Welcome back to Disney Stuff. I’m sure you’re all stuffed from yesterday and are now ready to head out there and work off those calories by shopping all day. And where will you shop? Will you be adding any Disney Stuff to your collections today? Maybe you’re buying something for that big Mickey fan in your life? Maybe you’ll be heading to one of those spiffy new Disney Stores that have been opening up around the nation? Two weeks ago, I spent a Sunday morning at the D23 Sneak Preview of the new Times Square Disney Store. Afterwards I wrote quite a favorable review of the event and of the new flagship Broadway store. It seems like I took quite a roasting for being positive about this new Disney Store from some of my readers out there.
So, today I thought I’d address some of the criticisms of this new flagship store and show you some of the new Disney Stuff that I feel I was lucky to accumulate on this trip into Manhattan. I found some unique items and I’m pretty happy with them.
It seems the big complaint from those of you that wrote to me was that there was not enough there for the adult Disney fan. There were a handful of kids, including my 11-year-old daughter, but it was mostly we grown-up-kids filling our shopping baskets. I thought there was a healthy amount of adult merchandise in one section of the store and I’ll show you some of the cool things that I got in a moment.
For those of you that weren’t there, let me explain how this store is set up. There are two levels of the store. The lower level is filled with primarily NYC themed merchandise. There were plenty of Minnies dressed as the Statue of Liberty and New York City taxi themed Vinylmations among other Big Apple items. Much of this merchandise filled the shelves of the now-shuttered World of Disney on 5th Avenue. It was nice to see its return. The rest of the lower level was comprised mostly of Disney on Broadway merchandise, the fashionable TrenD line of clothing, and a large Christmas display of holiday and winter merchandise.
The upper level is the Times Square version of the new style of Disney Store, which, if it hasn’t already, is coming to a mall near you. “Imagination Park” contains various “neighborhoods” of character merchandise, the Disney Theater, the Princess castle, the magic mirrors, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse interactive play area, and more. The whole package is very nice and well designed. Check out the pictures and review from November 12th if you haven’t already. I think the place looks great. However, this floor is clearly aimed at children. I was hard pressed to find anything on the second floor that I, as a self admitted grown-up kid, was interested in purchasing.
That seems to be the train of thought at the Disney Stores over the last few years; more and more for just the kiddies and less and less for adults. Personally, I think this is an ill-advised move. We’re out there and we spend money on this stuff, and we’ll spend it with you if you provide us with merchandise that we want. We’re there anyway spending money on our kids. Why not encourage us to keep spending by offering us more than just a rack of T-shirts? I experienced this in the new Disney Store at the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island. I left with nothing for myself. If you’ve read this column for the past two years, and, thank you if you have, say that statement again. “Chris left with nothing.” Sounds crazy, but definitely true.
That’s why I was happy to see that the lower level of the new Times Square store had what I thought was a nice smattering of adult stuff to offer. So let’s take a look at some of the things that I walked out with that day.
First and foremost, there was this limited edition stretched canvas of Snow White. There were only 10 produced for this D23 event. Many people were snatching up the Ariel version, due to the fact that The Little Mermaid herself, Jodi Benson, was on hand to personally sign them, but I preferred the graphic style of this print instead.
The Snow White shirt based on the exclusive store opening canvas. Photo by Chris Barry.
My daughter found this very subtle Mickey and Minnie shirt.
A shirt from the TrenD collection. Photo by Chris Barry.
I added to my Mickey Mouse watch collection.
Yet another Mickey watch. Photo by Chris Barry.
Several Vinylmations made it home with me. Woody for one of my sons…
The Woody Vinylmation. Photo by Chris Barry.
…Lotso for his brother…
The Lotso Vinylmation. Photo by Chris Barry.
…and this Statue of Liberty for me…
The Statue of Liberty Vinylmation exclusive to the Times Square store. Photo by Chris Barry.
…which happens to come in this cool collectible tin.
The Statue of Liberty Vinylmation tin. Photo by Chris Barry.
Now here are a few things that came in the press goody bag, which was this very cool character tote bag.
The canvas tote bag given to the press. Photo by Chris Barry.
Cast Member Mickey was inside the bag.
Mickey wearing his Disney Store Cast Member outfit. Photo by Chris Barry.
Also included in the bag, this booklet introducing the new Disney Store concept makes for a cool keepsake.
The booklet from the press goody bag. Photo by Chris Barry.
All in all, I enjoyed the new Times Square Disney Store. I thought the design was great. I thought it was carried off well and there are lots of details to look for. I think the upstairs merchandise is clearly aimed at a younger market and, once again, I wholeheartedly agree with those that say that the adult shoppers are, for the most part, being left out. However, I think that the downstairs makes up for what the upstairs is lacking. It would be nice if some of that adult merchandise finds its way into the Disney Store at your local mall. Only time will tell I suppose.
It’s important to mention that many people were comparing this new store to the old World of Disney on 5th Avenue. While some of the NYC merchandise has made it over from that now defunct store, you shouldn’t expect the stores to be the same. They’re not. The 5th Avenue store, which was run by Disney Parks and Resorts and not part of the Disney Store chain, will be sorely missed.
The theme park merchandise, the classic design, the character meet and greets, the art and collectible galleries all made for a wonderful experience. It satiated my Disney fix when I needed one. That said, Times Square isn’t 5th Avenue and vice versa. I don’t think the classic design of the World of Disney would have fit in with the glitz and neon of Times Square. It’s two completely different shopping experiences for two completely different parts of town.
I’m willing to not complain for a while and let Disney Store President Jim Fielding try and do what he said they were aiming to do with this new brand of store; that is to make the statement that after some troubling years, the Disney Store is back.
In the meantime, I can admire my Snow White artwork on the wall, wear my new watch, and wait until my next visit to Times Square to see if that statement holds true.
Thanks for reading, enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend and I’ll see you next time with more of that great Disney Stuff.
