New Duffy Merchandise

I'll bet the Mother's Day Duffy doesn't look as bad as the picture in person, but I'm disappointed. They should have at least made a slightly creative shirt design.

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Originally Posted by Janell

as for the design of the t-shirt. Its almost like Disney doesn't have enough cm as designers and they don't have a lot of time to design cool things. I can totally see some head person coming into a designers office late Friday afternoon saying I need a 17" Duffy t-shirt designed before you leave tonight. I'm sure the cm is tired over works like most people in this bad economy doing the job of several people.

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Good point. I like to think that a designer with any pride would've done a little better, though. The font is horrible. But in fairness, the real one might look better than that quick Photoshop job.

Do you think people will buy and resell this bear to the Japanese completists, because it's technically a new item? ("Malibu Stacy has a new hat!")

I actually like the 12" bears in general :#/ but there is absolutely NO reason they need to keep making predressed ones. At the least, offer the outfits separately as an option. It's so wasteful and completely counteracts the whole idea of Duffy being your lovable friend. I don't mind the 12" size and I think they are cute, but they need to sell the outfits separately (whether they sell the bears predressed or not).

Though if I were made of money, I'd buy the 12" bears I like for the outfit, then give the bears away. Sadly, I am not made of money, though.

I do really like the DCA bear. Not $30 like, but I'd really consider the outfit for $15. I really like that park.

I actually think the trading pins and the driving pin are adorable. I don't collect pins, but the art is cute and looks like Duffy. If I were in the parks this summer I'd have to try to trade.

Granted, all it took was 1) taking a decent picture of Duffy, 2) adding a hat, and 3) putting it in pin form. But lately we've been seeing some things that don't even manage step 1.

Wow, so much to respond to. Janell actually sent me this link the other day and I was waiting for her to post it; nice looking out, Ursulalvr! Thanks!^^

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Originally Posted by Ursulalvr

New Duffy the Disney Bear Items Celebrate Moms and More at Walt Disney World Resort « Disney Parks Blog new merchandise announcement. Honestly I'm pissed. Not only are they continuing the 12" predressed bears, they're now releasing 17" predressed bears! And the first looks really bad! They're saying this is a test run. Obviously, they think they're going to be making more money this way since a lot of people probably complained that the bear and costumes were expensive so now they're going to do a predressed bear with super cheap costumes at the same price as a naked Duffy. I'm just pissed that they're doing this! Gaaah!...

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We often talk about quality in this forum, but not public reaction to price, specifically. Has anyone ever actually heard anyone in the US, guests I mean, saying that Duffy is "too expensive?" Cos I think any cheaper and just why bother? It's already not really Duffy. I don't really understand what the US strategy with Duffy is, and it doesn't seem to me that the people calling the shots really do, either.:(

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Originally Posted by Eeee-va

I'll bet the Mother's Day Duffy doesn't look as bad as the picture in person, but I'm disappointed. They should have at least made a slightly creative shirt design.

Good point. I like to think that a designer with any pride would've done a little better, though. The font is horrible. But in fairness, the real one might look better than that quick Photoshop job.

Do you think people will buy and resell this bear to the Japanese completists, because it's technically a new item? ("Malibu Stacy has a new hat!")...

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Gosh, I really hope even the most hardcore Japanese fans aren't foolish enough to buy this crap. It's disgusting. I mean it is literally outrageous. There are so few opportunities to truly use that word accurately, but this is absolutely one of them:

http://parksandresorts.wdpromedia.co...18930SMALL.jpg

There have been some terribly lazy designs from the US, but even the free T-shirt they gave away was better than this. This feels like it has to be a joke, literally. It is insulting in its obvious lack of any kind of effort. And the worst thing is this...

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Originally Posted by Janell

...when I first saw the mothers day one I love it. Mostly because Duffy is special for my mom and I and we always go to dlr on Mothers day. Unfortunately I lost her in 2010, so mothers day for me is a bit tough. So I thought this would be perfect. Till I read its only in WDW. I know I complain about same things at both resorts. But really, is mothers day only celebrated in Orlando? Its just a generic t-shirt doesn't even say WDW on it. Needless to say I was disappointed...

