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Displays at Disney store designed to attract shoppers

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
                                An oversized version of Disney’s snowman tumbler is part of a holiday shopping display at World of Disney, a 51,000-square-foot store at Disney Springs, outside of Orlando, Fla.
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TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

An oversized version of Disney’s snowman tumbler is part of a holiday shopping display at World of Disney, a 51,000-square-foot store at Disney Springs, outside of Orlando, Fla.

ORLANDO, Fla. >> Walt Disney World is thinking big — and flexible — when it comes to displays inside its flagship World of Disney store at Disney Springs. Technology and selfie-ready stops have roles as well, members of the company’s visual-merchandising team say.

Right now, shoppers can see a 5-foot-tall tumbler shaped like a snowman — topped with a drinking straw and Mickey Mouse ears — or they can buy the hand-held version on shelves just below. This is the centerpiece of a holiday collection, dubbed “Yuletide Farmhouse,” in the store, and it’s designed to draw people to merry products such as plates, red plaid pajamas, mugs, train sets, hats, sweaters and mouse-ear headbands inspired by peppermint candy.

Projections featuring Disney characters are on the wall and on the floor in the store.

“We see our guests love to take selfies … so we’re always trying to tie that into the design, especially with our snowman tumbler and our floor projections,” said Paul Seus, retail creative designer. “You’ll see snowing effects across the walls. You’ll see paws of snow of the floor. There are interactive elements, too, tied into the projection.”

Planning for the holiday area started in April, he said.

“We’re trying to make sure everything, every element down to the smallest piece is telling the same cohesive story,” Seus said.

The 51,000-square-foot store, which was vastly remodeled last year, utilizes three featured spaces that change dramatically. Along with the holiday-themed area, there’s a “Star Wars” section that timed with both the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — the land that opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in August — and the premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” a film that opens Friday.

Recently, World of Disney switched a princess area — overnight — to be more focused on the company’s latest animated-film offering, “Frozen II.”

“We had to kind of peel back some of that princess overlay,” said David Soliman, regional visual manager. “We removed the chandelier and replaced it with a ‘Frozen’ chandelier. We were able to update the projection content on the back wall, as well as add the visual elements … which are the three sculpts we have of Elsa, Anna and Olaf.”

Plus, there’s actual for-sale merchandise to place. It’s not quicker than you can say bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, but it does happen between midnight and 9 a.m., with about 20 people on hand to create a new look for the morning customers. The team involves retailers, graphic designers, artists, set designers, engineers and other roles.

The featured slots are rotated out about once a quarter; the holiday section will be replaced in January.

The store is also using eye-catching technology in its T-shirt area.

“We’re really taken it to another level,” Soliman said. “We’ve taken the art images and really blown them up on the wall” on big screens. From across the store, shoppers can spot T-shirt designs.

These tactics are a step away from traditional retail, he said.

“We want to walk away from that. What can we be? What can we get guests excited about? What can we stimulate them with?” he said.

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