Why Is Epcot's New Creations Shop So Generic?
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- In the world of themed entertainment, theming your shops is just as important as the attractions and can provoke additional sales if done correctly. Why then, does the new Epcot Creations Shop follow in the wake of World of Disney, opting instead for a new generic retail space that lacks theming completely? That's the topic that will be explored in this video.
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With the new Creation shop as well as the recent hotel room updates, it's completely understandable what Disney is doing: They are following industry trends in hospitality and retail design. But this is not what I expect from Disney. I expect something different, something unique to what Disney World is. I expect Disney to be setting trends not following them.
Absolutely. They fear setting trends nowadays. They are creatively bankrupted.
@@scataplaft Wholeheartedly agreed on the second part. On the first part, I tend to think it's more lack of vision and leadership from the top. Chapek came up through the Disney ranks on the finance side of the business not the creative side. I think it shows
@@mallon04008 I think you've put my thoughts into words.
@Josh Harris You nailed it exactly, I agree.
@@mallon04008 True, but didn't this start long before Chapek?
First this now the confectionery, why does Cheapek think we all hate theming. If I wanted to go get candy from target I would. If I want to go to target I will. I WANT to be immersed at all times while at Disney, that’s what set them apart!
I think the new Confectionary is a bit of a mixed bag. There are elements that I like about it, even more so than the previous iteration of the shop with its odd steampunk sections. However, it does look far too contemporary for what should be a shop set in 1910. It's a sad state of Disney retail.
God I love being able to relate to a theme park vlogger for once
I'm not even offering a direct criticism, but I would at least like to articulate some ideas and get them out there.
@@PoseidonEntertainment whatever you put out is always very insightful and entertaining. Appreciate the content!
I have been a little tired with Disney and have a season pass. I live close so I have seen a steady decline in the things that make Disney special. My opinions are not popular with my family. I am glad to know others share my thoughts and it is not all roses and sunshine.
It honestly makes me miss the old Mouse Works store that was in Epcot. Even if it was simple, I still remember seeing the turning cogs and silhouettes of Disney characters. I can't even begin to express how mundane this new store looks.
Yes, I loved mouse gears! At least it had personality. The rule should be: if it’s inside the parks, then the store gets themed so you aren't taken out of the immersive experience; if it’s outside or at Disney springs then it’s fine to look like a branch of H&M or something. I think it’s laziness on their part that this has happened, they just aren’t putting money into imagineering anymore. It makes me sad. And the thing about Instagram leading their merch sales is wrong. It’s Etsy sellers who are creating awesome merch, Disney-designed stuff has been generic and bland since 2017.
I'm not a fan of Mouse Gear because it was so antithetical to Epcot. The rest of the park was sleek and Mouse Gear was so industrial in contrast. I understand that it was sort of paying homage to the steampunk aesthetic of Dreamfinder, but it just didn't work for the space.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I'm not saying that Mouse Gear is the absolute best Disney store out there. But much like the aesthetic of the T-Rex restaurant you made mention of in this video, I just loved the atmosphere of the store as it gave it some sort of identity compared to the new one which feels generic and devoid of theme and atmosphere.
@@PoseidonEntertainment It definitely fit in with the Test Track aesthetic from that era though.
@@williambrown8249 RIP original Test Track
I wish they turned the, now vacant, NBA Experience building into a new huge and properly themed World of Disney. But the way things are going nowadays they will probably turn into a big...Target.
Don't give anyone any ideas...
@@PoseidonEntertainment 🤣🤭🤫
@@scataplaft nah, its definitely gonna be a new Starbucks
target is even a little too fancy for disney now. I feel like it would be a walmart
@@nicolelechman609 haha. Ouch! Or a Flagship Walgreens. Lol. Harsh times... 🤣
The core issue is that Disney is no longer using themed design, they are simply decorating with a Disney “scheme”. A theme is an idea or concept that recurs in or pervades a work - key word being “pervades”. What Disney is doing as seen here, in other retail spots, re-furnished hotel rooms, even their attractions, is decorating with a Disney scheme. You can’t just put up a Mickey mural and call it the theme. Back up your earlier videos, creatively bankrupt. Decorating is not theming but it’s cheaper.
This hit me a few years back when I started seeing the same merchandise across all 4 parks and at the Disney Store in Disney Springs as well. They homogenized the merch to increase appeal across the board and reduce costs related to park specific items.
It’s becoming more and more a huge amusement park and less theme park
@@Daddysports79 the people in charge literally have no idea why Disney is popular.
I know it may allegedly be "more timeless," but I was so underwhelmed by the store.
Like all current retail, it's following a trend. Not so timeless, but cheap to replace.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I will say that I'm a little optimistic about how the LEDs outside Club Cool/Creations might be utilized, perhaps in sync with the Beacons of Light.
"Timeless" is how minimalism is sold but it'll become as dated as any other trend. It may have some heavy staying power because it's so cheap to execute and is relatively pleasing/inoffensive to a majority of people...but in time, it'll go the way of shag carpeting or 'modern' turn-of-the-millennium design (that was also supposed to be tasteful and timeless). What's 'clean and timeless' today is 'bland and boring' tomorrow. You probably are just seeing beyond the trend while it's still at its peak.
Tribute Store is, in my eyes, the definitive theme park store.
Excellent (and might I say immersive) theming and the products are still showcased.
I go there whenever I travel to Universal Studios, I consider is a worthwhile destination.
I agree and they just absolutely ooze atmosphere.
Thank you for showing the old World of Disney footage. I forgot how exciting and magical the theming was; I really miss that type of shopping experience.
It was actually less themed than I remembered, but still an attraction itself. I used to walk in there all the time, but almost never find myself going to the new store.
