Disney Store buyback, by Disney?

[sorcerormickey]

Former ASM here!

Remember "Project Go"? It should have been called "Project Go Right Down the Toilet". The former president of Nike (or was it the Gap?) came in and decided that TDS should be run just like that company. He didn't get the "Magic" at all and the stores changed, dramatically, for the worse. Store morale suffered, merchandise quality declined and products were pushed. CMs were no longer allowed to discuss WDW with guests...instead we had to point them to the latest WDW guidebook, conveniently on sale right there in the store. Longtime CMs quit left and right because of all of the changes. It's definitely what pushed me out the door.

Was that the one with those stupid cards the managers had to fill out for the CMs everyday? Oh BARF!!!! I used to just fake the cards I needed to write at the end of my shift, LOL.

 

[Maleficent13]

We had "the loft". All superfluous plush went up there. To access "the loft" you had to climb up the storage shelves. To get down from the loft, you had to be Spiderman. My palms are sweating just thinking about that loft.

 

[eclectics]

The trend toward crap came long before TCP bought them. It was TDS that pretty much gave away all the watches/jewelry/collectables in a massive sale and did away with adult product altogether and filled the spots with 5 hundred million talking Buzz Lightyear dolls.

You are exactly right. It was Disney's own doing that turned their stores from a clever assortment of adult and child items into a mainly 'stuffed animal/princess party dress' type atmosphere. They did the same at WDW when they got rid of all the specialty shops and turned them all into generic outlets selling basically the same things you could buy everywhere else at WDW. It's a shame, imho.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Was that the one with those stupid cards the managers had to fill out for the CMs everyday? Oh BARF!!!! I used to just fake the cards I needed to write at the end of my shift, LOL.

I hated those cards. Gag.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Was that the one with those stupid cards the managers had to fill out for the CMs everyday? Oh BARF!!!! I used to just fake the cards I needed to write at the end of my shift, LOL.

Yup! That was the one. It was also the one where CMs had to pick an "E-Ticket" item to try to sell on their shift. Forget the fact that maybe the guests weren't looking for that item or were just there to browse. No...CMs had to actively try to sell it anyway.

The final straw for me was when SM and ASM salaries were tied in to sales, without any regard for factors beyond our control. I worked one whole week of snowy weather where our figures were WELL below expectations, simply because people weren't coming out to the mall...but that affected me negatively. Nope. No thank you. I was done...although I had already been close.

I used to LOVE working for TDS. I loved doing the Disney Fold and making the store look just-so. I used to love sharing the Disney "Magic" with guests and hearing about their trips. It was so much fun to go in to work each day and I really looked forward to being in the store. It's really a shame that things changed so much.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I used to LOVE working for TDS. I loved doing the Disney Fold and making the store look just-so. I used to love sharing the Disney "Magic" with guests and hearing about their trips. It was so much fun to go in to work each day and I really looked forward to being in the store. It's really a shame that things changed so much.

This was me as well. I loved doing all those things. I miss doing that.

 

[Bunchkin]

Very interesting info!

Obviously most of us long for the good ol' days of TDS. But I doubt it will return to that time. Like others mentioned, there is a recession, which is the reason TCP is pulling out.

We too loved the days of real clothes in the stores, for not only kids but adults too.
We used to shop there a lot and always found quality items to buy. I can't even recall that happening in the past 5-6 years. Maybe we leave with one or two items and we shop there so sporadically now.
We are actually going there this afternoon and the only thing I'm intending on buying, which is the only reason for going there, is for Disney Dollars.

 

[CraftyMouse]

We are actually going there this afternoon and the only thing I'm intending on buying, which is the only reason for going there, is for Disney Dollars.

That's all I ever buy there too! And I make DH do it for me on the way home from work. Seeing the stores the way they are now is just too depressing.

 

[Planogirl]

I've bought passes there in the past few years but that's it. Funny that they still sell those.

 

[kimmikayb]

Yup! That was the one. It was also the one where CMs had to pick an "E-Ticket" item to try to sell on their shift. Forget the fact that maybe the guests weren't looking for that item or were just there to browse. No...CMs had to actively try to sell it anyway.

The final straw for me was when SM and ASM salaries were tied in to sales, without any regard for factors beyond our control. I worked one whole week of snowy weather where our figures were WELL below expectations, simply because people weren't coming out to the mall...but that affected me negatively. Nope. No thank you. I was done...although I had already been close.

I used to LOVE working for TDS. I loved doing the Disney Fold and making the store look just-so. I used to love sharing the Disney "Magic" with guests and hearing about their trips. It was so much fun to go in to work each day and I really looked forward to being in the store. It's really a shame that things changed so much.

and I feel the changes made them loose many of their best cast members. I know many people, managers and PT who quit because it just got stupid to work there. People who were trying to make a career in Disney because of their passion for the company. But when you get treated poorly, your passion dies. When I took my leave....I didn't step foot in a store for 5 years. Didn't visit WDW for 6 years and I had been going every year. I'm glad I've gotten some of the magic back because of my kids. I still don't shop the Disney Store.

