Arda's Top Three: The Best Things About the Disney Store in New York City

Bonus: it's even more magical during the holidays.

The Disney Store in Times Square is very fun this time of year. Dressed up for the holiday, it is gorgeous — especially when the second floor is open for business.

You could walk in and buy family matching pajamas (including VIP-looking plaid) and a Minnie Statue of Liberty in one swoop.


This was not our first time visiting the store, but it was our first time during the holiday season, and it always feels worth the trip.

With that in mind, here are Arda's Top Three from the Disney Store in Times Square:

3) The Little Things

I asked my wife, Jennifer, what she thought, and she said that unlike the limited-time pop-up store in Jersey, this one was more reminiscent of the Disney parks, and it had a much bigger selection of items.


Particularly the knickknacks, like the keychains and the bag charms, and also the Mickey ears, of which there was a New York-centric pair of Minnie ears!

The only thing missing while walking around was a cup of Joffrey's. That would have been a terrific touch, a pop-up stand in the middle of the store. Please make it happen - we shoppers are ready.


2) The Second Floor

We literally rope-dropped the store. Yes, rope dropped a retail store. I have no regrets. Disney fans understand.

The second floor was not open yet, so we walked around the first floor for a little bit. The holiday theme was in full effect. Tons of holiday merch and decorations. It was very festive in there.

We left to get a coffee (not Joffrey's, sadly), came back, and the lineup was already forming to get to the second floor.

I love the details on the walls as you take the escalator, finding silhouettes of different Disney characters as you go, and then you finally make it to the top, and it looks like it just keeps going forever.

There is a giant Cinderella Castle in the back with toddler dresses and other things for sale. And it is not just dresses in the castle area. There are tiaras, scepters, crowns, and shoes, basically the full princess kit for many different Disney princesses. Parents shopping for their kids will appreciate that.

There are Star Wars and Avengers sections, with dueling holiday trees. Star Wars had a tree made out of lightsabers, and Marvel had Thor's hammer and Iron Man's fists as ornaments.

The LEGO section was great, a must-see when it is open. There are periodic closures, either to restock or to manage crowd size, but when you get up there, it is definitely a great experience.

I loved the giant Star Wars ornaments, and apparently I was the 700th person to ask if I could buy them after the holidays. The kind Cast Member replied, no, we send them back to the warehouse.

So close, yet so warehouse.


1) The Regional Merch

It is no secret, I am a big fan of regionalized merchandise. Not just Disney, any IP.

I love when bands do it on tour. Metallica does a great job of this. I love when WWE does it with their wrestlers and the cities they are performing in. And when Disney does it, I think they hit the right notes, and it quickly becomes a collector's item.

When I visited the limited-time Disney Store in New Jersey, the only items available were a T-shirt and a tote bag, and I wondered why we did not have at least a collectible pin, because that would presumably be a hot item.

At the Disney Store in Times Square, there were at least two New York-centric pins. Not only that, there is an entire section of the store dedicated to New York City-inspired merchandise.

Minnie dressed as the Statue of Liberty, complete with a giant Minnie Lady Liberty statue photo-op. Mickey wearing an I Love New York shirt, taking a selfie where you can actually see Mickey's image in the phone, which is a very nice detail. And much more.

This is the kind of section that makes me wonder if it would work in every state across the country and beyond. I grew up in Toronto, and I can certainly see Toronto-centric Disney merchandise being a hit.

Of course, you go to the Disney Store for the greatest hits, the stuff you would also find at the parks or on the Disney Store online. But it is very nice to have local flavor, something store-exclusive, that makes it even more worthwhile to visit in person.

Overall, it was a pleasant experience. The toughest part is finding parking, which I suggest finding in advance with SpotHero or something to that effect. Or take the subway, so you can avoid driving altogether.

Having a Disney Store in one of the busiest areas of the country is obviously a smart idea. But walking around made me hope that Disney Stores return permanently, in some way, shape, or form.

This was a very nice sliver of Disney magic in the northeast United States, and the holiday season is a great time to visit.