Closing that store is such a stupid idea, why did they do that, I mean, that is really not cool, I think some people is being waiting for so long to open but now it’s closed? Why? Just why…
Just another company doing away with jobs for the almighty dollar. Not everything can sell e-commerce!!! They are taking away the fun of retail and making people more like robots! Sad!!!
Wow. Don’t blame these poor cast members losing their home on that decision by corporate. I’m a cast member losing my job in a couple weeks from a close as well and I’m a huge advocate for Johnny Depp. I’m sickened by what’s happening to him. But this has no bearing on that situation and it saddens me to see you post something so mean to our pain.
The disney store is the greatest store.We in Canton,ohio have lost our disney store along time ago and it really upset me.I wish we still had our disney store.I love Mickey mouse and now I can only get mickey 2nd hand or have to go down to florida witch cost alot of money.Just think about what people are saying before takeing these stores away from bbn us.
It’s very sad to me. Every store that closes is one less place to enjoy “The Magic”. I personally hate online shopping & refuse to do it. With one less store available then that’s less shopping for me.
I Worked in my local Disney Store in the UK for 6 years, I was upset to see it close with no warning recently, I still luved visiting the store as do my children, such a shame they are closing, end of an era ?
I also miss the Disney store the one we’re I live closed back in 1998 I think it was i think it might have been later than that I’m a winnie the Pooh fan .
Let me start off by saying I’ve collected Disney since 1977.
Serious high end and mid level collecting finding things that you don’t see out there. And 90% of those things came from Disney World, the Disney Stores and Galleries.
My first trip to Disney World in 1977 left me wanting more of the magic. Many many years prior to that I sat myself down to the Magical World of Disney as a child every Sunday night
The magic, the feel, the goodness that Walt poured into his Kingdom turn into a Corporate Shambles as CEO after CEO came in and Robbed not only Disney, but the True keeper of the Castle, which was the Disney Fan.
CEO after CEO brought the house down. I have traveled to Disney more times then I can even remember now.
There are so many good comments here in these chats and it shows how much Disney means to us all and the passion that many feel about Disney. The changes since I’ve taken my first trip in 1977 to Disney, Before Epcot, Before Animal Kingdom, Before Hollywood Studios and Before the Water Parks, just Disney World Lake Buena Vista, and River Country.
And yet that Magic was incredible, even with only three attractions Disney still under the Disney family was turning Little into Huge fun imagination and adventure.
Now even with all the offerings something over the last 10 years has changed, the dynamics of That Disney Magic.
Greed, Poor Decisions, putting Guests Second, and out pricing everything has really shown what the New Disney Corporation is all about.
Now getting back to the Disney Fever of Solid Collecting, has changed because Disney turned their already struggling Stores into sweat shop junk. Other than having a Disney label or putting a Loved Character on it’s merchandise nothing clicked. The Stores tuned into everything children and nothing more.
When the Disney stores came they brought product serious collecting on a much different level as hotter and hotter merchandise came about. The Disney Stores in Delaware, Cherry Hill, N.J, King of Prussia, PA, Las Vegas, New York GALLERIA STORES emerged and had limited merchandise that you couldn’t find anywhere.
Disney is selling nothing different or unique anymore even the things they do sell are no where near what used to be.
Feeding more into their own pickets and less into imagination has left Disney no different than many other conglomerates.
I fully understand profit profit profit but the Magic Feel I’m truly sorry to say has left the Walt Vaults !!!
Yup! I remember a bit in the mid 2000s when they were bought by the The Children’s Place. Pretty much NOTHING appealed to me in-store then. They’ve gotten a lot better, but the stores during the 90s were really awesome. I still love the current Disney stores though.
The only store in Hawaii. And it’s not like we can drive somewhere or go to the parks to shop, so this is dumb. I hate online shopping, and I rarely if ever do it, unless it is necessary. And Disney merch is all optional…so it will never be necessary.
I worked store #2 at San Francisco Pier 39 when it opened and I remember how smart Disney was. Each store was unique and Eisner-Wells would visit often. I meet so many Disney Icons there and on the weekends we had hour long waits to get in. We made over 1 million dollars a year per sq foot in 1989!!! there were character visits, promotions, contests, and sing-a-longs!! It was sad to watch that magic reduced to the level of a Sears. IF they had kept it up or went back to why it was successful to begin with the stores would be thriving. It wasn’t the price or the item itself that made money, or made the store popular, it was the magic. And that is something you can’t buy on amazon.
Well said, Chris. There is nothing magical about sitting in front of a computer shopping. There is something magical about walking into a store, with upbeat Disney music playing, and being greeted by a friendly Cast Member that makes you feel special. The Disney Stores went down hill many years ago when Disney stopped operating them. Now that they have them back again, they haven’t quite found the magic that was there in the beginning. I feel the same way about the stores at Disneyland. Everything is the same in most every store. There is no quality or imagination in the merchandise. I miss the Disneyana store on Main Street (the current one in the bank is fine, but too small and the selection needs to be greater). Did the world really need one more Starbucks? Pretty soon the Parks will be attended virtually and we can all stay home and stare at a screen.
Well said, Chris. The original Disney Stores were very much part of the magic, from the cast members to the variety of merchandise to the characters decorating the stores. As an adult Disney fan with no children, the original stores were dangerous to my budget. But after they changed and became kid stores only, there was really no reason for me to go back. Because it was Disney I’d occasionally go in … but a 5minute circuit if the store in Dallas was enough to tell me (again) that there was nothing there for me.
