Originally Posted By Westsider Al Lutz says there's a big marketing push coming this fall for Duffy the bear, Mickey Mouse's teddy bear. He's big in Japan, and Al links to a YouTube video showing long lines of patient Japanese folks waiting to see Duffy. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XotxKZxUFUA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...xKZxUFUA</a> Am I the only one who doesn't get this? I can't imagine this will be a big deal with Americans.
Originally Posted By leemac He failed as a merchandise item first time around. They spent a small fortune developing him at WDW to only see the concept fall flat on its face. Duffy is Disney Bear. There is nothing new. He is popular at TDR as they will lap up anything even remotely kawaii. I guess WDW Merchandise got bored with their Vinylmation nonsense already and had to find something else.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Holy crap, this is now coming to America??? The craze in TDR is one thing, but yeah I dont see it taking off in the DLR. I didnt even know it failed in WDW already. But I admit, I don't exactly get the long lines to see Tinkerbell and friends at Pixie Hollow either .
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Duffy is Disney Bear. There is nothing new. He is popular at TDR as they will lap up anything even remotely kawaii." Yeah, Duffy is just not for American audiences. Don't they understand by now that the proper strategy for separating American Disney theme park fans from their money is to vomit old Disney movies onto water fountains? They just eat it up, and pay for dinner reservations on top of the ticket price to see their DVD collection on mist screens.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I didnt even know it failed in WDW already.>> Yup - but he was solely a merchandise product. The walk around character was developed solely for TDS. I can't remember exactly when he was launched. I want to say something like summer '02 as it was about the time that the Once Upon A Toy store opened in the marketplace. He was also available in selected park stores. That store always makes me chuckle for a different reason. Hasbro were the corporate sponsors and Alan Hassenfeld (former chairman & CEO & Hasbro-lifer) had a passion for jazzy Hawaiian shirts. They made Al Weiss wear yellow baggy shorts and a red Mickey Mouse shirt. He looked so uncomfortable. It was a hoot.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros They sold something that looked very similar to Duffy in the Disney Showcase on Main Street a few years ago (I think 07-08ish). I think I took a picture of it, but I can't find it right now. The label on the tag just said 'The Disney Bear', but it was very clearly the same Duffy that they have at TDS, including the backstory in the little booklet. Nobody else seemed to even notice him sitting on that shelf, so I can't see him being too popular. And DCA (and Epcot) just doesn't seem like the best fit for the oh-so-cuddly Duffy. I guess they could put him by Grizzly or something, but it just doesn't seem right. I would be surprised if Duffy caught on (much like how I felt about the 'collectable-but-you-don't-know-what-you-will-get-and-they're-too-big-to-keep-around' Vinylmation when they were launching that), but what do I know? I'm only a consumer of the products, who happens to want Disney to do well. It just seems like another time that they are repackaging a product to try to make it appeal to everybody. Why is it so hard to just come up with something fresh and unique every now and then?
Originally Posted By LPFan22 I think Duffy is adorable. Maybe they could have a walk around at Christmas time. I have a Disney bear and love it.
Originally Posted By SuperDry I think that Duffy has already been to DCA. In fact, I have it on good authority that he saw the very first public performance of WoC in June. <<< Duffy is Disney Bear. There is nothing new. >>> I beg to differ. Disney Bear is Disney Bear. Duffy is Duffy. Does the Disney Bear sold at WDW say Duffy on its tag?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "He's big in Japan, and Al links to a YouTube video showing long lines of patient Japanese folks waiting to see Duffy." That is one of the most pathetic scenes I have ever seen. What the...? And we wonder why more and more character based stuff is coming to the parks. Well there's the answer in a video clip.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance Does he carry your stuff around all day, so I don't have to? I might consider getting him then.
Originally Posted By gadzuux This seems like bad timing to me. They're still in the process of rolling out the 'Huggy Bear' character from TSIII. The problem there is that this character is actually a villain in the film. I guess we're supposed to forget about that when we see him featured as a character in the parks and the plush in the stores. So now they've got yet another stuffed teddy bear that nobody's ever heard of. Only this one doesn't seem to have any character to him at all - no backstory, no nuthin'. I had my doubts about Huggy Bear, but this is just overkill.
Originally Posted By Mr X Oh, Duffy has a backstory all right. Something about Mickey performing voodoo in his sleep, I think.
Originally Posted By Mr X Oh, and if you Anaheim clowns DO end up having to suffer Duffy all's I have to say is Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy One thing to keep in mind about the So. Cal tourist market -- it caters to a lot more Japanese visitors than WDW. There is possibly some market research behind bringing this character to DCA.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance ^^^ Yeah, yeah, yeah. From what I hear, you've got some new friends heading your way. Just wait till they introduce Duffy's love interest to TDR, Puffy. And his brothers and sisters, Stuffy, Buffy, and Muffy. And their arch nemesis, Tuffy!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Funny how all those ravishing TDLR reviewers never mentioned anything about the Japanese obsession with this random character.
Originally Posted By Mr X Duffy and the obsession have been mentioned countless times in the Tokyo section, Hans. Obviously you've never paid enough attention to those "ravishing" reviews (I assume you meant reviews, but if instead you are calling us reviewers "ravishing" then, thanks ).
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Now why on Earth would I be reading the Tokyo DL section when there were all those ravishing reviews right here on the DLR boards?
