Disney: Epcot’s Creation Shop debuts; Club Cool reopens

Disney4me · September 15, 2021

Creations Shop, Epcot’s new flagship store, opens and Club Cool, stocked with Coke merchandise, rejoins Disney World lineup.

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Epcot visitors stream into Creations Shop on its first day of operation Wednesday. It replaces Mouse Gear at the theme park. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

Creations Shop, Epcot’s new flagship gift shop, has opened and the theme park’s Club Cool, stocked with Coca-Cola merchandise, has rejoined the Walt Disney World lineup. The public was able to browse and buy at both spots as of Wednesday morning.

Creations Shop basically replaces Mouse Gear, which had been in temporary quarters for several months in Future World East. Club Cool’s old building was demolished as part of the ongoing construction work at Epcot. Now both are in the same structure with separate entrances.

Shoppers sift through new merchandise (note the Spaceship Earth leggings on that mannequin) at Creations Shop. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

The new store looks as promised: A bright space without interior walls but loads of windows, and the presence of Mickey Mouse is very apparent. Here are other first impressions of Creations Shop and Club Cool:

Cast members restock the mouse-ear headband stash at Creations Shop on opening day. This headwear lights up and incorporates a Spaceship Earth design on the ears. (Price: $39.99) (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

➤ The opening morning crowd was formidable. Many shoppers were drawn to merchandise with purchase limits (a k a eBay fodder), but also to Epcot-branded items, much of which revolves around the geometric designs of Spaceship Earth. It’s on tumblers, T-shirts, mouse-ear headbands, jetpack-sized backpacks, leggings and more.

Creations Shop patrons browse through hats and other headwear Wednesday. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

➤ The shop is divided into categories, much like Disney Springs’ World of Disney store. And without walls, you can see departments from far away, labeled HATS or HOME and such in the curvy retro Epcot font. (There’s also CUTE. Discuss.)

➤ Although glass walls surround the new store, there are also the Epcot construction walls nearby. There are some solid views of Test Track and, from the right angle, Spaceship Earth. Future vistas look bright in our heads.

Mickey Mouse murals are on each end of the new store. There are Mickey statues up on the wall, too. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

➤ Mickey is getting more face time with murals on each end of the store, looming above the registers. There are also artsy Mickey statues standing nearby.

➤ There are many cash-out stations, but some customers were skipping the line by using mobile checkout.

The reconfigured space in Future World is bright and has a high ceiling. Through the windows, you can spy Spaceship Earth ... and Epcot construction walls. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

➤ The aisles are wider than OMG (old Mouse Gear) and the floor is sparklier. There are several doors that offer escape, nonshoppers.

➤ It might be hard to be sentimental about temporary Mouse Gear, but Disney fans might find a way. Its sign has been removed.

➤ Walt Disney World still requires face coverings in its indoor spaces at the park, so that applies to Creations Shop and Club Cool, too. Compliance was high Wednesday morning.

The floorplan of the new Club Cool is more straightforward than its predecessor. The sampling fountains are on the right side. (Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel)

➤ Club Cool, on the north end of the building, is similar to its previous incarnation. It features international samples of Coca-Cola, including the often-maligned version called Beverly. (Beverly Samples may or may not be my country girl drag name.) And there’s merchandise and snacks.

On Wednesday, there was a line out the door for Club Cool. Lesson learned: Do not get between Epcot visitors jonesing for Beverly. However, some people thought that was the line for Creations Shop. It’s a theme park tradition: See a line; get in it.

➤ There are posted capacities on the walls. Maximum occupancy for Club Cool is 67 people; it’s 586 for Creations Shop.