I attended a press open house for the new Disney Store at Bellevue Square Mall today.  It’s the first new Disney Interactive store to opening in Washington State and one that delivers the magic of Disney to our community.

This new store concept is an interactive experience making The Disney Store a family destination once again.  It includes a Disney Princess Magic Mirror and Castle, Disney Pixar CARS-branded Ridemakerz, Translucent Trees, and the centerpiece, a Disney Store Theatre.

INTERACTIVE AND ENGAGING

The new store is stunning and the blue Pixie Dust Trail floor is magical as it leads you throughout the experience and encourages you to meander and check out all the fun. The buckets at the top of the plush tower spin, while the bottom has an opening encouraging little ones to crawl through it. Next to it is the Disney Store Theatre which encourages the child to interact by choosing his/her favorite video clip, or to color a favorite character. The Theatre will be the hub of the store where special events will be held including trivia contests, drawing workshops, and storytime. It’s also where Un-Birthday’s are celebrated. The princess castle and mirror encourage children to find the royalty within by making a wish and interacting with their favorite character

There’s so much going on it’s hard to describe it all. My favorite aspect? The animated trees. They are magical and change throughout your visit as well as with the seasons. I also love that each new Disney Store has a unique skyline, appropriate for their locale. The Bellevue Store has a nod to Bridal Trails State Park, the Wilburton Trestle, and even Boeing with Mickey and Minnie sailing above it all in an airplane. There are also Disneyland and Disney World favorites like the Haunted Mansion.  Watch the trees and the skyline for characters…

The next Washington State store will be the Southcenter Mall store which opens August 2011.  I’m looking forward to checking out its new location and look.  Special thanks to the Disney Store management for the tour today.

UNLOCK THE MAGIC

Want to be part of the magic? One lucky guest will be chosen each morning to open the store. He/she will use an oversized key to “Unlock the Magic”. The guest will take home a souvenier key of his/her own.

Bellevue Square Mall Map - Disney Store (map via BellevueSquare.com with edits)

SPECIAL EVENT – GRAND OPENING

500 Bellevue Square, Bellevue 9800
May 11 2011 9:30 AM – 9:30 PM on Wed
The first 250 guests who attend the public celebration will receive FREE Mickey Mouse ears.

SHOPPING & PARKING TIPS

The best parking location is the SE Parking Garage. Enter the parking garage from NE 4th St and use the small mall entrance between Stride Rite and the Buckle (to the left of Macy’s).  Leaving the mall is easy if you’re headed southbound – follow the signs in the garage to 405. You’ll exit directly onto Bellevue Way (right turn only). The mall entrance closest to the Disney Store is equipped with a ramp for strollers and disabled guests.  There’s also a public restroom here. For access to the interactive aspects of the store, visit weekdays. This mall can become quite crowded during the weekends and holidays.

CONNECT WITH THE DISNEY STORE

  • Find a Disney Store Location
  • Sign up for email alerts
  • Become a Facebook fan
  • Follow on Twitter

DISCLOSURES: I was a Disney Cast Member for five years and I actually worked at this store.  My time with the company was from 1997 to 2002. I was not compensated for this post, but I was offered a look at the store before the general public.

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