There is no reason to not have enhanced theming. Disney is indeed super heavily focused on social media... and what goes great on social media? Themed and fancy places. They've gotten so focused on 'instagram walls' and minimalist drivel that they've been losing their magic touch and are essentially coasting off brand recognition. They could make wide open spaces but have themed tables, racks, ceiling hangars, or a slew of other things without clogging the area. Just look at Chester's and Hester's in Animal Kingdom as an example. But they won't. Because they've lost their creativity. Universal may want your money but Disney ONLY wants your money and it shows in the overly corporate design of everything. The Taphouse, Downtown Disney, Riviera, and on and on have all been themed on California and basic retail setups because that's all they know now. It's boring... Much like their merchandise.
I agree that social media loves theming, and we don't need to look any further than the popularity of Meow Wolf.
The one area I do disagree with is Disney Springs though. While I do think Town Center is quite generic, the overall refurb from Downtown Disney was generally an improvement. It also offers so many great restaurants, and there's still a lot of theming found throughout the whole area.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Oh yeah it does look much nicer. My main point is that it is just primarily themed off idealized California shopping plazas. It's just kind of an outlet mall not much different than the nearby prime outlets. All the in depth Disney brand theming currently is just kinda holdovers from the downtown era or by the big specialty places like T-Rex. They did an entire renovation for the place and their main idea was... California. Not even Disney-fied California just California because they based it off Hyperion. Given City Walk is similar because that's the main idea, I just would have thought Disney may have gone for something more like Port of Entry.
@@larrybird9340 Agreed. With a gift card I got a Jenga and Battleship game... $70. But nothing else was even interesting.
Also the Polite Pig is excellent. I joke it's hipster BBQ but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes meat.
Used to work at a Disney Store in Michigan back in the day. We knew that if we opened a box to find Winnie the Pooh sippy cups, there would be sippy cups for the 8 other Disney IP’s showcased at the store as well. Same for most other merchandise. It was like getting the same 20 products for each Disney IP. The smell of the pvc in those storage rooms was enough to make you high.
"Creations Shop" is one of the most boring un-Disney like names for a store ever.
It doesn't even make sense. I see that the idea was to go generic, but they should have just dropped creations altogether and just called it "Shop".
@@PoseidonEntertainment if you look at old pictures it is similar to the original Communicore. More light, less IP.
i dont even understand why it's called that, you dont create anything in there
Showcasing the Product doesn't work if the products are mostly unnecessary, uninteresting or bland.
The new world of Disney reminds me of a Bass Pro Shop lol.
Yea, catching glimpses on live streams, I thought it could be a grocery store.
No, Bass Pro Shop has better themes.
@@GLJosh That was the point I was just about to make.
No...I LIKE bass pro shops. Lol
This is the store everyone's been taking about? With that name I thought it would have some pretty unique stuff, but it just looks like the same crap you can get everywhere at Disney. Boring!
They should have just dropped "Creations" and just called it "Shop".
@@PoseidonEntertainment A better and more accurate name might have been "Warehouse" or "Outlet."
Well put! I'd like to suggest that this design is well in line with Disney's increased targeting of the upper middle class. This feels exactly like the aesthetic wine moms see in Malls at the most trendy places. It's absolutely meant to be a lifestyle brand at this point and the theming can be secondary. I miss the theming, because I'm a super animation geek, but still: the store looks nice and inviting.
I didn’t want to get into stereotypes, but “suburban wine mom” is definitely a key demographic. I caught parts of that new Hulu documentary about MLM’s and I’m seeing a lot of connections within this demographic. However in the interest of keeping my cynicism in check, I try not to judge and let people like what they like.
Take me to Universal over Disney ANY day! This is coming from a former Disney fanatic! I loathe Disney now. They lack creativity & don’t care about the guests. Universal can have all my money.
this store takes you out of the element - it's only there to sell sell sell so Disney can make more money. should still be Disney themed
It kind of takes you out of Epcot as well. It's such a generic retail space that it feels like you're transported into a mall.
The theme of Epcot has become more and more bland so to build a shop that fits the corporate mantra (do less for less, sell more) is logical to me. Compare this to the Universal example I rather have that than a story that looks like anything everywhere.
That's actually a criticism I have with Universal. They just opened a new Universal merch store at the Orlando City Walk and it follows this aesthetic trend as well. Its very open and bright, but also very generic.
exactly why epcot isn't my favorite park anymore
Have been binging on your videos over the last week and honestly it's amongst the highest quality UA-cam content out there. I love how considered and thoughtful your analysis is and the topics you cover. I've agreed with basically everything you've said from this, to Avengers Campus to Efteling.
Thanks, I’m glad that you enjoy!
Its generic and boring and unimaginative in order to reflect the mindset of Disney execs and their inability to understand or care about their market target.
Yep. I don’t enjoy shopping in general, and that is especially true when I’m on vacation but at least the classic WDW stores have/had an aesthetic appeal that was/is visually appealing. I personally have no reason to visit these bland spaces.
You're right. It IS a great symbol.
It looks like a generic Orlando souvenir shop. Pleasant but blah. I am glad to see this video because I am not impressed with this store. I am sure Disney studied this long and hard and this is what they believed would bring in the most cash. So here we are.
I'm not entirely convinced that Disney has a good grasp on what their consumers want. Galaxy's Edge is certainly popular, but I'm sure that the lack of attendance threw them off guard. They attempted to prepare for massive and overwhelming crowds that never came. What does that say about their analysts and their ability to cater to consumers?
@@PoseidonEntertainment I think that wokeness is the prime reason for the less than expected performance of Black Spire outpost. I was there opening day and have been there perhaps 70 times and I actually admire the land but it needs more to see and do and not with an upcharge.
