Need help with quest

[nortonthetraveler]

I have been tasked with something that I thought would be a lot easier than I thought. Unfortunetly, this is the first time I have been truly stumped. So either this is a closely held secret or I do not know how to look for what I am looking for.

The task was to find the maker/model of a shoe used in Disneyland, specifically used for Alice and Wendy. It is a mary jane style with a Y shaped strap.

Some examples I have found are:

flickr.com/photos/briberry/4424937211/sizes/l/

and

flickr.com/photos/sean_yoda_rouse/4448524904/sizes/l/

I have found similar shoes but they were tap shoes and did not have a soft sole that these appear to have.

I also have seen pictures on flickr, while researching this, that have been taken in the past year. So I am pretty sure that they are currently being manufactured.

I am not sure that this is the right board to post on other than it is a Disneyland board.

Please point me in the right direction, I am getting fustrated at not being able to locate any information on the manufacturer.

[iKristin]

They might be custom made for the Disney parks and if not then they're more than likely "work" shoes or orthopedic due to the fact that they are in them for long periods of time. I would do a search for women's work heals.

[LuLusApple]

I believe they are custom made in the Disney costume shop. :goodvibes

[Mom2Joce]

As a former dancer I'm 99% sure they are dance shoes. As a former cast member (and I know things change) we were required to provide our own shoes. As a challenge seeker I will continue to try and find these shoes for you.

I have a friend in Fla who is REALLY good friends with ::MinnieMo so I'll ask her. And my former dance teacher now owns her dance ware company so I'll ask her as well.
I'll be in touch!!!

Forgot to add: I got really close at this link:
http://www.dancedistributors.com/shoes/tap-character

[pixiewings71]

I would look for dance shoes, they will be your best.

[Disney Dreams]

If you run a search on Google, there are lots of similar shoes, but I didn't see any exact matches.

I would be willing to bet Disney has Alice's shoes made to hit exact specifications. Just a guess, but Alice's shoes would have to be exactly the same every day, so - that would be my guess.

What do you need them for?

- Dreams

P.S. Welcome to DIS!

[nortonthetraveler]

@iKristin
The ones I was looking for are more like character shoes as opposed to work shoes.

@LuLusApple
That is one thing that I am fearful of.

@Mom2Joce
I was thinking that they were more of a dance shoe. I discovered a few close hits that were tap shoes but they were designed for taps and the shoes I am looking for do not appear to have that type of sole. I have mined Flickr looking for any distinguishing marks on the soles. I thank you for taking up the challenge and helping me. I have noticed that the one used at the Magic Kingdom were a different style than the ones used at Disneyland. I am hoping they have the same manufacturer.

@pixiewings71
I have looked through many sites of dance shoes. I have exhausted my google-ing ability and started looking on more non-retail sites hoping for a clue. That is how I came across this site.

@Disney Dreams
Ditto, I have come close but no cigar. As far as them being custom made, I am fearing that they will be locally made in the Disney costume shop but am hoping that even if they are custom made, they are from a company that they can be ordered from. I know someone that fell in love with the style. Me being known in my inner circle to be able to find anything and everything on the net, took up the quest. Little did I know how hard it would be.

[Gisele]

They do look like dance shoes, or similar. Have you thought about taking in your pictures to different dance shops to see if someone might recognize that exact style?

[Gisele]

You might want to try E bay too. You can also post a want it product and see if any of the sellers can help you out.

[Disney Dreams]

If in fact Disney has them specially made, even if you could locate the manufacturer, I would doubt they would be at liberty to make you a pair without Disney's consent.

JMO,
Dreams

[nortonthetraveler]

@Gisele

I have emailed a couple of online stores and they either referred me to the tap shoes, I mentioned before, or did not know about that style. Unfortunetly, my work schedule prevents me from going out to stores because I sleep during the day and work later at night and I try to keep my sleep schedule the same on my days off.

@Disney Dreams

I know what you mean but I am hoping for a definitive answer. I mean right now the only one I have for them so far is "go work at Disneyland as Alice or Wendy". I am surprised at myself taking so long to find information about them. I mean I found a site that sold DVD copies of a 1983 cartoon a friend was looking for in less than a month. Of course they were bootleg copies recorded from home made VHS tapes. But, I still found where to get them from, for my friend. If there is an outside manufacturer, I can pass along the information and maybe they can be ordered or custom made. I mean the tap shoes are similar so I don't think the design is trademarked.


I want to thank everyone so far for reading this thread and offering advice. I am patient and hopefully I can get a definitive answer where/who manufactures them and if they can be ordered.

[samkj]

Just out of curiosity, why do they need to be exact copies?

[nortonthetraveler]

@samkj

Why do women like one style of shoes over another? I am just trying to fulfill the requirements given to me.

[Gisele]

The more I look at the shoes I believe that they are not dance shoes. That is not to say however, that dance store personnel might not recoginize them, all the same. Have you thought of calling or sending an email to Disneyland?