I can’t believe it… I loved going to the Disney store as a kid and I just found one here in Colorado they didn’t have one in Virginia when we lived there but seems like they’re taking everything away that’s makes going out worth wild I hate shopping at a computer screen. Way to go Disney ?
Agreeee! In the UK they opened up a pop up Disney in Middlesbrough, was only supposed to be there 6 months. Lasted for 4 years. Always had people in there, they shut it down as people were ordering online & returning products to the store, causing a profit loss. I would go in every day I was at work just for that little bit of magic & the staff all loved working there
The Glendale Galleria *was* the 1st store, but the current store is in a completely different wing of the mall and is just a shadow of the previous one. The true, original store closed years ago.
Yes, thank you! Every article I see about this is saying it’s the first one. The actual first one closed years and years ago. I remember being so sad when it happened because I had a lot of fond memories (that was one of the malls we often went to when I was a child). I think it’s sad that any of them are closing, but I wish these sites would get their information correct instead of just going for the shock value.
I know the one inside Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Virginia hasn’t been there since 2019 or so. Now living in Oregon, i know there are a few stores close to Portland.
It’s very sad to me. Every store that closes is one less place to enjoy “The Magic”. I personally hate online shopping & refuse to do it. With one less store available then that’s less shopping for me.
The first Disney Store was not in San Francisco. It was In Glendale California at the Glendale Galleria. I was their IT person who installed the computer systems.
Actually the saddest thing is, that despite closing their stores, and I don’t know if this means all of them, hope not, but so far they’re one of the few companies that make it really difficult to return anything if you order online. I wanted to send something back recently and UPS wanted to charge me $32, for shipping back a couple stuffed animals. I had to call Disney and they gave me a “one-time courtesy of sending me a shipping label”, because we’re responsible for our own returns. I love and grew up on Disney, but the sad truth is they’re just turning into a mega greedy corporation. Which is not in line with the image they promote. If you’re closing stores, make it easy to return stuff. Shopping online isn’t the same as being able to see and touch what you’re buying. You can afford a few returns.
It is very. Sad that they are closing the Disney stores I mean Disneyland is so expensive that I would go to the Disney store to buy my gifts and I would feel the magic when I would enter the store I will miss shopping there since it is so expensive to go to disneyland
Disney is out pricing their customers.
They are also mishandling their money maker’s, example firing Johnny Depp over allegations that he has never been arrested for.
I believe if they lower prices more families would get to go experience disney and other parks I am one of those families who would love to go enjoy the parks with my future kids and family and they still would make plenty money. I love Disney and the disney stores:(
So sad that most of all the stores are closing they were always busy. My sister and I would always go and get t-shirt’s and shorts an skirts for our girls in there then had a boy and would go get his clothes in there as well.
I WAS VISITING AND WENT TO THE DISNEY STORE, AT THE MALL OF AMERICA. THE SENIOR CITIZEN GENTLEMAN GREETED ME AT THE DOOR (UNLIKE 99.9% OF ALL OTHER STORES OR ESTABLISHMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY(. INSIDE, PEOPLE AND CHILDREN ALIKE, SEEMED AS THOUGH THEIR STRESSFUL WORRIES WERE NON – EXISTENT.. SMILES AND POLITENESS WAS THE ATMOSPHERE THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WORKERS. TO KNOW THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE A JOB ONE WEEK LATER SADDENED ME.THAT WAS 4 WEEKS AGO. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WALT DISNEY HIMSELF SAID LONG AGO, SHOULD HOLD TRUE TODAY. THAT HE WANTED EVERY FAMILY TO ENJOY “DISNEYLAND.” AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT AS WE!LL!!! SO, BECAUSE OF GREEDY OWNERSHIPS AND GREEDY CEO’ S TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK OFF FAMILIES, KARMA MAY HIT DISNEY, AT THE COST OF A LOT OF HEARTBROKEN CHILDREN!! VERY SAD SITUATION.
Sean – clearly you are in the minority here. I could say some distasteful about your comment, but I actually feel sorry for you. Anyone who thinks ‘Disney sucks’ must not have much joy and happiness in their life.
Or they just place value on other things. I never undrstood the disney craze and i have plenty of joy and happiness in my life not being spoonfed to me by a mega corporation. Now i am sad for the employees who have to find another job.
I go to WDW 1-2 times a year & I go to Disneyland once a year & over the years I’ve watched both parks slowly lose the magic & even the cast members aren’t nearly as nice or helpful as they were 5 years ago & I certainly don’t blame them I think the company isn’t treating the employees like they once did. It’s truly sad because I personally feel like the magic just isn’t the same & I always stay on property & even staying on property isn’t the same. They’ve stopped & taken away many of the fantastic perks when you stay on property & it’s just getting more & more expensive to stay on property & to go to the parks. Soon only the very wealthy will be able to afford to stay on property & to go to the parks & that’s just sad.
“This location is closing on or before July 14, 2021. But don’t Worry! You can still find the whole gang at another Disney store location or shopDisney.com”
Ohhhhh, wow! Yes that REALLY makes up for it, thank you, Disney! But seriously… WHY are they closing the stores? Some people don’t like shopping online, and the stores are 1000x better than the online shop. Not to mention it brings in more money for them. This actually aggravates me because there was only *one* Disney store in my entire area and it closed years ago, and I was hoping that when I’m an adult I could travel and see another one some day, but noooooo, thank you so much Disney for taking my and other’s childhood away from us, we highly appreciate it ?
Disney is just not Disney anymore so I’m not surprised. I’m sure Walt is rolling in his grave over what his dream had become, a money hungry conglomerate that cares about nothing but the almighty dollar and that’s not even enough anymore.
