Great idea or merchandising ploy?
There seem to be folks on both sides of the fence when it comes to Duffy the Disney Bear, a cute new huggable character currently featured at Epcot. Some love him; others, well ... don't.
Duffy the Disney Bear.As far as I can tell, Duffy is the first and only Disney character not associated with a movie, cartoon, television show or park ride. As such, he didn't come with all the fanfare usually associated with those productions. He's pretty much had to make it on his own merit. To his credit, he was well-received by guests at the Tokyo DisneySea park in Japan and California Adventure at Disneyland before making his debut at Epcot in October.
He's exclusive to Disney theme parks and not available on-line.
The story behind Duffy -- you know there always has to be a story when it comes to Disney -- is meant to tug at your heartstrings.
It seems Minnie Mouse designed and stitched the cuddly cubby herself as a gift to her beau, Mickey, so he could take it with him and keep him company during his extended travels around world (which makes Duffy a perfect fit for Epcot's World Showcase). He even comes with Mickey ears sewn to the bottom of his feet.
Duffy's "job" is to remind his owner how much he is loved back at home.
Duffy has a found a home near World Showcase at Epcot.Duffy, who comes dressed in a sailor outfit but has a variety of other costumes available, has his own autograph area at Epcot, around the bend from the Mexico pavilion. He even has a scheduled meet-and-greet there every day. Duffy comes in a variety of sizes and there are other Duffy-themed merchandise available.
The reaction to Duffy has run the gamut, from "silly" to a "bad fit" to "fabulous" and "great fun."
The way I see it, no one is pulling your arm to buy one (although there may be more than a few little ones tugging at your hand after they see him, fall in love and really, really have to have one).
There's even talk that Duffy will get a promotion and become Epcot's new mascot (sorry Figment).
I say Duffy is harmless enough. For those who disagree, I guess you'll just have to grin and bear it ...