[pixiewings71]

As has been said I don't think you'll find the exact shoes. Did you contact Disney about them? I've had an Alice costume in the plans for a couple years now, shoes are the least of my worries....turning my brunette hair blonde without doing a permanent color is the most....LOL yes of course I'm going to use a wig, but then I have long hair so putting that up becomes my issue. :) Anyway, I think whomever has tasked you with this may need to compromise and not get an exact copy of the shoe. :)

[LuLusApple]

This has got my curiosity charged :surfweb: I have a close friend whose cousin is currently a face character at DL. The very one we are having a discussion regarding her shoes lol. She is also a couple other well known shorties haha
I am texting my friend to have her ask her, hopefully she can shed some light if it isn't a trade secret. :worship: I know they are not allowed to discuss much. But I really always thought the "Disney Wardrobe" dept custom made everything. Part of the magic :wizard: I am prepared to be crushed :scared1:
but then again maybe she doesn't have a clue either, she might just wear em. Lolol

[kylieh]

I was looking for Dance Supply Shops around Anaheim to take DD when we visit in a few weeks (US prices are so so so much cheaper than Australia...) Anyway I found these "character shoes" They don't have taps, you buy them separatley if you need them. They look similar but not the same.

http://www.discountdance.com/frame_set.php3?mf=/dancewear/shoes/page1

[nortonthetraveler]

@Gisele
If they are not dance shoes, that might explain why I have come close. I am not sure who in Disney I would need to contact.

@pixiewings71
I am not sure, outside of being asked to look for them, what the plans for them are. I just agreed to look for them. Good luck on the costume.

@LuLusApple
That is so awesome. Thank you very much for doing this. This is the closest that I have come so far to getting a definate answer.

@kylieh
Ya, I also found some similar ones as well.

[LuLusApple]

Just letting you know my friend called her cousin today and left her a message. Hopefully we will know something by tomorrow :)

[LuLusApple]

To OP I will PM you I have a bit of info.

[nortonthetraveler]

To OP I will PM you I have a bit of info.

BIG Thanks for the info you gave in the PM. I will still continue on my quest and hopefully someone will have more info that can be shared.

[Disney Dreams]

To OP I will PM you I have a bit of info.

BIG Thanks for the info you gave in the PM. I will still continue on my quest and hopefully someone will have more info that can be shared.

We are in this quest together now, no? Inquiring minds want to know...... Did LuLusApple find a way for you to get the shoes?

[DisneySuiteFreak]

We are in this quest together now, no? Inquiring minds want to know...... Did LuLusApple find a way for you to get the shoes?

Yah, inquiring minds want to know...Is there a way to get the shoes or are they custom made? :)

[nortonthetraveler]

Sorry, about being vague but I assumed because the info was sent via PM it was meant to be private. I was unsure what to post and still am.

Ummmm.... LuLusApple's source feels that they may not be to pass along the information due non-disclosure agreements. Which may explain some of the difficulty in locating the information I am looking for. I am assuming that LuLusApple did not post the information to protect the identity of their contact.

Unfortunetly, it does not bring me much closer to an answer but it does explain the difficulty I am having. I don't want to upset anyone on this board because everyone has been so willing to help and I am hoping that I am not overstepping my bound with LuLusApple. LuLusApple please correct me if I aam wrong.

I, of course, would pass along any information that I discover from other sources, as long as they do not tell me not too. Be it getting closer to the answer or a final resolution.

If anyone needs to contact me, I have a sub account for my email that highlights any email my inbox sent to that account.

nortonthetraveler-shoes@yahoo.com

Thank you all for your time.

[LuLusApple]

I am so sorry everyone but I was told noway nohow to reveal my source, nor should I post any information on the Internet.
She is very fearful of losing her job. She actually couldn't reveal much anyway regarding the shoes.
It's still a mystery :surfweb:

[Disney Dreams]

...She actually couldn't reveal much anyway regarding the shoes. It's still a mystery :surfweb:
I think whether the shoes could be found or not was all we were curious about. Thanks for sharing. :goodvibes

...Ummmm.... LuLusApple's source feels that they may not be to pass along the information due non-disclosure agreements. Which may explain some of the difficulty in locating the information I am looking for....
That's exactly what I was saying in my post above about the possibility that Disney has them specially made. If this is the case, they are not available for the public. I wouldn't be surprised if the shoes are proprietary.

- Dreams

[LuLusApple]

From what I got; it's a trade secret where they come from, the type of shoe they are and the brand. So I would imagine ;) they are not a retail
item and probably not manufactured by Disney Wardrobe.
Sorry to be so cryptic I just would hate to get anyone in trouble.

[pixiewings71]

Lulu don't feel bad!! No one wants your acquantaince to lose her job. :)
Like Dreams I felt it was a pretty impossible quest but who knows, the OP might get lucky. OP if you do get lucky let us know what you can please. :)

[nortonthetraveler]

The good news is that there appears to be an outside manufacturer. That means it is possible to get a pair, although a steep premium might have to be paid (greasing the right palms). It may be a non-advertised style but available if you know what to ask for. Or it truly might be proprietary and even if I find out who makes them they cannot be ordered.

I guess as it stand I may have to wait for a former (or disgruntled) cast member that can pass the info along to me. Of course if I was to find out from a current cast member I can always fudge what my source was.

I will definitely share the info if I can get it (assuming that the source specifically says not to because it would implicate them somehow).

I am hoping that this thread stay alive for a little while and someone can get the information to me.

[nortonthetraveler]

Well, unfortunetly, it looks like this thread is going to die. Thank you everyone for your input and please feel free to contact me at the email address I provided, if you come across any further information.

nortonthetraveler-shoes@yahoo.com

[Mary Jo]

Hi, just moving this over to the DL community board since it's not a Disneyland planning thread.