I agree. We’ve been visiting Disney every yr for 27 years now as my children grew up and had their own children. I’m now taking my grandbabies to Disney for their first trip in a few months but as much as I love Disney and as many fond memories as my family has had growing up there….is is slipping….the magic really is disappearing before my eyes. I’ve been there a few times since the post covid reopening as well and I am afraid that it is possibly our last trip..the cast members are not as joyful…it is now just a job like a Denny’s…the hotels on property are suffering and in need of update and fixes…the perks of staying are all gone but the prices keep increasing…fast pass is now gone as well as the dining package which is good for my mind to relax…they offer zero discounts on any restaurants even without character dining…but this trip has been planned for awhile and I want my grandkids to see it…to feel some of that joy that was once there. It’s sad the stores are closing…I take my 3 ur old grandson to the one by our house and his face lights up. It’s a weekly trip for fun just to see the decorations. Walt would not have wanted it to be this way
I think there are only 2 Disney Stores left in Las Vegas … and they’re both at Premiere Outlets! Sad how there is a push for a website vs brick and mortar! ?
The WDC will soon regret its latest asinine “decision.” The Stores gave the accompany a physical presence out where much if its most devoted fans and customers live, acting much like embassies! Anyone can sell its wares on-line. Disney has always prized physical contact with its audience. Eliminating Stores is a serious bad move. Clearly, the Profiteers, who only think of who only think of money, were behind this. In the long run, though, it will cost the Company a LOT MORE!!!
Not Sad at all. I see it as Karma. Disney has been greedy. The way they handled their employees when COVID-19 lockdown 1st happen in Florida was shameful. They let go almost all their employees stating they don’t have the money to keep them on but still brought property to expand and gave their Suites raises. This is what happens when you become a greedy company and only care about your pockets. People stop buying. My family don’t support greed we support companies that take care of their people.
Just thought I’d chime in as a cast member myself who was furloughed. I thought they did a good job taking care of us during that time. Due to the furlough, we got to keep all our benefits and insurances and time. We were also paid during the furlough for many weeks. Bob Iger refused his paycheck in order to pay for us. I can understand being upset at the new CEO, Bob Chapek, though. He’s been the Mike Eisner of the Bobs. But please remember that we cast members love working here and really need the support of our communities. My store is in this batch of closures and we’re all devastated.
I will miss Disney stores I grew up with everything Disney I remember when I first went to a Disney store it was magical I will forever miss being able to go get Disney items without visiting the parks best memories ever❤??
FIRST TOYS R US NOW DISNEY STORES I WILL MISS THEM I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST WENT TO A DISNEY STORE IT WAS MAGICAL I LOVE GOING TO GET DISNEY ITEMS WITHOUT VISITING THE PARKS THEY WILL BE MISSED
No loss. It’s not the first time this has happened. Apparently, Disney didn’t learn their lesson thr first time around because the merchandise selection in these stores was horrible. Hardly anything for adults and little to nothing in the way of collectibles. Better variety of merchandise would have brought more sales.
When was the last time you shopped? Cause apparently it wasn’t recently or even in the last 3 years because that’s just not true. Besides. These closures has absolutely nothing to do with sales. In fact, my Disney Store is doing better than we have before. We’re always busy. No. This was a decision by corporate for e-commerce and park reasons. It has nothing to do with actual sales.
That’s a tragedy. Disney stores are fun and covid is taking everything from us. What more do we have to loose. Hopefully not Disney land or world. Disney is My life without it I would die I love it so much but they have started dropping stores and everything what’s to come of it. If we don’t have Disney we don’t have piece. Why are they doing this. What about all the people that work there. WHY just why.
I started working for Disney in 1979 at Disney World. I worked with people who knew and worked with Walt. They were a different breed of people. They carried Walt’s torch and played it forward. That is the Disney knew. I left after 10 years still loving it and believing in what we did and HOW we did it. I was there when Eisner and Wells took the helm. Eisner had Walt’s magic in his eyes and Wells had Roy’s sense of budget. It was a magical time. I dealt with them many times over the years and watched Michael stuff hot dogs in buns at busy EPCOT restaurants during peak times. But alas, all good things come to an end. Be clear, I still love Disney and believe in the magic, it’s just getting harder and harder to find when you’re standing in a four hour wait time line at Animal Kingdom watching the value of the $$$ you shelled out on a ticket shrink. Today those who knew and worked with Walt are sadly gone along with the first hand philosophy they carried with them. I recently dropped my annual pass. The value was not there. And sadly, it will never return to the Disney I knew and loved. Those of you who don’t remember those days good for you. Your magic, though different, is still alive. As for the rest of us, not so much.
Seems counter productive ..We stop in EVERY TIME we are AT MALL. MY kids are teens- so OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND..we always wind up with a purchase, a gift..etc.
