The Disney Character Warehouse at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise will close on April 15, 2026, according to Cast Members and regular shoppers. Disney chose not to renew its lease at the mall, owned by Simon Property Group. The company has not issued a formal press release about the decision.
The Sunrise store is one of three Disney Character Warehouse outlets in Florida. These outlets sell discounted merchandise that originally appeared at Walt Disney World Resort and on Disney Cruise Line ships. The other two locations operate in the Orlando area. One sits at Orlando International Premium Outlets. The other operates at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets near Walt Disney World.
The closing Sunrise warehouse is closer to the Disney Cruise Line Terminal at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lease Decision and Market Considerations
Reports indicate that the lease expiration prompted the closure. Employees cited business performance and operational costs in discussions with reporters. Disney has not confirmed specific financial details.
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The Sunrise location sits roughly three hours from Walt Disney World by car. That distance may limit consistent tourist traffic compared with Orlando outlets. The Orlando stores sit closer to Disney theme parks and resort hotels. That proximity likely supports higher visitor volume.
The Sunrise store served South Florida residents and travelers heading to Port Everglades. Cruise passengers often visited before or after sailings. Local shoppers also relied on the outlet for discounted park merchandise.
Return Policy Changes
In early February 2026, Disney updated its return policy at Character Warehouse and Cast Connection outlets. The company made all sales final, with no returns or exchanges permitted. Disney likely introduced the policy to limit bulk buying by professional resellers.
Merchandise in the Disney Character Warehouse – YouTube, Urban Vista Journey
Resellers purchase large quantities of discounted items and resell them online. Store employees told reporters that reseller activity created operational challenges. Some have speculated that the increase in resellers helped lead to the stores closure. Although possible, this is not confirmed. Considering the warehouse offered discounted, unsold merchandise, resellers buying bulk actually helped the store get rid of items quickly. Even if the practice irks many Disney fans.
Whether reselling led to the stores closure or not, the updated return policy protects the warehouse financially from those who might try to sell in bulk, only to return what they couldn’t move.
The stricter return policy applies to the remaining Orlando outlets. Those stores continue to operate under existing leases.
Community Response
Local shoppers reacted with disappointment on social media after reports confirmed the closure date. Many cited convenience as the main benefit of the Sunrise store. The Orlando outlets require several hours of travel for South Florida residents.
Empty Main Street USA and Cinderella Castle hub on Labor Day 2025 Magic Kingdom Disney World – Photo Credit: That Park Place
At this time, April 15 remains the reported final day of operation. The two Orlando locations remain open, with no word on whether they will close as well once their leases expire.
Did you like the Sunrise location warehouse? What are your thoughts about its closure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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The more the characters are DEI, the more the collapse of the Merch business.
Reminds me of those Rey Palpatine dolls being sold off dirt cheap at the Parks.
I can still go into Ollie’s Bargain Outlets in the Cincinnati area and find tons of those 12 inch, limited movement Ahsoka figures.