DVDizzy Forum

When The Disney Store first opened, Michael Eisner billed them as an outlet to promote the movies and theme parks.
Now, they are nothing more than ... well ... nothing.
If Disney Store merchandise was selling so poorly (Which is why the original makeovers were ordered in the first place ... which all failed miserably, by the way), Why not come up with better products instead of figuring out ways to diminish the stores reputation and, as a result, destroy everything that made the place so "uniquely Disney"? Where are the store collectibles (Animation cells, framed pins, sculptures, watches, lithographs, signed Disneyana, etc)? Where are the "Art of... " books and broader CD/DVD/Video selections?
Current Disney should stop churning out sequels to practically every one of their timeless animated classics and instead focus on producing more original fare. This makes way for great merchandising opportunities and as a result would give the Disney Store greater business.
I am "sure" all those other highly educated Disney business men thought of this, though.
Please join the official campaign and sign the petition at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds
And I have heard from a very good source that as a "service" to collectors, the Disney Store will have a catalog in which customers will be able to choose what Disneyana to buy (Once all stores get rid of all collectibles). I ask again ... "Why?"
When the Disney Store debuted, CM's would always go beyond the basic customer service. They would greet you at the door & ask what your interests were, and automatically reserve future items based on those interests.
And now, not only is this not practiced anymore, but the entire store has suffered because they're "not" practiced anymore. How? By destroying a huge part of what made The Disney Store so unique in the first place, people would rather go to a "regular" outlet such as Wal Mart or Costco for their Disney CD's, DVD's, etc. The unique customer service offered by Disney Store Cast Members always left a sense of true commrodery and relationship with the guest: the friendly greeting at the door, the automatic reservation of Disney merchandise; this is what made "many" guests come back time and time again. Sure, they could have bought those soundtrack albums at Wal Mart. But It was at the Disney Store where they truly felt special. Where their newfound friends act as Cast Members. And where that seemingly magical commrodery between guest and cast truly meant they were -- And had to be -- no place else but Disney.
Taking this all away not only destroyed customer loyalty, but it threw away the ideals and principles that Disney was founded on.
It is not too late, though. Please, Disney, reverse your mistake. Give the Disney Store back its reputation. Do it for Walt. Do it for Mickey. Do it for Roy O. Do it for Lillian. Do it for Frank Wells, Marc Davis and everybody else who gave one helluva damn for Walt Disney’s vision of a unique family entertainment experience; who sacrificed so much just so a few hundred million strangers could be happy.
Please join the official campaign and sign the petition at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds
Please ... don’t totally ruin the Disney Store. Disney today preaches about family, yet at the same time ignores the very aspects and principles of family entertainment upon which they were built.
Walt Disney once said of his company, “It is not myself I am thinking about, but it is the effect of what might happen to whatever is left that bothers me.”
We used to be in their target audience. The entire family used to be their target audience. The Disney Store was built on the Disney principles, and that's what made them so unique and successful. Now, they have spit in the face of these very principles; and it's wrong. It's an outright insult to Walt Disney, his friends, his family, those who worked so diligently in realizing his lifelong dreams, and thousands of fans today who still believe in him & what he stood for; what he stands for; what he symbolizes; what people like Eisner are destroying; h#ll, what they have already destroyed.
It's not right; it angers me to think that something I am so very passionate about is being spat upon; and this is why we fight.
Please join the official campaign and sign the petition at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds
Even the tiniest improvement to these stores would be welcome; or at least I think so.
If I had just one wish, it would be that the execs at Disney realize their boneheaded decisions and, at the very least, return high end Disney merchandise to all Disney Stores.
We cannot guarantee a change. But, if nothing is done, "nothing" will ever have a chance of changing.
Let me tell you: every time our family goes to one of the local malls and I pass by the Disney Store, I just get so angry; I have to literally force myself from cussing out Eisner -- out loud -- right than and there.
Please join the official campaign & sign the petition at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bringback_tds

I suppose this is moving off topic but

Where are the "Art of... " books..?

What is it with Disney and putting things out of print? While I can almost understand their policy for Video and DVD (especially now it has changed to something more realistic - 2 years on, 3 years off) why are all their Art of Books for movies pre Tarzan currently Out of Print? Does everything that appeals to more than just the general public automatically go out of print? Is that a way to run a business?

