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This review of Star Wars Merchandise was sent in 5/21/10 from Chris:
I am sending this in the hopes it can help out some of your readers who are going to be attending Star Wars Weekends. After going through this today, I think it would be good to spread the word about the ridiculous change Disney made to the merchandise area this year.
Attending Star Wars Weekends for another year is always fun, and basically everything that applies to previous years regarding autographs, character greetings, the shows, etc. remains the same.
The only change, and it is a big one, is how the merchandise is being handled, and today I saw a lot of people end up spending a long time waiting in a line they didn't have to be on.
To make things easier, I will break down the merchandise into three categories:
General Merchandise - These are the Star Wars and Star Wars Weekend items that are available to everyone, and in plentiful supply.
Passholder Merchandise - These are the items that are only available to Disney Annual Passholders (or, in one case, Vacation Club Members).
Limited Merchandise - These are the items where you are restricted in the number you can buy, and there is a limited amount available.
In past years, Disney set up the merchandise in the large, warehouse-like "Hot Set" area. All the General Merchandise was spread out on the floor. The Passholder Merchandise was available at the multiple (I think over 15) registers by request. Limited Merchandise was off to the side, with a separate line to purchase, and you could approach the line (not crossing into it) and see the items.
For whatever reason, Disney decided to ditch this method and go with a different setup. The "Dark Side Depot", which is outdoors in what is normally a merchandise area has the same Star Wars items that are always available at Hollywood Studios, along with the Star Wars Weekend Event Shirts and Caps.
For everything else, you have to go to "Boba's Bounty" which is located in the air conditioned exit area of the Studio Backlot tour. Here's where the problem begins.
There is a long lineup area outside, then a line that works it's way through the inside area before emptying into the surprisingly small shop area. At the head of the line, a cast member lets people into the shop area "nightclub style" meaning they wait until people have exited and they feel there is sufficient room to let in more shoppers.
Inside the small shop area, you have to get on a short line to see and select the "Limited Merchandise" while the General Merchandise is spread out on the store floor, and the Passholder Merchandise is again at the registers (of which there are six).
Obviously, them using a smaller area and less registers is already going to cause a backup, but it gets worse because only two people are manning the Limited Merchandise area, making for slow going.
On top of that, many people waiting on line might have no interest in the Limited Edition items, but they still end up waiting on this line, just to be able to go grab General Merchandise or go to the registers to get Passholder Merchandise.
To their (slight) credit, Disney did have a cast member occasionally come out and state that if someone only wanted General Merchandise, they could be pulled from the line and let into the store (this was only to those waiting on line on the "inside" not those still lined up outside the doors).
However, I saw this lead to at least once instance where a person was allowed in, and then they walked over and got in the line for the Limited Merchandise (hardly fair to the others).
There was also confusion over whether those who wanted Passholder Merchandise had to stay in the line, or if they could be "bumped up" and allowed in the store (which they could be, since that merchandise was at the registers, not the Limited Merchandise table).
To give you an idea of how bad the line got, we had a one hour wait outside (and this was DURING the only "Stars Of The Saga" talk show), then another hour-plus inside. I can only imagine how long the wait was earlier in the day.
Needless to say, the consensus of almost everyone I spoke to on line is that Disney made a mistake in changing the merchandise setup, and while I can understand the need for a lineup for the Limited Merchandise, they should make those items TOTALLY SEPARATE from the Passholder and General Merchandise... you know, like it used to be!
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