Goodbye Disney Store! Hello Imagination Park?

I'm sure you've all been to a Disney Store at your local mall. It's filled with racks and racks of Disney merchandise. Usually it's small and hard to maneuver in a stroller. The only fun, interactive thing they have is the screen in the rear of the store that plays Disney Movies. But Disney is about to change all that....

Disney Store is going to undergo a complete, 1 million dollar per store, floor to ceiling remodel. Gone will be the rows of toys and apparel, in fact the merchandise will now just be the icing on the cake! The new stores will be interactive. “The world does not need another place to sell Disney merchandise — this only works if it’s an experience,” said Jim Fielding, president of the Disney stores.

The new store will have a theater for children to watch film clips they choose, a stage to participate in karaoke contests and an option to chat live with Disney Channel stars via satellite. Merchandise for sale in the store will have magical features. Walk by a “magic mirror” while holding a Princess tiara, for instance, and Cinderella might appear and speak to you.

With the push of a button, eight 13-foot-tall Lucite trees will crackle with video-projected fireworks and sound to celebrate a guest's birthday or special event. There will also be exclusive scents released in the store. For example, if it's Christmas the whole store might smell like a Christmas tree in honor of Disney’s “A Christmas Carol."

This is a great marketing concept from Disney. They will sell more merchandise because kids will want to stay longer in their stores. They will book more vacations because parents will think "Look at how much fun our kids have in a Disney Store, imagine how much fun they will have at Disney World!" And they will even be able to book their vacation there on a touch screen kiosk, spur of the moment. It's ingenious really.

The new Disney Stores will open in May beginning with California, New York and Spain.

Thanks NY Times for the insightful article!