 

[CraftyMouse]

When I took my leave....I didn't step foot in a store for 5 years. Didn't visit WDW for 6 years and I had been going every year. I'm glad I've gotten some of the magic back because of my kids. I still don't shop the Disney Store.

I had no problem going to WDW, but I couldn't go in the store for quite a while. Luckily the parks still held their magic for me and always have (even after having worked there) but the stores are a different story...especially now that they are no longer Disney-run.

 

[Micca]

I spent much time and many dollars in the old TDS. The day after Christmas DW and I would go wait for the store to open with several dozen people, and rush the store to grab the discounted Christmas decorations. It was so much fun, and the merch quality was great. There was a time when spending
some time in TDS would ease the "jones" of needing to go to WDW.

 

[aunties]

I have been with the stores so long, not only did I wear the sweater, but the gray skirt too! Try straightening plush mountain in that costume!

I have seen the Good. I had frequent, nice guests that I got to know by name. I even had several guests that would come in when they knew I was working to discuss the collectibles with me and always left with something. The guests back then weren't complaining about sales. They knew we only had 4 per year. I had one little guest who used to try to stump me with trivia questions. She kept me in practice for the trivia competitions that we used have between stores.

I've seen the Bad. I can't believe someone who was suppose to be intelligent thought up Project Go and those stupid "report cards" we got every shift. What about hooting at every guest? Remember the Who + 2 - who were they shopping for and 2 things they couldn't love without. Made me feel like a hoot owl.

And I have seen the Ugly. We really did lose a lot of magic when we got bought out. A lot of long time CMs left our store. Now, the new ones don't even know who half the characters are. I really saw a change in the guests' attitudes as well. We aren't getting the same respect we used to.

As much as I hate to fold, it still drives me crazy that the designs on the shirts don't line up perfectly. And, I cringe when the plush in the mountain isn't perfectly straight. Maybe it doesn't seem all that important, but these are some of the things that made us to be proud to be CMs back then.

OK Cape Cod Tenor, I have been driving myself crazy trying to remember what MAGIC actually stood for.

Hopefully, things will get a bit better for the CMs and the guests.

 

[sorcerormickey]

Maintain Your Presence
Assess the Guest
Greet the Guest
Individualize Service
Conclude the sale


I think those are right...

Then before that....the Guest Service Cycle (given to us on those little plastic cards!!!)

 

[BrerMom]

And if Disney runs the stores again, could we please have our local Disney Store back? I loved to go there so much. I was asked several times by different CMs to apply for a part-time job. It wasn't the right time in my life then, but I'd love to do it now as a moonlighting job.

 

[Feralpeg]

As long as Disney doesn't turn them into another outlet for the same generic merchandise that currently floods the theme parks. I am so sick of seeing pirate and princess everything. There is no variety left at WDW. True, there is a lot of merchandise, but it is the same theme over and over.

That is the one thing I liked about the Disney Store. I could go in and actually find some unusual character plush.

 

[diznygirl]

I have been with the stores so long, not only did I wear the sweater, but the gray skirt too!

Do you remember the training video - there was a bit about greeting:

Hi! Welcome to the Disney Store!
Hi! Welcome to the Disney Store!
Hi! Welcome to the Disney Store!
Hi! Welcome to the Disney Store!
Hi! Welcome to the Disney Store!


The girl was like an animatronic!

I remember the in-store competitions - DH's store won varsity jackets. Very cool. Tim also won the company-wide Trivia Contest. Ahh, the good old days.

But yes - then the friendly selling competitions dissolved into sell-or-else. I believe it was our good buddy Paul Pressler who messed up TDS before he went to Disneyland to mess things up.......

 

[Cool-Beans]

As long as Disney doesn't turn them into another outlet for the same generic merchandise that currently floods the theme parks. I am so sick of seeing pirate and princess everything. There is no variety left at WDW.

Ditto.

The parks are filled with cheap clothes, too. Overpriced, but poor quality.

Back in the day, you'd pay a little extra at the Disney store, but the clothes were excellent quality. I'm still wearing a sweatshirt I got there in 1993 and it's still in good condition.

There are shirts I got last year that fell apart after one or two washings.

I hope they bring back good quality clothes.

I'd also like to see the Sing Along Songs series return and be stocked in TDS.

 

[aunties]

Thanks SorcerorMickey! It was driving me crazy!

And yes DiznyGirl, I do remember the training videos. I think we had to watch 2 or 3 of them and then pass a test before we were allowed to work onstage. I remember rolling my eyes a few times. Some how the type of guests portrayed in the videos never came into our store.

We always just missed the varsity jacket competitions. Our store did win the Cel-a-thon event one year. All our CMs won a sericel. We were pretty excited about it.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I agree that the clothes used to be so nice. When DS was little, he wore sooo many cute outfits from TDS, and everytime I bought a new baby gift for friends I always got an outfit from there - with the matching socks, hat, etc. Now I can't stand most of the clothing I see there. It always looks washed out to me.