Villian fans...need help!

[MushuGrl]

This will be my first non-June or July trip to the park - leaving Sept. 9. My sister and I are huge villian, mainly Maleficent and Scar, fans. We know there's a Villian's shop at Disney Studios (name of which escapes me).

Here's my question. Last year, we attended the Halloweentime event at Disneyland, and their Villians shop, Le Bat En Rouge, only carried Nightmare before Christmas items at that time. Will this be the same for WDW? Or will we still have a variety to shop from?

[pcoleman]

Was there end of April this year and very disappointed. Store had nothing. It was always one of my must buy places. I went home empty handed. Maybe it will be different for you.

[Tink#64]

How sad. The store is Villians en Vogue. My DS's love that store. It's my oldest's absolute fav! We have many cool souvenears from there. Our fav is a poster about 20 x 30 of the villians. It's so awesome framed hanging in his room! But he's into Jack so that will be good, but you say there's nothing else? :confused::(

Gotta love those villians!
:jack: :ccat: :malef:

[DDuck66]

When we went last December,there was several different villains to choose from, but the selection has been going down over the years and there is more and more Jack items. I think that there were several different Maleficient items, inckuding the dragon and as herself. Make sure that you go to the villains meet n greet at the MNSSHP.

[glenpreece]

When I went in Jan they had only a rack and a wall space for villains stuff now. It consisted of a few books, a towel, evil queen apron, salt and pepper shakers, dragon plush, sketches, poster, and a few t-shirts. It was all Pirates on one side of the store and nightmare on the other. So much for Villains in Vogue.

[auntfrannie]

I was there a few weeks ago and the store is now mostly PIrates & Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. It was really disappointing!

[MushuGrl]

:(

Thanks for the info, gang!

[J9]

Villians N Vogue has basically turned into a Pirates/Jack Skellington store. It's so sad - it was one of my favorite stores. In May we tried desperately to find Evil Queen stuff for an obsessed friend and after a call to Merchandising realized there just wasn't any!

[drosenbe]

My daughter (19) was very disappointed about the lack of villians in any of the parks. I, for one, will be writing a note the the WDW comment line about the lack of villians material.

[SingingLights]

I bought for Dillard's Department Stores for several years. The main focus as a buyer is to find a great product with a large appeal. If you narrow your target audience to much or buy a product that isn't great, you have merchandise that doesn't turn very fast. If the merchandise doesn't turn that item costs the company money in inventory and marketing and if your merchandise choices cost the company too much money you get to leave the company.

I don't know how it works at Disney but I would bet it works close to this. Buyers avoid niche markets because it could cost them their jobs. I am part of another niche market, I am a barbershopper. I love the Dapper Dans. I have only seen one item in all our 12 trips in the last 8 years to WDW and I bought it. The only way to let the company know you want something is to buy something. I know, I know...it is a catch 22. You can't buy it, if they don't have it.

Disney beleives they are selling what sells. By the sound of several descriptions in this thread of the store, the villian merchandise did not sell well and pirate and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is hot. Disney is going where the money is. They sell princess, pooh, and the mouse and his friends. :blush: SORRY

[mermaidmarian]

I bought for Dillard's Department Stores for several years. The main focus as a buyer is to find a great product with a large appeal. If you narrow your target audience to much or buy a product that isn't great, you have merchandise that doesn't turn very fast. If the merchandise doesn't turn that item costs the company money in inventory and marketing and if your merchandise choices cost the company too much money you get to leave the company.

I don't know how it works at Disney but I would bet it works close to this. Buyers avoid niche markets because it could cost them their jobs. I am part of another niche market, I am a barbershopper. I love the Dapper Dans. I have only seen one item in all our 12 trips in the last 8 years to WDW and I bought it. The only way to let the company know you want something is to buy something. I know, I know...it is a catch 22. You can't buy it, if they don't have it.

Disney beleives they are selling what sells. By the sound of several descriptions in this thread of the store, the villian merchandise did not sell well and pirate and "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is hot. Disney is going where the money is. They sell princess, pooh, and the mouse and his friends. :blush: SORRY

I know you are correct about this, but I also think that Disney can spare shelf space in one store to meet the needs of the niche buyer. It isn't as if those buyers are not specifically seeking the items at a store purportedly dedicated to their niche or that guests cannot find pirates and princess and pooh items everywhere else in the World.

BTW, I think it is odd that Jack Sparrow and Jack Skellington are being merchandised in a Villians boutique. Neither, IMO, fall into the villians group - Jack Sparrow is a rogue and Jack Skellington is hardly villianous or evil.

[glenpreece]

I know you are correct about this, but I also think that Disney can spare shelf space in one store to meet the needs of the niche buyer. It isn't as if those buyers are not specifically seeking the items at a store purportedly dedicated to their niche or that guests cannot find pirates and princess and pooh items everywhere else in the World.

BTW, I think it is odd that Jack Sparrow and Jack Skellington are being merchandised in a Villians boutique. Neither, IMO, fall into the villians group - Jack Sparrow is a rogue and Jack Skellington is hardly villianous or evil.

Keep in mind though that Jack Skell is actually in the scary apothacary not the Villains in Vogue area. Just pointing this out but I do agree there needs to be more villains stuff. BTW There is a new 2007-08 Villains calendar I found it amazon. Better buy it to help raise villains awareness.

[SingingLights]

I know you are correct about this, but I also think that Disney can spare shelf space in one store to meet the needs of the niche buyer. It isn't as if those buyers are not specifically seeking the items at a store purportedly dedicated to their niche or that guests cannot find pirates and princess and pooh items everywhere else in the World.

BTW, I think it is odd that Jack Sparrow and Jack Skellington are being merchandised in a Villians boutique. Neither, IMO, fall into the villians group - Jack Sparrow is a rogue and Jack Skellington is hardly villianous or evil.

I am so sorry. I never meant that Disney SHOULDN'T buy and sell villian merchandise, I was simply trying to explain the thinking of buyers. Good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for.:D

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

This will be my first non-June or July trip to the park - leaving Sept. 9. My sister and I are huge villian, mainly Maleficent and Scar, fans. We know there's a Villian's shop at Disney Studios (name of which escapes me).

Here's my question. Last year, we attended the Halloweentime event at Disneyland, and their Villians shop, Le Bat En Rouge, only carried Nightmare before Christmas items at that time. Will this be the same for WDW? Or will we still have a variety to shop from? I had the best villians nightshirt with all the best witches and mean women that said "Why Does Being Bad Feel So Good"...if I recall I actually got that through a disney catalog or online site. It may have been a Halloween catalog but the nightshirt was purple. If you can't find what you want at the park, check online.