According to the Disney Company website, the World Of Disney Store at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney Marketplace is the largest Disney character store on Earth--followed closely by it's Downtown Disney counterpart at Disneyland Resort. Whoa...that's a mouthful! How many times can you say "Disney" in one sentence?
The World of Disney is similar to a Disney Store but bigger, much bigger. These mega stores are run by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts rather than, like the Disney Store, as a unit of Disney Consumer Products.
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Florida...[CLICK ANY IMAGE TO SUPERSIZE]
The Lake Buena Vista World of Disney first opened in the Disney Village Marketplace around October 3, 1996. The approximately 51,000 square feet of retail space is an interesting place to explore even if one isn't buying sovereigns or gifts.
Several
Snow White-themed store displays grace the chambers and alcoves within the building. These include a villains section where in one corner, a mosaic Evil Queen overlooks the scene.
Elsewhere in the store, a painted Snow White mural sits behind a check-out counter that's shaped like her wishing well. (See more pics of this mural and counter design in an
earlier post.)
Prince and princess on hanging banner high above in yet another room.
Hanging Banner image courtesy of danieljsf. Used with permission. Adjacent to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is the princess room where (for better or worse, depending upon your perspective), little girls can find everything they need to be transformed into the fairytale character of their choosing.
Princess Room images, February 2011.
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California...
The Anaheim store, which opened in 2001, offers another immersion opportunity into the World of Disney merchandise. The Snow White adornments are not in short supply although the dresses appear to be about $5 more than in Orlando.
DLR SW Accessories, May 2011. Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World. Used with Permission. Here too we have a villain room where, amongst other wickedly large displays, a giant Witch hand can be seen popping out of the wall holding the poison apple. Three other villainous hands (Cruella DeVil, Captain Hook and Maleficent) complete the four directions of the space.
DLR Witch Hand, April 2011. Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World. Used with Permission. Encircling the ceiling of the same room are painted four spectacular "scary" trees from Snow White's dark forest.
DLR Haunted Trees, April 2011. Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World. Used with Permission. A larger multi-window display visible only from outside the store features a Snow White wishing well.
DLR Wishing Well Display, April 2011. Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World. Used with Permission. ____________
New York...
Fifth Avenue World of Disney 2004-2009. Image via About.com.The three-story New York City World of Disney opened on Fifth Avenue back in October of 2004, replacing a more traditional Disney Store at the same location. However, partly due to a hefty raise in rent, the store closed its doors 5 years later in December of 2009.
One of the Snow White displays included the giant face of the Wicked Witch surveying customers from atop an elevator door; the poison apple perched up above to one side.
Fifth Avenue Witch. Image courtesy of partyhare. Used with permission. Additional Fifth Avenue Witch images courtesy of Gary Burke. Used with permission. An interesting side note: Although this World of Disney store closed in 2009, it would not be the last we'd see of the giant witch face. On April 16th 2010, she reappeared, but this time in Orlando at the grand opening of the D Street shop in Downtown Disney.
Giant Witch at D Street, Orlando, 2011. Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World. Used with Permission. Another feature at the NYC store was this other elevator access. Very cool-looking, it was decked out with an apple above and a stained glass-esque princess and prince to either side.
Fifth Avenue Snow White. Image courtesy of partyhare. Used with permission. Additional Fifth Avenue Snow White photos copyright Tom Corless. Used with permission from WDW News Today. _______
On November 9, 2010, the Disney Company reestablished its footprint in NYC with the Times Square opening of a 20,000 square foot Disney Store flagship (but not a World of Disney).
Times Square Disney Store, November 2010. Photo copyright Tom Corless. Used with permission from WDW News Today. Here's a couple shots of a Snow and Dopey cut-out (along with Jiminy Cricket), part of the wooden panel theme on the first floor.
Times Square Snow White. Images courtesy of partyhare. Used with permission. _____________
Paris...Currently under construction in the Disney Village at Disneyland Paris Resort, a brand new World of Disney store is slated to open in 2012. With the exit of the Manhattan location, this now becomes the third mega store under this exclusive brand. DLP World of Disney. Concept Art and 2011 Under Construction image via DLPRtoday.com.What Snow White displays and adornments await us in France? We shall see.
