Originally Posted By MikeTV Who remembers Disney's first use of positioning a gift store in the exit of a ride? The big ticket rides do this like Rockin roller to tower of terror to test track to dinsaur, many more examples. I wonder what the first ride to do this was in American Disney. I think at first it was the picture taking and then greeted with cast trying to sell you a pick of dropping down into the briar patch or space mountain then flights then it got to the point of full gift shop to stick souvenirs in your face while the fun and smiles are fresh from the ride. Mama raised no dummy when it comes to increasing sales.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I've always heard that the first Disney ride to do this was Star Tours at DL, which opened in 1987 and exited into the Star Trader (which was modified a few years ago to make it even more difficult to exit directly from the ride That said, Impressions de France in Epcot currently exits into a retail space (Les Halles), though some of that space has recently been converted into seating for the new pastry shop. Both were part of Epcot on opening day in 1982, but I wouldn't be surprised if the exit area had been reconfigured at some point since there are some awkward spots along the way That said, many attractions have alsoexited into store-adjacent areas, including Adventure Thru Inner Space and the Character Store that Star Tours and the Star Trader replaced (Kitchen Kabaret/Green Thumb Emporium, El Rio Del Tiempo/crystal shop, and Maelstrom/Fjording also come to mind). Both US versions of Pirates of the Caribbean exit(ed) into/adjacent to pirate-themed shops, so those could also be on the list, though they've both been reconfigured in the last decade-or-so Disney's first attraction with on-ride photos was Splash Mountain at DL in 1989
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I also wouldn't be surprised if some of the long-forgotten attractions, particularly in the heavily-sponsored Tomorrowland, exited through retail spaces. If I'm not mistaken, the original 1955 Circarama was intended to double as a car showroom for the sponsor (GM? Ford?), much like the exit of Test Track. I doubt anybody actually bought a car there, but you could argue that the attraction didn't just exit through a store but existed within the store
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Don't know, but, they existed when I first visited WDW in 1983. In fact, it was a big joke about how every ride ended in a gift shop.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Circa 1983, I don't think there were many attractions that actually dumped you into a gift shop. There were some that took you down a hallway with a huge opening on one side to a store, but the shops themselves were mostly avoidable if you really didn't want to go in (like Buzz Lightyear in DL or PhilharMagic in MK) The more I think about it, it seems like the trend really picked up with the heavily-sponsored attraction in Epcot. It still wasn't nearly as common as it is now, but it was heading in that direction >>The Walt Disney Story movie<< I never saw that at MK, so it didn't even cross my mind! Didn't you also sort of have to enter though a gift shop? From what I've seen, the front part of the building was a store with the attraction beyond
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn You kind of when to the hidden side of the building to enter the waiting are of the theater, which was separate from the shop. There an was a eating place there too
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Pirates of the Caribbean was the major ride attraction that spilled into a gift shop. Muskets, hats, & hooks.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros From my recollections, POTC didn't dump you directly into the shops, but into the plaza that connected to the shops. More of an "exit past the gift shops" instead of through them. In the late 90's, they began moving merchandise out into the plaza, to the point that the indoor shops were closed around the time of the Jack Sparrow refurb and all that was left was the open-air market. Some of the indoor shops have since reopened (for the Pirates League and interactive Adventureland game), but much of the original retail space remains closed off Even in the current set-up, you can still avoid exiting through the store if you have a keen eye. When you're exiting, if you make a hard left turn once you see daylight, it will take you to the restrooms, and you can simply keep going along that walkway, which will join the main path just outside the big Caribbean Plaza archway. Granted, that path is tough to find (unlike DL's Buzz Lightyear bypass), but the option is there
