Disney Merchandise: Is Our Society "Cheap"

[Britt]

LOOOVE <3

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They have another shirt similar to that for the Tower of Terror as well..

One other shirt caught my attention from ToT...Is This one...It's REALLY Disturbing and would never wear it..

 

[Tigger#1]

I totally agree on the quality issue. It seems like they find the cheapest product then slap a Disney logo on it and charge big bucks for it. Remember when McDonalds coffee mugs were made by Fireking and not Chinese plastic?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Well, I wouldn't call my taste in Disney merch high brow. There is no such thing as a High Brow shirt with a Disney print - both the concept of merchandise and Disney are alien to High Brow sensitivities. Not that I worry about any of that - me, I've got Disney gadgets and gizmo's aplenty. I'm not too stuck up to enjoy my guilty Disney pleasures.

But I'm not uncultured enough to have any love for loud big prints, cheap junk, garish merchandise. Disney isn't low brow either.

In general, WDW positions itself too low on the cultural ladder for my liking. Come on, WDW, aim to be a bit more stylish, more classy, a bit more elegant.

 

[Californian Elitist]

This is one of the greatest apparel items I've ever seen Disney create. And it's so simple.

I don't know if it's sold anywhere at WDW. I need to get myself one of these bad boys.

 

[MickeyPeace]

Some of the Disney Tees I wear the most were purchased at Uniqlo. (Japanese apparel retailer). The are simple, cute and more affordable than at the parks.

http://wdwprince.com/?p=1798

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

Serious question here and observation... and I'll admit, I'm the high brow minimalist who scoffs at Thomas Kinkade and glorifies De Kooning and Donald Judd, but Disney merchandise...

why is everything so busy, tacky, and cheap looking?

Will the company ever come back to simple designs, because as we know... sometimes less is MORE

THIS vs (2nd Image - )

I do believe that Disney does offer simple merchandise, its just few and far in between. what's funny though, you can find more and more Disney retro shirts in large retailers, such as Target, Kohls, and even Old Navy. A few weeks ago I found a very simple Mickey shirt at Old Navy. the best part about it was that I only paid $3.99 for it, a total steal.

On the flip side though, you have to keep in mind that taste is totally subjective. As the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." What one person finds tacky, another person will find beautiful. I myself am a minimalist and would therefor go for something simple. However, my brother is my polar opposite and I could very easily see him going for what I would consider a "loud" shirt. This is why Disney has the wide variety of merchandise that it does.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I actually kind of like that Matterhorn shirt, but I've been known to embrace tacky

Seriously though, I rarely see anything I'd buy. I like some of the vintage stuff and would probably jump at the chance to buy a retro version of my vintage Donald ringer tee from 1985. Beyond that, the shirt below is the only one I have any regrets about not buying...


small world shirt- dhs by HouCuseChickie, on Flickr

I adore Mary Blair's work and while I partly regret not buying it...not sure how much I would have worn it. I think this is why we rarely buy any clothing.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I actually kind of like that Matterhorn shirt, but I've been known to embrace tacky


I adore Mary Blair's work and while I partly regret not buying it...not sure how much I would have worn it. I think this is why we rarely buy any clothing.

I like that Matterhorn shirt too. It is also a shirt one could wear outside of Disney.

I don't really buy WDW clothes for the same reason as you - when or where could I possibly wear it?

 

[ddbowdoin]

I just walked through the many shops and it was example after example of gaudy and tacky items! I think I noticed more this time around because in my previous trips we were on a budget and I had no intention of splurging. With the honeymoon I was willing and ready to slap that card around and I literally bought one tee shirt (dole whip) and one awesome print by Jeff Granito of Main St USA and the Railroad. Matted and signed by the artist, certainly a good product and beautiful designed. The Art of Disney locations are decent for sure, although there is a lot of overpriced tacky items there.

It's a damn shame.

 

[ddbowdoin]

how about this!

minus the rainbow that is an awesome shirt

 

[lilclerk]

The few shirts that I have purchased have been so thin that they start to fall apart after 2-3 washes. I don't even bother buying them unless they're super awesome.

 

[flynnibus]

my daughter has a everest shirt with that blue/white tie-dye kind of look and its fine. It's the 'busy' graphic on that one that makes it so garish.

I think when Disney gave up on the adult clothing in the Disney stores a ways back you can see the same thing in the parks. Very limited 'business casual' or even casual clothing period. I did find some more adult stuff on the DCL cruise though. Got a nice black Nike polo embroidered and some simple castaway cay shirts.

 

[MansionGoer13z]

how about this!

minus the rainbow that is an awesome shirt

Agree with you about the rainbow colors, I just wish the Earful tower was the symbol for the Disney Studios.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They were selling this shirt on the Disney Store site earlier this year...But, it hasn't come back.

 

[bethymouse]

but we need to see normal weight stuff... everything is thin and doesn't wash well. I love the hanes "beefy" tees which they use for some, but most of it is super thin

If you wear the tees a lot, and wash them a lot, they fade terribly!

 

[bethymouse]

The shirts that are $45.95 are very nice. The Bayview gifts at the Contemporary have some very nice high quality merchandise, and some larger sizes. Pricey, but worth it because they don't fall apart in the wash or fade!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Take off the unnecessary Mickey ears and I'll think about it.

 

[ShookieJones]

I TOTALLY agree!! I wanted to get the boys some shirts to wear for our trip but couldn't imagine spending that kind of money on these ugly, gaudy tee's.

Instead, I'm making them very simple, very nice tee's.

And I found an awesome clip art image of Space Mountain, which is my favorite ride, to make my own shirt. I love this image!

When DID we get so cheap?? : ( WHO likes those kinds of shirts?

Yes! I've been looking for this exact type of Space mountain shirt..I always get off the ride waiting to see something like this in the gift shop\arcade...and nothing!

 

[ShookieJones]

I would seriously would love them to remove all things "JACK" Related This means Sparrow & Skelington..Infact..Let's remove Anything Depp & Burton Related. \It's really annoying and probably the most merchandise they have backed up Everywhere!..

Why have Nightmare merch when there is nothing related to the movie at the parks.

PoTC is nothing but Movie merch and nothing simple like it use to be.
Like this one...It's the friggin Sparrow Skull..How about a standard pirate skull..Sheesh!

What is with these stupid Mickey & friends "Artsy looking shirts" These can go as well! There EVERYWHERE in the Resort!

Now THIS! I would go for...Simple...Easy...And very much to the point..YOU DON'T NEED A GIMMICK!

*Jumps off Soapbox*

I agree with this, especially the issue with Jack Skeleton - No real love or hate but: no where in the parks but yet seen throughout shops in Liberty Square. Strange.