Disney’s new inclusion efforts with diverse group of characters on Main Street USA

Disney’s inclusion efforts reach to Main Street USA with a diverse group of new characters. What do you think of the new story?

What is the Main Street Confectionery

The Main Street Confectionary is a shop on Main Street, U.S.A. that sells all kinds of delicious treats sure to satisfy that sweet tooth. Picture an old fashioned candy shop selling everything your sugar loving heart could possibly desire! The sights and smells of the Main Street Confectionery are so iconic.

At least once during every trip, I (Monica) have to take a stroll through all of the shops on Main Street, U.S.A. I usually start with a corn dog from Casey’s and then walk the entire length of the Emporium. Then I head across the street for a coffee, a couple photos in the little alcove area, and head inside the Confectionery to pick up some treats to enjoy once I get back home.

Main Street Confectionery Refurbishment

Last spring, the Main Street Confectionery closed for a lengthy refurbishment. It closed at the end of March to receive a new look and some cool new experiences just in time for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

What a long time to be closed! Many of the sweets moved next door to the Cinema and across the street to the Emporium. The Confectionery is a must-do stop for many visiting the Magic Kingdom, and it was greatly missed for those six months it was closed.

Reopened with a new look and new experiences

Those six months brought a lot of changes to the Confectionery! First, an entire wall of M&Ms and Skittles was installed for customizable colors. You can also choose from various popcorn flavors – caramel, rainbow fruit, buttery, and cheddar – and top it with those M&Ms or Skittles.

If you need something even sweeter, you can add chocolate drizzle to the top. Talk about customizing your treat!

You can also watch Confectionery Cast Members make those indulgent treats in the candy kitchen! What better way to get in the mood for sugar than by watching them make and decorate the items available for purchase? My kids love watching them the Rice Krispie Mickeys and candy apples.

In order to accommodate all of these new experiences, Disney expanded and reconfigured the layout of the Confectionery. Now there is plenty of room to spread out!

New Backstory

You know there is a storyline for everything at Disney World, right? Some attractions even have two! The Confectionery introduces us to the Sweetest Spoon Showcase and its winners. It features the finest home confectioners in the nation!

The whole premise of the storyline is that we are stepping into the Confectionery to sample all of the amazing creations the winners of the contest came up with. We also learn a lot about the talented people who competed and won. But, who are these winners?

Diverse Characters

There are 6 characters featured, and the signs and displays share a little bit about them. In an effort to bring more inclusion into the parks, Disney introduces us to a diverse group of people from varying backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexualities.

First, we have Agata Kaminski from Chicago, Illinois. She is a free-spirited music teacher who enjoys sharing Polish jelly donuts with her students.

Saul Fitz, from Beulah, Maine, is the town tailor but enjoys baking at night to help unwind. His specialty is chocolate rugelach.

Toshi Hayakawa is a Main Street, U.S.A. firefighter who puts out flames by day but turns up the heat in the kitchen. He is perfecting his family’s 300-year old rice cake recipe.

Willie Anderson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, enjoys spending time in his family’s bookstore learning all he can about everything. Right now, his obsession is pound cakes! His mother says when he isn’t reading, his hands are on a spoon, guitar, or hammer.

Dr. Alsoomse Tabor comes from the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. Her graduate students join her on adventures in the field as she specializes in indigenous cuisines. Her research assistant shares, “When you’re digging up bones, nothing’s better than snacks that stick to them.”

Sonia Sanchez‘s kitchen in Brooklyn, New York provides her Puerto Rican neighborhood with Caribbean sweet treats. Crowds line up into the streets to buy quesitos sprinkled with “La Senora’s” signature cinnamon sugar.

As you can see by reading where they are from, what activities they participate in, and the quotes, Disney has included a wide variety of people with varying races, genders, and sexualities.

Other touches throughout the Confectionery

Not only will you find the characters’ stories and quotes but you will also find other touches featuring the contest and winners throughout the Confectionery.

A display showing us our champion confectioners’ spoons highlights the spoons the winners enjoy cooking with.

Photo displays with ribbons are also present behind the counter along with various cooking and baking supplies. There is a giant blue ribbon display in the center of the shop, so you are sure not to miss the story! But, I know how easy it can be to get in and out and on to the next thing at Disney World.

I highly encourage you to stop and take in your surroundings at the Confectionery and elsewhere in the parks! There are so many details and stories to miss when you’re trying to knock out your itinerary, which is a real shame because Imagineers do such a terrific job in every project.

Have you been inside the new Confectionery yet? Did you notice the backstory? What other fun touches did you notice? Let us know in the comments below and on Facebook.