News / Merchandise & Boutiques

If you’re familiar with the exit of Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast in Discoveryland, the photo above will probably bring a smirk to your face — at least, until you next try to leave the attraction and are one of those to be funnelled through gift shop Constellations instead. The 2006 attraction originally gave visitors a choice of whether to enter the store (to the left of this photo) similar to other “exit boutiques” at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith and Star Tours, where the shop is located off to one side of the exit to prevent a bottle-neck. Now, the exit area has now been blocked off with some quite hefty barriers, as Star Command force everyone to exit via the gift shop.

Previously, this open covered area often had its own portable cash desk and merchandise stalls. Past attempts to encourage more guests into the store itself can be seen above with the not-so-subtle arrows across the floor. The resort’s newest attraction/shop combo, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, already requires everyone to leave via Tower Hotel Gifts.

VIA DisneyGazette.fr

It’s certainly a merchandiser’s dream come true — free reign of the most popular Pixar characters and plenty of toy tie-ins for Toy Story Playland (even there’s still debate as to whether the land itself will have a single retail location).

Whilst the 15th Anniversary and Mickey’s Magical Party souvenirs largely featured the same design splashed over everything, the New Generation Festival already has a much more varied and modern selection of items. From simple logo T-shirts:

To fun character mugs and bowls:

It’s the huge expanded range of Toy Story items which take pride of place this year, however — especially with Toy Story 3 arriving in July. We’ve got cute plush toys of Bullseye, Rex and other Pixar characters:

Alongside the expected action figures and plastic toys:

Of course, you can pick up an RC remote control car after a ride on RC Racer, or a real (and much more conveniently-sized) Slinky toy after a ride on Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin.

Bored of the usual Sorcerer Mickey hats? Try out a funny triangular Buzz Lightyear hat for size:

Or any one of the endless spin-off toys and souvenirs:

And, to tie in perfectly with the parachute-themed ad campaign, there are these special Disneyland Paris-branded “Parachute Sky Diver” figures of Buzz and Woody:

Several other new merchandise lines have been added recently, including this range of “attractions” souvenirs featuring images and logos of Indy, Space, Tower and Pirates against a red graphic backdrop of other attraction logos such as Phantom Manor, Stitch Live and Studio Tram Tour:

The “I Heart Mickey” range of merchandise has also been expanded, with fancy new cups:

And some new mugs which state more elaborately, “I Am Madly In Love With MK.”:

Indeed, you’re never short of ideas for your next coffee mug at Disneyland Paris:

But be careful — too much caffeine (and shopping) can send you Plane Crazy…

Photos by Dlrpteam for DLRP Today.com

Following last year’s rustic, Spring countryside theme, the refreshed shop windows for Spring 2010 explore knowledge and culture from across the generations, with a heavy foothold in French history.

From Donald and Daisy at a Versailles masquerade ball alongside Princess Tiana to Remy exploring haute cuisine and Mickey and Minnie playing at La Princess et le Troubador, the windows mix new generation characters like Mike Wazowski and The Incredibles into historic themes of Renaissance to show that things are constantly evolving, even on the frozen-in-time cobbles of Main Street USA…

Photos by Dlrpteam for DLRP Today.

That patch of land jutting out between the IMAX building and its Gaumont Cinemas entrance has been waiting an awfully long time, after all. For almost a decade now, the spot has been earmarked for a large, signature store to anchor this busy corner of the resort centre, using the ‘World of Disney’ branding from the Florida, California and New York locations.

These huge department stores are rather like your ultimate, dream version of a regular Disney Store. Operated instead by the merchandise department of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, they attempt to offer the biggest selection of Disney products available, in a sumptuously-themed interior.

Whilst the New York store fits within its leased 5th Avenue location, the stores in the Downtown Disney areas of Disneyland and Walt Disney World share a somewhat similar style. Will the Paris equivalent continue the theme? Not at all…

Photo: Alexandre Rosa via Disney and More

Even the first models and concepts from years ago depicted a very different style of architecture, one that appeared to almost be trying to fit in too hard with its Planet Hollywood and Gaumont neighbours, offering them a blue globe elevated above its entrance and similarly-curved canopies above the entrances.

