posted at the Disney Parks Blog on July 14th, 2011 by Steven Miller, Merchandise Communications Manager
Below you'll see a speak with Mike Myers,
Manager for Merchandise Operations at Epcot, about some of the
enhancements.
“When MouseGear opened in 1999, it quickly became a top shopping
destination in Epcot,” explained Mike. “Around 18 months ago, we
wondered how we could improve on the shopping experience for our guests.
[MouseGear] was a good location but we wanted to make it a great
location.”
That challenge was met by a team of individuals representing global
retail design, operations, planning, product development, facility asset
management, sourcing and Walt Disney Imagineering who worked together
on this next evolution of MouseGear. Construction started in August
2010 and was completed in phases until this past month.
At first glance you may not notice the improvements, as they are
seamless to the experience. For me, I immediately noticed a difference
as I worked in MouseGear over 10 years ago. The location felt bigger
and Mike confirmed my observation.
“One improvement made was lowering the fixtures that hold
merchandise,” continued Mike. “By lowering the fixtures, the location
feels more spacious. We also relocated the registers to strategic points
throughout the store thus making checkout easier.”
This means the “wall of registers” that I recall from my time at
MouseGear is gone! Mike explained that new colorful signage and carpet
were also added to the mix.
“Each product area now has a color-coded sign and label that appear
on new store directional maps located at each entrance,” said Mike. “We
installed new carpeting that creates a pathway to make it easier for
guests to explore.”
One final detail that is easy to spot is the cast members’ new costumes. I love the nod to Spaceship Earth
on the front of the shirt, and the colors look sharp (they match the
colors now used in the location)! Mike explained that one item was
added to the costume that may be familiar to many guests.
“During the costume review process, Gina Errico, General Manager of
Merchandise at Epcot, suggested a ‘Hidden Mickey’ be added to the
costume,” continued Mike. “We loved the idea as ‘Hidden Mickeys’ are
found in many locations at Disney Parks. We added a small one to the
back of the cast members’ shirts. But don’t tell anyone!”
