No More Resort Merchandise?

[WDWKOOK]

Someone asked the following question on the BC/YC thread. Below the question is the BC Greeter's response:

(Q.) "Do you know why they removed Beach Club specific Items from the gift shop?
And why they replaced the items with more of the same ole stuff you can find every shop you go into? Will it ever come back?
We visited alot of other resort shops and they still had theirs..."


(A.) "No idea but I did ask one of our merchandise managers and she said she heard all resort specific merchandise was being phased out everywhere. She said she didn't receive any specific information to that end but that that was the "talk".

It's very sad!"

 

[cmcinc]

That is a bummer...I really like the resort merchandise.

 

[Golf4food]

This has been going on for quite some time and there have been many threads about it and they had a long discussion about it on the DIS Unplugged Podcast, too.

Only the deluxe resorts and some DVC have resort specific merchandise - all values and mods are going generic. It saves WDW money from the manufacturers (differentiation = higher production costs = higher wholesale cost to Disney) but it certainly still sucks for those of us who would like some variety.

 

[Cobra B.]

This has been going on for quite some time and there have been many threads about it and they had a long discussion about it on the DIS Unplugged Podcast, too.

Only the deluxe resorts and some DVC have resort specific merchandise - all values and mods are going generic. It saves WDW money from the manufacturers (differentiation = higher production costs = higher wholesale cost to Disney) but it certainly still sucks for those of us who would like some variety.

That doesn't expain things here though, the Beach Club is both Deluxe and DVC for the Villas.

 

[OldsDr]

It saves WDW money from the manufacturers (differentiation = higher production costs = higher wholesale cost to Disney) but it certainly still sucks for those of us who would like some variety.

I understand the whole larger volume, less set up cost means less expensive to produce. However, I still can't get over the fact that they have to be loosing a huge volume of sales. If I can get the same stuff at my resort that i can get a DTD I am not going to buy the same shirt twice because it is at two different stores.

This is to me what happned to the Disney stores. You get rid of all your loss leaders that get you foot traffic, then all the stuff you do make money on sits there because no one is comming to look at the cool stuff(which i happened to buy quite often). You then say you are not making money and sell yourself off.

Now all the gifts shops have the same stuff, once you have been in one you have been in all of them. Why go into the Main St. Gift shops if you went to DTD the first day.


I welcome being corrected on this one, because it gives me headache trying to comprehend it. I may have an emotional bias in that i love resort and ride specific merchandise.

 

[devanj1]

Sad to hear this! I always found the resort merch. a unique way to remember where you stayed!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I guess the merchandise is headed for the same fate as the resort specific refillable mugs

 

[MUDisneyCouple]

I can understand how it might save Disney money but I agree, I like my resort specific merchandise. The DW and I have tried to make it a point to stay at a different resort every time we go. Mostly for the fun of seeing the different merch, plus each resort has its own charms too. Seems like they would be losing out on the resort specific market there. I guess the DW and I are gonna have to be a little bit more careful with the refillable mug we got from the WL on our honeymoon, I guess it's a true collector's item now.

 

[CandyMandy]

If this rumor is correct and the cutbacks extend to the Deluxe DVC properties, I'm definitely bummed. Looks like I will have to get over to the Boardwalk on our upcoming trip (We're staying at Wilderness) just to secure some B-Walk specific merchandise. That's our home DVC resort and all I have at present from there is a ceramic coffee mug (has graphic on it like the below and is still in active use in our kitchen, I may now retire it to a collectible cabinet before it gets broken!!!)

 

[KYMickey]

Everybody keeps talking about "it saves Disney money". So what if it costs them more to make resort specific merchandise, just charge more for it! Most of us would still buy the merchandise to show off where we have been (or own) and besides the price per item isn't going to be that much different. Doing this would change the original phrase to "it costs Disney money if they do not do it".

This as to be one of the stupidest marketing moves ever!