And then all fell silent. Until, that is, earlier this year — when member MykeY on DCP forum supplied not only fresh hope that the project could be moving ahead but a brand new concept image. This time, depicting something altogether more fantastical:

Inspired by the grand style of the greatest Parisian department stores, this World of Disney store seems to take its cues more from the Galleries Lafayette than any Floridian retail outlet. Beyond the large, open windows spanning its façade, the store sits below a giant central dome — with others above each entrance. You can never have enough domes in Paris, after all.

Mickey Mouse details are present and correct, worked into the side of the building, but with the monolithic “World of Disney” letters worked into the larger of the two entrances, which we have to assume will sit right on the corner of the site, the exterior is more Art Nouveau than Art of Disney.

The original poster added that the cost was estimated at around €14m, a substantial amount for a new store, however important. See, the location right here on the corner is practically — no, entirely — perfect. Guests leaving the park currently often skip right past the offerings of Disney Village, eager to get their sore feet into their car or hotel as quickly as possible.

Bringing a signature store right out here, addressing and opening out onto the hub itself, is about as guaranteed a way as possible to get those cash registers ringing. And, if you’ve been in the incredibly tired Disney Store just after park closing, the extra space alone will be more than welcome.

But just how much space will there be? From the looks of the imposing profile of our Galleries Disney, a second floor must be a possibility — or how about a grand atrium under that huge dome? The latest information, posted by RiverRogue on magicforum, doesn’t quite promise exactly what we’re wishing for, suggesting the upper floor (or indeed, “floors” plural) will just be for storage:

The design has slightly changed after the retirement of Wing Chao from WDI [link], but the project is still going ahead and construction ought to start relatively soon.

The retail surface will cover most of the ground floor, with upper floors used for storage. Judging from what I’ve seen and heard it’ll be the smallest of the World of Disney stores, but still rather big compared to other stores in the resort.

Nevertheless, using any space on upper floors for storage should mean more space saved for retail on the ground floor. With the comment here that construction should begin “relatively soon” and estimation from the original DCP poster that the total cost is no less than €14m, it seems when this project finally does get done, it’ll be done right.

As rumours point to Earl of Sandwich also starting up construction in 2010, it’s hopefully going to be an interesting year ahead for Disney Village. Not just for new additions, either — what about the existing locations?

Think about it — the generic Disney Store surely can’t outlive the opening of a World of Disney too long, and even Earl of Sandwich encroaches more than a little on the market of Disney’s own New York Style Sandwiches (formerly Carnegie’s Deli). Then there are the other boutiques — with a World of Disney selling the biggest collection of merchandise on property, will there be much need for the arguably quite bland selection of Disney Gallery, Disney Fashion, Hollywood Pictures and World of Toys? With most of that block made redundant, this could be a real chance to turn it around into something a whole lot better.

Given a look at the some of the wonderfully diverse offerings from Disney itself at the American Downtown Disney districts — from Disney Vault 28 to the new D-Street and several more — we can’t but hope this potential domino effect leads to nothing short of a full-scale revolution in the Village.

Yes, they show us the World yet we’re still thinking of more. Bring on 2010…!

Credit to MykeY and RiverRogue.

For the first time in years, Disneyland Park didn’t make its Summer season a clean sweep of 11pm closures right through from July to August. For the week of 24th – 30th August 2009, guests would hear the park closing announcements at 10pm, instead.

The real turn of events were hardly dissimilar to every other week of the season, however, as anyone who has following the resort’s hugely unpopular “limited attraction hours” programme this Summer will know. Several of the smaller attractions still opened late and closed early, at the same hours. And, rather than performing at 22:25, Disney’s Fantillusion rolled out just 25 minutes earlier, bang on the advertised closing time of 10pm, with The Enchanted Fireworks following soon after at around 22:35.

But perhaps sensing that these slightly earlier showtimes would give visitors less time to browse the park’s boutiques beforehand, a popular old trick was pulled out again — late night store openings.

As advertised at each and every entrance turnstile, and at many of the shops in question, the stores of Main Street, U.S.A. along with Constellations and Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building, near the entrances of Discoveryland and Frontierland respectively, kept their doors open until gone 11pm. Such a tactic has been used many times before, such as during busy Halloween and Christmas periods when the park’s high attendance contrasts with shorter hours.

Even better, if you’d happened to do a little shopping earlier in the evening, a brand new ploy would be handed right to you — a voucher for 15% off your next purchase totalling €30 euros or more that same night, after 9.30pm. The ticket was printed automatically along with all receipts.