I always thought that Disney’s business model was to focus their highly demanded products while at the same making the store magically themed.
It certainly used to be. Those days are over it seems.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Sadly. I hope it returns.
The only reason I ever cared about mouse gear is because of part of dreamfinders ship was there
I agree, but it wasn't enough to make up for the atrocious aesthetic. Perhaps the shop would've been great in Disneyland's Toontown but it never fit into Epcot.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I’m not saying it justified it staying it’s just the only thing I remember
I've been watching a couple of your videos and I cannot disagree with you! I've been an AP at Disneyland and DCA and the lack of new innovation just seems the same thing over and over and tons of merchandise in their parks. I also have a season pass at Knotts Berry Farm ( a theme park not to far from the Disneyland resort) and I've been enjoying that park more lately then Disney.
I've been to Knotts once and I enjoyed it. I know there's a lot of criticism with how Cedar Fair has handled development there, but I enjoyed many of the classic attractions. The Calico Mine Ride and Timber Mountain stand out to me as highlights.
I feel you, I've been enjoying my platinum pass for the Cedar Fair parks so much more lately noticing the decline in Disney. It's so worth the money compared to what Disney has to offer, and for a much lower price. I know Cedar Fair parks aren't for everyone but boy do they deliver when it comes to thrills and they really are stepping their game up when it comes to themed areas. Orion and the surrounding Area 72 area at Kings Island are like what Test Track 2.0 and Mission: SPACE want to be but fell short in their cheap, unimaginative re-themings.
@@PoseidonEntertainment 2 of my favorite rides as well. They been doing some changes at knotts lately with the refurbishment of Ghost Rider and the retheming of Bigfoot rapids now called Calico River Ripids and they brought back a classic called Bear-y Tales that replace voyage of the iron reef. The new thrill ride called Hang Time. And the festivals that they do during the seasons is awesome like their boysenberry festival, Ghost Town Alive, Knotts Scary Farm and Knott Merry Farm. All at a affordable price unlike Disney.
@@RavenStation711 cedar park has always been affordable and not just money grabbing. That's why I've been able to enjoy Knotts Berry Farm. I've never been to other cedar parks but I would like to visit their other parks when I can to see what they are really about.
Being a fashion grad I kind of already have seen this very... "sterilized" trend. It is worrying me for a few reasons but most significantly it proves that Disney is no longer focused on creativity and experiences then they are shelling out their next product or Instagramable post. I understand that you need to adjust to the times that being said I don't go to Disney parks or stores to step into a generic-looking mall setting. It further proves this dark path that Disney is going down and I would also like to mention that their products are cheaper and poorly designed than they have been in the past. They are generic and bland. I will swear up and down that Universal is the superior merchandise and a better experience overall. Disney is just a shell of its former self and they continue to propagate that image through their parks, merchandise, and their cinematic content. I don't want to see another Toy Story Movie. I want new and fresh things. Our family only really goes to Epcot and we spend our time at Universal usually doing the VIP experience. The moment you step into The Wizarding World it evokes that sense of magic and inspiration that Disney USED to have. That saddens me since I was a cast member and I still love the Golden Age of Disney. I thought Iger set a low bar but Chapek is just... ruining the love, passion, and creativity that Disney used to embody. They are seriously having an identity crisis in my opinion.
I agree with your points here, especially around the merchandise. I'm not someone who ever really cared about it, but it's certainly getting far less interesting. I went to Busch Gardens for the first time in a while last week and I realized how much more interesting their merchandise was in comparison.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I've never actually been to Busch Gardens before so I have no frame of reference but this push to but me more homogenized is not doing Disney any favors. It's disappointing too since they have obtained so many IPs that they could put some time and effort into. Like how cool would it have been to be able to walk into Stark Tower on AVG Campus and be able to interact and build your own Iron man suit through the use of projections and things? I know that Apple's model is abundantly successful but that is also their brand, sleek, clean, modern. That does not mesh with Disney's magical, whimsical, and kid-friendly aesthetic. There is also a trend with this when it comes to logos this same trend is happening.
I don't like Apple stores at all. I went into one out of curiosity and immediately felt very uncomfortable and had to leave. I've seen clothing stores like that also.... yuck. I prefer much more cozy surroundings or theming that engages my interest. I've never eaten at the dino place but I've occasionally gone in to look around because of the fun theming. It looks like the new Creation shop would be a turnoff for me.
I’ve never been a fan of the Apple store aesthetic either. They’ve also gone downhill so quickly and have stopped innovating. It’s such a highly over-rated company, at least in my opinion.
i'll take giant animatronic dinosaurs over a generic "modern" gift shop any day, maybe the creations shop would be better recieved if they stuck some animatronic dinosaurs in there........
I personally do not like the Apple stores (or the one I've been in, they ain't common here). At least those work together with the product they sell. An Apple product is exactly what the packaging of the store promises.
This gives me the exact same feeling as the new Tomorrowland sign. Even if it was dated, the quirky retrofuturism is what made it unique and it's a shame that Disney will end up dating themselves even worse trying to chase a trend. Companies like Apple now have a monopoly on the "future" aesthetic to the point where apparently no one can imagine a future that isn't sterile, white, and cold. Club Cool's remodel is even worse considering what it used to be and what purpose the space is supposed to serve. You would think a park oriented towards children and families would be more fun, creative, and not afraid to dream a little bigger, but I guess Epcot has been headed down this path for a very long time. Compare Spaceship Earth now with the pre-2008 refurb Jeremy Irons version. It was such a vivid and hopeful vision of the future that honestly still holds up today, even though the tech shown is commonplace now. None of the wonder over technology that was the whole point of the park in the first place is there anymore.