This is quite sad news. But for those thinking it’s under order’s of Disney (Mike Eisner is whom has most say) want made by them. The Disney store itself was bought out by the store ‘The Children’s Place’ of which sells high end (some very lil available to lower end but is usually returns, has minor flaws from when made, & clearance) fashion for children. Like finding any other Disney product(s) in any other random store Disney only gets a percentage of whatever the agreed too in contracts. But Disney itself hasn’t had ownership over the actual store for quite some time. Agreed them selling it out was just another 1 of Michael Eisner’s many mistakes since being given his responsibility over the company & all that is linked to it that has caused park prices to be outrageous. If Disney were still alive he would be very disappointed in it all as his main goal was to make children smile & be happy & Disney park’s was created for that very reason. Now only children that get to see it have already been living pampered lives where they should already be smiling & happy of what they have over other’s. Disney may have been a sexist racist pig towards adult’s but everything he did was based on the outcome of how he was raised which he had said wasn’t happy for him & not as advantaged like only those that can afford the park prices. Not those less fortunate which was the original goal he had. But life has evolved in away that the rich get richer & can only tell those less fortunate to “try harder” without ever really knowing the actual struggle of working hard just to afford the basic necessities nowadays. It’s all just business at the end of the day. If a business can’t make money then they can’t afford to stay open. With that said they should have known many month’s ago business was going to go downhill when most everyone wasn’t able to work & they should have sold the business to someone that could have afforded to keep it floating above water. So it is what it is. As they say; it’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday……
I think you’re living in the past. Michael Eisner hasn’t been CEO in quite awhile. Bob Iger had been with the company for a long, long time and just recently stepped down to Bob Chapek and the Disney Company does now own the Disney Stores. They’ve owned them for quite some time. Like… A decade at least
That’s not fair, Disney only think money, money and money, what about their cast member? they don’t even had the chance to look for a job. Disney announced 2 weeks before of their closing date and the cast members was in shock.
Try being an employee who’s a few months from retirement. Disney isn’t going to cut us employees any slack. Everything I was offered upon retirement will no longer be available to me because I’m losing my job before the allotted time needed to collect it! We love being Cast Members and we do our best to bring everyone a “Magical” experience. Losing my job this late in my life is so sad, but I loved my job an I will miss all the children I have watched grow up coming to the store! ????
Exactly this! I’m so sorry you were close to retirement. ? I, too, am losing my home and family in this batch of store closures. We’ve got some cast in similar shoes where they almost made it and now they can’t … So sad. We’re devastated
The one in the lakeside mall in metairie LA they made it to a game store and the glittery blue road. They painted gray. I cried when I found out it was closing. Though my fiance was playing a game on me. I cried like a 3years old. And I’m 31.
I don’t understand why the Disney store at the University mall is closing. It is a perfect place. And big and spacious. I know city Creek is still open but that is small and not enough people can move around freely in there
Bob Chapek really is determined to ruin the magic of Disney isn’t he…. There’s nothing special about shopping online, there’s no magical childhood memories from staring at a screen and picking what you want. Not everyone is able to go to an actual Disney park so the Disney Stores were their only way to get a piece of that magic. Such a shame that Iger couldn’t have picked anyone else to be his successor.
I Worked in my local Disney Store in the UK for 6 years, I was upset to see it close with no warning recently, I still luved visiting the store as do my children, such a shame they are closing, end of an era ?
I hope Disney sees these comments and realizes what a mistake they’re making. Disney Stores were my way of getting a dose of “Disney Magic” away from the parks, regardless of product selection or pricing. I’d walk into a store and be welcomed with “Welcome to the Disney Store!” and when I left “Have a Magical Day!” Good luck getting that on shopdisney.com. At the beginning of 2021 I had 4 Disney Stores in my area. Now there is only 1. The recent closure is a store that’s been there for 30 years. Oh, and when I want something under $10? if I order from the web it will quickly become $15.00 with shipping. Forget that. While it is indeed true that the quality of today’s Disney store merch is not as good as that of products from awhile back (I still have stuff from ’97 and the t-shirts I get from there now only las a few years), I still love the experience of being in the store. Disney Store, PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!
Comments for The First-Ever Disney Store Is Officially Closing
KevinY
That’s quite sad. I was 2 when that location opened and we lived about 5 miles away so I probably visited many times.
A Vegh
My daughter eorks as a manager in one of the largest Disney store,sadly told no job anymore.
Very sad for many of their employees
Aydenne
Closing that store is such a stupid idea, why did they do that, I mean, that is really not cool, I think some people is being waiting for so long to open but now it’s closed? Why? Just why…
Adrian Gude
First Toy’s R Us and now this…wow.
Margaret
This article popped up right after a BuzzFeed advert for Amazon Prime Day ?
Linda
Just another company doing away with jobs for the almighty dollar. Not everything can sell e-commerce!!! They are taking away the fun of retail and making people more like robots! Sad!!!
Katrina
That’s capitalism for you
Kathy Sears
The Magic is gone and unfortunately has been for several years. I was a manager for 7 years and could see it coming. It saddens me to see it closes.
Temperance
Good, after what Disney did to Johnny Depp they deserve to lose money!
Devis
People do not deserve to lose their jobs
Yeetlife
That’s sad . The first disney store shut down closed forever. Sad??????
Thomas
Disney is doing this intentionally. They are going to be making more money as they switch to online sales.
Heidi
Wow. Don’t blame these poor cast members losing their home on that decision by corporate. I’m a cast member losing my job in a couple weeks from a close as well and I’m a huge advocate for Johnny Depp. I’m sickened by what’s happening to him. But this has no bearing on that situation and it saddens me to see you post something so mean to our pain.
Kelly Armstrong
Noooooooo don’t do this!!
Marie A Grauemmerich
Don’t close this store
Danette Zane
The disney store is the greatest store.We in Canton,ohio have lost our disney store along time ago and it really upset me.I wish we still had our disney store.I love Mickey mouse and now I can only get mickey 2nd hand or have to go down to florida witch cost alot of money.Just think about what people are saying before takeing these stores away from bbn us.
Lisa Sanfilippo
can you go online?
HT
Thats shame because covid and prices going up at parks. I wish quit raising for people.