This is the very first time that Disneyland Paris have offered such merchandise discounts to the general public, coming after tests earlier this year saw the resort’s new tills (now identical at every single payment location) printing out vouchers for free hot drinks at various counter service locations.

At a time when the resort is reporting much lower guest spending, late-night shopping and a hefty 15% discount was a pleasingly pro-active way to keep the tills ringing.

Pictures: DLRP Today.com

Front Lot is awash with beautiful red, white and purple flowers this Summer. Over there, on your left, the completely “opened up” Walt Disney Studios Store now sits proudly and prominently — no longer blocked by planters, nor hidden behind small windows.

There’s not even a hint of meddling with the red canopy (like its Princesses retheme last year), nor a single cheap clothes rail lingering outside the store. This may well be the only shop in the resort not to have exploded out into the street.

Let’s step back and take it all in. To jog your memory, here’s how it looked before.

An improvement? Certainly. Though the visible wooden panels hiding the back of the pay desks by two of the new windows seems a little messy, the new store now positively beckons you toward it.

Getting closer — well, will you look at that! New signage!

These two ornate metal pieces have just been added to each side of the main entrance, finally plussing an exterior which has so long been a sea of yellow with just the occasional “Walt Disney Studios Store” — a far cry from the signage-encrusted shops over on Main Street, for example. Now, guests can tell from afar that it sells souvenirs, toys, gifts and fashion.

The text is actually a little reminiscent of the signs over on the Franklin Department Store façade on Hollywood Boulevard, and note how the curve at the top nicely wraps around the existing lights. Excellent work!

Into that door we go… and, oh…

Is this what you expect at the Walt Disney Studios, a park full of action adventures and very un-royal Toons? Apparently so. In fact, since we last balked at the covering-up of the large Walt Disney centrepiece at the back there, it’s been elaborated on quite a bit more.

The new background and its surrounding shelves have been draped with royal red curtains and filled with even more Disney Princess merchandise.

Compared to the blandness across the rest of the store, it actually looks rather appealing when you’re there. Unless there’s some huge unknown market for Princess merchandise at the Studios we’ve missed though, it is strange positioning. Displays dedicated to say, the Disney Villains, could be more appropriate.

Stepping to the right, into the section of the store nearest Disney Studio 1, things suddenly get a whole let better. There are some brand new display units here, and a lot of quality merchandise.

Tasteful homewares, with lots of space to move between the shelves, and over behind the shot below, a great display of retro Minnie Mouse-themed polka dot accessories. It’s a great improvement on what the space was like before.

It also gives the feeling that a retro, Mickey and co, 1930s, Disney shorts theme would have been better for the store. Rooms themed to Walt Disney’s earliest creations (Bambi for the baby accessories, for example), rather than sparingly decorated with pictures of the man himself.

Talking of pictures — the second photo desk, over on the other side of the store, was open for use for the first time, perhaps… ever. Visitors now have a little less of a queue to pick up their souvenir photos from Toon Studio characters and so on.

Princesses aside, it’s looking ok, right? Wrong. Head into the final, separate room, nearest the park exit gates, to be met with…

Briefly dedicated nicely to plush toys, this room has become — no, not a poor version of your local charity shop — but a place for baby accessories, and all that stuff which doesn’t really interest a Disney fan. Good job too — with those bare white walls and the cheap display units, Oxfam suddenly looks like Selfridges…

A project with yet still more to come, or the final reel?

Pictures: DLRP Today.com

Yes, ever keen to extend their worthy history of Armageddon, Gone in Sixty Seconds and, err, Kangaroo Jack, Jerry Bruckheimer Films have turned to those most daring of squeaky animals — guinea pigs! — for a new action/adventure family film released earlier this Summer.

And here’s the obligatory news story about the new movie merchandise in the parks: A full display at the entrance of Legends of Hollywood inside Disney Studio 1 has been given over to the Digital 3-D rodents of G-Force, complete with spy glasses, action figures and of course, plush toys.

The same collection can also be found at Sir Mickey’s Boutique in Fantasyland and at Disney Store and Hollywood Pictures in Disney Village.

Pictures: DLRP Today.com

This new Mickey’s Magical Party CD album was first confirmed in DLRP Magic.com‘s exclusive interview with Director of Music Vasile Sirli back in July, with an expected release for August.