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Someone like Janell has all these emotions they want to put into this object, either as a gift or a memento, all her love, from her real heart, and she's supposed to invest it in THIS??? This is how much Disney cares about Mother's Day? Does this really seem like something a Disney-caliber designer would make for - or even give to - her or his own mother? If it's this easy to get a job as a designer at Disney these days, something is very, very wrong. I don't care how much time the person had or didn't have; fourth-graders do better work than this for school projects. When it's this bad, it doesn't even seem like apathy or ineptitude; this actually has the stink of resentment. It feels like a big middle finger right in my face for caring so much about this character. It feels rude. I am truly shocked and as I mentioned, outraged.

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Originally Posted by gurgi

Not impressed...not in the least. The mother's day t-shirt is just...boring. Such lazy design....

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"Boring" and "lazy" hardly seems like enough, does it? It's just heartbreaking with it's in-your-face "We-don't-give-a-fluff-ness." I honestly can't think of when I've ever seen a product for sale that offended me so much with its "design." Maybe it was Princess & the Frog.

(sigh)I had actually been thinking about how all the Spring Voyage stuff has just put Duffy so over-the-top that I kinda hope it calms down a bit after the event. I had even been thinking that the lack of original designs on postcards and stickers was a real downer. I had even been thinking that reusing that same main visual images for so many different products was lazy and frustrating and I had begun to worry about the future of Duffy, even in Tokyo. This T-shirt, though, has really put things in perspective. When I think of the reality of producing the new mold for the Duffy-scale popcorn bucket, new metal molds with highly durable enamel processing for the Spring Charm Accessories, the design of the tote/vanity/duffel bags - the duffel bags in particular are incredible once they're actually in your hands, the Travel Pals (again, original metal molds), and all the other great items in addition to costumes, cookies and other treats... I just feel so thankful that the Japanese team still really cares so much about this character and their work, and is willing to make the effort. Though I am still, honestly, looking forward to a nice, quiet Cape Cod Halloween and Holiday season; I am genuinely looking forward to what OLC's Duffy team will come up with next. I may not even buy the Duffy Vinylmation now because I am so genuinely angry about this "Mother's Day" Duffy. It is like a slap in the face to everything that OLC has worked so hard to make Duffy embody, and to all the Duffy fans who actually get it.

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Originally Posted by Diznygrl

17" pre-dressed bears. There are no words....

Sometimes I think there are people working for Disney who sit in some little room somewhere and ask themselves, "Hey, wouldn't it be neat if we did the EXACT OPPOSITE of what fans want?"

I can't even begin to see the logic here.

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Originally Posted by gurgi

...I really wish they would do more quality costumes, but part of me wonders if they are just going to phase those out completely and just sell all pre-dressed bears of both sizes. Maybe it will be better for their bottom line not to have too many lines of stock, but it sure won't help Duffy become anything more than a teddy bear on a shelf.

I do like the DLP 20th dressed bear, and I did like the California Adventure one at first, but I guess I don't need either. I would prefer just the costumes for the 17" bears instead.

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Honestly, after this... I wish they would just stop producing or promoting Duffy completely. I wish he could become exclusively owned, produced and marketed by Oriental Land. I hate that the Walt Disney Company is even involved at this point. They are ruining the character, and it almost feels like that must actually be their incomprensibly twisted agenda. HOW COULD ANY "PROFESSIONAL" DESIGNER EVER EVER RELEASE THAT PIECE OF TRASH ABOVE???:???: It is incomprehensible and unconscionable!!! At this point, for me, the Walt Disney Company having rights to Duffy the (unfortunately) Disney Bear is like Universal having rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It may be legally true, but you will never convince me that Disney has any rights to Duffy worth respecting; they refuse to even feign interest in earning it. Duffy, the Bear of Happiness and Luck, deserves better. His fans deserve better. I wish US fans would boycott. I wish Duffy would fail there and just come on back home to live in Cape Cod where he belongs. Making Duffy into that cheap piece of crap that should be a precious representation of what, when we're lucky, is one of the most - arguably THE MOST - sacred of all relationships. Mothers, too, deserve better. I don't want them to improve the 17" costumes. I don't want them to improve anything. I want them to just STOP. The worst thing now would be for them to make something I really feel the need to have, because in this moment what makes me the happiest (Duffy-wise) is knowing that my Duffy is not that. I don't want them to ever make anything I'd buy again. It's a shame, too. I really, really like that flocked Vinylmation. Maybe one of my US friends who knows about Duffy will give it to me and then I won't have to be conflicted about it!:p