Trekkie is right - Disney Stores should be selling lots of varied content of all things Disney - especially collectables.

I don't know about America, but the UK Disney stores seem to sell mainly Soft Toys, Mugs, Clothes (especially Children's) and DVDs and Videos (but not the whole Disney collection).

Also, enough of that 'Disney Princess' stuff. The fan base includes more than ten year old girls. The Art books are amazing, I'd love to get my mits on them all.

Also, someone else on here mentioned those Japanese figures... well I just bought Pluto and the Genie and they are amazing. I would love to get the entire set. They should be selling things like that. Plus adult t-shirts. And more DVDs... exclusive ones would be cool to get there as well.

Hey guys! I just found a site where you can see all the new Disney figures:

http://www.tomy.co.jp/disney/magical_co ... atalog.htm

There are to be 78 in all. There is a 'secret' figure too. I can't read Japanese very well, so I don't know if this is a prize or what, BUT... this secret figure is that statue of Walt Disney holding Mickey's hand! That would be a really, really cool figure to have. So, check out the pics and look in your local Suncaost video or comic shops to see them for yourself.

Did anyone here collect the 100 Years of Magic figures that were at McDonald's? If so, were they good, or were they cheaply made? From what I saw they looked cool and I liked the 'historical' aspect of them, chronically each year of Disney films and characters. I refrained from collecting them because I didn't want to get involved in any more collections, but it looks like I am anyway with this new Magical Collection.

God, is there any way Micheal Eiser DOESN'T suck?

PS: I'll sign.

ME WANT! ME WANT!

So far I have 12 of the Japanese figures, they are so detailed and are definetly worth buying. I just cant wait to get my hands in more, and also more money to buy them all

Maybe i'm just hearing about these figures late, but where can you buy them?

The cheapest place that I have found so far is a local comic book store for $5.99 each. You can also find them at suncoast video stores at the mall for $6.99, I believe. They are really sharp... I would love to have them all.

Yes, Disney has released some awesome figures over the past year, both in the US and overseas!

Wow, I can't agree with ya'll more! I was so devastated when I went to the mall one day to visit the Disney Store and it was closed due to 'remodeling'. Well, I could not wait for that November day when they would re-open. Finally that day arrived and I just couldn't get there fast enough. I walked in...took a look around...and my mouth dropped! I could not believe that they had taken out just about everything! No collectibles. No cells/lithographs to buy. No watches or pens. No Disney figurines!! I was uttterly in a daze. All I saw was clothing, stuffed animals and toys. And most of it was aimed at small children, mainly girls. All the Disney princess stuff, blah, blah. Nothing impressed me. They had taken down all the props. That store looked awesome before they 'downsized' it. And one of the employees actually told me that if I could not find what I was looking for that maybe the Disney Store online might have it. Yeah, for $100.00 or more! I have a little boy and I can hardly even find anything in that store now for him. What a shame!

Anyone know where they are selling The Lion King figurines? Or The Little Mermaid?

So, I have a really weird/random question. I'm considering applying at the Disney Store once I turn 18, but I was wondering if anyone else works there or has worked there in the past. I know there's tons of them, but I was just seeing if anyone can explain their pay, if you liked the job, etc.

I'd really appreciate it!

my brothers and I were sorta friendly with a manager of the Disney Store in Bakersfield, CA and he told us yeah the pay is standard minmum wage but the dress codes are very strict including no earrings and facial hair for male employees...I understand the earrings could pose a safety hazard but facial hair? he said once you've worked there for a while you get Disney perks like touring the feature-film animation department at Walt Disney Studios, sneak previews of movies and you could put in transfers to work at a theme park, etc...but I don't know how interested I'd be in touring Disney animation nowadays...also he left the store once they started selling Mighty Morphin Power Rangers merchandise in the stores...shortly after, the store close permanently...

Oh, I see. I thought they'd pay a bit more than minimum wage because you have to be 18 to work there, which is adult. I don't know how interested I'd be in touring places, but I'd like to get sneak previews of movies. Hm, I might just apply there and quit if I end up completely hating it.

I'd recommend applying to work ANYWHERE besides Disney Store. Even high-traffic locations can't offer part-timers better than 12 hours a week, and you consider yourself lucky if you even get that many hours.

Since The Children's Place turned ownership back over to Disney earlier this year, over 150 stores will have closed by the end of 2008.