Well, they certainly kept us anticipating — the new album, in a shiny foil cardboard sleeve, began appearing in the resort’s stores in the very last week of the month. Here it is…

On the disc you’ll find pretty much the full original score of the centrepiece show It’s Party Time… with Mickey and Friends, plus two new versions of the ‘Mickey’s Magical Party Time’ theme song by Scott Erickson and the ‘He’s a Pirate’ (a track from the original Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack) remix heard at the start of It’s Dance Time… in Discoveryland.

Rounding out the collection are a few oddities. We’ve got a track by The Hill Billy Trio (‘How Many Biscuits Can You Eat’) and another by The African Tam-Tam. Considering these two were both previously available on Frontierland en Musique and Disneyland Resort Paris en Musique releases respectively, are they there to provide a pause from the very modern, pop-tempo Magical Party tracks, or do they smell like filler? Let’s leave that to you…

Finally, a more surprising deviation is the full, 13-minute soundtrack of the Once Upon a Time Sleeping Beauty “happening” from Fantasyland’s Castle Courtyard. Again, this has little relation to the theme year celebrated by the album, but the music plays well on CD, almost sounding better than it does through the speakers in that area of the park. Very unusually for a Disneyland Paris CD, the full introduction spiel is included. (Unusual and rather annoying, since we’ve yet to ever see anything this complete for far more worthy events like Fantillusion, don’t you think?)

Can’t get to the park just yet? Wondering how all these new tracks sound? Ahh, let DLRP Today.com bring the Storybook Store listening post to you! Here’s an exclusive collection of excerpts from the CD…

The full tracklisting is as follows:

1. Mickey’s Magical Party Time – Instrumental (04:08) *
2. Following the Leader (01:50) *
3. The Bare Necessities (01:53) *
4. Tigger Medley (01:32) *
5. Hakuna Matata (01:44)
6. Peter Pan Medley (01:50) *
7. Mickey – Finale (01:00) *
8. La Fête Magique de Mickey (03:46) (French version by Georges Costa) *
9. Mickey’s Magical Party Time (01:45) (Main Street, U.S.A. version) *
10. Mickey’s Magical Party Time (06:10) (Remix)
11. He’s a Pirate (05:38) (Remix) *
12. The Hill Billy Trio – How Many Biscuits (03:33) *
13. The African Tam Tam (05:00) *
14. Il était une fois, la Belle au Bois Dormant (12:50) *

Total time: (53:48)

Tracks marked with an asterisk (*) are included in the preview above.

With a running time of just over 50 minutes and over 20 of those taken up by the final filler tracks, it’s still notable what this CD celebration of the year’s events fails to include — besides the Mickey’s Magical Party Time song itself, which you’ll have to buy on the separate CD single.

Still we’ve no ‘Tous en Train’ theme song from Minnie’s Party Train and Disney Characters’ Express, nor any music from the new attractions over at Walt Disney Studios Park. Playhouse Disney is excusable since the rights are held elsewhere, but a ‘Roll out the Red Carpet’ mix from Disney’s Stars ‘n’ Cars could have been a good inclusion, perhaps the ‘Showbiz Suite’ version previously released for the parade at Walt Disney World.

Goofy’s Summer Camp has also provided another remix of the main theme song played before the show begins in a laid-back country style, which may well have been cut too late to make the master.

But, who cares? Have you listened to those preview clips above yet, or seen the ‘Party Time’ show in the park itself? The score of this show, particularly the opening and finale, is a sensational piece of work from Vasile Sirli. Incorporating musical styles and instruments from across Europe to give the classic Disney themes a fresh and vibrant new feel, not to mention a glorious, rich orchestral version of the theme song, it’s one of the best Disney entertainment scores of the decade. And now, we can own it.

The CD is priced at €15.00, and now available for sure at The Storybook Store and The Emporium, though may well have found its way to more locations. Grab it quick, though — we’re nearly half way through the year already and in its first days on sale (particularly over the final weekend of August), the small displays at these stores were being emptied each day.

• If you’ve already got the CD, now is the perfect time to discover Jeremie Noyer’s interview with Vasile Sirli all about the main show score itself. Learn the inspirations, the instruments, the ideas and more as you listen… (Click here)

• You can also order the CD via the resort’s official mail order service. Email dlp.mail.order@disney.com for more details.

Pictures: DLRP Today.com; Music: © Disney.