The Walt Disney Company is launching new prototype Disney Stores that will bring a daily live stream of a Disney Parks parade and nightly digital fireworks to guests at the store.
The Disney store prototypes are now open in the U.S. in Century City, California, and in Northridge, California, as well as in Nagoya, Japan, and Shanghai, China, with additional prototypes set to open in Miami on September 28 and in Munich later this year.
“No one creates experiences like Disney, and our pilot stores will be testing grounds for interactive features that will differentiate the Disney shopping experience in the changing retail landscape,” said Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
There will also be new items geared toward an expanded audience in the prototype stores, which go beyond their traditionally child-centric assortment to incorporate more product for guests of all ages. The prototype stores will use digital elements, such as giant LED screens, to present custom-designed guest experiences—including the LIVE from Disney Parks parade stream every afternoon and a nightly digital fireworks display on the store’s giant storefront screen—to reflect Disney’s storytelling tradition and create magical experiences for local communities that, in many cases, may be far from a Disney theme park.
“We are a storytelling company and our vision was to create a retail space that reflected our heritage,” said Gainer. “Our stores are destinations and gathering places for fans of our iconic brands, and are often their closest physical Disney touch point so creating an authentic brand experience is key.”
Also new is the shopDisney.com site, which offers an unparalleled assortment of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel products across categories that include fashion, accessories, toys and home, and features best-in-class brands, as well as authentic products from Disney Parks and Disney Store.
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