Orlando - Downtown Disney store closures - sad sign of the times...?

Was in Orlando recently for the umpteenth time and went to DTD to while away some pleasant time and spend some dollars in the Virgin megastore and the little store near it that sold signed movie/rock/pop memorabilia.

But NO! Both closed and empty - a real dissapointment.

Then tried to kill an hour or so in a fast food/cafe type place but could find nothing at the Cirque end of things except an ice cream place.
All in all its a shadow of its former self with all the nighttime entertainment places going the way of the dodo too.

Is this place in trouble?
Might it close?

West Side is undergoing some changes.

They had problems a while ago with local kids coming into Pleasure Island, so they kind of nixed that. The problem is it also killed the business that those other stores relied on. So those, too, dies away.

West Side never really had much for fast food - had to go over to Marketplace for that. West side is mostly chain sit down restaurants.

I think you will find a slow changeover of the stores. Expect it to become a little less "hip" and a little more fashion. But it will still be there.

Actually, Virgin closed all of their Mega Stores the world over some time ago owing, they said, to diminishing sales due to the Internet.

In fact the Orlando store was their best performer and was the last to close.

West Side has recently been "reimagened", with stores suchs as D-Street and RIDEMAKERZ.

I'm probably one of the biggest Disney fans on FT, but even I have to admit that Disney has mismanaged Downtown Disney so badly it's both tragic and comic. That whole place was firing on all cylinders back when they first opened the West Side, with Pleasure Island in its hey-day. But then management got greedy and started focusing on the bottom line, rather than focusing on the guest experience. As revenues dropped, they made more and more decisions that drove guests away, creating a death spiral that I don't think has yet reached its low. Just walking the street in Pleasure Island and seeing all the dark, shuttered clubs is a sad experience--who wants to go and spend money there?

We visited DT Oct 08 and didn't bother to visit the last time out. Someone told us it was a bit of a bar scene and Disney was trying to get it to be more family friendly. Maybe they should revamp its image and have a clear business plan.

Someone told us it was a bit of a bar scene and Disney was trying to get it to be more family friendly. Maybe they should revamp its image and have a clear business plan.

That's exactly what they need to do. About a decade ago, the place was firing on all cylinders. Pleasure Island was the "bar scene", which families could easily bypass when traversing from the shopping-centric Marketplace to the restaurant and attraction loaded West Side. Now they've homogenized the whole place, and there is no clear distinction between any of the areas. So "bar scene" seekers and families alike are disappointed!

That's exactly what they need to do. About a decade ago, the place was firing on all cylinders. Pleasure Island was the "bar scene", which families could easily bypass when traversing from the shopping-centric Marketplace to the restaurant and attraction loaded West Side. Now they've homogenized the whole place, and there is no clear distinction between any of the areas. So "bar scene" seekers and families alike are disappointed!

My family own and manage commercial property, and all I can say is that DT Disney has one big mess there, if they are going to get back to where it was in the first place. Sounds like businesses will have to relocate within DT Disney and that means moving expenses and renovation costs. DT Disney would have to renogotiate all of the leases.. all adds up to millions in extra coin, just to redo what they've got.

The exec who got off of the game plan probably didn't know what he was doing.. or concentrating on the mouse end of things, rather than the Mickey.

The exec who got off of the game plan probably didn't know what he was doing.. or concentrating on the mouse end of things, rather than the Mickey.

It was a whole chain of mismanagement, from front-line supervisors all the way up to the execs. Basically, none of them had any experience as bartenders, servers, DJs, dancers, front-line salespeople, etc. Essentially, they knew nothing about what they people they were supervising did and knew even less about what the guests might want.

An attitude of penny-pinching took over, with no understanding of what seemingly minor decisions would do to the overall guest experience. Disney is at its best (and most profitable) when it forgets about profits and simply concentrates on providing the best experiences for people. Not so amazingly, they willingly open their wallets and purses when having a good time.

I would agree.. do the little things right.. such as organizing the businesses DT Disney, and the enjoyment will be automatic, resulting on the bottom line increasing. Imagine Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom all mixed up? Or Epcot and Animal Kingdom.. A little bit of common sense would go a long way.. It'll take a bunch of little decisions over a period of years to clean up what they've got at DT Disney.

A little bit of common sense would go a long way.. It'll take a bunch of little decisions over a period of years to clean up what they've got at DT Disney.

