Disney Store CANCELS Popular Pre-Sale Due To Unexpected Crowd Problems

Lorcana is a super popular Disney-themed trading card game. Your favorite Disney heroes and villains are being attacked, and it’s up to you to save them! The game features iconic Disney characters like Mickey and Friends and princesses, but has expanded to include recent hits like Monsters, Inc. and Turning Red.

We love Lorcana!

But Lorcana is so popular that it’s causing chaos at in-person events. The Lorcana pre-release at Disney Springs yesterday was so popular that the police were called in for crowd control, and the hours-long line was so long that we saw someone ordering DoorDash to keep their spot. But somehow, the Lorcana pre-release in London, England, yesterday was even MORE crowded!

The Disney Store on Oxford Street in London is the only Disney Store in England, so with a rare Lorcana drop, crowds were expected. But what Disney wasn’t prepared for? A line to start forming at 5 PM the night before the store opened at 9 AM! About 600 people were in the line by the store’s opening, according to The Standard, which snaked for almost half a mile.

According to multiple eyewitnesses, the situation escalated early Friday morning when large groups of scalpers stormed the queue, pushing and shoving to get to the front. Scalpers, people who buy high-profit items for resale, have been targeting Lorcana recently. Popular and rare editions of Disney’s Lorcana cards retail for £100 at the Disney Store, but are already being sold on eBay for £650.

Lorcana cards

One Lorcana fan there told The Standard that a group of at least 100 scalpers “descended” on the queue, coming in from all sides as they pushed to get to the front. “They were obviously fighting between themselves. One was trying to get in through the front of the Disney Store. Another had stolen the tickets [from Disney Store staff] and was handing them out to his friends,” she said. “It was quite frightening. It was chaos. Any order was completely gone. They ruined what could have been an amazing experience.”

Tickets for the pre-release were scheduled to be distributed at 7 AM, with the store opening at 9 AM. But after the chaos caused by the scalpers, Disney canceled the Lorcana event via a Facebook post. The Lorcana pre-release would no longer take place, and the Disney Store had a delayed opening later that morning.

©Disney

The statement read: “The safety of our Guests, Cast Members and the local community is always our highest priority, and following the disruption outside the Oxford Street store overnight, we made the decision, alongside local authorities, to open later than usual this morning. As a result, today’s planned in-store release of the Disney Lorcana Curator’s Collection: Heroines Edition will no longer take place. We know how disappointing this is for our fans, and we sincerely apologise to those affected. We are working internally to review the process for future in-store launches.”

©Disney

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on future Lorcana events. After the high demand this weekend, our team of Disney experts is confident that the process will change soon. Stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for more Disney news!

The Longest Line In Disney World Today Isn’t Where You Think!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

Do you play Lorcana? What do you think of these crowds? Comment below!