Jenn
It’s very sad to me. Every store that closes is one less place to enjoy “The Magic”. I personally hate online shopping & refuse to do it. With one less store available then that’s less shopping for me.
Disneydiva
I agree with you. Not a big fan of online shopping. The Disney store was one of the reasons of how I choose what mall or outlet to go to
Elizabeth
Disney Store Love my favorite one fan Big
Donna Barlow
I Worked in my local Disney Store in the UK for 6 years, I was upset to see it close with no warning recently, I still luved visiting the store as do my children, such a shame they are closing, end of an era ?
Tera Murphy
I also miss the Disney store the one we’re I live closed back in 1998 I think it was i think it might have been later than that I’m a winnie the Pooh fan .
JD
Let me start off by saying I’ve collected Disney since 1977.
Serious high end and mid level collecting finding things that you don’t see out there. And 90% of those things came from Disney World, the Disney Stores and Galleries.
My first trip to Disney World in 1977 left me wanting more of the magic. Many many years prior to that I sat myself down to the Magical World of Disney as a child every Sunday night
The magic, the feel, the goodness that Walt poured into his Kingdom turn into a Corporate Shambles as CEO after CEO came in and Robbed not only Disney, but the True keeper of the Castle, which was the Disney Fan.
CEO after CEO brought the house down. I have traveled to Disney more times then I can even remember now.
There are so many good comments here in these chats and it shows how much Disney means to us all and the passion that many feel about Disney. The changes since I’ve taken my first trip in 1977 to Disney, Before Epcot, Before Animal Kingdom, Before Hollywood Studios and Before the Water Parks, just Disney World Lake Buena Vista, and River Country.
And yet that Magic was incredible, even with only three attractions Disney still under the Disney family was turning Little into Huge fun imagination and adventure.
Now even with all the offerings something over the last 10 years has changed, the dynamics of That Disney Magic.
Greed, Poor Decisions, putting Guests Second, and out pricing everything has really shown what the New Disney Corporation is all about.
Now getting back to the Disney Fever of Solid Collecting, has changed because Disney turned their already struggling Stores into sweat shop junk. Other than having a Disney label or putting a Loved Character on it’s merchandise nothing clicked. The Stores tuned into everything children and nothing more.
When the Disney stores came they brought product serious collecting on a much different level as hotter and hotter merchandise came about. The Disney Stores in Delaware, Cherry Hill, N.J, King of Prussia, PA, Las Vegas, New York GALLERIA STORES emerged and had limited merchandise that you couldn’t find anywhere.
Disney is selling nothing different or unique anymore even the things they do sell are no where near what used to be.
Feeding more into their own pickets and less into imagination has left Disney no different than many other conglomerates.
I fully understand profit profit profit but the Magic Feel I’m truly sorry to say has left the Walt Vaults !!!
Maureen Cregan Connolly
Well stated!
Jim
Spot on you hit every point. It’s sad how the New direction Disney has taken makes guest like us no longer craving the magic .
Julie
Totally agree with your statement
It’s just money, money
I believe Walt would be very disappointed
Tracy H
Amen! Feel the same way. Collecting since I went in 1983 right after Epcot opened. So Magical. But the magic is fading fast…
Lisa Sanfilippo
Yup! I remember a bit in the mid 2000s when they were bought by the The Children’s Place. Pretty much NOTHING appealed to me in-store then. They’ve gotten a lot better, but the stores during the 90s were really awesome. I still love the current Disney stores though.
Jonathan Harriman Lhota
Not only that, We are losing a Disney Store in British Columbia, Colorado, Delaware, and Hawaii.
Andrea
The only store in Hawaii. And it’s not like we can drive somewhere or go to the parks to shop, so this is dumb. I hate online shopping, and I rarely if ever do it, unless it is necessary. And Disney merch is all optional…so it will never be necessary.
Jonathan Harriman Lhota
I have seen online stores shut down. Where will people buy these stuff, Amazon?
Heidi
Thank you for noticing us here in Colorado. We’re devastated…
Chris
I worked store #2 at San Francisco Pier 39 when it opened and I remember how smart Disney was. Each store was unique and Eisner-Wells would visit often. I meet so many Disney Icons there and on the weekends we had hour long waits to get in. We made over 1 million dollars a year per sq foot in 1989!!! there were character visits, promotions, contests, and sing-a-longs!! It was sad to watch that magic reduced to the level of a Sears. IF they had kept it up or went back to why it was successful to begin with the stores would be thriving. It wasn’t the price or the item itself that made money, or made the store popular, it was the magic. And that is something you can’t buy on amazon.
Kathy
Well said, Chris. There is nothing magical about sitting in front of a computer shopping. There is something magical about walking into a store, with upbeat Disney music playing, and being greeted by a friendly Cast Member that makes you feel special. The Disney Stores went down hill many years ago when Disney stopped operating them. Now that they have them back again, they haven’t quite found the magic that was there in the beginning. I feel the same way about the stores at Disneyland. Everything is the same in most every store. There is no quality or imagination in the merchandise. I miss the Disneyana store on Main Street (the current one in the bank is fine, but too small and the selection needs to be greater). Did the world really need one more Starbucks? Pretty soon the Parks will be attended virtually and we can all stay home and stare at a screen.
Mike
Well said, Chris. The original Disney Stores were very much part of the magic, from the cast members to the variety of merchandise to the characters decorating the stores. As an adult Disney fan with no children, the original stores were dangerous to my budget. But after they changed and became kid stores only, there was really no reason for me to go back. Because it was Disney I’d occasionally go in … but a 5minute circuit if the store in Dallas was enough to tell me (again) that there was nothing there for me.
