Disney’s Time Square Debut

Timed for holiday shopping, Walt Disney celebrated the grand opening of its new 20,000-square-foot store located in New York’s Times Square on November 9th. Customers can request movie clips that are shown on a 12-foot screen, assemble car toys from the Disney-Pixar “Cars” film and shop amongst a two-story princess castle.

The store opened just days before the company announced its quarterly earnings, which reported a 9 percent increase in consumer product revenue. The Times Square location is part of Disney’s plan to refurbish 20 to 25 stores annually during the next 5 to 7 years. Despite being one the company’s smallest divisions, the stores’ merchandise helps drum up interest in new films, playing a critical role in branding. Disney’s first New York City 30,000-square foot emporium on Fifth Avenue shuttered in December 2009.