Full photo coverage of the very first appearance and welcoming ceremony of Duffy

[Tigger1988]

Well considering Donald was in several films themed around Latin American culture and Beauty and the Beast are French characters...I'm not seeing the comparison there.

I don't really see the issue with having two original characters representing the two parts of Epcot, but clearly some here do. :shrug:

 

[ttalovebug]

Considering that it's not a "one or the other" deal, no it doesn't bother me. Merchandise, Duffy or otherwise is going to be promoted and sold regardless of what "energy" is being put into attractions or pavilions. Not to mention Disney does in park press conferences for just about everything. I doubt any new rides/refurbs/whatever were cast aside in favor of new merch, one has nothing to do with the other.

I have zero interest in ever buying a Duffy bear but I can see why this is a very smart move for Epcot, like Raven stated.

True, but what I'm saying is it just shows where their priorities are.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Well considering Donald was in several films themed around Latin American culture and Beauty and the Beast are French characters...I'm not seeing the comparison there.

I don't really see the issue with having two original characters representing the two parts of Epcot, but clearly some here do. :shrug:

Figment (along with Dreamfinder before he was taken away) is THE character from EPCOT Center. He was on pins, merchandise, bags; he was on a wide array of promotional material for the park as a whole. Why is he only allowed to be in one FW attraction yet Duffy (who is an outside character with absolutly no relation at all to EPCOT) is allowed to have a major presence in World Showcase?

Please understand, I don't mind integrating characters and other kid stuff into World Showcase; I actually think meet and greets, Kim Possible, and the Kidcot stops are great ways to give kids something to do in an otherwise adult-centered area. What I don't understand is bringing in an outside character with no relation to Epcot to be used for marketing in a park that already has an undermarketed character that has been around since October 1, 1982.

 

[Tigger1988]

Figment (along with Dreamfinder before he was taken away) is THE character from EPCOT Center. He was on pins, merchandise, bags; he was on a wide array of promotional material for the park as a whole. Why is he only allowed to be in one FW attraction yet Duffy (who is an outside character with absolutly no relation at all to EPCOT) is allowed to have a major presence in World Showcase?

Please understand, I don't mind integrating characters and other kid stuff into World Showcase; I actually think meet and greets, Kim Possible, and the Kidcot stops are great ways to give kids something to do in an otherwise adult-centered area. What I don't understand is bringing in an outside character with no relation to Epcot to be used for marketing in a park that already has an undermarketed character that has been around since October 1, 1982.

Why don't you ask Disney that question? All I stated was it made sense for a bear whose entire premise is to travel the WORLD to be in World Showcase. Has Figment ever had a "large" presence in WS? I don't seem to remember him ever being largely represented outside of FW.

Kim Possible has no relation to Epcot, yet you have no qualms about her having a larger presence in WS than Figment. Where's the logic there?

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Why don't you ask Disney that question? All I stated was it made sense for a bear whose entire premise is to travel the WORLD to be in World Showcase. Has Figment ever had a "large" presence in WS? I don't seem to remember him ever being largely represented outside of FW.

Kim Possible has no relation to Epcot, yet you have no qualms about her having a larger presence in WS than Figment. Where's the logic there?

I could, but why bother? I'll just end up getting an email that says, "Thank you for your interest" with the official story of Minnie making Duffy and him going around the world with Mickey and blah, blah, blah. :lol:

And just because Figmnet has never had a large presence in WS doesn't mean he couldn't now. And with Kim Possible, yes it would have been nice if they did not use Kim Possible as the theme and had come up with something original. But KP was implemented subtly; you don't see KP in the parks fro meet and greets. And KP did not takover the Kidcot stops, repurpose an enitre merchandise store or receive a new meet and greet gazebo along the promenade.

Plus, KP was added as another attraction for everyone to experience while at Epcot; Duffy's main purpose is to get people to buy teddy bears.

 

[aladdin2007]

I wouldn't say it makes perfect sense, but Disney has done worse. There was at least some thinking put into this move.