Lys lindsay
I can’t believe it… I loved going to the Disney store as a kid and I just found one here in Colorado they didn’t have one in Virginia when we lived there but seems like they’re taking everything away that’s makes going out worth wild I hate shopping at a computer screen. Way to go Disney ?
Katie
Agreeee! In the UK they opened up a pop up Disney in Middlesbrough, was only supposed to be there 6 months. Lasted for 4 years. Always had people in there, they shut it down as people were ordering online & returning products to the store, causing a profit loss. I would go in every day I was at work just for that little bit of magic & the staff all loved working there
Tracy
So very true! Well said!
Trey
Just another example of selfishness and greed. If you don’t make millions in profit a year, you are not needed.
Janet Joyce
It is sad to see the stores closing. I think they want everyone to shop online or go to Target. Very shortsighted of Disney.
Angie
The Glendale Galleria *was* the 1st store, but the current store is in a completely different wing of the mall and is just a shadow of the previous one. The true, original store closed years ago.
That said, this is is still sad news.
Heather
Yes, thank you! Every article I see about this is saying it’s the first one. The actual first one closed years and years ago. I remember being so sad when it happened because I had a lot of fond memories (that was one of the malls we often went to when I was a child). I think it’s sad that any of them are closing, but I wish these sites would get their information correct instead of just going for the shock value.
Jose pina
We’re is Mikey…
Jasper
I know the one inside Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Virginia hasn’t been there since 2019 or so. Now living in Oregon, i know there are a few stores close to Portland.
Jenn
It’s very sad to me. Every store that closes is one less place to enjoy “The Magic”. I personally hate online shopping & refuse to do it. With one less store available then that’s less shopping for me.
Wayne Poirier
The first Disney Store was not in San Francisco. It was In Glendale California at the Glendale Galleria. I was their IT person who installed the computer systems.
Maggie
Actually the saddest thing is, that despite closing their stores, and I don’t know if this means all of them, hope not, but so far they’re one of the few companies that make it really difficult to return anything if you order online. I wanted to send something back recently and UPS wanted to charge me $32, for shipping back a couple stuffed animals. I had to call Disney and they gave me a “one-time courtesy of sending me a shipping label”, because we’re responsible for our own returns. I love and grew up on Disney, but the sad truth is they’re just turning into a mega greedy corporation. Which is not in line with the image they promote. If you’re closing stores, make it easy to return stuff. Shopping online isn’t the same as being able to see and touch what you’re buying. You can afford a few returns.
Michelle Todd
Don’t like the direction the CEO is taking Disney.
Trixie
I agree 100% Michelle
A Vegh
My daughter eorks as a manager in one of the largest Disney store,sadly told no job anymore.
Very sad for many of their employees
Yvette
It is very. Sad that they are closing the Disney stores I mean Disneyland is so expensive that I would go to the Disney store to buy my gifts and I would feel the magic when I would enter the store I will miss shopping there since it is so expensive to go to disneyland
Trixie
Disney is out pricing their customers.
They are also mishandling their money maker’s, example firing Johnny Depp over allegations that he has never been arrested for.
Nikiah
I believe if they lower prices more families would get to go experience disney and other parks I am one of those families who would love to go enjoy the parks with my future kids and family and they still would make plenty money. I love Disney and the disney stores:(
Marilyn
So sad that most of all the stores are closing they were always busy. My sister and I would always go and get t-shirt’s and shorts an skirts for our girls in there then had a boy and would go get his clothes in there as well.
Lisa Sanfilippo
I personally hate the idea. Just being in the store was an experience. I hate shopping online. Shame.
Allen
I WAS VISITING AND WENT TO THE DISNEY STORE, AT THE MALL OF AMERICA. THE SENIOR CITIZEN GENTLEMAN GREETED ME AT THE DOOR (UNLIKE 99.9% OF ALL OTHER STORES OR ESTABLISHMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY(. INSIDE, PEOPLE AND CHILDREN ALIKE, SEEMED AS THOUGH THEIR STRESSFUL WORRIES WERE NON – EXISTENT.. SMILES AND POLITENESS WAS THE ATMOSPHERE THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WORKERS. TO KNOW THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE A JOB ONE WEEK LATER SADDENED ME.THAT WAS 4 WEEKS AGO. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WALT DISNEY HIMSELF SAID LONG AGO, SHOULD HOLD TRUE TODAY. THAT HE WANTED EVERY FAMILY TO ENJOY “DISNEYLAND.” AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT AS WE!LL!!! SO, BECAUSE OF GREEDY OWNERSHIPS AND GREEDY CEO’ S TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK OFF FAMILIES, KARMA MAY HIT DISNEY, AT THE COST OF A LOT OF HEARTBROKEN CHILDREN!! VERY SAD SITUATION.
Sean
I. Am happy they are closing Disney sucks
Laura
Sean – clearly you are in the minority here. I could say some distasteful about your comment, but I actually feel sorry for you. Anyone who thinks ‘Disney sucks’ must not have much joy and happiness in their life.
Betty
Or they just place value on other things. I never undrstood the disney craze and i have plenty of joy and happiness in my life not being spoonfed to me by a mega corporation. Now i am sad for the employees who have to find another job.
Johno
I go to WDW 1-2 times a year & I go to Disneyland once a year & over the years I’ve watched both parks slowly lose the magic & even the cast members aren’t nearly as nice or helpful as they were 5 years ago & I certainly don’t blame them I think the company isn’t treating the employees like they once did. It’s truly sad because I personally feel like the magic just isn’t the same & I always stay on property & even staying on property isn’t the same. They’ve stopped & taken away many of the fantastic perks when you stay on property & it’s just getting more & more expensive to stay on property & to go to the parks. Soon only the very wealthy will be able to afford to stay on property & to go to the parks & that’s just sad.