EXACTLY!! tomorrowland was themed to be the "future that never was" and that generic modern sign doesnt fit at all with the rest of the themeing... it just looks like a giant cup holder 😭
I WANT theming in WDW! If I want bland, I'll go to Target.
I mean, I like Target but that's what I expect from Target.
Well.. I mean, you remember the last D23 Expo panel Chapek was a part of? Lol Yeah.. it’s sad
You really should do a video on the Disney Board of Directors. Going after the CEO and other executives is not addressing the problem. It’s like pulling the stem of the weed without grasping the roots. It starts at the board.
YES this! Folks placing the blame solely on Chapek clearly have no idea how these things actually work. Chapek may be the hatchet guy, but he's not the one pulling the strings.
@@beckajanse754 exactly right. It’s like blaming the President for drafting a bad law, but giving Congress a pass, even though Congress are the drafters of the law, the president is just the enforcer. Not a political statement, but it’s about as good as an analogy as I can come up with.
It shows chapeks vision for Disney: one giant shopping centre with some IP based attractions sprinkled in.
I think that's the overall direction that Future World is taking. "Outdoor Shopping Mall" appears to be the new theme.
@@PoseidonEntertainment thanks. I hate it…
Disney : Closes generic Disney Stores in malls.
Also Disney : Opens generic Disney Store in Theme Park.
I see your criticism but I think the decision makes sense. Malls are dying and much of the Disney merch can be found online. However, Disney has a captive audience after already entering the parks.
Your next video should be "does the theming of EPCOT even work at all anymore?" Because for a community that was meant to highlight the future progress and development of innovation, it either has a tendency to date itself and become boringly generic or not make sense at all
I think I might roll this idea into a different video about the “outdated Epcot myth”. I have some ideas I’m working on for October, but after that I’ll probably produce it sometime in November.
I was shocked by the lack of unique merch in general. Just a bunch of screenprinted t-shirts. Reminded me of surf shops. There was a lack of high-end collectible items, like all stores in Galaxies Edge only carrying one lightsaber, Kylo's. No helmets of any characters at any store in any park, besides 1 in Epcot in Mexico, carrying 3 old stock Endgame Spiderman Masks.
Anything that said 50th Anniversary was 10x the price of their normal counterparts, like a small bag for $350, or a cup for $50. They were insultingly higher. There was barely anything for adult males, and nearly every shop across all parks, and at ride exits, carried identical items. There was almost no point in going to a shop at Disney Springs, because it carried the same generic home decor and shirts as Magic Kingdom, and as Hollywood Studios.
All of the merch I saw was so generic, you'd be better off buying it at a local Kohls or Wal-Mart and no one would tell the difference. Sadly, you were correct with the homogenization of the experience. It felt very different than what I remembered, and it was honestly pathetic.
I think Disney should have at least attempted to theme it.. from what I've seen it looks and feels almost identical to world of Disney, so I can't imagine I'd ever feel the need now to visit both stores. Had each store been themed something interesting and unique, I probably would have made the visit to both.
So I think that the LEGO stores I have been to actually strike a pretty good balance between theming and open minimalism. The stores are fairly open, with sets stocked all along the walls divided into themes. It's easy to browse through or to quickly find what you're after. However, the stores also feature a large back wall with small circular containers for their "pick-a-brick" thing, which are designed so the back wall looks like the top of a LEGO piece. This extends all the way up even though the upper sections have no bricks since no one could reach them. They also feature displays of various sets both official and made by store employees, as well as usually a large statue or something with statistics about how long it took to make and how many bricks were incorporated toward the front of the shop.
Thank you for the video. You are quickly becoming one of my favorite UA-camrs on this app. The creation shop seems bland. Mickey Mouse is an unusual character to pick for a “theme” in my mind, as he is not at all involved with Epcot, which seems to be turning into a dumping ground for excess Disney IP that may need land/ doesn’t fit into other parks. I really don’t like the new very corporate style Epcot seems to be going to. Epcot is futuristic, but not necessarily minimalist. Minimalism is fine with iPhone stores and corporate logos but inside an entire theme park just feels cheap. I want a super ridiculous overly elaborate dining or shopping area, because why the hell else did I spend $130 on a ticket?
I agree with you
You know, when I heard “creation” and saw the mural, I thought the shop with have this great artist work! Like have swirls of colors painted by a brush move up the white pillars! It’s the bare minimum, but it would of added so much to this shop!
I’m the type of person who buy critically. When the merchandise is in my face, I’m so much less likely to buy! Especially when a lot of the merch is so homogeneous and just not unique! If you put me in an immersive experience, I might actually buy those products! But at the moment I’m more likely a lot sale
Or even better! Make it a store that show all the different forms of creations! We can have an area based on painting, and then a section about drawing! And another one about sculptures! And maybe even one about digital art!
There so many directions, but they choose apple store
Granted, this particular retail space has always sold the “generic Disney merch”, but I agree that I at least would be far more interested in more unique items and theming.
I don’t want to feel like I am being teleported to a mall in the middle of Disney World.
I got to go to my first Horror Nights this year....it's literally been a lifelong dream, and the tribute store was a must do for me. For all the reasons you mentioned!! AND I spent a ton of money in there that I hadn't spent at any other gift shop that night. I think Disney leaning heavily into the Instagram branding is smart but also, heavily themed merchandise locations are also needed at Disney. It seems like new leadership has no idea what balance is or what Disney fans even want....honestly, I don't think he cares at all.
I would love to see a HHN dedicated video from you 😍
Perhaps next year, but I would be interested in doing one eventually.
