Originally Posted By dsny1mom I recall cowboy boots, leather belts with gianormous buckles, and cowboy hats (adult hats), although those were not Pendleton items, maybe the hats but not the boots and belts. I too feel the Pendelton shop added to the ambiance od FL, just like Ghepptos Toy Shop added ambiance to Fantasyland. You know I am all about DL making tons of profit and doing what they need to accomplish that. It's more of a comment on society than Disney's greed that DL has done away with the themed shops. Most people would rather buy crappy Disney souveniers than quality items like Pendleton wool blakets or Madame Alexander dolls, etc. IMHO if the items in the themed shops had sold well they would still be there. I'm sure Disney could have still purchased Pendleton items from Pendleton even if Pendleton no longer actually leased the store. In fact both Pendleton and Madame Alexander had the ability to make DL specific items. Actually MA did make DL character dolls,I know we bought most of them, but apparently we were some of the only people that did. I remember one year passing on a doll because it had a small flaw on it and a year later when we went back the doll was still there! Pendleton is still in buisness, and own their own woolen mills. Wouldn't it be awesome if Disney partnered with them again and started carrying western Pendleton wools shirts, blankets, etc, with Frontierland referances on them? Sadly though most people would rather spend $100 on a bunch of plastic crap than on a quality wool shirt with a Disney referance on it. dsny1mom
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Ask and you shall receive! According to the Disney Parks Blog, they've begun to carry Pendleton merchandise in Frontierland again. It looks like it's much less than what was there before, but certainly a step in the right direction. Here's hoping that it sells well enough to encourage more unique and appropriate merchandise in other stores! <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/11/the-wild-west-side-of-frontierland-stores-at-disneyland-park/">http://disneyparks.disney.go.c...nd-park/</a> (and yes, I realize this really has nothing to do with the Court of Angels becoming a merchandise location, but it didn't seem important enough to warrant a thread of its own so I revived an old one)
Originally Posted By tonyanton I agree...a step in the right direction. Hopefully it will do well enough to continue and this could spread to other lands/stores...
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I don't believe a more recent thread here about the Garden of Angels contained any reference to a merchandise location. Has the plan changed?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 The Courtyard of the Angels has apparently been closed for good to the great unwashed public and now exists only as an entrance to Club 33. This thread started in 2008, when the rumor was that it would be a big outdoor merch area.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I believe that when this thread started, it was being used as a temporary merchandise location. It sold Christmas wares for a couple seasons, and was home to the Pirate's League makeover location during last Halloween. The temporary locations got people concerned about it permanently becoming a merchandise spot; boy, was that a good red herring! : )
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes I can't remember which internet site I was on, but they had lots of picture of the shop in Frontierland FULL OF UNIQUE WESTERN MERCHANDISE!!!!!!! *GASP* I hope this will spread across the Park. Then again, I wouldn't be to surprised to see the 'unique western merchandise' turn up in Tomorrowland soon.
Originally Posted By LP Watcher "I swear, Disney has taken on a Wal-Mart mentality. Why stock unique and hard to aquire items when they have a direct connection to Chinese suppliers who are selling this stuff so cheaply, thus maximizing their profits. Then use all available space to display these mountains of junk. Who needs a genuine Pendleton wool blanket when they can have sweatshirts, caps, and those lighted dinglehoppers." This was EXACTLY the situation back in the mid 90's when Pressler was gutting the park (maintenance, merchandise, food, etc.) in order to appease Eisner's return lust. I still have comments from rec.arts.disney concerning the deterioration of merchandise in the park.
Originally Posted By hbquikcomjamesl Hmm. Like I've said before: Walt followed the "Not JUST for Profit" business model before it had a name. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his successors.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I know that DL is a very different market from WDW. But at WDW I can understand why they did it, even though I dislike it (I also used to shop for Pendleton goods at WDW). Beginning in the mid-90's WDW went aggressively after the low-price market developing 1,000's of "Value rooms". How many $100+ sweaters are you going to sell when people are staying in $95 hotel rooms? The only places where I shop at WDW now are the Epcot Showcase shops and the Art of Disney stores... the only places where you can get unique quality merchandise.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his successors." To be fair though Walt's DL did not exist inside of the gigantic multi-national multi-media conglomerate that is the Walt Disney Company today. I'm sure many things would have evolved differently if Walt had lived longer, but you can't compare DL today to the way Walt operated DL without some context.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Most companies change considerably when the founder dies. The over-riding goal changes from fulfilling a vision to maximizing profitability. If the successors don't share the original vision (which they usually don't), change is inevitable.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>The only places where I shop at WDW now are the Epcot Showcase shops and the Art of Disney stores...<< I also tend to shop almost-exclusively in World Showcase. Although I don't typically enjoy wandering through stores and looking at merchandise that I have no intention to buy, three's something about the stuff in World Showcase that makes it a lot of fun. I don't like how they've begun pushing more and more "Disney characters wearing native costumes" merchandise in the last ~10 years (though at least it's unique merchandise), but there's still a ton of great stuff out there
Originally Posted By Yookeroo I have to say that if I'm shopping for something from Pendleton, the last place I'd buy it is from Disney. I have no desire for this kind of merchandise when I'm at Disneyland. And even less so on a WDW vacation. Now actual Disney merchandise that's unique and tailored to the park/land/ride/resort is great and Disney hasn't done a great job with this. But something I can find at Amazon far cheaper than it is in the parks? Meh.
Originally Posted By Bellella From beauty to merchandise. Isn't that typical. Let's see what's worse- keeping its beauty locked away for a select few, or turning it into merchandise for the masses. Hating even more.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I like merchandise you can actually wear once you GET HOME. Who the heck wears Disney logo stuff anywhere but in the parks? Not me! So it costs more at a Disney Park than at Amazon. It is the shopping experience that makes it fun and worth the money.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I like merchandise you can actually wear once you GET HOME. Who the heck wears Disney logo stuff anywhere but in the parks? Not me! So it costs more at a Disney Park than at Amazon. It is the shopping experience that makes it fun and worth the money.
Originally Posted By tonyanton I also want to note the dearth of good collectible merchandise in recent years. I like some of the artwork and I've enjoyed a few of the special lines they've done (like the Mary Blair stuff), but the loss of the WDCC and actual cel animation art means I buy less (the Florida studios animation shop being the exception with their cel program...hopefully the one coming to DL will be a success). I've noticed the somewhat dumbing down of merchandise even in World Showcase, though I'm hopeful the sheer number of locations means I'll always be able to browse and maybe even buy something unique while there. In the recent past I purchased a Venetian mask and a decorative rooster plate (still in my kitchen) in the Italy pavilion that are both unique and always get compliments in my home.
Originally Posted By tonyanton And I know people have complained about the return of the perfume shop at Disneyland, but I was able to buy some great gifts there last Christmas with my AP discount, so they were less expensive than if I bought them at a department store. Plus, the service was personal and fantastic.
Originally Posted By Yookeroo "I like merchandise you can actually wear once you GET HOME. Who the heck wears Disney logo stuff anywhere but in the parks? Not me!" Me. Why wouldn't I? "So it costs more at a Disney Park than at Amazon. It is the shopping experience that makes it fun and worth the money." Shopping for a Pendleton coat is not my idea of fun.