I worked for a Disney Store that had just opened in January '08, and learned last week that they're going to be closing soon.

And I predict that Disney will dump the commercial retail business yet again within the next 2 years, and offer licensed product through only various distributors, online, and at the parks.

As for my experience working there... it had its positives and negatives, but mostly negatives unfortunately. However, many of those were due to situations involving the store I worked at and might not apply to other stores.

I worked for two different locations. The first was a good experience. Had a great store manager, a flexible schedule and the hours were exactly what I needed, and I rarely ever had to be on the register -- just processed shipment, stocked, and managed the offsite storage.

At the other location, there were continual issues with poor communication or complete miscommunication, favoritism, poor planning, scheduling, and organization. I was supposed to be full-time in a management position, and after the first month there my hours were cut and continued to be cut back. All I was given was excuses, while two other asst mgrs were allowed to make their own schedule, call out when they felt like it, come in late, and leave early.

I finally had my fill of it and left for another job.

As for the positives: I enjoyed the guests, and especially helping fellow collectors. And the employee discount is decent, but it's only 20% off unless you're with the company more than 3 years (then it's 35%). And unless it's changed, you get three park passes per year, but they have limitations on them. And there's the occasional little perk in the form of freebies and special promos.

The product quality, unfortunately, was largely poor and mostly overpriced toys and kids stuff, with often less than 10% of total store product available for adults (which was the most common complaint from guests).

I also didn't care for the ludicrously high standards for display. The second location I was in was far too large to maintain the Disney standard for appearance, and they certainly didn't give the store the payroll budget required to keep it at that standard.

And I swear I'll never fold another t-shirt again for the rest of my life, if I can help it.

thebiach wrote:my brothers and I were sorta friendly with a manager of the Disney Store in Bakersfield, CA and he told us yeah the pay is standard minmum wage but the dress codes are very strict including no earrings and facial hair for male employees...I understand the earrings could pose a safety hazard but facial hair?

What he said about facial hair is not true. Male employees (and I'm quoting from the actual employee handbook) "may have a mustache as long as it is kept neatly trimmed." But goatees and beards are not allowed.

Wow, thank you for that in-depth experience.

I was thinking that it would be the perfect job because, after all, I collect Disney DVDs, have some Disney snowglobes, and would love to see stuff before it comes out, but not if it's going to be like that. I'd (hopefully) love working there, but who knows what the manager is like? Plus, if I need to buy nice clothes and they don't pay enough, it wouldn't be worth it. I probably won't end up applying now.

Um...at least the title of the thread is general enough to include this here.

Disney’s Retail Plan Is a Theme Park in Its Stores
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/busin ... f=business
(via thedisneyblog.com)

It sounds pretty interesting! I wonder if the kinds of merchandise will become more varied, too. I wouldn't mind seeing more adult clothing than they have now (I know that the website has more than the store does, but it's nice to try things on).

I wish they'd sell some theme park stuff in regular Disney stores instead of all that HSM and HM and Camp Rock junk. The closest Disney Store to me now unfortunately is nearly 4 hours away (our last local location closed June or July 2008 and it was only an hour away).

Would it hurt them to sell some cool really nice pens (I got one off ebay that was originally sold at a Disney Store) or purses / wallets? even the .com store is not very well stocked with these types of merchandise and the theme park merchandise section is very poor.

Instead of fancying up the stores, they should bring back recognizable characters......Minnie, Mickey, Donald.....Winnie the Pooh....

I worked there a few years again and boy do I have a tail for you! I applied a number of times to the various stores in the LA area, but never got hired on. Then one Christmas I was looking for a second job and decided to apply to the only one that was left in West LA, the one at the West Side Pavilion.

My interview went well enough, but as was talked about already, they only pay minimum wage. At that point, I had not done a minimum wage job in years and felt I was above that, but I was so star struck at working for the Disney Store, I foolishly accepted it.

I was originally hired on only as a Temp for the Holidays. I was put in the back as Assistant Stock Boy. They were very and I do mean VERY firm on dress standers and how fast one worked. I was expected at first to proses 12 boxes an hour. This meant opening the boxes up and sorting them (clothing was the worse!) and then putting them on the shelf's "On Stage" or in the backroom. Many times with my boss down my back to work faster! And of course this didn't count the time that I was on stage is a "Guest" came up to me I was to take the time to talk to them.