I'm seriously angry, though. I've been disappointed by US Duffy, but I don't know if I've ever really been angry like this. I apologize for the rant, but I have to talk to you guys. Who else could I talk to about this? Thank you.^^

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Originally Posted by gurgi

...I also noticed that they said the vinylmation was only going to be done in those two designs. I'm sad about that, and I sure hope they don't mean that's it. To go to all that trouble to make a completely new mold and then to only do two?...

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Seems foolish to me, so I suppose that'll happen.:rolleyes: On the other hand, OLC makes new molds for things all the time that they only use once and for just a few months, so maybe it's like that! ...Yeeeah...riiight.

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Originally Posted by Sue Kruse

...It feels to me like the American Disney team is lacking in creativity and is bent on pushing the styles of merch they already do. But why does Disney's American Duffy team not listen to the Duffy fan community, get rid of those the 12" pre-dressed bears, start making quality costumes for the 17" bear and introduce some more interesting items to the line like Tokyo does? I guess they're happy with losing $$$ to Build-A-Bear and ebay. Very sad that they're so clueless.

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Yeah, I second that the US Duffy team feels bent, alright. There's something else I wanna say about the US team and "bent" and "get," but it may not be appropriate, so I'll refrain. Ugh! I sure am getting bent out of shape. Look! I'm punning! I'm so angry that I'm actually punning!;)

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Originally Posted by Eeee-va

...I actually like the 12" bears in general :#/ but there is absolutely NO reason they need to keep making predressed ones. At the least, offer the outfits separately as an option. It's so wasteful and completely counteracts the whole idea of Duffy being your lovable friend.

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I couldn't agree more. I know there are a lot of Duffy fans who have a LOT of Duffys, but for me, having just that one is part of what makes him special. He will get old and dirty and have a patina of my memory and love. I like that.:D

For me personally, too many Duffys and they would start to become "things." But I know that's not true for everyone.^^

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Originally Posted by Eeee-va

...I actually think the trading pins and the driving pin are adorable. I don't collect pins, but the art is cute and looks like Duffy. If I were in the parks this summer I'd have to try to trade.

Granted, all it took was 1) taking a decent picture of Duffy, 2) adding a hat, and 3) putting it in pin form. But lately we've been seeing some things that don't even manage step 1.

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True enough about "Step 1." Sheesh!:unsure: How about "Step 0," the baseline - LOVE HIM or leave. him. alone!:bang:

And as for the pins, I actually like them too. It says there will be "two different collections," so I wonder how many total? I really hope there will also be Duffy in a Native American headdress and Duffy with a soldier's cap or just his sailor's hat ("In the Navy!"^^). Then I actually will, despite all that I said, I will absolutely have to have all of these.;)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-w...2520People.png
:roll:Cape Cod Village Greeting People!:roll:

I guess the Mouseketeer is the leather d...:eek:...I mean "biker.":lol:

You know, we've actually been seeing this a lot with ALL the merchandise, not just Duffy. The pin department in-park has been lacking for a few years now, and ds.com's pin section is all but gone.

If I had to guess, I'd say they're understaffed and pulling double and triple duties. I talked a little with the staff during the "Love is Magical" event, and after Steve left, they said the design team is doing it all- designing the pins, planning the events, etc.

What I don't understand is WHY- if Disney's doing so well, why would you cut so many jobs/hours, as well as cutting back on merchandise (and they definitely seem to be cutting back, in almost every department).

When you take all the money out of departments, you lose your talent, and when you lose your talent, stuff like that Mother's Day bear happens :(

I agree with Abyssinian28. I recall a recent vinlymations release where disney ended up pulling the whole set off the shelfs because they were falling apart and the paint job was so awful that the figures had random paint blobs on them. The set was Disney Pets featuring Pluto, Marie and other famous animals. It was much anticipated set and the whole Vinlymation community was extremely upset about the results. I believe someone reported Disney moved the prodution to a different country (maybe Vietnam, cant remember) so they could save money with a cheaper company.
Cheaper company= Cheaper Results

Such a pitty that all the different Disney Communities (Duffy, Vinlymations, Pins) are suffering.