This store is awful. Doesn't WDW know people go to WDW for....well Disney? That includes theming in the stores. Without theming, they are just another store, although with Disney products. This is another example of Disney seeking to pander to the lowest common denominator, and to take the cheapest way out to offer new "experiences" for a money-grab. If we wanted to order Disney products online, we would order Disney products online, not travel across the country and spend thousands of dollars for an online experience. Very disappointing.
I think that summarizes how I feel about a lot of the merchandise itself. Much of it feels generic enough that it seems intended for online shopping and none of it feels unique to the Disney parks experience. As many have noted, Disney merchandise has become quite lackluster over the last few years or so.
The direction that Disney stores have gone in reminds me of that meme about the evolution of McDonalds asking, “Why did McDonalds go from a happy child to a depressed middle-aged adult?”
I think it reflects the times.
I commented a while ago that it looks like a glorified Primark. Or Walmart. It was so magical once upon a time to walk in to a Disney store and see all the things around like the trains running around the ceiling and the films and music playing. Disney goods are cheaper in Walmart, Primark and Asda folks
I went in July and I got to see this and the Universal Legacy store and I honestly like the legacy store more because of the cool props and they even show things like “Universal Studios Escape” despite that being a marketing failure they still show it and celebrate it . That’s pretty cool
I like the legacy store, but someone suggested to me that it should become the new location for the various Tribute stores. Like Creations, I’ve noticed that the new Universal Store also embraces that minimalist aesthetic. It’s nice, but also lacks any compelling reason to get me to visit.
@@PoseidonEntertainment the new Universal store is like world of Disney and creations , it’s kind of a weird mixed bag. I wish they had more interesting and cool merch. But I enjoy the aesthetic of the legacy store more due to its priority being a cool museum.
I am loving these videos, finally someone calling Disney out!
Nothing can have soul or character anymore, Karen can sue your business if you dare offend her
See I have a soft spot for Mouse Gear and it’s all driven from Nostalgia, even though it wasn’t a perfect thematic fit with the park, it just had a cosy early 2000s feel. Gave me House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Works vibes within its wacky futuristic theming, so it’s something I personally never found dated, but again it is all dictated by Nostalgia. I remember repeat watching this Disney Planning DVD, before my first trip in 2008 and there was this segment where they went to Mouse Gear and I still remember the excitement of seeing all these things in person after seeing them on TV, back then we didn’t have all these vloggers.
I definitely take the point that you’re making. A lot of nostalgia influences how we feel about park additions and I’m certainly not immune. As much as I think it’s a poor attraction, I still feel a sense of nostalgia towards the current iteration of Journey Into Imagination. It’s not great, but I have a soft spot for it.
I appreciate your videos, and your critical look at what Disney has been doing, or lack thereof in recent years. I believe the look of the new store has to do with the lack of creative vision from Disney when it comes to the retheming of Epcot. It's no longer about what story we can tell with this area, but what can we call this area so we can shove in IP. Creating stores that are blank slates allows them to shove in whatever IP and merch they happen to be selling at the moment versus telling a real story.
I would agree if not for how I feel that Centorium and Mouse Gear were also poor retail spaces in relation to Epcot and it’s themes. I agree overall though, that current leadership has lacked creative vision in every other regard.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Oh, I agree. I always thought MouseGear didn't make much sense in Epcot, but I at least felt like was trying to tell a story, even if the story didn't fit in Epcot. This new shop doesn't even seem to be making the attempt.
id be realley interested to hear who youd improve disney if you were in charge of the parks
Perhaps I’ll eventually do a series on how I would improve the Epcot experience. I’ve had a few other people request that I do this as well.
New stores, themes, food, park music are all generic now
Disney knows people will visit just because of the Disney name so they got lazy
Would love to see someone take over who cares enough into put in the effort to make Disney look and feel like it did in the 90s
You could tell there was care put into everything they did
But…but…but…when I read the comments on other vloggers tours of this store, everyone can’t wait to shop there.🤦♂️
Ebay reselling is a very lucrative business.
I guess they just want to go after that new money now. As a lifelong Disney (and Star Wars) fan, I’m pretty much tossed to the side now. Now that I’m an adult with a family, instead of those annual Disney trips I always thought I’d have when I was older, we’re going elsewhere on vacations.
THANK YOU! I been saying "Creation" actually fits/works because its the shop for the true 21st Century, not EPCOT's original 'futuristic' 21st Century, from the 80s BUT I couldn't even explain what I was feeling to myself, your video put words to my feelings and thoughts.
if this is what disney property shops are going to look like... ill just stock up at the dollar store before i get there
you should do one on the Apple Store. It’s so bland, but it also weirdly works. All the theming in Apple Stores is on he outside. Like the NYC Cube is weirdly fabulous in its simplicity.
1. Creations is a bad name. Customers aren't creating anything. It's false advertisement for me.
2. I do prefer how the store is brighter now, but it still feels a bit cramped overall. I wonder if the small islands of shelves is preferable to longer aisles. The islands allow more merchandise to be displayed and allow for freer movement, but I don't know if the freedom of movement ends up disrupting customer movement and slowing down traffic overall.
3. Mickey is a theme, but it's a lousy theme. It's generic, but I suppose that's okay because it's the largest store in Epcot with a diverse, generic pool of merchandise.
4. I don't think Apple's retail experience translates well for Disney. Apple has a limited number of products they want to showcase through hands-on interaction and demos. Disney has a lot of merchandise so it never quite features just one item like Apple would.
5. I hate Instagram culture. Disney has become so focused on Twitter and Instagram. You know why they suck? They lack depth and nuance. Disney is taking too many cues from them.
I miss the Disney from my childhood... I’m slowly losing interest.
I miss the colorful purples, greens and yellows that defined WDW with the Fab 5 thrown in. Perhaps that itself is perceived as dated, but it very much became a defining Disney aesthetic.
