Disney Store expanding and remodeling around U.S. and world

The Disney Store will remodel and relocate many of its stores this year in addition to opening one in Shanghai, China this fall,  the company announced this week.

In total 13 new and remodeled sores will open this year, the Disney Store said in a news release, touting its 25th anniversary. Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Utah, and Virginia will each receive its first new concept store in the state.  In February 2012, a new showcase Disney Store in Italy will be unveiled in the capital, Milan, the second newly-designed store to open in the country. 

 "We have laid a solid foundation and set a new standard for specialty retailer since launching our new store design in 2010," Paul Gainer, senior vice president of Disney Store North America, said in the news release.

The Disney Store launched in 1987 with a store at Glendale Galleria in Glendale, Calif.  In spring 2012, the store will relocate to a new location within the mall and open with the new design.

Here are the other store changes:

• The Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii will relocate to a new location and open the first Disney Store in the state to feature the new interactive design. 
• From spring 2012 through fall, Disney Store will remodel and relocate several locations to feature its new design at Tyson's Corner Center in McLean, Va.; Christiana Mall in Newark, Del.; South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.; Queens Center in Elmhurst, N.Y.; West Field Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, Calif; and Westfield Valencia Town Center in Valencia, Calif. 
• Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree will receive the first newly designed store in Colorado.
• City Creek Center in Salt Lake City will get the first newly-designed Disney Store in the state of Utah. 
• Disney Store will also open its second newly-designed store in Orlando, Fla. at the Mall at Millennia. 
• Scarborough Town Centre in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada will open a new Disney Store in the summer of 2012.
•  Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury, Conn. will open the first newly-designed store in Connecticut in summer 2012. 
• The Disney Store location in Sendai, Japan was visited by thousands of excited guests when doors opened in December 2011. 
• Milan, Italy will open a showcase Disney Store location in February of 2012.
• Shanghai, China will open its first ever Disney Store in fall of 2012.