I love Main Street, but ...

[disneysteve]

I was glad Main Street won for best themed land. That was my vote too. As a Disney veteran, though, I do miss the way Main Street used to be when the focus was more on theme and atmosphere and not so focused on squeezing every last cent out of the guests at every turn.

Main Street used to have many unique experiences: the Walt Disney story, the Cinema, the Magic Shop, the Penny Arcade, etc. All of those locations gradually got replaced by stores all selling the same stuff as every other store. Plus they eliminated one side alley to make the Emporium even bigger.

Does anyone else miss the way Main Street used to be? I still love it. I still love just hanging out there, especially at times when it isn't overly crowded. But I do miss the "old" Main Street.

 

[Tonopah]

I miss the general store and I do not like Starbucks at all.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I remember the cinema and the penny arcade. They were great and I do miss them.

Main Street is still nice but like you, I miss the variety they used to have.

 

[jcb]

I dislike the stores selling mountains of merchandise but I think the Starbucks is an improvement. At least it breaks up the endless tchotchkes shops.

 

[disneysteve]

I dislike the stores selling mountains of merchandise but I think the Starbucks is an improvement. At least it breaks up the endless tchotchkes shops.

The Main Street Bakery broke up the shops just fine.

On the plus side, I love that they put an operating glass shop into Main Street. I love watching the glassblower work and I think the items they make there are wonderful and unique souvenirs. We have one of the Mickey vases at home.

 

[kbelle8995]

I miss the old Main Street. I miss the Flower Lane and the Cinema.

 

[disneysteve]

I miss the Flower Lane and the Cinema.

For those who don't remember the cinema, it was a great place to escape the heat and crowds. There were 6 screens around the room showing classic Mickey cartoons like Steamboat Willie and others. There were no seats. You just sat on the floor. There was an elevated platform in the center of the room so there were a couple of levels of seating.

I realize that it just wouldn't work today though. The park is way too crowded for something like that to be feasible unfortunately.

 

[kbelle8995]

For those who don't remember the cinema, it was a great place to escape the heat and crowds. There were 6 screens around the room showing classic Mickey cartoons like Steamboat Willie and others. There were no seats. You just sat on the floor. There was an elevated platform in the center of the room so there were a couple of levels of seating.

I realize that it just wouldn't work today though. The park is way too crowded for something like that to be feasible unfortunately.

Still miss it though. It was a cool respite on a hot day.

Flower Lane was cool we used to take pictures there when I was young. I also would love some Main Street Merchandise.

 

[disneysteve]

Flower Lane was cool we used to take pictures there when I was young. I also would love some Main Street Merchandise.

Wasn't that also where the silhouette person worked who is now back in Liberty Square?

Speaking of Liberty Square, I've got nostalgia there too for the silver shop and the antique shop.

It seems like years ago, the theming wasn't just about the facades of the buildings but also about what was inside, what types of shops one would find in those areas. Today, that isn't nearly as true anymore.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I still love Main Street just the same but it's for the actual street and not the content of the stores. I never really went into the cinema or did more than a cursory glance through the other specialty stores. It has always been my favorite for the clean, utopia feeling of an early 1900s Main Street for the architectural details and theming (and streetmosphere). I still love it for that reason and still only browse quickly through the stores and buy little to nothing

 

[Viva Las Disney]

For those who don't remember the cinema, it was a great place to escape the heat and crowds. There were 6 screens around the room showing classic Mickey cartoons like Steamboat Willie and others. There were no seats. You just sat on the floor. There was an elevated platform in the center of the room so there were a couple of levels of seating.

I realize that it just wouldn't work today though. The park is way too crowded for something like that to be feasible unfortunately.

Disneyland's cinema sounds like it's the exact same setup and it's still in use, rarely busy either.

Even with WDW's larger crowds I think the cinema could still work there, I have a feeling removing it was purely about adding store space and had nothing to do with crowds.

 

[disneysteve]

I have a feeling removing it was purely about adding store space and had nothing to do with crowds.

I agree. I can just see it not working with a large crowd, unsupervised children, etc.

 

[DisneyKingpin]

Disneyland's cinema sounds like it's the exact same setup and it's still in use, rarely busy either.

I think the key phrase here is "rarely busy." If anything is rarely busy, it's probably because it's not popular enough. So if you can find something more appealing to replace it, I'm not opposed. Classic example of supply and demand concept.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

I miss the old Main Street too. When I was a kid, we spent more time on Main Street than we do today. It was less crowded then and there was no rush to get to your first attraction. Maybe now with FP+ I can stop and enjoy it again.

 

[BigBlueWho]

Sigh...I have these same thoughts every time I go...Main St could be super awesome instead of great if all those places weren't packed with shops. When I become king of the world, it's on my to do list.

 

[disneysteve]

It was less crowded then

I think this is really the underlying cause of a lot of things folks complain about. The parks are simply more crowded and often over-crowded. It makes much harder to just enjoy the experience. It's hard to find a time to just meander down Main Street, browse the window displays, read the 2nd story windows, etc.

To a large extent, I think Disney is suffering from its own success in this regard. The crowds, more than anything else, are what negatively impact the guest experience. Unless they start capping the number of people they let in the gate (which isn't ever going to happen), that isn't likely to change.

 

[blondelozzie]

What ever happened to the pet shop? I remember buying my much loved and missed a doggie food bowl back in 1994!!!! New doggie now would love to get her one x

 

[Cherinva]

I miss the old Main Street too....and I really dislike that Starbucks went into the bakery (don't get me wrong...I love my starbucks, but I don't think it belongs on Main Street)

 

[WDWLoveForever]

Who remembers the cinema at the front of the park. They showed a movie there around 1997(?). And you would get a large sticker with the year you first attended wdw.

 

[disneysteve]

Who remembers the cinema at the front of the park. They showed a movie there around 1997(?). And you would get a large sticker with the year you first attended wdw.

That was where the Walt Disney Story was but they had updated the movie. The big cardboard rectangular "buttons" with the sticker for the year you first visited were for the 25th anniversary in 1996. They were white and said "Guest of Honor" on top or blue and said "First Visit" on top.

Here's one on ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Disney-Worl...156?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce80feb54