In March 2021, The announced that it would close a majority of its locations in the and Canada, and Disney fans of all ages were stunned, saddened, and somber.
Now, a new is reportedly under near the parks at the , which will probably delight the heck out of fans–and cause them to scratch their heads a bit too; after all, why close so many locations, only to build a new one?
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According to records from Orange County, Florida, The made plans months ago to construct a huge 337-foot-long billboard at the Hollywood Plaza Garage at 8050 International Drive.
Per Click Orlando, the new billboard will have a very “Disney” feel to it:
“Under the proposed plan, which is being developed by Winter Park group AOA, the ribbonlike technology will be seen from the entire north, west, and south façades of the building, as well as from nearby I-4. Creators said the technology will have the ability to change or move and will feature artwork including the ‘s iconic characters, franchises, and famous attractions.”
The also published a piece in June of this year that gave specifications about the new billboard and made mention of a store being part of the project. Per that post, Disney plans “to build a gargantuan, ribbon-like art display. The entertainment giant is partnering with Japan-based Mitsubishi to install and maintain the dynamic art.”
Now, according to a permit filed by The , the same address at which the billboard will be constructed is also the address where Disney has plans the “buildout of new retail space.” That retail space is reportedly a new . If so, the new will be located approximately 25 minutes from the at at .
Because a majority of the information comes from the permit filed by The , it’s not clear whether the new will be like those we remember in shopping malls, or like the Magic of at Orlando’s MCO Airport. Perhaps it will be a lot like the World of at and at at the in California.
We won’t complain; we’re just happy to have a new –of any kind!
At this time, the only remaining location is in Destin, Florida, and that location is a Outlet, not the we remember in , Glendale, California, and in our local shopping malls.
Many fans of the were shocked to hear Disney’s announcement about closing its stores in , but, per Disney, when it comes to its retail endeavors, the has chosen to focus its time, attention and energy on its online retail site at ShopDisney.com. The change in Disney’s retail mindset also paved the way for the creation of mini-Disney Stores inside Target retail locations. These were first announced at the 2019 D23 Expo in California.
In August 2021, Disney announced that its partnership with Target Stores was growing, and that by year’s end, the number of mini-Disney Store locations inside Target would triple.
For now, you can shop Disney Stores at Target, the Outlet in Destin, Florida, and online at ShopDisney.com.