I just don't buy the idea that Figment can/should only be used in Future World; I see Figment as being no different than Donald in Mexico or Belle and Beast in France. If the Fab Five and princesses can be in World Showcase, why can't the original character of EPCOT Center be as well? :shrug:

I can understand that. On one hand I guess its good that at least Duffy has a world traveling story and some thought went into the process. Whats worse is the princesses in Akershus that dont belong in Norway. Which tells me they were thinking lets not make any sense or logic who cares, so we can make the mighty bucks no one will care if Jasmine is in Norway etc :brick:. At least Duffy has been implemented with a fitting story, I would have rathered Figment personally but they seem to really be pulling away from Figment. :lookaroun

 

[TP2000]

At least Duffy has been implemented with a fitting story, I would have rathered Figment personally but they seem to really be pulling away from Figment. :lookaroun

Just to get this off my chest, I am NOT a Duffy fan.

But, I do have to give Disney some credit for making him appropriate for the park he is in. In Epcot they've played up the world travel theme at World Showcase.

But at DCA, they put Duffy in Paradise Pier on a deck just above the water and they are playing up his sailor theme instead of his world travels, with lots of sailing props and attending Cast Members in crisp sailor uniforms. Mickey and Minnie pose with him in matching sailor outfits. They even put his "backstory" inside life preservers along the queue towards his meet n' greet structure, to educate Californians on who he is.

Duffy's Sailor Themed Area at Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure

I can't remember the last time Disney went to so much trouble over introducing a merchandise product, tailored to each theme park it appears in. He's a world traveler in World Showcase, and he's a sailor at Paradise Pier. With big gift shops at the exits of the photo locations. They must have huge expectations of his sales potential! :lol:

.

 

[jhastings74]

I think the shop was mega overkill because each display was the same 2 or 3 shirts with various Duffy sizes. Disney has a way of overdoing stuff until people are gagged with it.

For sure. Same reason you'd see tons of HSM and Hannah Montana merch at Chester & Hester's, etc. Drove me nuts when I was a CM there and had to re-stock that stuff every night. Totally made no sense theme-wise.

 

[Aurora's#1Fan]

Just to get this off my chest, I am NOT a Duffy fan.

But, I do have to give Disney some credit for making him appropriate for the park he is in. In Epcot they've played up the world travel theme at World Showcase.

But at DCA, they put Duffy in Paradise Pier on a deck just above the water and they are playing up his sailor theme instead of his world travels, with lots of sailing props and attending Cast Members in crisp sailor uniforms. Mickey and Minnie pose with him in matching sailor outfits. They even put his "backstory" inside life preservers along the queue towards his meet n' greet structure, to educate Californians on who he is.

Duffy's Sailor Themed Area at Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure

I can't remember the last time Disney went to so much trouble over introducing a merchandise product, tailored to each theme park it appears in. He's a world traveler in World Showcase, and he's a sailor at Paradise Pier. With big gift shops at the exits of the photo locations. They must have huge expectations of his sales potential! :lol:

.

A at DCA said over on MC that Duffy sold out so fast, they had to order an emergency shipment.

 

[Azerin]

A at DCA said over on MC that Duffy sold out so fast, they had to order an emergency shipment.

Yeah a good friend of mine lives in CA and goes to Disneyland almost every day and he went to the main Duffy store yesterday I think and they were completely out of everything Duffy... apparently they did an emergency restock and had some stuff a few hours later but not everything... so it looks to be a success so far.

We went to Tokyo this summer and saw all the Duffy mania there in person and honestly it was ridiculous. I understand him being popular and kids maybe taking their "normal" sized Duffy's around the parks for pictures. But when parents kick their kids out of strollers so they can put their (the parents... not the kids) Duffy in instead, 30+ year old adults (both men and women) carrying around multiple Duffys all day (including some 4 foot tall ones and no that is not an exaggeration), and 60+ year olds carrying around big shopping bags full of Duffys along with about 5 mini ones on various straps/lanyards/etc all in 95+ degree heat and 95% humidity it starts to get to be a bit much

So while I am not completely against Duffy (unlike a number of people I know who refer to him as Duffy the Demonic Bear ) I hope it doesn't get to the craziness level of Tokyo

 

[NewfieFan]

Yeah a good friend of mine lives in CA and goes to Disneyland almost every day and he went to the main Duffy store yesterday I think and they were completely out of everything Duffy... apparently they did an emergency restock and had some stuff a few hours later but not everything... so it looks to be a success so far.

