Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

For the men who shop, or the women who shop for the men who would prefer a root canal treatment, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa features one of the few shops devoted to the Disney male – Commander Porter’s.

The shelves are filled with golf apparel and accessories, crisp, button-down shirts, and Grand Floridian logowear.  Elegant Hawaiian shirts, swimwear, and tastefully subdued Disney ties tempt shoppers.  There is casual clothing with labels bearing the names of Ralph and Tommy, well-known fragrance lines, cigars, lighters, and other manly merchandise.  Commander Porter’s, open from 9:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, is found on the second floor overlooking the main lobby.

Perhaps even more iconic than its enormous 55-foot counterparts in the main lobby, the character totem welcomes shoppers to the Wilderness Lodge Mercantile.  The store features merchandise with a decidedly woodsy flair.  Look for characters in their best “ranger” attire as well as outdoor-themed clothing and gift items.

It’s certainly one of the most attractive and inviting resort shops, and really shines during the holiday season when the fireplace is crackling and the signature red and black buffalo plaid lends a colorful continuity to the displays.  Even the shop windows are highly-themed and imaginative.

There are coonskin caps for all budding Davy Crocketts and “Fish Fear Me” t-shirts for the sportsmen in the family.  The presence of the adjacent Villas at Wilderness Lodge signals an expanded selection of grocery items as a convenience for those staying in accommodations with full kitchens.

The Lodge’s mascot is Humphrey the Bear  and bears are a recurring theme throughout the resort.  Guests will find Humphrey holding up his friends from the base of the character totem, as well as carved and plush versions on the shelves.

While hours may vary with the season, the Wilderness Lodge Mercantile is typically open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Disney’s flagship resort offers plenty of opportunity to enjoy restaurants, refreshments, and retail therapy.   Boasting a greater number of dining and shopping options than any other Walt Disney World resort, there’s something for every age, every mood, and every pocketbook:

Table Service

• Narcoossee’s:   Seafood selections in a relaxed atmosphere with views of the Seven Seas Lagoon
• Citricos:    Inviting ambiance and imaginative dishes with a Southern European inspiration
• Grand Floridian Café:   Casual dining room serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner at moderate prices
• 1900 Park Fare:   Charming character meals accompanied by the amazing organ, “Big Bertha”
• Garden View Lounge:   Afternoon tea with all the accoutrements
• Victoria & Albert’s:   Extraordinary fine-dining experience in elegant surroundings

Lounges

• Mizner’s:   Intimate room featuring vintage ports and brandies
• Citricos Lounge:  A well-kept secret tucked away on the second floor

Quick Service

• Gasparilla Grill and Games:   Pizza, sandwiches, and salads, with some arcade fun

Shops

• Basin White:  Bath and beauty in black and white
• Commander Porter’s:  Gifts and gear for men
• M. Mouse Mercantile:  Souvenirs and Disney-themed apparel and toys for little pirates and princesses
• Sandy Cove:  Sundries and daily necessities, Grand Floridian logo merchandise
• Summer Lace:  Women’s apparel, jewelry, fragrance, and gifts

Sail over to Fittings & Fairings Clothes and Notions for a great selection of nautically-inspired sportswear, featuring Nautica and Polo labels, as well as Disney’s Yacht Club Resort logo merchandise.

Located just off the main lobby, and open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., this bright and airy shop is one of the most attractive resort shopping destinations.  In addition to an array of character-themed items, the store stocks the usual sundries and small essentials, and displays swimwear, jewelry, and other tempting trinkets.

Colorful, interesting, with unique and one-of-a-kind merchandise, the Zawadi Marketplace may well be the best resort gift shop in all of Walt Disney World.

The African themes of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge open up entirely new possibilities for the Disney merchandisers and shoppers will discover a great deal more here than just the usual plush, pins, and pens found elsewhere.

There are a variety of handmade crafts including carved wooden animals, toys, masks, drums, and baskets.  Brightly-colored pottery incorporates Disney details into traditional designs and artwork celebrates the beauty of  the African continent.  Even the apparel items have a special flair, sporting elements from the savannah – animal prints and safari-inspired design.  Look for interesting textiles, unusual household items and decorative accessories, and plush characters dressed for the bush.

Open from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., the Zawadi Marketplace at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House has a direct outside entrance from the walkway in front of the resort and is also accessible from the lobby.

It’s a page from Hollywood history and a perfectly themed shop for the park that celebrates the movies.  In the midst of the Art Deco glitz that is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, sits a modest bungalow – Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind Antiques and Curios.

Back in the early days of Hollywood Sid moved with his wife to California, then watched as the land around them was purchased and developed.  Refusing to sell his own property, he chose instead to search out interesting articles from the movie business and sell them from his home.

Today, shoppers will find a treasure trove of collectibles and memorabilia including autographs, posters, clothing worn by the stars, and movie props.  Look for the craftsman-style building on the left just inside the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Ears, the symbol of all things Mickey, are found throughout the Disney properties.  Over the years, they’ve been adapted for every conceivable function.  In the Grand Canyon Concourse at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, they become minimalist sculpture.  Sleek and metallic, they form the entrances to the Fantasia gift shop.

The shop is colorful and fun with a red and blue sorcerer theme.  The roofless construction and large mouse ear portals help maintain a light and “eary” feel in keeping with this soaring space. The shelves are filled with lots of Disney vacation essentials like pins, autograph books, and photo frames.  There is a selection of clothing and household items, as well as toys, games, and seasonal merchandise.  Fantasia is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and is located on the 4^th floor, at the opposite end of the concourse from Chef Mickey’s.

There are rows of bins brimming with pastel-colored balls which promise an effervescent bathing experience, not unlike sitting in a glass of champagne.  Shelves hold bottles that glow like jewels – ruby, citrine, peridot.   Salts and scrubs, shampoos and freshly-sliced soaps in dozens of designs and fragrances tempt the passerby to step into Basin White.

While there is a busy and somewhat disorganized Basin store in Downtown Disney, Basin White, a more relaxed and upscale version of the retailer, is found on the second floor of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  Products are packaged in a sophisticated black and white.  The staff is happy to put together custom gift packages, but even the simplest items look festive in Basin White’s elegant shopping bags and ribbons.

The décor, featuring black cabinetry, white furnishings, classic tilework, even a miniature clawfoot tub, invites customers to linger.  The cast members’ carefully coordinated costumes with crisp white aprons lend a touch of pleasant formality to the shopping experience.  Basin White is located directly on the left upon entering the resort from the second-floor monorail station and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

You can spot them in every park – multicolored extravaganzas moving through the darkness.  Lights pulse and spin; long and thin, round and steady, small and twirly; mesmerizing; drawing children like magnets.

Periodically, bits of color will break off and move away, flashing and bobbing into the night as parents succumb to the pleas of their offspring for bouncing pink headbands, rainbow necklaces, light sabers, luminous characters, and glimmering gadgets.  The light carts; holding the promise of glow-in-the-dark fun long after the vacation is over.

It’s the place for princess paraphernalia and a great source for toys and trinkets.  Choose a soft stuffed Disney character to delight a baby, or a Tinker Bell charm for your favorite fairy.

Just inside the second-floor entrance from the monorail station at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, M. Mouse Mercantile is a convenient stop for some of the best souvenir shopping outside the parks.

On Monday evenings at 8:00 p.m. guests are invited to attend Story Time, or stop in for Mousecraft arts and crafts at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.  M. Mouse Mercantile is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.