View source for World of Disney

{{Short description|Retail stores operated by Disney}}
{{Distinguish|Walt Disney World}}{{about|the retail store chain|the television series known as ''The Wonderful World of Disney'' or ''The Magical World of Disney''|Disney anthology television series}}
{{Infobox company
| name = World of Disney
| logo = 
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| image = World of Disney (2307573262).jpg
| image_size = 250px
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| image_caption = Florida location in February 2008
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| founded = {{start date|1996|10|3}} in [[Disney Springs]]
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| area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = -->
| locations = 4
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| industry = Retail
| products = 
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| parent = [[Disney Experiences|Disney Parks Merchandising]]
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| website = <!-- or: | homepage = --><!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}
The '''World of Disney''' is the flagship chain of specialty retail stores owned and operated by the merchandise division of [[Disney Experiences]], a subsidiary of [[The Walt Disney Company]]. Currently, there are four locations that sell Disney products. 

==Background==
Disney had entered the retailing field outside of the parks with the first [[Disney Store]] opened in the [[Glendale Galleria]] in [[Glendale, California]] on March 28, 1987.<ref>Retrieved from {{cite web|title=1987|url=http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1987.htm|access-date=26 November 2012}} source:<BR>*Prince of the Magic Kingdom, by Joe Flower, 1991.
<BR>*Work in Progress, by Michael Eisner, 1998. Page 243.</ref> In 1994, Disney Stores opened its flagship location in New York City at a corner of 55th Street and [[Fifth Avenue]].<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|last1=McGeehan|first1=Patrick|title=For Disney, the Magic on Fifth Avenue Ends|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/for-disney-the-magic-on-fifth-avenue-ends/?_r=0|access-date=December 10, 2016|work=City Room|date=September 23, 2009}}</ref> 

The World of Disney has always been operated as part of Disney Parks and is not associated with the [[Disney Store]].

==Locations==
The current operating locations are all located at the shopping districts of Disney theme park resorts and do not require tickets or park entry.
*Orlando, United States – [[Walt Disney World|Walt Disney World Resort]] – [[Disney Springs]]
*Anaheim, United States – [[Disneyland Resort]] – [[Downtown Disney]]
*Paris, France – [[Disneyland Paris]] – [[Disney Village]]
*Shanghai, China – [[Shanghai Disney Resort]] – [[Disneytown]]
*International Waters - [[Disney Adventure]]

A store following the same concept operates as [[Bon Voyage! (shop)|Bon Voyage!]] at [[Tokyo Disney Resort]], on the way between [[Tokyo Disneyland]] and [[Maihama Station]].

==History==
The first World of Disney store opened October 2, 1996 in the Disney Village Marketplace (currently [[Disney Springs]]) at [[Walt Disney World|Walt Disney World Resort]].<ref group="CDW3">Smith, Dave. Page 620. Disney A to Z - The Updated Official Encyclopedia. 1998.</ref> At approximately {{convert|51000|sqft|m2}} of retail space, it is said to offer the largest selection of [[Disney]] character merchandise in the world, according to the company. A 2006 renovation added a small princess-themed salon called Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, plus a new children's merchandise area inspired by [[Pirates of the Caribbean]] and [[Stitch (Lilo & Stitch)|Stitch]].{{citation needed|date=December 2016}} The Boutique was moved out of this store with the Disney Springs overhaul of Downtown Disney in mid to late 2016 to Once Upon a Toy store, located in the Marketplace section.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bevil|first1=Dewayne|title=More Disney Springs stores revealed|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-disney-springs-stores-coca-cola-20160229-story.html|access-date=December 5, 2016|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=February 29, 2016}}</ref>

A second, 40,000 square feet location opened on January 1, 2001, coinciding with the opening of [[Downtown Disney]] of the [[Disneyland Resort]] in [[Anaheim]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hernandez|first1=Greg|title=Joining Action Downtown|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-oct-14-me-22280-story.html|access-date=December 9, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 14, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ebnet |first1=Matthew |last2=Murasko |first2=Alex |title=Despite Rain, Crowds Flock to the Opening of Downtown Disney |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-13-me-11910-story.html|access-date=December 9, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 13, 2001}}</ref>

