World of Disney at Disney Springs has long served as a familiar final stop for many Walt Disney World visitors — a place to pick up souvenirs, browse new merchandise, and enjoy a bit of themed atmosphere outside the parks. The store didn’t need an admission ticket to feel connected to the larger Disney experience.
Decorative character displays, sculpted set pieces, and playful touches like the Stitch figure above one entrance (which fortunately still lives on to this day) added humor and charm. The environment felt designed to be noticed.
That’s part of why the store’s 2018 redesign continues to fuel debate years later.
Disney announced the remodel as a modernization effort, emphasizing clearer pathways, better visibility, and easier access to products. The result was a simplified, open, and neutral space that looked more akin to a warehouse store at an outlet mall than a magical hub of Mickey merch.
But for many longtime fans, something else was lost along the way.
Disney Fans Call Out World of Disney’s Transformation Over the Years
Before the remodel, World of Disney leaned heavily into theatrical theming.
World of Disney Store: Before vs After
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Sections of the store featured character vignettes and sculpted décor that created a playful, surprising environment. Guests often treated it as part retail, part experience.
Today, fans say the space feels more generic. One guest shared on Reddit, “if i wanted to go to target i would go to target. Not go out of my way to go to Disney Springs in a several-thousand-dollar vacation.”
Others connected the shift to a broader design direction across Disney resorts and retail. “Same with them making all their hotels feel like [Marriott]/Hilton knock offs,” one commenter wrote. “If I wanted to stay in a bland typical hotel room I would go to Hilton, when I’m at Disney I wanted themed rooms and themed resorts.”
Guests have previously criticized the now relatively bland rooms at Disney’s Pop Century, plus the “hospital” aesthetic of the relatively new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Some fans attributed these sterile changes to cost-efficiency rather than stylistic preference.
One user argued, “Cheaper to order decor out of a retailer catalog than to make custom. Cheapest solution at the cost of guest experience… As always.”
Another described the minimalism trend more broadly: “There’s a belief in the corporate world that has spread like a virus to where companies think things being more bleak and minimalistic make places look more ‘clean’ at the sacrifice of intimate theming.”
What most fans say they miss is whimsy — the small, unnecessary, but memorable touches that once defined Disney environments.
What Happened to Disney?
One commenter expressed it emotionally: “It’s the WHIMSY!! It’s gone! I feel like I have to leave my soul outside when I enter World of Disney and the new Mouse Gear.”
Another added, “I miss the older Disney aesthetic. It was bold, fun, and interesting. Nothing else looked like it. It felt like magic. It feels like Disney lost that edge. It isn’t special when it looks like everywhere else.”
Some fans compared today’s approach to earlier eras of Disney leadership. “Eisner really understood how to incorporate architecture to immerse people— Disney under Eisner was peak!” wrote one guest.
Others simply feel the emotional pull of detail has faded alongside the theming. “That’s why I fell in love with Disney… there was ALWAYS some new detail to take in. Now I feel like I’m at a ROSS. Nothing Disney is doing with these store renovations justifies such high prices.”
And a final comment captured the overarching concern in five words: “No more magic, just consume.”
What do you think of World of Disney’s current look?
