Or at least the name is back!
Today, shopDisney has officially changed their name back to “Disney store”. The domain name for the online store also switched from shopDisney.com to disneystore.com. However, you can still access the site using shopDisney.com so if you have the website bookmarked, you will automatically be redirected to disneystore.com.
Besides the name change and a new (or returning) logo, nothing else has really changed at this point. The only other difference on the online stores website today besides the “Disney store” logo was a few new “Disney store” branded clothing items and a banner on the home page stating:
WELCOME TO
Disney store .com
The official online home for all things Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Star Wars.
Why the change?
So why did Disney decide to change the online store’s name back to the original name? They really didn’t state a reason. Maybe they want to undo everything Bob Chapek did while he was in charge or maybe they feel the audience and fans relate better to the “Disney store” name. I finally got used to referring to the store as shopDisney and now I have to train myself to refer to the online store as “Disney store” again. But, hopefully that will be easy enough!
Will brick & mortar stores return?
Probably not. There are still 21 Disney store outlets and the New York City Times Square location that never closed around the United States as well as several international stores that remained under the name “Disney store” even after the online store changed it’s name to shopDisney back in 2017.
But, as many of you have most likely noticed, shopping malls around the country are closing. Stores are moving out of indoor malls to outdoor stores in shopping areas where a few stores are in a strip mall type setting. And with more sales moving online instead of in brick & mortar locations, it is doubtful that Disney will decide to restore their brick & mortar stores. They may decide to open up a few new stores in very popular shopping areas, but don’t expect the return of the “Disney store” brick and mortar locations as it was about 10 years ago.
Merchandise Assortment
It would be nice to have exclusive “Disney store” merchandise again. I miss the days when there were certain items that you could only purchase at a “Disney store” location or on their website. Those items were exclusive to the “Disney store” brand and not sold at the Disney Parks & Resorts. Currently, almost everything you can find at a Disney Parks or Resort location can be found online at disneystore.com (or as of yesterday shopDisney.com). And sometimes, you can find merchandise online at a better price or with a sale price. To me, as a Disney fan and collector, that takes the fun out of it. I love walking into the Emporium on Main Street USA at Disneyland Park and finding a special item that is only sold at the Disneyland Resort. And the same held true with the “Disney store” before the name change to shopDisney. It was so much fun to walk into a “Disney store” location or browse disneystore.com and find items that were only sold at the “Disney store” and not sold in the theme parks. But those days are very rare anymore. Chances are if it’s online, it’s in the parks and vice versa.
I am very hopeful that the name rebranding will mean that Disney is returning to the days where “Disney store” merchandise was kept separate from Disney Parks merchandise with the exception of a few items that have always been available at both like a basic Mickey Mouse plush wearing his red shorts.
Time will tell!
I know some fans and stockholders have been very skeptical since Bob Iger returned as CEO of The Walt Disney Company but I am very hopeful. I am starting to see results of his return as CEO. Unfortunately it takes time to undo the damage that had been done when Bob Chapek was CEO. That damage was so extensive that it could not be done overnight. It takes time! And not only does Bob Iger have to deal with fixing damage from the past few years, he also has to adjust the company to a changing market that has extremely evolved over the last few years – especially after COVID-19.
But enough about Disney politics and back to Disney merchandise! I am looking forward to finding out what the new “Disney store” name change means over the coming months. I am hopeful of a separation of the “Disney store” from the “Disney Parks” in terms of merchandise offerings. But, we’ll see how things evolve. Probably no matter how all of that plays out, Disney will still get the majority of my paycheck as long as they keep producing cute merchandise featuring lovable Disney characters that I can’t resist buying. Of course, I’ll probably need a bigger house soon to display my collection. But, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. LOL!
Let’s hear from you!
What do you think of the “Disney store” rebranding today? Are you hopeful that this change represents a merchandise selection change as well. Or do you think this is only a name change and that’s it. Let me know your thoughts! I would love to hear from you!