Gosh, it's even worse than I thought. It occurs to me that there were many opportunities to have done something better. First of all, the "designer" her/himself, then that person's supervisor/director. I simply cannot imagine that a Disney artist who has achieved a position within the company so that they answer to no one could possibly have produced such unimpressive work. Then it had to go from the art department to merchandising; even if that just meant turning a chair around, someone else must have laid eyes on it. At some point it probably had to be approved for production (and so, too, did a decision have to be made to make 17" pre-dressed bears in the first place, decide that Mother's Day would be the first one and conceive of the art to suggest to the "designer.") Someone had the idea and someone had to approve it for production and marketing, and it is highly unlikely that either of these are the same as this designer. Disney artists don't work in seclusion.

Anyway, from there it had to move to marketing, and within marketing it must have gone to various teams - the blog linked above, Facebook, etc. And at none of these points did someone say, "Hm. I think maybe this isn't really up to Disney standards. Maybe we should take another look or have a set of three options and choose the best one or something? This just doesn't seem quite right to me." The fact that this did not happen means that even the people within the company, and not only the pencil pushers and number crunchers, but artists too, have stopped believing that there is a right way, a Disney way and that anything other than that is not acceptable - to the public, the legacy, the company, or to themselves. That's what OLC has that Disney so desperately needs to recapture and reignite.:(

Reminds me of a story I once read about Walt. I think it was many years ago, long before I was a Disney fan, or it may have been early on, when I was still mostly "curious" about Disney from an adult perspective. It impressed me with its integrity and leadership model, even before I fell completely in love with Duffy and DisneySEA:

When I first met Walt Disney, he was setting up folding chairs in an empty auditorium. It was 1940, and I was a young broadcaster, working at a local radio station in San Francisco. Walt had come to introduce his new motion picture, Fantasia. I arrived early for the press conference, and found the place empty except for one fellow who was busily arranging chairs.

I said, “When is Walt Disney supposed to arrive?”
He grinned and said, “I’m Walt Disney.”
I said, “You are? Why are you arranging chairs?”
“Well,” he said, “I like to have things just-so.”

~From How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life by Pat Williams with Jim Denney. They are quoting Art Linkletter; it's his anecdote.

I wonder where I came across this? It couldn't have been in university, cos it wasn't published until 2004. But I really feel that I read it before my Disney obsession began in 2008. Maybe a friend sent it, just about how to do visionary leadership? Anyway, I really see a serious lack of this essential element that made Disney successful in the existence of this new Duffy. It's the polar opposite of the way Oriental Land does things.

I just read on another site that Disney in USA is putting a limit on how many Duffy items you can buy with the same item number. You can get 5 of the same Duffy item but no more. It goes for pins, clothing, bears and anything else.

I guess Disney saw on eBay that someone is selling the mothers day Duffy in lots of 10 bears for over $300. And I think the seller had multipal lots so they had over 30 Duffys.

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Originally Posted by DuffyDaisuki

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-w...2520People.png
:roll:Cape Cod Village Greeting People!:roll:

I guess the Mouseketeer is the leather d...:eek:...I mean "biker.":lol:

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Ok that made me laugh REALLY hard. I love the Village People (actually saw them live a couple years ago). But yeah those pins are totally screaming it, which is awesome and disturbing at the same time. :lol:

I'm curious to get a first-hand look at all this stuff when I'm at WDW in less than 2 weeks for a couple days. If the pre-dressed 17" bears are back to the original quality of Duffy himself and not those horrid "interlopers" with the waffle fur, then I might pick one up just for the bear so I can have another backup. OMG I swear one day you're going to see me on "Hoarders: Duffy Bear Edition". :lmao:

I was exploring Disneystore.com, and I noticed a promotion for 17-inch Duffy outfits and clothing. You can buy three (3) Duffy outfits, from an available selection of 15, for $30.00. The outfit selection includes the following:

$20.00 Outfits:
Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Aviator, Pirate, & Lightning McQueen

$18.00 Outfits:
United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, My First Visit to WDW, Mexico, Kilimanjaro Safari, & Canada

$15.00 Outfits:
Sailor & USA (baseball)

So anyone hesitating about costumes, now may be a good time to buy.

