Reality Hit REAL Hard (Disney Store Closed) - Merged

[Gottaluvgoof]

Ok, so last night I took a trip to the mall. I figured I would go check out the Disney Store before they closed. All the Disney Stores in our area are closing. I get to the store and IT IS GONE! :sob: i knew it was closing, but there was just something about walking over and seeing it dark and empty. It was a very sick feeling. :( Very depressing. I guess it will just make me all that more excited to walk in the shops at Disney World when we go in September.

[Hayden's Dad]

All but two in North Carolina have closed now. We caught the one in Winston Salem on it's last week and got some really good deals, but after talking to a couple of the CMs and finding out that only two were remaining in Raleigh and in Charlotte both over an hour away it was kinda depressing. :( Now we will just have to take day trips to the stores so we can get a Disney fix in between trips. :thumbsup:

[OhToodles!]

Ok, so last night I took a trip to the mall. I figured I would go check out the Disney Store before they closed. All the Disney Stores in our area are closing. I get to the store and IT IS GONE! :sob: i knew it was closing, but there was just something about walking over and seeing it dark an:cry:d empty. It was a very sick feeling. :( Very depressing. I guess it will just make me all that more excited to walk in the shops at Disney World when we go in September.

It's so sad! We haven't been to any of the malls yet since they closed, but I know it will be depressing when we do. :cry:

[Gottaluvgoof]

All but two in North Carolina have closed now. We caught the one in Winston Salem on it's last week and got some really good deals, but after talking to a couple of the CMs and finding out that only two were remaining in Raleigh and in Charlotte both over an hour away it was kinda depressing. :( Now we will just have to take day trips to the stores so we can get a Disney fix in between trips. :thumbsup:

Our nearest Disney Stores will be in Branson (3 1/2 hours) and Chicago (4 1/2 hours) :( With the price of gas, I guess our only option will be DisneyShopping.com

[mizzoumouse]

Lisa called me today to tell me it was closed in Crestwood!!! I was shocked! I was going to head over there on Sunday since we leave in 21 days! I was going to pick up some stuff! :(

How sad!

[Marceline]

Waaaaaahhhhh!!:crying: My sis just called from the mall and told me the bad news that the Disney Store at the Independence Center was gone now too.:sob:

That was the nearest to me, and the only reason to go to the mall anymore.

She said there was a little girl standing, cross armed and scowling at the now blocked entrance. She stands for me as well.:pout:

Nearest one left here is in North KC, near the airport. I assume it will remain, as it is a big new store in the fancy new Zona Rosa shopping district.

Man!:( Pooh on this economy.

[LauraleeH]

You know what I don't get? Only one closed in my area, and there are at least 3 other locations staying open. That's awesome, don't get me wrong, but I live just a couple of hours away from Disney! I don't understand why they'd keep so many open around here when people far away from Disney deserve and appreciate them more.

[DisneyCouture]

Here in Connecticut is the same thing, we have only one left. It is in Farmington which is near Hartford. It is hike for me to get up there. So sad.:(

[grumpyguy]

i've avoided the mall near me just for that reason,i couldn't bear to see a steel gate across the door and looking all abandoned and dark.:(

[DisneyDog]

I don't know if the one nearest to me is closing or staying open. They were supposed to open a new one at a new outlet shopping mall, but that opening seems to have been cancelled. The mall near me is the largest on the east coast, and the 2nd largest retail mall in the country, so I would be surprised if they do close it. I'll report back if I find out anything.

Update: Just did a bit of research, and it looks like the one near me (King of Prussia, PA) is staying open. In addition, I believe at least 2 others within a 1/2 hour of me are also staying open (Montgomeryville and Springfield Mall).

[Thumper03]

Well, just under a month from Disney closing the VMK virtual gates, Hoop retail has closed our local Disney store.:(
We were "face" customers for years there. Our oldest DD was a cast member her last year of high school as well. We stopped by at the end of May and picked up a plush and when we went to pay, noticed that it was marked down more than we expected. That's when the cast member pointed out the large Going Out of Business signs that we must have blocked out upon our entry.
We talked to the manager who we have gotten to know pretty well since our DD worked there. The only notice they got was when they received the shipment the previous week which included the Going Out of Business signs. What a great way to find out you're losing your job, huh? :shake: The notice was terrible, and the severance packages were really weak, especially for the managers.

We will miss the store...we know others haven't been impressed with their's, but ours was really nice. It was a good Disney fix, and they had greatly improved the quality and variety of clothes, especially for kids. Most of the cast members had been there 8-10+ years, they were all Disney fanatics like us, some DVC members, and all took frequent trips to WDW. We always compared notes.

The closest store to us now is in Schaumburg - 2 1/2 - 3 hours away. We might head that direction twice a year at best.

We stopped by the store the day before they closed for good. Fixtures for sale, a few merchandise items left, but really nothing left. It was enough to make you cry.:crying: And knowing the cast members were facing difficult times made it just that much worse.

It's just another Disney "closing" or end, adding to our general lack of magic. We would like to get some back, but it's just getting tougher it seems. :sad:

[DizneyRox]

I don't think Hoop closed them, I believe that TWDC did.

[Young@Heart]

Ours closed on 6/14. :( The closest one is about an hour away, and w/ gas prices, we won't be driving there very often.

[Alligirl]

Well the only good thing for me about the GIANT new tanger outlet center they are building about 5 minutes from my house is that there is to be a Disney clearance store!!!!:mickey:

[DisneyDog]

They were supposed to put in a Disney Clearance store at the outlets near me, but that was cancelled after the merger.

[DisneyAddict62]

Sadly, the one near me is closing too. :sad: :sob:We went there last week and got a few shirts, but they don't really have much left.

We'll have to do our Disney shopping online, but what I'll miss most is getting our park tickets there, I like the nice credit card-type hard ones. I don't like the paper ones!:down:

[RBrooksC]

Well, I hope when the new streamlined Disney Stores continue, they will have some of the magic that has been lacking the last several years. When The Children's Place took over the stores, I think the quality and magic diminished. The store became a shadow of its former self.

The last time I was in the local Disney Store it seemed to be more like it used to be. Now, it will never be a World of Disney but the stain left by The Children's Place was starting to fade. Now, don't get me wrong, I love to get my son's clothes at The Children's Place and they do a good job there. I just don't think they knew how to market Disney the proper way.

It got to a point where I wouldn't even enter a Disney Store because of the lack of anything there I would want to consider for myself. So, while people may mourn the loss of their local store, it is for the best regarding the total health of the stores. I doubt they would stay open if they continued as they were.