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Are you talking about WDW or Disneyland? I'm sure that at WDW, summer rain capital of the universe, the shops are enclosed.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I'm talking about WDW. I guess most of the merchandise is under a roof, but it still feels very open. For comparison, here's a look at what it used to look like: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.omniluxe.net/wyw/caext2.jpg">http://www.omniluxe.net/wyw/caext2.jpg</a> And what we have now: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.guide-to-disney.com/magic-kingdom/adventureland/photos/pirates-bazaar3-big.jpg">http://www.guide-to-disney.com...-big.jpg</a> I really struggled to find any photos online of the current layout, but it really has spilled over into the plaza and it takes over the entire area. To get through, you have to weave your way around various merchandise racks, so it's essentially unavoidable. The old shops were enticing, but could easily be bypassed if you so choose For reference, here's the shop at DL's POTC exit. There used to be a door into the shop directly from the exit walkway (on the left in the photo, between the cream-colored window and brick archway), but that was removed about 5 years ago to create an accessible ramp for the exit: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://hd.wallpaperswide.com/thumbs/pirates_of_the_caribbean_attraction_disneyland-t2.jpg">http://hd.wallpaperswide.com/t...d-t2.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Thanks for the photo links. DL's Pirates is a far better ride, but I find the setup hopelessly confusing. It always seems to take me 20 minutes to find my way back to where I came from after exiting the ride. I think that is how locals identify the tourists... look for people who seem lost in New Orleans Square.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros If you just turn right once you hit the path in NOS, you'll end up at Rivers of America in about 30 seconds : )
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn The Main Street horse trolley spit you right out to the popcorn cart. MMMMmmmmm
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn All I know is that crap works. My kids just HAD to buy a pair of "Yeti Kitties" after Expedition Everest
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>If I'm not mistaken, the original 1955 Circarama was intended to double as a car showroom for the sponsor (GM? Ford?), << Nash Motors - <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gSvAoHjnktM/SZ0rG8RCX2I/AAAAAAAAAVM/lbFr2WumSH4/s400/55+Circarama+screens.jpg">http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gSvA...eens.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros ^^We have a winner! As an opening day attraction that took place on a sales floor, I guess we can say that the "exit through the gift shop" concept has always been a part of Disney parks!
Originally Posted By oc_dean Sort of. Corporate Advertisements. Difference: you couldn't purchase a Nash Rambler there. And actually .. it was not Star Tours in '87 that had the first 'shop at an exit' ... Circle Vision had an all 'sports' clothing shop at it's exit in 1984 .. when PSA became the new sponsor for the new 360 film - American Journeys. And management had an empty spot to fill, that AT&T had before, as a 'picture phone' kiosk.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Actually .... we can get even more technical ..... In 1967 ... this was ATIS' exit. (take notice - the wall where the clock of the world is) <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G5k_lMLdZwA/U8Nem2FbVoI/AAAAAAAABl0/3rTAgN1M_Lg/s720-Ic42/TL%252520%25252835%252529.jpg">http://lh3.googleusercontent.c...2529.jpg</a> You took an immediate left turn at that wall, that led you outside. If you wanted to go inside the Character Shop .. you made "180" degree turn ... to go directly inside. At some point years later. Not sure exactly when .... The clock of the world took a hike, and Disneyland Management of the 1970s made history ... tore the wall down, and gave direct "convenient" access directly into the Character Shop: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://latimesherocomplex.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/innerspace.jpg">http://latimesherocomplex.file...pace.jpg</a> Then, Star Tours made it even more official .. the only way out of an attraction was through a shop. A small "Star Wars" merchandise section of the Star Trader. And as someone pointed out already ... that exit was shut, and Disney gave you more "added convenience" to stroll through more merchandise before you could get out of the Star Trader, entirely. ATIS to Star Tours today is an interesting progression. A slow evolution. Now, Disney has made themselves a cliché on the 'exit through a shop' concept.
Originally Posted By oc_dean I forgot to note - People exiting ATIS still had the option to make that left turn out the original exit, rather than be forced, entirely, through the shop. Now .. the Force is with you, as you are now forced through - no option of another exit. At the end of the day ... this entire 'exit only through a shop' concept is so entirely crass. Takes us for idiots. Like we can't take an additional turn into another entrance into a shop. And would rather clog a shop with people trying to get out of a ride who aren't the slightest bit interested in being forced to shop. Are we that stupid? That we need a corporation to tell us when to shop, instead of when we are 'good and ready' to?! All my years going to Disneyland ... I couldn't be bothered to shop during the day .. and cart bags of souvenirs all day, throughout an entire park. I waited to closer to the end of my visit. And we know how fast lockers can be taken up.
