In 1990, I got to go on a trip to Hawaii. Yes, it was just as wonderful as I had imagined. At the time, I knew there was a fairly new Disney Store at the Ala Moana Center, a shopping district serving Honolulu/Waikiki on the island of Oahu (I knew about it because the Disney Catalog listed all the Disney Stores). I made sure I was able to see Honolulu's Disney Store, even though I ended up not buying anything. The Ala Moana Center was different from any shopping mall I'd seen. It was a traditional looking mall, except it did not have a roof. We entered the mall through a large souvenir store, then rode the escalator to the second level, which was home to the Disney Store.
I think there was an opportunity missed here. This could have had a cool Hawaiian theme, but it did not. Instead, it was themed to various Disney shorts. Maybe the idea was to make the local visitors feel like they'd left Hawaii.
Fantasia was a popular theme for the Disney Store. The brooms from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" help Mickey get ready for his close-up.
This Disney Store was fairly spacious, and it had a front and back entrance. The back entrance was just a simple glass door.
This display was on a turntable. The animated displays were a nice touch, and I cannot understand the logic in their removal from the Disney Store concept.
Mickey's Nephews were often seen in animated displays, but rarely seen on any merchandise sold at the stores.
The characters in scenes like this one featuring "Mickey and the Beanstalk" had nice costumes. Later display figures were totally made of fiberglass (I'm guessing it was easier to maintain and clean them without cloth clothing).
I wonder how many people tried to jump up to touch Donald Duck?
These displays were very detailed (there's even a little bird in the tree). It's nice to see Pete and Chip and Dale here.
I had a wonderful time seeing Oahu, and got to visit a place called Sea Life Park, which featured a "Wholphin" (the offspring of a bottle-nose dolphin and a false killer whale).
I also got visit Maui on this trip. This was amazing! We stayed at the Aston Kaanapali Shores in Lahaina (right next to an Embassy Suites that had a waterfall running down the middle of the building).
Apparently, the Disney Store at the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu shut down and reopened as a much smaller, less themed location. Too bad!
Of course, Disney is working on something exciting and new in Oahu. In 2011, the Aulani Disney Resort in Ko Olina will debut. Mahalo, Mickey!
Hey, there was a Mickey Mouse short where they all went to Hawaii. You're right, they missed a great opportunity here!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics....thanks for sharing these.
Thanks, TokyoMagic! Yes, I was thinking of that great Mickey Mouse Hawaiian cartoon! Maybe that will show up in the new resort somehow...
ReplyDeleteI do remember reading an article (probably in Disney News) that each Disney store was going to be themed to the area it was in. I think that the first one I went to was the Montclair store, (though it might have been Glendale) definately around 87 or 88 and couldn't tell you the theme but I believe VonDrake and the nephews were in the rafters with a telescope and/or possibly a spaceship. It really was an event to visit a Disney Store back then- only a few locations had them, and you couldn't find Disney merchandise at just any store. The Disney Stores were your one link as a consumer to the World of Disney, outside of the Theme Parks. Eventually the Stores got more generalized, the Upper Animation (as the figures above the store were called) were pretty much the same in every store, all themed around specific cartoons. It was still neat, but there wasn't the surprise when you went into a new store for the first time.
ReplyDeleteHey Eric! I think I read that same article in the Disney News---the idea of an individual local theme was really special. Too bad it got streamlined. Our local Disney Store was one of the originals, and it was remodeled in 1992 with Upper Animation (never knew that is what is was called) themed to Dumbo, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio and The Little Mermaid. I remember seeing a picture of a Disney Store in Puerto Rico that looked exactly the same. I guess we got Store Decor Choice #2. Ha ha!
ReplyDelete