Credit: David Masters, FlickrDisney Character Warehouse locations have served as treasure hunting destinations for Disney fans seeking discounted park merchandise for years, offering opportunities to purchase retired apparel, accessories, pins, and collectibles at significantly reduced prices compared to theme park retail locations.
These outlet stores occupy a unique position in Disney’s retail ecosystem, selling merchandise that has cycled out of park inventory alongside occasional items still available at Walt Disney World and Disneyland at full price, creating shopping experiences that blend bargain hunting with the thrill of discovering rare or limited items no longer sold in the parks themselves.
The stores have developed devoted followings among locals and tourists alike, with dedicated shoppers making regular visits to catch new inventory drops and score deals on everything from spirit jerseys to MagicBands to festival merchandise that originally sold for premium prices during special events.
However, Character Warehouse locations have also attracted controversy in recent years as resellers discovered they could purchase discounted Disney merchandise and flip it online for profit, creating situations where genuine Disney fans found shelves emptied by professional resellers buying inventory in bulk to list on secondary markets. This tension between serving individual shoppers and managing reseller activity has shaped recent policy changes at Character Warehouse stores, including stricter return policies implemented specifically to deter resale operations that were exploiting previous liberal return terms by purchasing merchandise speculatively and returning unsold items when they failed to sell online.
The Disney Character Warehouse location at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, Florida will permanently close April 15, 2026, according to multiple social media reports from shoppers and Cast Members at the store. Disney has elected not to renew the lease for the outlet location, which sits approximately three hours from Walt Disney World near Fort Lauderdale.
Reasons Behind the Closure
According to Cast Members speaking with guests at the location, several factors contributed to Disney’s decision not to renew the Sawgrass Mills lease. Reseller activity represents one significant issue, with professional buyers purchasing discounted merchandise in bulk to resell online at higher prices. This practice has frustrated individual shoppers who find popular items cleared from shelves before casual visitors can browse.
Live shopping, where individuals stream themselves shopping and take purchase requests from remote viewers, has also created challenges for store operations. These shopping sessions can tie up merchandise and create chaotic store environments that impact the experience for traditional shoppers.
Distance from Walt Disney World appears as another factor in the closure decision. Located in Sunrise near Fort Lauderdale, the Sawgrass Mills Character Warehouse sits approximately three hours from the resort, making it less convenient for Disney World visitors compared to the two Orlando-area locations at Orlando International Premium Outlets and Vineland Premium Outlets, the latter positioned just off Disney property.
The closure announcement has generated significant discussion on the store’s Facebook group, with shoppers expressing disappointment and debating the role various factors played in the decision.
Guest Reactions on Social Media
Multiple Facebook group members confirmed the closure and shared reactions ranging from sadness to frustration. One shopper currently at the location wrote, “Sadly, it’s true. It’s closing April 15 due to them not resigning the lease. I’m here now so upsetting.”
Another visitor planning a March trip expressed disappointment: “Store Closing!!!!! What??? We are going to be in the area in March and were excited to finally go shopping there.”
Several commenters blamed resellers for the closure. “Oh man the is is so sad you gotta love the reseller who ruined a great store,” one member wrote.
However, others offered more nuanced perspectives on the reseller issue. One detailed comment argued, “I would argue the resellers have kept them open longer as it gives Disney more business. While it might be frustrating if you go in and you can’t get something you want but more items are being sold, even if Disney doesn’t get that extra profit. They can sell a dated festival item and not lose money on it.”
The same commenter noted Disney’s broader retail strategy: “Disneys sales approach for merchandise is to not really put things for sale in the parks. Sometimes there is some type of buy one get one for a discount or at the end of a festival things might be 30% off but there are very few sale things. They know the psychology that people will pay full price when in the parks as they don’t think they can get it anywhere else.”
They continued, “But I also can see how huge amounts of unsold returns would goof up inventory. I feel like that’s why the new policy started. Malls in general are just not what they used to be.”
At least one commenter expressed concern for Cast Members facing job loss: “Let’s not forget about the lovely Cast Members who are going to be losing their jobs. They must be heartbroken. Let’s be extra kind to them.”
Recent Policy Changes
Disney Character Warehouse implemented new, stricter return policies effective February 1, 2026, making all sales final with no returns or exchanges permitted. The policy applies to both Disney Character Warehouse and Cast Connection locations.
The change specifically targets resellers who previously exploited liberal return policies by purchasing merchandise speculatively, listing it for sale online, and returning unsold inventory to Character Warehouse stores. This practice created inventory management challenges while allowing resellers to operate essentially risk-free by returning items that failed to sell at their desired prices.
The timing of the new no-return policy, implemented just over two months before the Sawgrass Mills closure announcement, suggests Disney has been addressing reseller-related operational challenges across its outlet retail operations, though whether this policy change will preserve the remaining Character Warehouse locations remains uncertain.
Status of Other Locations
Disney has not announced closures for the two Orlando-area Disney Character Warehouse locations. The Orlando International Premium Outlets location and Vineland Premium Outlets location, the latter positioned just off Walt Disney World property, remain open with no publicly announced plans to close.
The proximity of these two locations to Walt Disney World makes them more accessible to resort guests and annual passholders compared to the Sawgrass Mills location’s position near Fort Lauderdale. Whether they face similar challenges with resellers and live shoppers or whether their closer proximity to the parks provides sufficient advantages to sustain operations remains to be seen.
What This Means for Shoppers
Guests planning to visit the Sawgrass Mills Disney Character Warehouse before its April 15 closure should expect potentially picked-over inventory as the location winds down operations. Clearance sales sometimes accompany store closings, though Disney has not announced specific plans for final sales events at this location.
For South Florida residents and visitors who relied on the Sawgrass Mills location for discounted Disney merchandise, the closure eliminates the closest outlet option. The remaining Orlando-area locations require trips to the tourist corridor, turning quick outlet shopping runs into longer excursions.
The closure also reduces overall Character Warehouse inventory availability. With fewer locations operating, competition for discounted merchandise may intensify at remaining stores, potentially making it harder to find specific items or score the best deals as demand concentrates at fewer outlets.
Broader Disney Retail Changes
The Character Warehouse closure comes during a period of broader transformation across Disney’s retail operations. Disneyland Paris recently closed its vintage-style Disney Store at Disney Village on January 4, 2026, replacing it with a new concept called Disney Wonders scheduled to open summer 2026.
That closure eliminated one of the few remaining nostalgic, maximalist-design Disney Stores featuring oversized character statues that defined the mall Disney Store experience many fans remember from childhood. The replacement with Disney Wonders, described as a “modern franchise-based shop,” reflects Disney’s ongoing shift away from traditional retail formats toward more contemporary, IP-focused merchandise experiences.
These changes suggest Disney is actively reassessing its physical retail footprint and format, moving away from older outlet and traditional store concepts toward updated approaches that align with current retail trends and operational priorities.
If you’ve shopped at the Sawgrass Mills Character Warehouse and have favorite finds or memories from the location, now’s the time to make one last visit before April 15. The remaining Orlando-area locations will still be there for your discount Disney merchandise needs, but losing this South Florida option definitely stings for anyone who made it part of their regular shopping rotation. And seriously, if you do visit before closing, show some extra kindness to the Cast Members working there because losing your job when a store closes is rough no matter the circumstances.