Disney Stores (Speculation on my behalf)

[KeithS]

Okay, so who is a registered member on the official Australian Disney website: http://www.disney.com.au ?

Did you get your Dmail today about winning a Meet the Robinson's prize pack? And if so, did you enter? (This is going somewhere folks - stay with me)

Well, I can answer yes to all the above - but when I submitted my answer and logged into the website, I was asked to update my personal details - seems like they have upgraded the registration questions. Now here is the interesting bit - like most big commercial companies these days, they asked if they could send me emails about selected Disney products of my choice. There were only 7 product options (sadly, the theme parks were not one of them! Don't they think Australians go there??) - but one of the options was "The Disney Store"...

Now I know the Disney Stores are taking off again world-wide - they have opened hundreds of them in China (as well as over 4,000 so called Disney-corners in Chinese department stores) - so I'm just wondering if they have something up their sleeve that they aren't telling us? Is this why there is now virtually no decent merchandise in K-Mart and Target these days? Is this why the Disney snowglobes have disappeared from Myer? Is this just me - wishful thinking? Or are the stores going to make an Australian comeback?

Remember - this registration website is purely the portal for Australian Disney customers - it is not a generic worldwide portal. It is tailored for us and it mentions "The Stores" (of course, I naturally ticked the Disney Store box - then came straight here to tell you all about it!) so it'll be interesting if we hear something in the near future.

Check it out for yourself and give me your opinion. If you are not a member, click the Register button in the top right of the Disney.com.au screen and fill out the form - you'll soon see what I mean.

Catch you all later.

[mushu mama]

Okay, so who is a registered member on the official Australian Disney ?

I wasn't but am now just so I could see what this was all about.

are the stores going to make an Australian comeback?

I'd love to see them back in Australia but Sorry Keith, I'm not convinced they will.

The reason I say this is because of a conversation that I had Friday night with an ex-importer of Disney merchandise. Keeping in mind that this is just what that person said - its only their perspective on what happened to the Disney stores... but anyway, this is what she said.... When they were importing the stock they carried they were always hampered by the Australian arm of Disney with extra charges that were exceptionally expensive. It was her belief that each and every item that was imported by the Disney Store had to have a levy paid to be able to stock it here... and that levy was anything up to $10,000 per individual line. As a result it became more expensive than it was worth to keep up the Disney Stores under that particular situation. Course that might have just been one of many things that effected it, but I would imagine that that would have had to change if they wanted to return here and be viable.

And I stress this is just a conversation I had, not necessarily what actually occured. But it could have been a contributing factor to its demise here.

Perhaps they have rectified that situation and are gaging the public opinion.

And yep... I checked the Disney store box

Remember - this registration website is purely the portal for Australian Disney customers - it is not a generic worldwide portal. It is tailored for us

I did take a look around and the other offers that were down the side of the page were things that only US residents could take part in, or order, so perhaps the Disney Store reference was just another one of those...
Or perhaps it was an exercise in 'lets put it there and see if anyone takes a look' things to ascertain possible future brand spread to Australia. eg: the Disney Travel link.

I did find it interesting that they didn't have anything on WDW there that I saw . Just a link to DL. I may have missed that though...... it was taking so long to load the pages, in the end I gave up.

I hope I haven't burst your bubble of hope Keith....


*~Lisa~*

[KeithS]

I hope I haven't burst your bubble of hope Keith....

No bubble bursting here - like I said, it is pure speculation. I still find it interesting, but I agree that any chance of a comeback would be very slim...

[sandie]

I did find it interesting that they didn't have anything on WDW there that I saw

There is hardly any mention of WDW anywhere and even when it is in travel brochures it usually has quite a few mistakes - my pet hate is when they use photos from the wrong parks i.e. a DL photo in a WDW section of the book!

ok rant off -

I wish the Disney Stores would come back - does anyone remember the awesome club bus trip where we went to all the Sydney ones in one day?

[KeithS]

does anyone remember the awesome club bus trip where we went to all the Sydney ones in one day?

I just missed that - I remember everyone talking about it - I just wish I could have been a part of it I do remember the club exclusive after hours evening sessions at the Parramatta store - it used to get so hot because the Westfield's shut off the air-con after hours and we'd have the Disney Store packed out with sweaty bodies! Good times - good times!

As for a Disney Store comeback - I think we can rule it out. I did some company searches today, and whilst The Disney Store name is still registered in Australia, it hasn't been active for GST since March 2004 - I'm guessing if it was about to kick off again, their would be some activity occuring in that space.