Homogenization of the parks

[tlcoke]

I am not a huge souvenir purchaser, maybe I will purchase 1 or 2 items to remember the trip, but I am more likely to purchase something unique than something generic. I would be better off going to Walmart and buying something from their "Disney/Florida" section at half the price of the parks, if Generic was all I had to choose from at Disney. I hate the Disney Parks stuff and will not buy a generic item with this logo on it.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Guest Communications
Executive Offices
P.O. Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 12830-0040


wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com


Be heard!

ETA: this was post 2009....huh...not that that means anything. Just sayin....

 

[ckdsnynt]

As a major Disney consumer I have a small observation. I never had and never will buy anything that has disneyworld and disneyland on the item or package. I can't stand seeing items that are sold in both parks and can't even go far enough to list on one of the two parks. I HATE IT!! ALOT!! I WILL NOT BUY IT!!

How do you manage to avoid it? I can't seem to findanything anymore that only has WDW on it!

 

[ckdsnynt]

The thing I don't understand about the homginization of merchadise is how it is helping? If you go to WDW and see the same thing in every shop, don't you stop going in every shop? If every shop sells the same 10 t-shirts, don't you just get the one or maybe two t-shirts (if that) that you like out of those 10 and that's it? How is that making Disney money?

Back in the day, I could walk out of every shop with something. In 1998 I came home with TWELVE mugs...this past trip October 2008, I came home with TWO. Because they were all the same everywhere. In 1998 I bought three embroidered sweatshirts, October 2008, NONE. I didn't like any of the cheap generic screenprinted ones I saw at every shop.

Now, in Pete's words, I am a rapid fan, but wouldn't even casual vistors buy more with more variety?

I guess I hadn't thought about it this way! But you are right. I used to do the same thing - came home with a ton of stuff. Now, since all the stores have the same thing and so much of it is not unique to WDW or a certain park or resort, I buy much less. Not good for Disney but great for my pocketbook, I guess.

 

[BRobson]

I totally agree - I look for things to buy I have not seen anywhere else but these are rare now.

Give you a laugh though.As most of you know I live in the North East of Scotland and live a long long way from WDW and Disneyland. I was in town today and went into our local TK MAXX store ( I think it in TJ MAXX in the USA) and right inside the door was racks of Disney T shirts. I walked over to check these out and they were all Disneyland T shirts with original tickets on them and everything - so I dont even need to go to DL anymore

 

[dpuck1998]

How do you manage to avoid it? I can't seem to findanything anymore that only has WDW on it!

I just don't buy much anymore. We will buy some art work and maybe a pin here and there. The kids might get a t-shirt on occasion, but our purchases have gone way down and we buy more at the Disney Store near us that we do at the parks.

 

[Hallowishes]

well, i must say i agree with what has been said so far. i used to buy far more items on my past trips.
however, i am remaining positive. there has never been alot targeted for my age group (20's) i am very excited at tren-d opening up in dtd. it seems like it will be right up my alley .. so im crossing my fingers and hoping!

 

[dpuck1998]

I do hope to try out the new t-shirt shop. Sounds like a fun way to get a "special" t-shirt to remember.

 

[manhattan]

My DH and I have been trying to replace our coffee mugs that we must have bought about 10 years ago.....and each time we go we walk through the shops we just look at each other and say, nope, nothing. The search for new mugs has been going on for over 12 months....I really wish they would give us more variety.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I totally agree - I look for things to buy I have not seen anywhere else but these are rare now.

Give you a laugh though.As most of you know I live in the North East of Scotland and live a long long way from WDW and Disneyland. I was in town today and went into our local TK MAXX store ( I think it in TJ MAXX in the USA) and right inside the door was racks of Disney T shirts. I walked over to check these out and they were all Disneyland T shirts with original tickets on them and everything - so I dont even need to go to DL anymore

Funny you should mention this, I was at Gabriel Brothers (a cheaper version of TJ Maxx) and they had a couple racks of Disney World t-shirts, they were $3.99! They also had a ton of those packages of pens you see with a different character on each pen. Still had the $11.99 Disney world price tag on them...they were $1.99! What a shame to find Disney World merchandise in a local discount junk store.

 

[BRobson]

Funny you should mention this, I was at Gabriel Brothers (a cheaper version of TJ Maxx) and they had a couple racks of Disney World t-shirts, they were $3.99! They also had a ton of those packages of pens you see with a different character on each pen. Still had the $11.99 Disney world price tag on them...they were $1.99! What a shame to find Disney World merchandise in a local discount junk store.

It is sad - I never thought I would see Disneyland t shirts for sale in Scotland

 

[Cyrano]

Homogenisation is a pet peeve of mine also. Annoys me when I see any post that starts of with the sentence.... is XXXX the same as in WDW. Or why does XYZ not have the same as ABC park

Vive la difference !

 

[mainegal]

I wanted to bring home something that was "Walt Disney World". I am very happy with the big mug with the one world four parks design.

I wanted to be sure I was not tempted by expensive WDW t-shirts, so I bought matching t-shirts for me and my companion at the Dollar Store. Red with a great big Mickey. We got so many favorable comments about them. And they were ony $5.00 each!

 

[drakethib]

Guest Communications
Executive Offices
P.O. Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 12830-0040


wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com


Be heard!

ETA: this was post 2009....huh...not that that means anything. Just sayin....

Man if someone would wordsmith a good form letter where we good cut and paste our info in that would be sweet.

I would be the first in line to mail.

 

[ckdsnynt]

I just don't buy much anymore. We will buy some art work and maybe a pin here and there. The kids might get a t-shirt on occasion, but our purchases have gone way down and we buy more at the Disney Store near us that we do at the parks.

Yep, I noticed that we weren't buying that much anymore either. I thought it was the fact that I was watching my money more but I don't think that is totally it. I think part of the answer is that I justcan't find anything unique anymore. If I want generic Mickey stuff I can go to Wal Mart or the Disney store. I want something the remember my trip by and those things are hard to find anymore at the parks.