Yes. That's Mickey Ears on Mrs. Starbucks or whatever her
name is. Starting in June 2012 the first
of six themed Starbucks locations will open in Disney's California
Adventure. Starbucks coffee will be served INSIDE the Disney Parks.
According to Disney Parks Blog, "The café will serve
Starbucks items, including coffee and espresso beverages, Frappuccino® blended
beverages, and signature breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Guests also will
have their choice of Disney favorites, including signature sandwiches and other
items, as well as delicious desserts and sweet treats."
OK, that sounds lovely, but I have mixed feelings about this.
Disney knows food. It knows themed
dining. It certainly knows customer service. Why do they need Starbucks to step
in for the assist with this? I’m no
coffee aficionado, but seriously, the coffee selections in Disney parks are um,
sub-par, to put it lightly. So I guess the quality will improve, that’s one
good thing.
Which brings me to my devils-advocate point I’m trying to
make here. As I said, Disney knows how to do food, they know how to do themed
dining, but for some dumb reason they don’t know how to do coffee. The Nescafe insta-crud they offer for
their coffee selections in the parks is barely drinkable. So… if their coffee
is bad, which it is, and they have the money to hire the know-how, which
they can…why don’t they just make the coffee better?! Doesn’t that sound a tad
more reasonable than bringing a chain restaurant inside the parks?
Outside the parks, anything goes as far as I’m concerned.
Outside the parks is the “real world”. For example, I live in Manhattan, so what does
Starbucks remind me of…morning commutes, crowded subways, long lines, and
cubicles. Not exactly a fantasy
world. Starbucks serves its purpose in the real
world, providing caffeine fixes for millions of people day in and day out. But I don't want it in my fantasy world.
Inside the parks is not the real world, it’s fantasy
world, a happy place where cubicles, deadlines, commutes, and emails don’t
exist. I don’t want to be reminded of
the real world when I’m at a Disney park. I
go to Disney specifically to escape
that very drudgery. But now we’ll be surrounded by cups plastered
with that smiling green Mrs. Starbucks, to remind me that the real world is still out
there…waiting for me to return.
The Disney Starbucks locations will no doubt be themed and lovely in every way.
They’ll be aesthetically beautiful, service will be excellent, the drinks will
be varied and palatable (Not to mention ridiculously overpriced). You’ll be
able to get your ‘Venti, Non-Fat, No Foam, No water, 6 pump, extra hot, chai
tea latte’ (wtf? I never know how to order at Starbucks). Just how you like it...every day on your commute to work. It will be familiar and that will make us happy. To get the same stuff we enjoy in the day to day "real world". When "worlds" collide, eh?
Americans like Wal-Mart, too. I don't see that being plunked into Animal Kingdom anytime soon (I shudder at the thought).
