The merchandise at the Walt Disney World is going down a path in the wrong direction to the point that it rivals Walmart. Quite a negative statement. Why do we say this? Well the quality of the merchandise overall is simply poor, and as they typically ask in Disney surveys, it does not "exceed our expectations." There is not an array of collectible items to be found like the classic Disney character ceramic figures or classy Disney themed apparel. Even the jewelry department is nothing special and now seems to have been taken over by Pandora that for the most part sells nothing actually Disney. Overall, the merchandise consists of junky, average, touristy small items. The stuffed animals, dolls, and artwork does not nearly compare to what they were years ago. Some of the products featuring the characters are distorted in a way--depleting the quality.
As yearly visitors to the Walt Disney World Resort, the merchandise never seems to change. Take this guest who regularly visits Disney who told us "Seeing a watch in a store in Downtown Disney (Disney Springs now) that you bought 5 or so years ago is outrageous!" If the merchandise does change, it's usually so insignificant or simply "rubbish" that you don't even notice it! There are attempts to create merchandise that should Wow! guests. However, we think there are many who would unanimously agree that there is not much anymore that makes you say "Oh that's so cute!" or "That's very creative." Moreover, there is not much that makes you think "I NEED this." Maybe you do see a product in the distance and proceed to further check it out just to find that its quality is significantly cheap. For example, Disney carries merchandise featuring the classic Orange Bird from the Sunshine Tree Terrace in Magic Kingdom. The Orange Bird bowl is cute for a cereal bowl at home, but then you find it to not be dishwasher safe. How helpful!
What would Walt say about this. Well, we don't think he would be very happy that his company is disappointing guests at all no matter the number. He would certainly be ashamed that the majority of his guests don't have a piece of Disney that is a quality reminder of their vacation. He would ultimately be disappointed that his company is failing to innovate and produce quality items for a reasonable price that does not have the word "greed" figuratively written on it!
Maybe you're thinking "Well there must be something of value to buy at Disney." You are correct, but it applies to very few items in our opinion. Some of the phone cases, Frozen merchandise, pieces of the Vera Bradley Disney collection, and a few other small items are nice products to purchase, as well as the Disney pin collection. In our opinion, the Pins withstand the years and are still very fun to collect and trade. However, we don't think the majority of guests leave the park with a quantity of merchandise that satisfies due to the lack of it or high prices (of course).
Maybe you agree with this post or maybe you don't. Maybe you're disappointed like us or perhaps you're happy that you can go to Disney and spend less money due to the lack of merchandise. Let us know what you think!
E&A