As an autistic kid, themed stores always fascinated and annoyed me because I couldn't settle on just one thing to look at but I'd have to pretend I'm not being overwhelmed.
As an autistic adult, goddamn did Disney just back up and scream, *"WE NEED TO MAKE IT BLANDER!"* and that just sucks big time because it happened to Hot Topic, Limited Too, and like, 500 other stores - it feels insulting.
Disney, it's not like I hate themed design! Stop it!
I think that the Tribute Stores are a testament to the power of theming. Why remove this? I have no idea.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Exactly! It's not sensory overload, but it's not *bland as hell.*
So you call a shop creations yet all the wall are just white so the opposite of creative. The one of of a Kind Statues and Art on the walls of these stores makes them different from other stores even if you purchase nothing there you remember what the store looks likes Making them just boring white does the oposite. This whole Minimalistic and Over simplification trend just needs to end.
PLEASE do a video on Space 220. It's a crying shame that it's so expensive.
I can't judge without going there myself. I'm sure that I'll eat there eventually.
I think Poseidon, you hit my biggest pet peeve when I visited Disneyland, for the first time, in November
It was all homogenized. I was appalled how similar Disney World merchandise items at Disney World. I was trying to find things that were specifically Disneyland and I had such trouble. (Especially trying to find ornament). I will confess that I was trying to find very specific things, but it was such a disappointment with the selection.
I definitely think it is a Trend in Design as I. The 90’s Post Modernism was on The rise, putting attention on ornamentation. Now we are on the Minimalist era…
I'm not familiar with architectural trends, but the Disney of the 90s didn't seem to follow in Post Modernism as far as I can tell. If you know more, I'd certainly be interested in hearing your points on it, but it appears that over-the-top and in-your-face theming was just a very 90s and early 2000s thing to do.
I had commented on another video that it is strange to pay so much for admission to the park to shop at a mall....kinda like Target or Walmart. This is a large space to sell stuff considering I would be at EPCOT for attractions and not shopping. I have shopping right around my home and I don't need to go on a very expensive vacation to end up shopping at a sterile Disney store with expanded pricing.
I think that’s a huge issue with current Disney leadership. Of course I would expect parks to sell a lot of merchandise, but the retail experience shouldn’t become the primary focus of the parks. That’s one of the major issues I have with Galaxy’s Edge, in that it feels more focused on shopping than anything else.
I find that the merchandise in general is becoming very generic and almost badge engineered like GM cars from the 80s. The merchandise used to be themed to particular areas or lands and theme to particular parks. Now it seems like it's just the same generic merchandise sold everywhere I used to go into mouse gear and could hardly ever walk out without buying something. Recently I went to the store Creations and I felt that it was so generic. I couldn't wait to leave. It feels like a lot of the merchandise is something that could just be purchased online or at Target or any toy store. I guess this is the direction they're going but it feels really generic. Recently some family members went to Disneyland and could not find anything that was even remotely nice that actually had Disneyland's logo on it. Everything was just generic or Disney parks very disappointing in the merchandise even the Disney co-op at Disney springs is now half of the store is Marvel which could be purchased at any toy store. It's not necessarily a recent trend, though in 2019 I went to Disneyland Paris, and found precisely one shirt that had Disneyland Paris written on it. Everything else was just generic. There was one mug that had Disneyland Paris' logo on it and wording, and that exact same mug is for sale in Epcot at the France pavilion with just a different name.
I agree with you about the teaming of world of Disney. That store was very nice before now it's just plain.
Ironically, forcibly pushing sales in the parks is one of the things Walt specifically aimed to avoid with Disneyland. A store in a Disney park should be a themed space that just happens to have merchandise and cash registers. It’s funny that the park that was meant to demonstrate and inspire the future is just following cynical present day trends.
Also, I will never forgive The Bob for killing the amazing vibes of the World of Disney stores. They’re absolutely ruined now.
I know it isn't the mega merch machine that current Mainstreet is today, but I'd be highly interested in experiencing it as originally intended. I like the idea of each individual shop selling merchandise that was appropriate to the façade.
I actually really like Creations Shop. Sure, it’s pretty simple and boring architecturally, but it’s nice and it helps the product pop. If the shop was too colorful, product wouldn’t stand out. I also find super busy stores design-wise to be too overstimulating and chaotic. I don’t know, I checked it out opening day and I really liked it.
To use the "Apple approach" is not only an arrogant rookie and "Cali-minded" mistake but also a display of how disconnected to reality they are at this moment:
• There's no need to linger and browse in an Apple shop.
• The variety of products is MUCH inferior.
• The product they sell is clean in design by its nature.
• You spend time with a vendor showing you how their product affects your life.
• You're not on holidays in a theme park.
• Apple is selling technology, not fantasy.
• They don't have to have small children in mind in their design.
The list is so vast...
I mean, it's so off and obviously the experience for the customer is SO DIFFERENT in context that it makes me wonder: are the current people in the administration even SOBER? I mean, seriously.
Just from the videos that’s showcasing the inside of the Creation Shop I am loving that new interior design!!! That mall architecture like shopping store design looks so nice and I agree with that theming is not all up in ur face but has a little bit of the Disney Touch!!! The store looks very inviting and beautiful I’m all for the new trend Disney is going for just as long as the stores, restaurants, and attractions don’t loose the Disney Charm & Magic, thx for this video I love it!!! ❤️✨❤️
In a sea of people who disagree with you in this comments section, I applaud that you let your opinion be heard.
Unrelated to the video, but the music @6:02 is papillon (on the wings of a butterfly) by David arkenstone, which was also used in the original Epcot pavilion music. Was that intentional??