I completely agree, but before the little decisions can even start lining up, they need a dynamic, visionary leader for that area who can lay out a cohesive vision. THEN lower-level managers will have something to hang their hats on when making their myriad daily decisions, which will all contribute to the whole place becoming what it should be!

I completely agree, but before the little decisions can even start lining up, they need a dynamic, visionary leader for that area who can lay out a cohesive vision. THEN lower-level managers will have something to hang their hats on when making their myriad daily decisions, which will all contribute to the whole place becoming what it should be!

I agree 100% there needs to be a leader taking this creature by its horns.. Its funny, that Disney has it nailed at the theme parks, and Downtown Disney is experiencing these issues. Must be seperate depts.. I heard that Disney as become more bureaucratic over the years, and some simple changes such as maintenance takes months on end to get approval (talking to a former maintenance guy who helped us with Grandma's scooter rental). Basically, sucks the life out of the employees with bureacracy.. almost drives some of them crazy..

One night walking to our vehicle Oct 08, one of the employees drove 60 miles and hour thru the parking lot and almost ran us over.. that's the Disney spirit.:rolleyes:

Virgin closed all their stores. Disney had nothing to do with that.

Having found out that parking is tight at Downtown Disney.. this may be a reason for why stores Downtown Disney is having trouble with business.. store failures as the worst case result.

I've heard Disneyland Downtown has 3 to 6 hour parking depending on validation.. maybe other FTers can elaborate. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney World moved towards this method to ensure parking spaces are used for Downtown Disney commercial business.. and to assist viability.

Having found out that parking is tight at Downtown Disney.. this may be a reason for why stores Downtown Disney is having trouble with business.. store failures as the worst case result.

I've heard Disneyland Downtown has 3 to 6 hour parking depending on validation.. maybe other FTers can elaborate. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney World moved towards this method to ensure parking spaces are used for Downtown Disney commercial business.. and to assist viability.

Parking is a disaster there

Parking is a disaster there

The story is that people are parking at Downtown Disney and riding the buses to the theme parks.. They should have signs clearly posted preventing this..

Funny, last time I was down there, I thought DTD wasn't busy for the amount of vehicles parked there.. now its apparent why, and DTD businesses are suffering from non-patrons parking there.

Having found out that parking is tight at Downtown Disney.. this may be a reason for why stores Downtown Disney is having trouble with business.. store failures as the worst case result.

I've heard Disneyland Downtown has 3 to 6 hour parking depending on validation.. maybe other FTers can elaborate. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney World moved towards this method to ensure parking spaces are used for Downtown Disney commercial business.. and to assist viability.

Parking at DTD in Orlando is difficult, but they have made it easier in years past. For instances, all stoplights leading into the DTD have a LED indicator stating if that lot is full. If all the lots are full (which they honestly rarely are), Try the HESS station across the road. Cast members are asked ot park over there and it's usually not too bad!

Sounds like buses to and from DTD connecting at resorts are congested.. Another sign that patrons are parking DTD travelling to theme parks.

Seriously, the businesses DTD are hurting and the obvious solution is to control or charge for parking DTD. I'm all for free, but if I was a business struggling, I would be on the horn telling Disney to save the parking stalls for my customers.. or asking for a cheaper rate on my lease.

Sounds like buses to and from DTD connecting at resorts are congested.. Another sign that patrons are parking DTD travelling to theme parks.

Seriously, the businesses DTD are hurting and the obvious solution is to control or charge for parking DTD. I'm all for free, but if I was a business struggling, I would be on the horn telling Disney to save the parking stalls for my customers.. or asking for a cheaper rate on my lease.

No busses from DTD connect to any of the parks, or vice versa. So you would technically have to park at DTD, board a resort bus, then connect from the resort to the theme parks.

Lots of work for a few bucks :)

No busses from DTD connect to any of the parks, or vice versa. So you would technically have to park at DTD, board a resort bus, then connect from the resort to the theme parks.

Lots of work for a few bucks :)

I think none of the buses connect to theme parks, just resorts.. then the connection would be made to a theme park. Still lots of people wanting to save money on parking.

I think none of the buses connect to theme parks, just resorts.. then the connection would be made to a theme park. Still lots of people wanting to save money on parking.

That is correct. Disney Transport busses at DTD only connect to Disney Resorts.