More Children's Place/Disney Store News

[TheDisneyGirl02]

To the CM who still works for TDS today. Your loyalty to Disney is a bit blind. You admit that TDS is no longer Disney, but still hold on to a dream that Disney abandoned almost ten years ago. It's very sad because Disney doesn't want or need your loyalty. They just want your money. Your post was well-intended, but it was also an advertisement for the new products at your store. You have been beaten down by Disney and your spirit should surely be broken. Yet you still find a way to defend the Mouse and talk about a come back. Most other companies would welcome such loyalty. It wouldn't hurt you to start exploring your options in the next few months and jump ship before it sinks.

I'm not blind, I'm just loyal and still believe in what Walt dreamed of when he conceived the idea of Disney magic. You say so yourself in your signature that Walt didin't go into making DL for the money, he did it to create magic. I see that magic every time I work in the eyes of the children to who come into the store and see Mickey and Pluto on a magic carpet hanging from the ceiling. That is why I am still there, to help bring magic to my hometown when it seems like there is no magic anywhere.

I don't feel that I was trying to advertise for the stores - most people on the boards basically say the reason why they dont' shop at the stores anymore is because of the product. I'm just trying to show that you can go to the store now and get adult merchandise or an infant outfit for a gift. I am not a full time CM, I have a full time job and I work evenings only. I care about the store because of the friends that I have made there over the years. I met my best friend there almost 10 years ago.


I disagree with you, Disney DOES need the loyalty. There are many CMs at my store who have been there for 10 years or more. We are dedicated in bringing Disney magic to the guests. Too many good things have happened to me because of Disney in my life (I met my boyfriend on a Disney dating site as well as getting my current FT job because of the expertise I gained by working at the store and WDW) and it has brought too much joy to me to just abandon one part of it.

I'm sorry you feel the way you do about the stores. It's kind of sad in a way that you are telling a loyal CM to jump ship. You obviously are entitled to your opinion, though. If the Disney Store ship is going to sink, I'd rather be on it than watching it from afar.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I don't understand this. Why would Disney NOT want any association with a vendor that distributes products with thier name? Isn't that the reason for a licensing agreement...in part to protect the integrity of the name? Association would be critical in terms of some oversight. And isn't there some financial benefit to Disney in such an agreement? Again, association would be on paper in the bottom line.

I'm not a business expert, but this stuff is interesting to me.

Who runs MouseGear at Epcot? Is that run by some merchandising dept at Epcot, or is it at a higher corporate level that runs all the theme park shops?

As far as MouseGear at Epcot, I believe it's run by WDW merchandising. I know that some of the shops in Epcot or run by outside companies/organizations, but I think that that MouseGears is indeed run by WDW.

As far as association with the Disney Stores, it's a vital link for the parks to keep there presense felt in the stores. We sell park tickets, Disney Dollars and Disney Gift cards. DD and Disney GCs can be spent at the stores or at WDW. Most of the time, since things are more expensive at the parks, people will spend GCs and DD there. Disney would lose money if those items weren't available to people outside of the theme park areas.

Also, most things you purchase at WDW and DL can be returned at the Disney Store with an original receipt within 60 days of purchase. It gives guests the opportunity to go into their local store, return something if it's not working correctly if they change their mind about it and then shop a little more. I've seen it happen hundreds of times. People will come into the store after just getting home from the parks and still purchase items.

 

[TheWho]

If the Disney Store ship is going to sink, I'd rather be on it than watching it from afar.

Good for you DisneyGirl02!! You're obviously a hard worker and a positive force at your store.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Good for you DisneyGirl02!! You're obviously a hard worker and a positive force at your store.

Thank you very much! I really appreciate your kind words of encouragement!

 

[shirley 38]

I was employed at the DS from 1994 to 2004. The writing was on the wall when they started shutting down stores.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ALL THE CAST MEMBERS "WHO ALSO LOVES EVERYTHING ABOUT DISNEY"?

I know when all was done, It was like a death in the family. I still go and visit my old Manager along with the 16 year olds they hired..

