Disney Store opens in Times Square

New York City -- Disney Store has opened its largest store to date, a 20,000-sq.-ft. emporium in the heart of New York City’s Times Square. The two-level space is colorful and interactive, and features an array of kid-friendly attractions.



"This store is designed to give kids the best 30 minutes of their day," said Jim Fielding, president, Disney Store Worldwide. Fielding said the store anticipates some 11,000 visitors daily.



Even amid the neon overload of Times Square, Disney stands out. The entire facade is made up of a state-of-the-art LED digital display that extends all the way down to street level and is lit up with a constantly changing billboard of Disney content.



The first floor of the store celebrates the New York City locale and is home to Disney-NYC merchandise. The second floor is where the Disney magic really begins, starting with a blue "pixie dust" trail embedded in the floor. Among the attractions: a Disney theater, with seating, activity tables and a video jukebox that allows kids to select their own video clips that are then shown on an oversized, custom-made screen.



There is also an area where kids can assemble their own toy cars based on characters from Disney's popular "Cars" franchise. Thirteen-foot Lucite trees are located throughout the space-video clips are projected onto the trees, whose colors change.



But the piece de resistance is the 20-ft. Princess Castle, complete with a glittering chandelier and "magic" mirrors. Wave an RFID-enabled wand over the mirror and a Disney Princess video instantly appears.