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Ah, nothing like a good toy store mob to remind us that the holiday season is imminent: According to today's New York Times, hundreds of shoppers lined up outside the Times Square Toys R Us last night, awaiting the midnight release of a new collection of Star Wars–themed toys. What's so great about toys celebrating a four decade-old film? These new ones are based around the Disney reboot, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Like a mix between a Target collab drop and a movie premiere, the line was filled with shoppers in costume, trivia, giveaways, hours-long wait times, special Uber rides, and even haul videos—yup, for toys—warranting the nickname "Force Friday."
But not only was there a massive line outside Toys R Us—the Disney store down the block, where the new toys were also scheduled to drop at midnight, also boasted a sizable queue of shoppers who'd decided the Toys R Us crowd was too large. Said one 14-year-old who "had to settle for third place" in the Disney store line: "I definitely wanted to be in the beginning of the line." Added his mother: "He hasn't slept in the past few days."
Here's a video of the scene: