, spotting new things each time we visited! It was part of our trip that we looked forward to from the time she was really little!

This was fun to look at!!
View attachment 358997

This is just boring!
View attachment 358998



We loved the look of the old World of Disney Store in DS and often spent a lot of time and money there. In August we visited what's open on the new store at DS and neither of us spent a penny. There was still lots of inventory, we just didn't feel the 'need' to purchase. I agree that the atmosphere of a store really does make a difference!

I haven't been in there since they finished, but that is disappointing. Not much reason to go in that store anymore then. Just buy the stuff online/ shop parks app and get free shipping.

 

[rteetz]

News

Disney Christmas special taping dates announced

https://t.co/039iBBNgUR?amp=1

 

[JK World]

it's all about the millennials .. who are vlogging, Instagraming and Facebooking and "being part" of the experience with things like the marathons and festivals.

Who has more disposable income to spend on Disney gear you find in the stores - (shirts, dresses, collectibles, etc.)?
A single, 20-30-something with a good paying job or a middle-class family of 5 that just paid thousands of dollars just for tickets and hotels? All these extra hard-ticket events are more affordable when you don't have to pay for kids .

I think it's funny, because the average perception of what a Millennial is does not seem to age. I still hear news reports about businesses preparing for the incoming Millennial workforce (when the incoming workforce is actually Generation Z). By most accounts Millennials are now approximately 22-37 years old, so at least half of that group is likely to be parents of young children at this point or in the near future. Moving away from kid-focused stuff just doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not a merchandising expert.

I will say, I think Boomers as parents were very focused on buying things for their kids, while Millennials as parents are often more focused on buying things for themselves. Not my story, but I'm not a typical Millennial (as a parent or just as an individual).

 

[only hope]

So I forgot to mention after my recent trip...

World of Disney store at Disney springs sucks after the renovation.

It really does make me think Disney is changing it's Target audience from families to adults.

What kid is like...ooh Mommy look at the exposed brick I want to make a purchase here!

When I was little I wanted to go into the Disney store at the mall because it had all the characters and the interesting, colorful displays.

They basically took all the Disney fun out of that place.

I don’t mind some exposed bricks. That does make it fit in better- though I’m not a fan of the new DS look in general. I do mind all the cute Disney characters, the attractive paint colors on the ceiling, etc being taken away. I used to go to DD and to WoD just because I enjoyed the look of the store. Sometimes I would even buy something! Now I have no desire to go to the store, and therefore much less desire to go to DS. I don’t like it nearly as much since they put a typical (super expensiveurban shopping mall smack dab in the middle of the place

News

Disney Has Spent $20 Million to Support Anti-Gambling Measure on November Ballot

So that’s why so many cuts have been made and prices are ridiculous...

 

[rteetz]

News

The Disney Conservation Fund Awards $5 Million to Conservation Organizations and Names its 2018 Disney Conservation Heroes

 

[WiredForFlight]

News

Disney Christmas special taping dates announced

https://t.co/039iBBNgUR?amp=1

The exact time I am there. This will be interesting.