Disneyland, Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom, is a place like no other. The Happiest Place on Earth always offers new experiences for every guest, whether it’s their first or 100th visit. Walt once said that Disneyland would never be complete, and Plaza Point, this fall’s latest addition to Main Street, is proof of that.
DISNEYLAND OPENS NEW SHOP TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS YEAR-ROUND
In October 2021, Disneyland opened Plaza Point, an all-new merchandise location on the corner of Main Street, U.S.A., and East Plaza Street, the former location of Main Street Photo Supply Co. This new store is a year-round, one-stop-shop for all of your holiday wonders.
The shop completely immerses guests in a seasonal wonderland. When we visited, we were greeted with Christmas cheer as soon as we stepped through the doorway. The store smells like apple cinnamon and has that turn-of-the-century charm that other Main Street shops have. While the Christmas season hasn’t officially begun, this shop filled us with the holiday spirit!
WHY PLAZA POINT IS A MUCH-NEEDED ADDITION TO DISNEYLAND
HOLIDAY CHEER YEAR-ROUND
If you ask us, Plaza Point opened in the right place at the right time.
A year-round holiday shop is a perfect addition to Disneyland Park’s original Main Street. Guests can wander into Plaza Point as they would any other shop at the theme park, but the overall vibe of this place makes it just a bit more special. Plus, it’s in a prime location — situated on a prominent corner of Main Street, U.S.A., this new store is impossible to miss!
Many guests and longtime Disneyland fans look forward to visiting the parks during the holiday season year after year. After all, it’s a time when The Happiest Place on Earth becomes even merrier, and the decorations at the Disneyland Resort are unlike any other Disney Park around the world. Disneyland knows how to elevate the Christmas experience for guests who visit from early November to early January.
But let’s face it: Disneyland is expensive. Tickets cost more than ever before, and with the continuing pandemic, some families are lucky to visit Disneyland once a year or even once in a decade.
This is why the addition of Plaza Point makes sense. It allows visitors to get a taste of that extra special Christmas magic all year long, even if they can’t make it to the parks during the holiday season. Suppose your one trip to Disneyland is during a time when the Christmas decorations aren’t decking the halls. In that case, you can still visit Plaza Point and experience special Disney magic that is typically only offered during the holiday season.
Take in the scent of baked holiday goods, get a customized ornament for your Christmas tree, see the sparkling garland, and hear those holiday tunes!
THE SHOP WILL SELL MORE THAN CHRISTMAS MERCHANDISE
Even though Plaza Point carries a lot of Christmas merchandise in particular — and it will do so 365 days a year — the shop also proves Disney’s continued commitment to diversity and representation.
Plaza Point currently stocks Hanukkah merchandise items and includes some Hanukkah elements in the shop’s decor. Disney has stated that the shop will stock merchandise and have unique overlays based on other seasonal holidays and celebrations throughout the year. We can’t wait to see what they do for Lunar New Year (AKA Spring Festival, which is celebrated by many Asian cultures) during late January and February.
We often see Disney California Adventure sell merchandise for other holiday events like Dia de Los Muertos at Plaza de la Familia, Festival of Holidays, and the Lunar New Year Celebration. However, having a place to purchase these items in Disneyland Park will prove quite meaningful for many resort guests.
COULD DISNEY DO MORE?
We noticed that although Hanukkah merchandise is available at Plaza Point, the selection was relatively small. This storefront is not very large to begin with, and it’s clear that the store’s focus is mainly Christmas goods. Still, we hope that as time progresses, Disney will use the store’s space to keep a more balanced stock of merchandise that appeals to a variety of cultures.
With Southern California being one of the most richly diverse places in the country — and with Disney Parks bringing together people from all over the world — Plaza Point could be an incredible merchandise location that showcases multicultural holidays beyond just Christmas. Disney said that it would be a holiday shop all year long, with seasonal overlays depending on the time of year, so we are looking forward to seeing other celebrations highlighted in more significant ways in the future.
All in all, Plaza Point offers Disneyland guests the chance to experience Christmas cheer and soak in seasonal celebrations all year long, no matter when they visit. We’re excited to see Disney’s commitment to representation displayed in a shop that will be a part of The Happiest Place on Earth for years to come.
