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Disney Store Makes Triumphant Return Across North America After Seven-Year Absence

Disney Store
Credit: D23

The Disney Store has finally returned to Disney fans across North America following a nearly seven-year hiatus.

Iger’s Era: No More Disney Store 

For North American Disney fans who love everything about Disney, Disney stories, Disney films, characters, colors, merchandise, and the like, September 15, 2021, became a dreaded date.

disney store

Credit: ceanna, Flickr

By mid-September 2021, most Disney Stores across the continent were closed, per an announcement from Disney in March 2020.

Only 25 stores were reported to have made the cut–that is, to have remained as they were–for the time being. Even the original Disney Store, located in Glendale, California, isn’t safe from the clearing out of the fan-favorite Disney-themed locations and was among the dozens of casualties once the hammer fell and the majority of Disney’s beloved retail chain stores were gone.

Disney Store - Glendale - D23

Disney Store in Glendale, California/Credit: D23

But even before Disney began scrapping Disney Stores in North America, The Walt Disney Company–under Bob Iger’s administration–made the online version of the store, DisneyStore.com, a thing of the past, replacing it with a rebranding and calling Disney’s online store shopDisney.com.

In March 2020, when Disney announced it would be closing at least 60 of its retail stores in North America, the company said it would be focusing its time, attention, and energy on the online retail site, but for many fans who looked at brick-and-mortar Disney Store locations as their escape between Disney Parks pilgrimages, the news was hard to hear.

mickey and minnie outside disney store

Credit: Disney/ Canva

The Beloved Disney Space Returns!

Earlier this month, Disney announced yet another change, which went into effect overnight on Tuesday.

Disney fans were surprised–and many were thrilled–to go online on Wednesday morning and find that shopDisney.com, which has been in place since 2017, had been rebranded to DisneyStore.com.

shopdisney.com changes to

Credit: DisneyStore.com/Screenshot

Overnight, as the transformation took place, Mickey was already on the site, teasing a new “magic” coming “in just a few hours” and redirecting fans to DisneyStore.com when they typed “shopDisney.com” in the search bar.

mickey mouse disneystore.com

Credit: DisneyStore.com/Screenshot

Beginning on Wednesday, shopDisney.com is no more, but in case you forget, don’t worry. Thanks to pixie dust and the modern marvels of technology–you’ll be directed to DisneyStore.com!

Will the return of the Disney Store change the way you shop? Tell us about it in the comments below!

This post Disney Store Makes Triumphant Return Across North America After Seven-Year Absence appeared first on Disney Dining.

About Rebekah Tyndall Burkett

Rebekah grew up in Forney, Texas and lives just outside of Dallas. She’s been a Disney superfan since childhood, experiencing the magic at Walt Disney World for the first time at the age of 11. Journeys to Neverland are at least a yearly occurrence for her, her husband and her four children (the Fab Four). When they go to the parks, they stay in Florida for three weeks at a time. Rebekah loves exploring the history of the parks, the genius behind the Magic in the person of Walt Disney, and she is intrigued by all things Disney World and Disney Imagineering. When in the parks, Rebekah and her husband Scott make the most of their time by enjoying every minute with their Fab Four, by delving deeper into Walt’s vision for the parks and into the history behind the Walt Disney World Resort, and by photographing the many different types of architecture at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and on the World Showcase at EPCOT. When she’s not in the parks, Rebekah is excitedly setting travel dates and planning her family’s next adventure to their happy place deep within the Sunshine State. On breaks from planning her next trip, Rebekah is a writer, journalist and children’s author, penning children’s books about kids with special needs that she affectionately calls “believement-achievement” stories. Her hobbies include creative writing, paper crafting and interviewing Imagineers. She is also an advocate for Autism Awareness and for children with developmental disabilities of all kinds.

One comment

  1. There was one 5 miles from my house. I used to go every Saturday Morning to get new Trading Pins! Miss The Disney Stores! I wish there was a closer Disney Outlet in my area.

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