Morgan
“This location is closing on or before July 14, 2021. But don’t Worry! You can still find the whole gang at another Disney store location or shopDisney.com”
Ohhhhh, wow! Yes that REALLY makes up for it, thank you, Disney! But seriously… WHY are they closing the stores? Some people don’t like shopping online, and the stores are 1000x better than the online shop. Not to mention it brings in more money for them. This actually aggravates me because there was only *one* Disney store in my entire area and it closed years ago, and I was hoping that when I’m an adult I could travel and see another one some day, but noooooo, thank you so much Disney for taking my and other’s childhood away from us, we highly appreciate it ?
Toni L Cooksey
Disney is just not Disney anymore so I’m not surprised. I’m sure Walt is rolling in his grave over what his dream had become, a money hungry conglomerate that cares about nothing but the almighty dollar and that’s not even enough anymore.
Michelle Marie Dock
I agree. We’ve been visiting Disney every yr for 27 years now as my children grew up and had their own children. I’m now taking my grandbabies to Disney for their first trip in a few months but as much as I love Disney and as many fond memories as my family has had growing up there….is is slipping….the magic really is disappearing before my eyes. I’ve been there a few times since the post covid reopening as well and I am afraid that it is possibly our last trip..the cast members are not as joyful…it is now just a job like a Denny’s…the hotels on property are suffering and in need of update and fixes…the perks of staying are all gone but the prices keep increasing…fast pass is now gone as well as the dining package which is good for my mind to relax…they offer zero discounts on any restaurants even without character dining…but this trip has been planned for awhile and I want my grandkids to see it…to feel some of that joy that was once there. It’s sad the stores are closing…I take my 3 ur old grandson to the one by our house and his face lights up. It’s a weekly trip for fun just to see the decorations. Walt would not have wanted it to be this way
Cj Brown
I think there are only 2 Disney Stores left in Las Vegas … and they’re both at Premiere Outlets! Sad how there is a push for a website vs brick and mortar! ?
Matthew Brewster
The WDC will soon regret its latest asinine “decision.” The Stores gave the accompany a physical presence out where much if its most devoted fans and customers live, acting much like embassies! Anyone can sell its wares on-line. Disney has always prized physical contact with its audience. Eliminating Stores is a serious bad move. Clearly, the Profiteers, who only think of who only think of money, were behind this. In the long run, though, it will cost the Company a LOT MORE!!!
Sabrina Iglesia
Not Sad at all. I see it as Karma. Disney has been greedy. The way they handled their employees when COVID-19 lockdown 1st happen in Florida was shameful. They let go almost all their employees stating they don’t have the money to keep them on but still brought property to expand and gave their Suites raises. This is what happens when you become a greedy company and only care about your pockets. People stop buying. My family don’t support greed we support companies that take care of their people.
Heidi
Just thought I’d chime in as a cast member myself who was furloughed. I thought they did a good job taking care of us during that time. Due to the furlough, we got to keep all our benefits and insurances and time. We were also paid during the furlough for many weeks. Bob Iger refused his paycheck in order to pay for us. I can understand being upset at the new CEO, Bob Chapek, though. He’s been the Mike Eisner of the Bobs. But please remember that we cast members love working here and really need the support of our communities. My store is in this batch of closures and we’re all devastated.
dewi
Brohhh
dewi
Broh
Becky
I will miss Disney stores I grew up with everything Disney I remember when I first went to a Disney store it was magical I will forever miss being able to go get Disney items without visiting the parks best memories ever❤??
Becky
FIRST TOYS R US NOW DISNEY STORES I WILL MISS THEM I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST WENT TO A DISNEY STORE IT WAS MAGICAL I LOVE GOING TO GET DISNEY ITEMS WITHOUT VISITING THE PARKS THEY WILL BE MISSED
Rama
No loss. It’s not the first time this has happened. Apparently, Disney didn’t learn their lesson thr first time around because the merchandise selection in these stores was horrible. Hardly anything for adults and little to nothing in the way of collectibles. Better variety of merchandise would have brought more sales.
Heidi
When was the last time you shopped? Cause apparently it wasn’t recently or even in the last 3 years because that’s just not true. Besides. These closures has absolutely nothing to do with sales. In fact, my Disney Store is doing better than we have before. We’re always busy. No. This was a decision by corporate for e-commerce and park reasons. It has nothing to do with actual sales.
susan
so sad! I was hired as an original cast member for the 50th Disney Store.
Cassandra
That is so SAD!! It is Wrong to close!! What has been been jobs , memories ,and I’m sure is Only for selfish reasons!
Addie
That’s a tragedy. Disney stores are fun and covid is taking everything from us. What more do we have to loose. Hopefully not Disney land or world. Disney is My life without it I would die I love it so much but they have started dropping stores and everything what’s to come of it. If we don’t have Disney we don’t have piece. Why are they doing this. What about all the people that work there. WHY just why.
Tim
Keep online shopping you lazy people and this is what happens. Putting people out of work!!!
