Virgin Megastore @ Downtown Disney Closing

[Disney Von Drake]

When is the Virgin Megastore @ Downtown Disney scheduled to close?

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I've not read anything that said they're closing the store.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Disney Von Drake]

Just like full service gas stations, record stores are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Who pays retail price for DVD’s or CD’s? Popular movies and music are available at significant discounts via Wal-Mart and less popular stuff is available via Amazon. Electronic distribution is growing very fast via the Internet.

During the last few years Virgin Megastore has closed a dozen stores in the USA with the Chicago and Salt Lake City stores having closed this year. More closings are scheduled. It’s my understanding that the last stores to close will be one of the LA stores and the flagship store in Times Square, NY.

Rumor is that Steve Jobs wants to close down the Florida Mall and Millenia Apple Stores in Orlando and take over the Virgin Megastore in DTD and create an iMouse store.

There's really no doubt that the Virgin Megastore @ DTD is closing. It's just a matter of when.

 

[adabob]

Wow i didnt know that it was closing

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I've seen nothing in the press about the DTD Virgin store closing. And since Apple just spent big bucks renovating both the Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia stores, I doubt they're moving either. Those stores target local shoppers. Local shoppers don't go way out to DTD with any regularity.

BobK/Orlando

 

[JimB.]

But I LIKE buying CD's !!

 

[Disney Von Drake]

I've seen nothing in the press about the DTD Virgin store closing. And since Apple just spent big bucks renovating both the Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia stores, I doubt they're moving either. Those stores target local shoppers. Local shoppers don't go way out to DTD with any regularity.

It could well be that O town can support three Apple stores considering its heavy arts, entertainment and tourist demographic. The successful yearlong Disney/iTunes partnership is only the tip of the iceberg.

Iger supports Jobs in the entire digital download delivery system so more content and devices are on the way. Disney wants to control and profit from the digital download business.

After all, Disney didn’t buy Pixar for their movie content!

But I LIKE buying CD's !!

DVD’s and CD’s will be obsolete in just a few years. It’s much easier, safer and faster to store and retrieve your music and movies on electronic media. You'll get use to it just as LP lovers gave up their turntables.

 

[EUROPACL]

Iger supports Jobs in the entire digital download delivery system so more content and devices are on the way. Disney wants to control and profit from the digital download business.

After all, Disney didn’t buy Pixar for their movie content!

DVD’s and CD’s will be obsolete in just a few years. It’s much easier, safer and faster to store and retrieve your music and movies on electronic media. You'll get use to it just as LP lovers gave up their turntables.

Just a couple of points...Apple != Pixar. If Iger and Jobs are so eye to eye on Digital Downloads...how come more Disney stuff is not on iTunes? Why is Disney backing Blue-Ray so heavly?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Why is Disney backing Blue-Ray so heavly? . . .

Apple is one of the first sponsors/supporters of Blue Ray development.

 

[EUROPACL]

Apple is one of the first sponsors/supporters of Blue Ray development.

Really? Apple dosen't own content to put on Blue Ray, they aren't making a DVD player as far as I know. So that leaves them out of the content and hardware side.

That still has nothing to do with Disney...why is Disney backing Blue Ray if Apple and Disney are so eye to eye on Eletronic downloads?

 

[DancingBear]

Re Apple and Blu-ray:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/mar/10blu-ray.html

 

[EUROPACL]

Re Apple and Blu-ray:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/mar/10blu-ray.html

Ok so Apple is making a burner. Ok now I get why Apple is backing Blue-Ray...now can someone fill me in on the rest? You know the whole Disney and Apple see eye to eye on Digital there for Disney is backing Blue-Ray only, yet iTunes is not exactly over flowing on the Disney side....and why buying Pixar means that Disney is buying Pixar for something other than movies?

 

[Disney Von Drake]

Ok so Apple is making a burner. Ok now I get why Apple is backing Blue-Ray...now can someone fill me in on the rest? You know the whole Disney and Apple see eye to eye on Digital there for Disney is backing Blue-Ray only, yet iTunes is not exactly over flowing on the Disney side....and why buying Pixar means that Disney is buying Pixar for something other than movies?

When Disney bought Pixar, they could’ve paid in cash and then gone about their business. However, Disney insisted upon a stock swap to make the Pixar purchase. Why? Because Steve Jobs then became the single largest Disney stockholder (138 million shares) and they put him on the Disney board of directors. The sole reason for this strategy was to chart a course for the digital distribution of Disney content. This issue could make or break Disney (or any of the other 5 major studios) in the next few years.

The primary concern for Disney is digital rights management (DRM). Disney backs Blu-ray for only one reason, it allegedly has superior DRM protection as compared to HD. Same thing is true for Sony and Fox. They have content far greater than even Disney.

Why aren’t there more Disney titles on iTunes? That is because Disney is currently in negotiation with Apple over the fee schedule. Currently, new movies cost $12.99 if you pre-order them prior to release. After they’ve been released for a week, the price rises to $14.99. Older films cost $9.99.

One third of the price goes to Apple and two thirds goes to Disney. Jobs wants to change the pricing structure to a flat $9.99 for all movies with 40% going to Apple and 60% going to the movie provider (Disney).

 

[mitros]

If it goes, DW and I will NOT miss it........

 

[EUROPACL]

When Disney bought Pixar, they could’ve paid in cash and then gone about their business. However, Disney insisted upon a stock swap to make the Pixar purchase. Why? Because Steve Jobs then became the single largest Disney stockholder (138 million shares) and they put him on the Disney board of directors. The sole reason for this strategy was to chart a course for the digital distribution of Disney content. This issue could make or break Disney (or any of the other 5 major studios) in the next few years.

The primary concern for Disney is digital rights management (DRM). Disney backs Blu-ray for only one reason, it allegedly has superior DRM protection as compared to HD. Same thing is true for Sony and Fox. They have content far greater than even Disney.

Why aren’t there more Disney titles on iTunes? That is because Disney is currently in negotiation with Apple over the fee schedule. Currently, new movies cost $12.99 if you pre-order them prior to release. After they’ve been released for a week, the price rises to $14.99. Older films cost $9.99.

One third of the price goes to Apple and two thirds goes to Disney. Jobs wants to change the pricing structure to a flat $9.99 for all movies with 40% going to Apple and 60% going to the movie provider (Disney).

I guess the most important thing is that you understand and follow this logic string.

 

[wdw4us2]

I haven't seen/heard anything about it closing. Every time we go in there, the place is packed.

Their prices are competitive with discounters. Aside from that, they offer a lot of choices not available at discount retailers like Sprawl-Mart.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

I guess the most important thing is that you understand and follow this logic string.

I’ll be among the first to admit that the music business often defies logic.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

The DTD Virgin Megastore is jointly owned (since August, 2007) by two large New York real estate developers (Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust). These companies are big time real estate “flip artists”. It doesn’t look good.

They own the remaining ten North American Virgin Megastores too.

 

[mitros]

The DTD Virgin Megastore is jointly owned (since August, 2007) by two large New York real estate developers (Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust). These companies are big time real estate “flip artists”. It doesn’t look good.

They own the remaining ten North American Virgin Megastores too.

Yea,the Vornado group ran the 2 guys stores in Jersey {originally 2 guys from Harrison} Remenber them, fellow Joisey citizens?

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

The DTD Virgin Megastore is jointly owned (since August, 2007) by two large New York real estate developers (Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust). These companies are big time real estate “flip artists”. It doesn’t look good.

Well if their purchase included the rights to use the Virgin Megastore name then even if they flip it, I'd doubt the purchaser would change the name. There is tremendous brand value in that name, IMO.

BobK/Orlando