We went to Tokyo this summer and saw all the Duffy mania there in person and honestly it was ridiculous. I understand him being popular and kids maybe taking their "normal" sized Duffy's around the parks for pictures. But when parents kick their kids out of strollers so they can put their (the parents... not the kids) Duffy in instead, 30+ year old adults (both men and women) carrying around multiple Duffys all day (including some 4 foot tall ones and no that is not an exaggeration), and 60+ year olds carrying around big shopping bags full of Duffys along with about 5 mini ones on various straps/lanyards/etc all in 95+ degree heat and 95% humidity it starts to get to be a bit much

So while I am not completely against Duffy (unlike a number of people I know who refer to him as Duffy the Demonic Bear ) I hope it doesn't get to the craziness level of Tokyo

I don't think you'll ever see it reach the level here that it has in Tokyo.

At the Passholder event there was someone who came all the way from Japan to attend the event! Now that is hardcore!!!

 

[blm07]

Can we send Duffy back to the sea yet?

 

[Testtrack321]

Kim Possible has no relation to Epcot, yet you have no qualms about her having a larger presence in WS than Figment. Where's the logic there?

I don't care for Duffy, but I don't see him as the anti-Christ like some do.

While KP has no relation to Epcot, her addition wasn't in conjunction with Disney redoing MouseGear or something into a whole KP shop. You don't have to buy a Kimmunicator to participate, there are no cell phone cases to buy, nor does Disney actively advertise the main purpose of KP to buy more stuff and take pictures of it.

I dislike Duffy the same reason why I dislike Barbie: commercialization and faux history/chemistry.

If Duffy didn't require a purchase and then additional purchases of clothes it'd be a totally different story.

 

[SleepingMonk]

This isn't Tokyo.

All aboard the fail boat.

 

[JustInTime]

This isn't Tokyo.

All aboard the fail boat.

The only one getting on that boat is you for using the word "fail". It's so overplayed. :lol:

 

[SleepingMonk]

I can't be all cutting edge cool like Disney and their teddy bears.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Because Figment is used in Future World and Duffy in World Showcase. It makes perfect sense.

But if we use Magenta's argument even Figment isn't fit to be there, he's not based on a movie or book!!! :hammer:

You're right, but he IS part of an original Walt Disney World attraction. So of course he's fit to be there. Better than some immigrant bear IMO. What attraction is Duffy part of? Oh right, the souvenir shops. MUCH better.

 

[Tigger1988]

You're right, but he IS part of an original Walt Disney World attraction. So of course he's fit to be there. Better than some immigrant bear IMO. What attraction is Duffy part of? Oh right, the souvenir shops. MUCH better.

lol you change your arguments more often than people change their socks, makes it hard to take anything you say seriously.

You complain when Disney buys existing properties and "shoehorns" them in the parks claiming only original characters should be used. You complain when Disney actually brings in an original character... So what is it?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

This isn't Tokyo.

But Epcot does have a Japan.

 

[Magenta Panther]

lol you change your arguments more often than people change their socks, makes it hard to take anything you say seriously.

You complain when Disney buys existing properties and "shoehorns" them in the parks claiming only original characters should be used. You complain when Disney actually brings in an original character... So what is it?

LOL, you seem bent - and I use that word deliberately - on picking a fight with me. What I said is not contradictory in any way. Yeah, I'd prefer original Disney characters in the Disney parks, as opposed to characters created by some other entity - but it'd be nice if those original Disney characters were GOOD characters. If you can't grasp the difference between Duffy, a generic bear meant to sell merchandise and nothing else, and Figment, a character created as part of a memorable Disney attraction, well, I can't say much about your level of discernment. It is what it is. Duffy may be an original "character" (depending on your definition of that word), but he's not a very good one, and THAT was my point. Why should Disney bother with something so contrived when there's already a memorable character available, one that people already like, one that's a lot more original and that's being, in my opinion, tragically underused?

But hey, enjoy the bear. To each his own.