| EVENT REPORT 09.01.09 11:10 AM |
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| Disney Delirium |
| The Disney Store in Aventura Mall celebrated its grand opening on Saturday with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. |
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The Disney Store celebrated the grand opening of its new store location in Aventura Mall—the old store on the opposite end of the mall closed about six months ago—on Saturday with more than 1,300 people in attendance throughout the daylong event. The first 100 kids to arrive at the newly remodeled store—there are only two other locations in the country with the same design—received free Mickey Mouse ears. Nearly 150 people arrived about an hour before the store opened to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse preside over the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.
"We love the ribbon-cutting ceremony aspect of [the event]," said Mark Villalovas, senior manager of Disney store events for the retail division of the Walt Disney Company, "and we try to get as many people out as possible to really celebrate the fact that we're a brand-new store in their community." The event also offered the company an opportunity to spur sales, as those who attended received coupons for a 20 percent discount on purchases made during the weekend. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Store employees had guests line up in the mall hallway and gradually let in small groups of people to prevent overcrowding.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | Disney put a large sticker announcing the opening on the floor of the center courtyard and smaller stickers throughout the mall directing shoppers to the store and event.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | Nearly 600 people waited in line for almost two hours before Mickey and Minnie arrived to pose for photos with guests.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | The first three children in line at the store helped Disney store zone director Shawn Powell and Mickey and Minnie conduct the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | Radio Disney provided arts and craft stations to keep kids entertained while they waited in line to get a picture with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | Radio Disney provided all the kids who participated in its organized games, which included over-under and hula hoop relay races, with Disney-themed prizes like Sonny With A Chance bags and Jonas posters.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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 | Mickey and Minnie posed for pictures with guests in center court following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store.
Photo: Alexis Corchado for BizBash |
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Disney fans lined up in the mall's center court for their chance to take a picture with Mickey and Minnie. The line grew to nearly 600 people by noon, when the two guests of honor took the stage to pose for pictures and sign autographs.
Radio Disney’s Road Crew, the mobile team of Disney employees that organize games and activities for kids at local events around the country, also set up shop in the courtyard, with arts and crafts stations, hula hoop contests, and over-under relay races to keep kids entertained. All participants in the games received Disney giveaways, though winners from each game took home top prizes like posters of the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana CD board games.
The event wrapped up around 4:45 p.m., about 45 minutes later than scheduled to allow all the guests in line a chance to meet Mickey and Minnie.
—D. Channing Muller
RELATED TOPICS
Disney, Radio Disney
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