Why is Oswald at DL and not WDW?

[sunshine1]

Why is Oswald the lucky rabbit only doing meet and greets at California Adventure and not at WDW?

I think it is clever marketing as if you want to meet him you have to go to DL.

He also got more merch at CA with his own garage shop.

In WDW, i could only see the two plush toys for sale but at CA there a bit more merch as he does meet and greets there.

 

[xlsm]

We wish he was at WDW...but if it's simply marketing, it sure did work on us. One of our main priorities for our first DLR visit next summer is to meet that lucky rabbit. My 12 year old loves him!

 

[StormyCA]

I think Oswald is only at DCA as the premise of Buena Vista St is LA as it was when Walt arrived, his 'early days' as it were and Oswald is a very large part of Walt's early days.

 

[sheetz]

He fits in with DCA's theme and there is probably a bit more awareness of him among DLR guests.

 

[JinxedSydney]

The same reason The Haunted Mansion is turned into Then Haunted Mansion Holiday (The Nightmare Before Christmas) in DL and not WDW...they choose to do it that way.

 

[wilkeliza]

From my understanding it has to do with the fact that they don't ever want Oswald to distract from Mickey. Oswald fits the theme on Buena Vista Street and that is where he meets there. You will see he is never anywhere near Mickey too.

He is in the overseas parks simply because of how popular he is there. You could buy Oswald stuff online before he was even bought back by Disney. It is kind of like how Duffy, Shellie May, and Gelanteno are hugely popular there and only so so here.

(sorry for butchering SM and G I have no clue how to spell their names properly since they aren't US characters)

 

[tiffjoy]

The same reason The Haunted Mansion is turned into Then Haunted Mansion Holiday (The Nightmare Before Christmas) in DL and not WDW...they choose to do it that way.

Well, that may be part of it. But the fact that DL is in a large part a "local's park" is the bigger reason for this as well as IASW and SMGG. They can afford to shut down these rides to decorate both before and after holidays every year and not incur a major wrath from visitors who expected to be able to ride. So many locals are visitors that they are willing to have rides down for a short time if it means a fun change.

As for Oswald, I think it's more the theming of DCA, as PP have said.

 

[sheetz]

Well, that may be part of it. But the fact that DL is in a large part a "local's park" is the bigger reason for this as well as IASW and SMGG. They can afford to shut down these rides to decorate both before and after holidays every year and not incur a major wrath from visitors who expected to be able to ride. So many locals are visitors that they are willing to have rides down for a short time if it means a fun change.

I think that's really more the sugar coated explanation. The real reason is that the holiday overlays drive attendance at DL much more than they do at WDW. Without them DL attendance would drop. On the other hand WDW can get rid of things like Lights of Winter in spite of thousands of complaints and see no change in attendance.

 

[grnflash]

I think it's great that there are differences in the parks. Each one has it's own uniqueness. Love it.

 

[taniahappy]

I love Oswald... and I agree that there are enough similarities that make each park unique.

Here is V (my hubbie) and myself with Oswald

 

[sunshine1]

I think Oswald is only at DCA as the premise of Buena Vista St is LA as it was when Walt arrived, his 'early days' as it were and Oswald is a very large part of Walt's early days.

Of course! I was being a bit dopey asking the question. Yep makes senses why he at CA.

 

[sunshine1]

I think it's great that there are differences in the parks. Each one has it's own uniqueness. Love it.

Amen!

 

[sunshine1]

I love Oswald... and I agree that there are enough similarities that make each park unique.

Here is V (my hubbie) and myself with Oswald

Magic. Love me some Oswald!

 

[Alliwald1024]

Why is Oswald the lucky rabbit only doing meet and greets at California Adventure and not at WDW?

I think it is clever marketing as if you want to meet him you have to go to DL.

He also got more merch at CA with his own garage shop.

In WDW, i could only see the two plush toys for sale but at CA there a bit more merch as he does meet and greets there.

I don't know if anyone will see this now, but I have answers for you. Oswald DOES meet and greet in WDW but only for VIP people such as, DVC for moonlight magic, like back in 2018, rundisney, back in 2019 and 2020. 2022 is exempt because characters were still distanced until April. And Cast members for CM events. Those are the only ways you can meet Oswald. I've been investigating this for 5 years now, and this system is still going. I've been looking up his meet and greet for wdw every day, hoping something has changed. I'm hoping that Destination D23 in September, will finally announce that Oswald can meet all guests. No more VIP. I've wanted to meet Oswald since the beginning in 2011, and I honestly thought COVID was going to one day snatch me from right under. No one talks about the meet and greet system because no one knows, and that sucks.

 

[1lilspark]

I know this is a zombie thread but Oswald has lots of merch back east and online now for the 100th

 

[Alliwald1024]

I know this is a zombie thread but Oswald has lots of merch back east and online now for the 100th

I have seen the 100 merch, but I think the meet and greet system might be something Iger doesn't know about. I've written to him and disney twice, Iger hasn't responded, but someone at disney did. The first time, someone named Neva wrote around the problem, but Don Lynn from sales and solutions replied with "we've taken your comment very seriously" I'm not sure what I'm hoping for the most, I just want something to change