[[File:Manhattan New York City 2008 PD a02.JPG|thumb|Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City]]
On October 5, 2004, a third location opened within a three-story [[New York City]] (30,000-square-foot) space formerly occupied by the flagship [[Disney Store]] on [[Manhattan]]'s [[Fifth Avenue]] as the rest of the Disney Store chain in the US was sold. The store closed on December 31, 2009, and the interior was dismantled on January 4, 2010 to make way for a traditional Disney Store in Times Square in fall 2010 at the former [[Virgin Megastore]] location. The rental cost for the location had become unreasonable and Disney had purchased back the US Disney Stores.<ref name="nyt"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100105/FREE/100109984|title=New mouse house for Times Square|author=Adrianne Pasquarelli|date=January 5, 2010|work=Crain's New York Business}}</ref>

Disney Parks' merchandising department added another retail location, Disney Vault 28, its first high-end apparel store, which opened on October 11, 2006 in [[Downtown Disney]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Yoshino|first1=Kimi|title=House of Mouse Couture|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-11-fi-disneyretail11-story.html|access-date=December 10, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 11, 2006}}</ref> Vault 28 was closed down by the end of September 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Eades|first1=Mark|title=Two shops closing in Downtown Disney to make room for Star Wars experience|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/16/two-shops-closing-in-downtown-disney-to-make-room-for-star-wars-experience/|access-date=January 19, 2018|work=Orange County Register|date=August 16, 2017}}</ref>

An additional location opened at [[Disney Village]] in [[Disneyland Paris]] on July 12, 2012, the third location currently in operation. The 1,400 square-meters (15,000 square feet) store was a part of a major overhaul for the village.<ref>{{cite news|title=World of Disney store to open at Disneyland Paris on July 12, 2012|url=http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20120522/6708/world-disney-store-open-disneyland-paris-july-12-2012|access-date=December 12, 2016|work=Theme Park Tourist|date=May 22, 2012}}</ref> The newest World of Disney location opened in the [[Disneytown]] area of the [[Shanghai Disney Resort]] at the park's opening on June 14, 2016, bringing the total to four stores in operation.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gritchen|first1=Jeff|title=How Shanghai Disney compares to Disneyland, in 30 photos|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/shanghai-727422-anaheim-disneyland.html|access-date=December 6, 2016|work=The Orange County Register|date=September 2, 2016}}</ref>

The flagship store at Downtown Disney in Anaheim started a remodel in 2017 by [[PCL Construction]] with a soft reopening on October 19 and a grand opening on October 26, 2018. The remodeling added a back story to the location that it was "a bus depot turned into an animation studio for Disney artists." The Disney Springs location was also remodeled with its grand reopening on October 27.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacDonald |first1=Brady |title=World of Disney store reopens at Downtown Disney with a sprinkle of digital pixie dust |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/10/19/world-of-disney-store-reopens-at-downtown-disney-with-a-sprinkle-of-digital-pixie-dust/ |access-date=June 5, 2019 |work=Orange County Register |date=October 20, 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
*Retrieved from {{cite web|last1=Polsson|first1=Ken|title=Chronology of Walt Disney World (1995-end)|url=http://kpolsson.com/wdworld/wdw1995.htm |website=Chronology of the Walt Disney Company|publisher=Ken Polsson|access-date=September 24, 2015}}
{{reflist|group=CDW3|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://disneyland.disney.go.com/shops/downtown-disney-district/world-of-disney/ Disneyland Resort]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060417225436/http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/shoppingDetail?id=WorldOfDisneyShopPage Walt Disney World Resort]
* [https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/shops/disneytown/world-disney-store/ Shanghai Disney Resort]

{{Walt Disney Parks and Resorts}}

[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts]]
[[Category:Disney merchandise]]
[[Category:Disney Springs]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1996]]