DISNEY DID NOT WANT THE STORES ANYMORE. They sold us out. I Love everything about Disney BUT NOT THE STORES THAT BELONG TO THE CHILDREN'S PLACE.

Right now in my store there are no orginal Cast Members left except for the Manager.
This has to tell you something.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE MOUSE

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

In some ways I hate the fact that Disney abandoned us. We were one of the lucky stores because we still have a few original CM's at the store (I wasn't part of the opening cast because I wasn't 18 at the time), and yes, when the originals left, it did feel like my family was bringing ripped apart. I did a lot of crying over it and didn't even want to be at DL for the 50th anniversary (July 17) because I knew Michael Eisner would be there and personally (I say personally because regardless if it's the truth or not) I did not want to see the man who was responsible for tearing my Disney family apart.

The reason I stayed was because of the guests. Yes, there guests can get on my nerves to no end, but then there are the regulars who I have become friends with and am genuinely happy to see. I felt it was important for us to keep a strong front in my store (even though I'm only a PT CM) for the guests because they are there for the Disney magic, not the politics that go on behind closed doors. The guests don't care who signs my paycheck, they just care about the Guest Service and Disney magic that they will get at the stores. I'll admit, some stores lack guest servicing skills, my store has been complimented many times about it.

I remember when the sale first took place, there was something going around the Internet written by a TDS CM called "I Still Work for Walt". Like I said before, regardless of who signs my paycheck, I still work for Walt and what he stands for.

 

[shirley 38]

You are very lucky having returning guests.

With us being a high volumn store a lot of our guest were repeat guest that were collectors. When Disney took all that away they had no reason to come to the store anymore except to say hello.

Eisner was gready when he saw all of the 300 and some stores were doing so well. He then started building more store up to about 800 and took all the good merchandise away.

Then when alll did not go as plan, and we were carring the same merchandise as Walmart, he decided to close stores.

Like I said I was there for the GREAT TIMES when people lined up outside our store for their Movie and Lithograph, At after Christmas Sale.

I did not see this for the last five years I was there.

If you want anything of value from Disney, you have the New York store, WDW, Disneyland.

Thank you Mr. Eisner. You created the death of the true Disney stores and taking that magic away.

Let us be thankful we can still go to WDW and DL and enjoy the magic

 

[remain seated please]

I blame Ei$ner for many things. He was not as talented as the many people who worked under him. But giving credit where credit is due, he did bring those people on board. What I don't blame Eisner for is the demise of TDS under his regime. He actually deserves a great deal of credit for giving us those stores in the first place. Before Michael, there was no TDS and no way to get quality Disney merchandise outside of the parks.

What happened to TDS was classic Disney over-saturation of the marketplace. Sure, Eisner is somewhat accountable for this, but there is plenty of blame to go around. The licensing of Disney merchandise to any and every retailer who wanted it was what killed TDS. The typical "Guest" no longer cares where they get their Disney merchandise, onlly how much it costs. If Walmart, Best Buy, Target or anyone else has a better deal on Disney stuff, people are going to go there. In the early TDS days, there was no choice. You knew that what you were getting was unique and special.

Then there's the lack of anything new over at the mouse. Creativity and originality have been replaced with reusable templates and/or cookie cutter designs and plans. From DVD sequels to film franchises based on theme park rides to a quiz show airing almost nightly until it died and then was turned into a theme park attraction that also failed. Disney has become legendary of taking something good and then ruining it.

Walt Disney once said "I hope people never lose sight of one thing. It was all started by a mouse." Well people have lost sight of that. The mouse and his other 4 friends were replaced by a bear, then a space man, a bunch of princesses and finally a pirate. None of which will ever be as enduring as that mouse. This November, Mickey will turn 80 years old. Where is the big celebration? Nothing, Nada. Just the "Year of a Million Dreams" part 2. (See reusable templates above).

The state of Disney is a sad one. The fact that TDS is still around is just a reminder to many of us of how low this company has sunk. Just like Seinfeld, Garth Brooks, Michael Jordan and others, TDS should have gone away while it still had respect and dignity. Now The Disney Store is nothing more than a pitiful reminder of what once was. And that's not the fault of The Children's Place.