I've always wanted to buy the lederhosen outfit (the picture suggests the outfit is designed to be a lederhosen and not a bundhosen) so that my Duffy could have a second cool outfit. He's currently outfitted in his Captain Jack outfit. But I think I would like to buy the Aviator, France, and Sailor outfits. I'll have to postpone on the Lederhosen...although I'll probably just buy it when I get the Jedi outfit.

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Originally Posted by ZTRinZler

I was exploring Disneystore.com, and I noticed a promotion for 17-inch Duffy outfits and clothing. You can buy three (3) Duffy outfits, from an available selection of 15, for $30.00.

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This promotion has been going on for several months now. And at the Character Warehouse outlets in Orlando, If you buy a 17" Duffy, you get the sailor suit, safari outfit and one other costume (I forget which one now) for free.

Well, it appears I'm "McTardy to the Party" as Abby Sciutto would say to Timothy McGhee on "NCIS." If the promotion has endured this long, I assume it will continue into and throughout the summer. If I am able to visit Disney World at the end of June, I will have to explore the Character Warehouse, although I will admit I'm not sure I need two (2) US Duffy bears of the same size. I don't think it would be right to address both of them as Duffy, but they may be okay with Duffy, Sr., and Duffy, Jr.

Ok, so. I really didn't want to start a whole new thread so I hope this is ok here.
I just got back from Disney World, and while at one of the outlet malls I came across a couple of neat things.

First, I found a Duffy (who has been dubbed Baby Duff) that I didn't know was in existence-- a 12" one that doesn't come dressed. I thought that all the 12" Duffys were in costumes of some sort so I never got one, but when I saw this little guy my heart just melted. He's so soft and sweet and he was on sale for $10 (marked down from $25). Did anyone else know these little Duffys were floating around?

Last, I was able to snag a giant Duffy for only $20 (originally $75)! It seems that everyone is aware of the 17" Duffy+3 outfits for $30, but I havn't seen anyone post about the super inexpensive giant Duffys. If any of you have been wanting one, go check out the Disney character warehouse at either of the Orlando outlets. I shall call him Mega Duff.
Well that's about it. I'll post pics soon of my growing Duffy family :D

Thanks, Kittyloaf. I think both of these have been posted, but bargain reminders are always welcome. I remember Aimster talking about the big guys, and maybe Eeee-va(??) posting that those "undressed" 12" bears are likely the Graduation ones, with the costumes removed. Someone even said you should check for loose threads (from the removed costumes).

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Originally Posted by DuffyDaisuki

Thanks, Kittyloaf. I think both of these have been posted, but bargain reminders are always welcome. I remember Aimster talking about the big guys, and maybe Eeee-va(??) posting that those "undressed" 12" bears are likely the Graduation ones, with the costumes removed. Someone even said you should check for loose threads (from the removed costumes).

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Ahhhh I see. I've been AWOL for a while so I guess I missed those posts ^.^;
And about the 12" bear-- I guess that would explain why the tag read: "graduation." I was really confused XD
Luckily there aren't any loose threads.
That was really clever of them to do that, though. It's a great way to appeal to softies like me and get rid of unsold bears at the same time!

I THINK I just asked if maybe they were saving the gowns for next year (to sell the undressed bears and save on storage costs by dressing them next year), but I believe the gowns were printed with the year, which would mean no.

I was on another board reading someone's Make a Wish album and they were at the Give Kids the World Village and were given a bear (not Duffy) wearing that cheap 2011 12" Duffy hoodie. So evidently Disney tries to do SOMETHING with discarded clothes. :shy:

Yeah the gowns had the year on them.

Oh and NEW (or new to me) promotion at the Character Warehouse outlet in Orlando. They have select 12" Duffys you can buy them at $9.99 each or 3 for $19.99! They have the Birthday one, WDW 40th. Valentine's, Graduation 2011, St. Patrick's Day & Easter.

I got myself the birthday one (he has a REALLY cute face) and a WDW 40th for my mom.