Where did the Donald hats go and...?

[Greenlawler]

Okay I know Mickey is the boss, but Donald is a solid #2 all you Goofy lovers no offense. No Disney traditional cartoon character has provided the box office punch Donald has in fact his numbers according to Leonard Maltin were far better than Mickey's for much of the 40's and 50's.
With all that being said why when I go to the parks or to my local Disney store, is there so little Donald merch? I know many of you will say.."he's got his own store at Philharmonic." That "store" has become less become less and less Donald over the years.
I mean a prime example is the dissapearance of the Donald Hats with the squeaking bill. I mean how many of you had that? I did. They have Pluto Minnie and Goofy hats but no Donald.
Okay someone please tell me is Donald just not a big seller? or am I just not so biased to the duck that I will never be satisfied until the Duck takes complete control?

 

[Mecha Figment]

do they not have the donald butt hats anymore?

also you can add big bad wolf to the novelty hat list.


what i really miss are the classic Figment hats.

 

[Victor]

Yeah...I have fond memories of my old Donald hat. The bill would squeak when you squeezed it.

 

[no2apprentice]

Several years ago we were having a discussion about the popularity of Donald vs. Mickey with a CM at World of Disney. She said that management is very careful with Mickey's popularity, since Mickey is the universal symbol of Disney. If they feel a character is gaining too much popularity over Mickey (and Donald has done this several times over the years), they scale back merchandise and visual reminders on that character.

Sure, this was from a CM, but thinking back over the past 40+ years of watching different character merchandise come and go, what she said seems to have merit.

 

[donaldfan]

I think they put out whatever sells -- i.e. Stitch / Pooh characters . . .

 

[DDuckFan130]

I've seen the butt hats around. I also have a visor I got last year that says cranky but loveable

I have a lot of t-shirts and merchandise of Donald. I would love more, but I can't complain

 

[Greenlawler]

Several years ago we were having a discussion about the popularity of Donald vs. Mickey with a CM at World of Disney. She said that management is very careful with Mickey's popularity, since Mickey is the universal symbol of Disney. If they feel a character is gaining too much popularity over Mickey (and Donald has done this several times over the years), they scale back merchandise and visual reminders on that character.

Sure, this was from a CM, but thinking back over the past 40+ years of watching different character merchandise come and go, what she said seems to have merit.

Now that is the most sensible response I have gotten after years of asking this question.
I challenge anyone, go to the parks or stores, there is as much Grumpy dwarf items as Donald. I know more people buy Donald stuff than many of those B list characters.

 

[MeTa]

I have pics of my donlad hat as a kid, had that thick mesh and the twirly eyes. Wish I still had it. :-(

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

Sounds like it's time for a petition :lookaroun

 

[LoriMistress]

I love Donald! I was so annoyed that when I arrived at WDW and DLR they didn't have Donald merchandise...hell, even at DLR we went during Donald's Birthday and even a CM mentioned that even though Donald is "popular," they don't sell much stuff of him because it's more of a joke that he never gets "respect." Donald wants to be in the spotlight and he can't because of "Mickey." But I have to completely agree with no2apprentice on what she wrote.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

perhaps they went the same way as his troosers,






















could this be my most obscure post yet?

 

[no2apprentice]

perhaps they went the same way as his troosers,






















could this be my most obscure post yet?

I would say it's definitely in the top five!:lol:

Anyone remember Donald Duck orange juice?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I would say it's definitely in the top five!:lol:

Anyone remember Donald Duck orange juice?

but for the joys of Google........................

 

[PaisleyMF]

Something that was very popular the past months was the Donald's Bills (duck whistler) some kids even talk at the same time as blowing and sounded just like Donald (but these are "duck whistler).

 

[LoriMistress]

Anyone remember Donald Duck orange juice?

I drink his orange juice every day.

 

[wedway71]

I drink his orange juice every day.

Yes I do.I loved the OJ only for the fact that I loved Disney.I think Donald Duck OJ was run by Citrus World Orange Juice before DDOJ ceased to exist.

 

[wedway71]

Around 1986ish I went to WDW and bought the very popular Donald Duck tshirt that was white and had blue ring around the bottom of the sleeves and the collar. When I came back and wore it HS(Piper High) Ft lauderdale It turns out that Sammy Hagar(80s rock band icon for you youngins) wore same tshirt in a rock video and all my friends thought I was soooo cool for having the tshirt but I was just being a Disney Fan.:lol:

 

[joelleharbert]

I was so glad to find this thread! When my sister and I were younger, she had a Donald hat with the bill in front, etc. When she and her family went back two years ago, she tried to buy one for her children and couldn't find one anywhere. She and I (and my mom, in fact) have often wondered what happened to those hats. I guess it would make sense that Disney doesn't want Mickey overshadowed too much, but someone kindly explain to me the intense fascination that they seem to have with Stitch then.

 

[Mecha Figment]

stitch is not a classic character, so he has no threat of becoming identified as the companies icon. Mickey mouse really has been dead for quite a long time until the most recent years.

 

[barkatozz]

I challenge anyone, go to the parks or stores, there is as much Grumpy dwarf items as Donald.

You won't hear me complaining.