Seems not as bad you may say, but it gets better. In my case, I was after Christmas given the right to stay on as a "Cast Member" past the Holidays. I actually quit my other job, which was dumb. I stayed in the back, however, becuase they were too cheep to hire anyone else on, they decided that I would cover two jobs at once. So I ended up being a Stock Boy and Greeter/ Cashier at the same time. It got interesting, because my load actually rose as suddenly I was also suppose to now sort up to 17 boxes an hour all while helping Guests On Stage.

It got even more interesting when you then take into account that my Manager (who knew next to nothing about Disney I may add) was normally anywhere from and hour to two hours late the days she opened, which meant that I had to just sit there next to the boxes and do nothing. They were so afraid of things being stolen, I was not allowed to start processing boxes till my manager came in. But, I was expected to catch up the work I lost even though my manager was the one who was always late. It was not uncommon for me to come home with bloody finger each day becuase I'd have to cut the boxes open so fast the box cutter would slice my fingers.

Then there was what I was expected to do On Stage. I was actually taught that if a customer was in longer then 10 minutes and after a few attempts to help them or give them a basket, if they had nothing in their hands, I was to without them realizing it, find a way to basically kick them out. This was becuase they were just window shoppers and we only wanted real customers in the store.

Beyond that, I was expected to check them out between a minute and two minutes like some kind of assembly line. This meant no friendly chatter with the customers unless it was getting the to pre-order the new Disney DVD.

As well, there are sensors on every entrance of each store that keeps track of how many people walk in. They actually kept a ratio of customers who walk in and customers that check out and buy stuff. I had to maintain a certain ratio (I think it was in the 80% rage) of buying customers and then withing that ratio, there was a ratio of how many dollars was to be spent.

If my speed at checking them out was too long or my ratio of how much money was being spent or how many were buying was too low, I would be fired. And again, during all of this, I had to process 17 boxes and hour. And I do all of this for minimum wage.

In my case, what happen was that I was dating a girl from over seas at the time (not a good idea by the way) and during my first interview, asked that if I was to stay on come the Spring if it would be a big deal to take a few weeks off for this. I was told it was ok. Then flash forward, I was hired on as regular and once again asked and was told it was ok. Then I had the dates and asked again a few weeks later and was told it was ok. A month before, still ok. A week before, still ok. Finally the day before and I was told it was ok. My manager also however complained that she felt I was getting too slow for the job and the same lady who praised me a month early was cussing me out.

So I went on my vacation and a few days before I came back in called to get my schedule. I was told that I had not come in the last few days and that I was put on the schedule during the time I had asked for off and that because I did not come in, I could expect swift punishments, even possibly being fired. I decided that it was best to just quit, but then was made to feel like a jerk for doing that. In my mind I have little doubt my manager set the whole thing up to get rid of me.

Now I realize some of my experiences may just be becuase of my manager, but from what I can tell much of it is company wide. I found it funny as I was the only one who actually knew much about Disney and I as the one who was forced out. Take it my story for what it is worth. I hope it helps.

jediliz wrote:Instead of fancying up the stores, they should bring back recognizable characters......Minnie, Mickey, Donald.....Winnie the Pooh....

From what I've heard, the new stores will be based around classic Disney characters. Supposedly, they have created an interactive Magic Mirror (like from Snow White) that will be at the back of the store. Merchandise will have a microchip in it so when you walk by, the mirror might say something to you about what you are holding in your hand. Sounds like a really cool shopping experience to me. I love the Apple Store, so merging Disney magic with Apple's unique shopping experience should make for one heck of store. I'm excited about the changes.

Would it hurt them to sell some cool really nice pens (I got one off ebay that was originally sold at a Disney Store) or purses / wallets? even the .com store is not very well stocked with these types of merchandise and the theme park merchandise section is very poor.

At the D23 Expo, Jim Fielding (president of The Disney Store) gave a presentation and he hinted about the upcoming changes, but wasn't allowed to reveal too much info. However, he did say that The Disney Store has shifted it's focus almost solely towards kids. He said that the online store will still carry adult oriented merchandise, but the brick & mortar stores won't carry much beyond t-shirts, coffee mugs, and snow globes. So while the new shopping experience should be very unique, I'm not expecting merchandise that will make me shell out cash (for myself at least).