Thom Pesta
I started working for Disney in 1979 at Disney World. I worked with people who knew and worked with Walt. They were a different breed of people. They carried Walt’s torch and played it forward. That is the Disney knew. I left after 10 years still loving it and believing in what we did and HOW we did it. I was there when Eisner and Wells took the helm. Eisner had Walt’s magic in his eyes and Wells had Roy’s sense of budget. It was a magical time. I dealt with them many times over the years and watched Michael stuff hot dogs in buns at busy EPCOT restaurants during peak times. But alas, all good things come to an end. Be clear, I still love Disney and believe in the magic, it’s just getting harder and harder to find when you’re standing in a four hour wait time line at Animal Kingdom watching the value of the $$$ you shelled out on a ticket shrink. Today those who knew and worked with Walt are sadly gone along with the first hand philosophy they carried with them. I recently dropped my annual pass. The value was not there. And sadly, it will never return to the Disney I knew and loved. Those of you who don’t remember those days good for you. Your magic, though different, is still alive. As for the rest of us, not so much.
Dani
Seems counter productive ..We stop in EVERY TIME we are AT MALL. MY kids are teens- so OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND..we always wind up with a purchase, a gift..etc.
Anonymous
???
Cassandra
That is so SAD!! It is Wrong to close!! What has been been jobs , memories ,and I’m sure is Only for selfish reasons!
Christin
This is quite sad news. But for those thinking it’s under order’s of Disney (Mike Eisner is whom has most say) want made by them. The Disney store itself was bought out by the store ‘The Children’s Place’ of which sells high end (some very lil available to lower end but is usually returns, has minor flaws from when made, & clearance) fashion for children. Like finding any other Disney product(s) in any other random store Disney only gets a percentage of whatever the agreed too in contracts. But Disney itself hasn’t had ownership over the actual store for quite some time. Agreed them selling it out was just another 1 of Michael Eisner’s many mistakes since being given his responsibility over the company & all that is linked to it that has caused park prices to be outrageous. If Disney were still alive he would be very disappointed in it all as his main goal was to make children smile & be happy & Disney park’s was created for that very reason. Now only children that get to see it have already been living pampered lives where they should already be smiling & happy of what they have over other’s. Disney may have been a sexist racist pig towards adult’s but everything he did was based on the outcome of how he was raised which he had said wasn’t happy for him & not as advantaged like only those that can afford the park prices. Not those less fortunate which was the original goal he had. But life has evolved in away that the rich get richer & can only tell those less fortunate to “try harder” without ever really knowing the actual struggle of working hard just to afford the basic necessities nowadays. It’s all just business at the end of the day. If a business can’t make money then they can’t afford to stay open. With that said they should have known many month’s ago business was going to go downhill when most everyone wasn’t able to work & they should have sold the business to someone that could have afforded to keep it floating above water. So it is what it is. As they say; it’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday……
Heidi
I think you’re living in the past. Michael Eisner hasn’t been CEO in quite awhile. Bob Iger had been with the company for a long, long time and just recently stepped down to Bob Chapek and the Disney Company does now own the Disney Stores. They’ve owned them for quite some time. Like… A decade at least
Diyani Tran
That’s not fair, Disney only think money, money and money, what about their cast member? they don’t even had the chance to look for a job. Disney announced 2 weeks before of their closing date and the cast members was in shock.
Patsy
Got great deals from the store also one of a kind items.
Bridget
Try being an employee who’s a few months from retirement. Disney isn’t going to cut us employees any slack. Everything I was offered upon retirement will no longer be available to me because I’m losing my job before the allotted time needed to collect it! We love being Cast Members and we do our best to bring everyone a “Magical” experience. Losing my job this late in my life is so sad, but I loved my job an I will miss all the children I have watched grow up coming to the store! ????
Heidi
Exactly this! I’m so sorry you were close to retirement. ? I, too, am losing my home and family in this batch of store closures. We’ve got some cast in similar shoes where they almost made it and now they can’t … So sad. We’re devastated
Pam
The one in the lakeside mall in metairie LA they made it to a game store and the glittery blue road. They painted gray. I cried when I found out it was closing. Though my fiance was playing a game on me. I cried like a 3years old. And I’m 31.
Acr
I don’t understand why the Disney store at the University mall is closing. It is a perfect place. And big and spacious. I know city Creek is still open but that is small and not enough people can move around freely in there
Ryan
Bob Chapek really is determined to ruin the magic of Disney isn’t he…. There’s nothing special about shopping online, there’s no magical childhood memories from staring at a screen and picking what you want. Not everyone is able to go to an actual Disney park so the Disney Stores were their only way to get a piece of that magic. Such a shame that Iger couldn’t have picked anyone else to be his successor.
Donna Barlow
I Worked in my local Disney Store in the UK for 6 years, I was upset to see it close with no warning recently, I still luved visiting the store as do my children, such a shame they are closing, end of an era ?
YeYeetlife
That’s sad . The first disney store shut down closed forever. Sad??????
Vicki Shaddix
Disney is dead by their own hand and pandering to the mentally ill….
Lisa Sanfilippo
I hope Disney sees these comments and realizes what a mistake they’re making. Disney Stores were my way of getting a dose of “Disney Magic” away from the parks, regardless of product selection or pricing. I’d walk into a store and be welcomed with “Welcome to the Disney Store!” and when I left “Have a Magical Day!” Good luck getting that on shopdisney.com. At the beginning of 2021 I had 4 Disney Stores in my area. Now there is only 1. The recent closure is a store that’s been there for 30 years. Oh, and when I want something under $10? if I order from the web it will quickly become $15.00 with shipping. Forget that. While it is indeed true that the quality of today’s Disney store merch is not as good as that of products from awhile back (I still have stuff from ’97 and the t-shirts I get from there now only las a few years), I still love the experience of being in the store. Disney Store, PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!
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