It was, but I was completely unaware that it was a track independent from Disney. I assumed that the Innoventions loop was original to the park and I'm now completely surprised to find out that it's not.
Great vid as always.
That retail space is so bland I have zero interest in going in. I’m a shopper who prefers an interesting interior, not a charmless mall store.
Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoyed!
What are your thoughts on the new Space 220? I just went and I was very pleasantly surprised!
It seems like a fun space. I can’t judge until I visit myself, but I appreciate that it’s trying to do something original.
My favorite shop in wdw is i believe its called tinkerbells toy shop in fantasyland. Looks like its in a tree. I will specifically wait to buy something there also bcuz they have toys u cant find outside the parks..do with that whatvu will..mbe i just miss the 90s😂
Too bad, an opportunity for a cool futuristic and world showcase themed store wasted. It’s also strange that the store doesn’t really have Epcot specific merchandise. Do any of the parks have unique merchandise anymore, other than maybe a few pieces?
I mean, they kind of have Epcot specific merchandise in that the geodesic design all over everything. That was their "big sell".
@@PoseidonEntertainment I kind of consider the geodestic design one “item”, even if it is on several things. I guess I count by design, rather than individual pieces. Even if you count each as an individual, it still kind of feels like if Magic Kingdom only had Cinderella’s Castle on everything, and ignored things like Haunted Mansion, the Princesses, ect.
I think the aesthetic of the shop is nice enough, but there's too much white. If they really wanted to theme it to Mickey, there should be some gold, black and red, like the Disney cruise ships!
Maybe some videos on Busch Gardens and their attempt at theming with cobras curse?
I was thinking of bringing in more Busch and SeaWorld into the mix. Not sure how or when that'll happen though.
I'm looking forward to the Punisher themed store. Racks of submachine guns of all varieties, and ammo packaged in boxes with mickey's picture on the front
Just imagine what the black widow store is going to be like.
You’ve actually sold me on a Punisher themed retail space.
I'm not at all impressed with the new minimalist shops and refurbished hotel rooms. I much prefer entering and being immersed in a themed atmosphere at Disney. That is called pixie dust and it's now lacking in so many areas.
I HATE the new generic mall feel. Its all Bobby Paychecks work. He is a horrible person to be the CEO of literal magic.... he should be CEO of Sears
I think in places like Epcot, and generic Disney stores, you don't need themes. For Epcot, just continually updating the store to the latest contemporary looks will be just fine, as Epcot is supposed to be a modern setting anyway.
If there are stores in places like Liberty Square however, I feel that that's where the themed stores belong, as having a modern store would take away from the setting that area of the park is trying to put you in.
An interesting take on things and I kind of agree. It’s difficult to really represent Future World (or whatever it is they’re going for now) with anything but a generic space.
Epcot seem to be trying to bring the park away from its future theme. Whether this is because of low attendance or just trying to update the park itself I don't know, but stuff like the Creation's Shop and Remy's new ride in the France Pavilion are enough to lead one to that conclusion. Kind of sad to see the original theme of looking to the future go, but the park has kind of been in need of a facelift for a while so it isn't forever known as "the place in Disney where you can drink besides Springs". It's sad to see some of the original rides go and shops get a makeover to break away from this theme of the future, but probably for the best.
Honestly cant even begin to imagine what something like a tribute store would look like anyway since they've gotten rid of most of the classic rides that made up Epcot past. It would be nice though, put up some tributes to things like Horizons and Energy Adventure, and I guess Innoventions now. Let guests see what they were all about, maybe even come out with some special merch or bring back the old merch like Universal did for the Halloween Horror Nights 30th anniversary.
Epcot certainly doesn't have low attendance, but I agree that the park needed updates. The way to do it was to pursue new and innovative attractions and not turn it into IP World. For the whole idea of making the park "more timeless, more relevant and more Disney", I see the park becoming dated quite quickly. Disney leadership seems to think that their IPs are "timeless" and a permanent fix to needing to update the park. I would provide the All Star Movies as a counter-example. How well did Herbie and the Mighty Ducks age? I anticipate that Guardians, Moana and Frozen will age the same way.
can you do a video on how disney doesnt understand how make rollercoasters. Like all the rollercoasters at disneyland and disneyworld(with the exceptions of the old coasters and rocknroller) are all pretty bad and are only popular because they are made by disney
I don't think that Disney produces bad rollercoasters. Their focus has always been theming, and while I've been quite critical of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, I think everything else is pretty great. Rock n' Rollercoaster may be a pretty dated clone, but it was innovative for its time.
I'm not trying to interrogate you but do you have a source for Disney merch becoming more homogenized? It would help, just if you happened to have one, for a video essay I'm working on
Saw some folks pointing me in the direction of this channel on Twitter - how much of the academic literature on theme parks have you read? Not gatekeeping; I just think some of the ideas you've mentioned on here have been fleshed out a bit in some of the more recent papers and books on the subject.
I've seen very little in the way of academic analysis, though I've always perceived theme parks as being worthy of that level of scrutiny. Could you point me in the right direction? Especially relating to the topic of this video.
I feel like a shop in Epcot would benefit from a travel theme: maybe it could appear to be a small seaplane port and shipyard, and feature a lot of elements and humourous culture clash between different countries featured in the world showcase.
That's what Port of Entry and its other shop adjacent to it already do. I like the idea, but it's not thematically appropriate for Future World.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Oh! Oops, I forgot it was good in that part of the park. Apologies.
I recently went to Walt Disney World and I was in shocked bu the Creations shop. It was so bland and made me miss the old shop that was there.
I still just want them to bring back the old entrance music and innoventions music
So, Disney restaurants are like Hooters. Does anyone REALLY go there for a quality meal?