 

[doconeill]

Alas, they've been working towards this for at least 2 years. I'm actually surprised there is anything left.

 

[DVC mom]

I would buy quite a bit of merchandise IF it were offered at my DVC home!!!!! Seeing I travel several times a year, that could add up!!! I had hoped they'd offer DVC merchandise on the shopping site just as they added D23 items. I guess I am out all the way around!

 

[JasonGarcia]

Hi folks,

I cover Walt Disney World for the Orlando Sentinel and I'm thinking of writing a story on this topic. (Just realized the other day, for instance, that Disney appears to have stopped selling the yearly hotel-themed Christmas ornaments.)

If any of you would be interested in talking about this -- whether to potentially be quoted in a story or just to provide examples of hotel-specific merchandise that is now longer being sold -- I'd love to hear from you. I can be reached at 407-420-5414 or jrgarcia AT orlandosentinel.com (note the middle initial in the email address....and apologies for posting it so weirdly, have to do it because of the message board filters).

Thanks for your time,
jason

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi folks,

I cover Walt Disney World for the Orlando Sentinel and I'm thinking of writing a story on this topic. (Just realized the other day, for instance, that Disney appears to have stopped selling the yearly hotel-themed Christmas ornaments.)

If any of you would be interested in talking about this -- whether to potentially be quoted in a story or just to provide examples of hotel-specific merchandise that is now longer being sold -- I'd love to hear from you. I can be reached at 407-420-5414 or jrgarcia AT orlandosentinel.com (note the middle initial in the email address....and apologies for posting it so weirdly, have to do it because of the message board filters).

Thanks for your time,
jason

No introduction necessary, Jason. I don't think this forum would be what it is if we weren't able to quote/link to your great articles. I look almost daily at your columns online and feel "out of the loop" without them.

I'm certain your call for help will be met with many offers. We have many "locals" posting who keep track of all the WDW minutiae.

Welcome to the DISboards, Jason and thanks again for your informative and thought-provoking articles. Let us know when this particular article goes to print

 

[Golf4food]

I think perhaps our perception on this issue is slightly skewed. Most of us DISers are the hardcore Disney fan who make multiple trips per lifetime or per year. We stay at different resorts frequently or else have one that we consider "home" (or else are DVC members and do have a "home"). But we are the minority for WDW. The larger percentage of WDW guests are not like us, they don't come down multiple times per year, and they don't make yearly pilgrimages. They come down once when their kids are little, maybe twice, and maybe never come back ever again. For those guests they don't view their hotel as much part of the experience for which they would want a specific souvenier when they could spend their souvenier money on a generic WDW item from the Emporium instead.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I wonder if we are going to see sales at the resort stores on the resort merchandice or do you think they will send the items off to the Disney Character stores at the Premium Outlets and Prime Outlets, to be sold at half the price or more?

 

[Luv2Roam]

As already mentioned here and in other threads, the merchandise has become too generic.
It use to be if you saw something in one store you wanted, you better buy it as you may not see it again.
Now as mentioned, it's the same merchandise sold in store after store after store, generally. There are a few differences. But nothing like it use to be.
Not that it is bad merchandise. The variety from stores is just missing now.
And like others I find myself not looking in stores as much as it has gotten pretty predictable. And of course, no looking, no buying either.

 

[MUDisneyCouple]

Since they are phasing things out, does anyone know if BLT has any merch? It's our home and we will be staying there for the first time this next trip...this is SUCH a bummer.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Since they are phasing things out, does anyone know if BLT has any merch? It's our home and we will be staying there for the first time this next trip...this is SUCH a bummer.

Last August after they opened they were selling Bay Lake Tower shirts at the Fantasia Market and they still had some in December 2009.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It is very sad to see the same stuff in every shop... And Disney wonders why merchandise sales are slow? How many "Disney Parks" shirts does one person need??
Remember when the store in Germany sold coo-coo clocks, or when they sold yard glasses in the UK?

MG