On a side note, I have to say in all the times I've been to Disney in my life --I live an hour away--I have never gotten a captive audience overpriced meal that I wasn't comfortably full from. Even a burger, fries and other side lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace was enough to be filling for a couple hours of walking everywhere.
Wait do you film a lot of the video footage?? It's all such good quality I thought all of it was stock footage. How do you keep your camera so steady 😭😭
I use the DJI Osmo Pocket 2, which is just a small handheld camera on top of a stabilized gimble that allows the footage to feel smooth, and at times, cinematic. It's relatively cheap if you want to check it out (I believe I purchased it for $350). The only issue is that it doesn't do well in low light, so my catalog of footage for rides like Dinosaur and Haunted Mansion are almost unusable.
You can find more info here though: www.dji.com/pocket-2
I use the DJI Osmo Pocket 2, which is just a small handheld camera on top of a stabilized gimble that allows the footage to feel smooth, and at times, cinematic. It's relatively cheap if you want to check it out (I believe I purchased it for $350). The only issue is that it doesn't do well in low light, so my catalog of footage for rides like Dinosaur and Haunted Mansion are almost unusable.
You can find more info here though: www.dji.com/pocket-2
@@PoseidonEntertainment Wow! Thank you for answering!! I'll look into it, $350 isn't too bad when you consider how much other camera equipment (like an inexpensive DSLR lens) costs 😅
@@emmess6419 It's certainly a worthy investment if you want to start producing videos. I wouldn't say that starting up the channel was cheap, but it's not prohibitively expensive either.
Can we agree that, if nothing else, the name of the shop is pretty bad? "Creations"? At least "MouseGear" sounded sort of interesting.
Not themed is not fun. But then, that seems to be the direction Disney is taking the parks. You have to plan everything or pay way too much to actually get on a decent amount of rides. That's not fun. Now, even the shops are boring....
At first I thought the new look was cool…then quickly I remembered I am at a Disney THEME park and not the local mall🤦♂️ This new Creations Shop is devoid of any inspiration, creativity, or fun. I hate it. I go inside and immediately I am transported out of Epcot and into a garden variety suburban mall store. The Disney Store inside Target is themed better! Heck, the online store has more creativity than this! At least the Star Wars Mall (Disney calls it Galaxy’s Edge) is themed with some inspiration. This shop is a testament to Disney’s lack of creative thinking today. I miss MouseGear folks, I really do, and MG wasn’t my favorite themed shop ever.
I expect more from Disney. I want a magical experience, sorry but this shop is not magical at all.
I think that not designing the space in lue of Mouse Gear or the Centurion with an updated theme furthermore shows the lack of creativity from the brand. I have always thought that Disney should have exclusive designed merch in different sections of the park, say you want a cool designed Peter Pan beanie? Well you can exclusively purchase it at the ride's end at the gift shop in MK. I think that it would make it a fun experience to have exclusive merch tied to different areas to drive ticket sales. I don't think that it's exciting if you go to the emporium and you can buy the same spirit jersey that you just saw at Disney Springs yesterday when you arrived. There should be generic WDW merch but then have exclusive MK items and within that have exclusive MK Land items. And then through that branch out to other resorts. Whatever sells well at WDW do the same at Disneyland but have variants of the products. I've never understood why they don't market the other resorts to Americans. I think it would be so cool if somehow a multi-resort story was told throughout all the parks all over the world and the only way you could fully experience it was by experiencing every park then you could make awesome merch to go along with it. But whatever.
Disney merchandise did used to be a lot more unique and varied and could only be found in specific themed locations. I look at the Frontier Trading Post in Magic Kingdom and see that it’s essentially just a pin shop rather than giving me a reason to walk in there. I think Chapek has made the decision that it’s cheaper to homogenize the merchandise manufacturing process and that’s a huge part of the issue. Not that unique shops like Memento Mori still don’t exist, but those unique shops are becoming fewer and fewer. When I go to France, I have no interest in cheap Beauty and the Beast toys that I could buy at Walmart.
when Papillon came on 😩👌
loved World of Disney and MouseGears way better than Creations..I love Universal shops because they sell merchandise that is so unique to each land.. I miss that at Disney..Davy Crockett hats in Frontierland etc
I agree and I definitely tend to notice that. Granted it’s not always consistent (why is DC superhero merch being sold in the Men in Black exit?), but I do enjoy going around to the different stores at the parks to see what each offers.
Looks like an outlet
Theming DOES matter, even if that intended theming is monotone or flat. But, when your track record is predicated on cost cutting, we need to ask that question.
Yeah, I do imagine that keeping costs low is a large part. This space feels... temporary?
This is just my humble opinion but to me they made it look lifeless and boring. It looks like they did one their Disney post-modern sterile hospital feeling renovations which is becoming all to common at all their resorts.
thank goodness they at least kept the Stitch but rip that beautiful store.
It's a bit of an odd move I think. It's one residual campy element thrown into the new aesthetic, but I do agree that I'm glad it's there.
I don't see how a store could relate to the theme of EPCOT ---- EPCOT no longer has a theme.
Disney actually has no clue what they are going to do with EPCOT --- all they know is that the previous plans are shot.
That's a fair point. The new theme of Epcot, away from optimism for the future, is now just "generic retail space". A creative company led by people who have absolutely no understanding of what they're doing.
It looks like an Old Navy/GAP
I think you're on to something with emulating the Apple store, but I disagree that Disney feels it's social media presence is enough to push people into retail experiences. Starbucks, McDonald's, and other retailers like Target have all embraced the minimalist aesthetic regardless of how Instagramable they are. This is less Disney being strategic and more a matter of what's trendy right now.