Tinkerboy00
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2006
I went ALL OVER Downtown Disney today and did not see these anywhere. Are they available at stores in the parks?
Disney Designer Dolls
- Thread starter *sarah*
- Start date
berrybread
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
I love these dolls so much! I bought Ariel from the online disney store because they sold out at my real disney store in a couple hours! I came at noon to get her because I had an appointment and they were all gone! They said there was a line up! Ariel arrived yesterday and she is so beautiful! I'm also getting Rapunzel and I'll be getting to my disney store REALLY early for that one because I know she's going to be super popular! I just figured out that Ariel sold out on the disney store online so I'm so glad I got her!
*sarah*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
Hmm, you would think they would be. But I'm not sure which stores you could try. Are they a Disney Store exclusive? Cause some stuff it seems you can only buy from there and not other Disney places. The Facebook page for The Disney Store has a list of all the stores across the US that are selling them, since they are not at every one. If anything maybe you could order it online? I had planned on do that, but was to impatient to wait the week or so for it to come in LOL
*sarah*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
The Disney Store I went to had sold 5 in the first 15 minutes of being open. We got there at 10:15 and I got the 6th one. The lady who checked me out said one lady was sitting outside the store 30 minutes before they opened. I want Rapunzel too!! I might just order that one online the morning it comes out though. I am obsessed with Ariel thats why I had to get her asap LOL. I have a whole Ariel shelf in my bedroom.
*sarah*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
it is indeed Belle for this week! Disney Store just posted on FB. Oh boy!
She is one of the ones I really want!
Alice28
DIS Veteran<br><font color=blue>I'm Doombah Fricki
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
I find it interesting how they released the dolls; I really would have thought they would have volleyed back and forth between the 'big hitter' princesses. To me, Belle, Ariel and Cinderella are the 3 most popular princesses. Rapunzel, Aurora, Jasmine, Tiana in the middle; Snow White, Mulan and Pocohontas the least popular...
I'm just basing my opinion on how much of each princess is usually released in the parks, how many of each kiddo I see in that costume at Halloween time, etc. My daughter's favorites are Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Rapunzel...
I wonder if Rapunzel will be last, to sort of 'wrap it up' on a high note?
I personally think Pocohontas is the most uniquely beautiful of this collection. I want to get all "Project Runway" on judging the dolls, LOL. Can't you hear Michael Kors with some snotty comment about the eye lashes?
I'm just basing my opinion on how much of each princess is usually released in the parks, how many of each kiddo I see in that costume at Halloween time, etc. My daughter's favorites are Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Rapunzel...
I wonder if Rapunzel will be last, to sort of 'wrap it up' on a high note?
I personally think Pocohontas is the most uniquely beautiful of this collection. I want to get all "Project Runway" on judging the dolls, LOL. Can't you hear Michael Kors with some snotty comment about the eye lashes?
starry_solo
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2010
I suspect Rapunzel will be the last released, probably at or near the time she is to be officially crowned the 10th Disney Princess in England.
Poohbug
Sherlocked
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2006
I love these dolls too. I have been able to resist buying because, honestly, I am selling my collection of Disney dolls and collectables. I started collecting before I had kids, thinking it would be a fun activity for my daughter and I. Well three kids and three boys later, they are just collecting dust.
They might get me with the mugs tho-I drink hot chocolate in the winter, right?
They might get me with the mugs tho-I drink hot chocolate in the winter, right?
berrybread
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
I was thinking of going an hour earlier for Rapunzel because the employee's at my disney store said they'd been waiting there since 9, and the store opens at 10! And whoa that's so cool that you have an Ariel shelf!
berrybread
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
I hope not! I want her now xD
Shivatopia
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2011
Good evening all! This is my first post on this forum (and I apologize in advance if it's too wordy), but the Disney Princess Designer Collection has become very interesting to me ever since I saw pictures of the pins about 2 weeks prior to the 2011 D23 Expo. I was excited that Disney was planning something glamorous for the princesses, and the fact that a whole collectible product line was being developed was great (though hard on the wallet).
My first impressions of the fashion designs were very mixed: I loved Snow White & Rapunzel's designs the best (and they are luckily my 2 favorite princesses); I was not particularly impressed by Cinderella & Ariel's designs; I thought Aurora, Jasmine, Belle, & Tiana's dresses were not different enough from their original gowns; and I thought Mulan & Pocahontas' designs were kind of boring. So, when the pin sets were released and sold out at the Expo, I shrugged, knowing that I really only wanted 2 of them, and that I would probably only want 2 of the dolls. Well, thanks to eBay, I did get my Snow White and Rapunzel designer pins, though with the usual eBay mark-ups in price (although I luckily did not pay the $100 price tag that most of the Rapunzel pins have been selling for).
So what are my thoughts about the actual dolls? Well, once pictures of the dolls started rolling out online, my opinions of them changed a great deal. Especially with the official August 22nd launch, and the feature video Disney put on the DisneyStore.com website, I gained a better appreciation of the doll collection and decided to buy the whole set. My opinions are as follows, which you may or may not agree with:
1.) Cinderella is a lot prettier as a doll than the original design sketch portrays. The sketch makes her look like a 1950s Barbie, which I did not like. The actual doll looks a lot more like Cinderella and her gown is really beautiful. The detailing is particularly impressive, as is the Pumpkin Coach purse. I am really glad I bought her.
2.) I did not like the sketch of Ariel's dress, but it translates a thousand times better as a real dress on the actual doll. I like her super-long red hair, though for the packaged doll I wish it cascaded in front of her shoulder like in the sketch. I hate the antennae-eyelashes that they gave to 7 out of the 10 princesses. They look strange, and if I ever take them out of the box (though I don't know why I ever would), I would consider trimming those off. Still, I am glad I bought her, as she is a stunning doll.
3.) Belle is not particularly one of my top favorite princesses, and as I mentioned, I thought that her re-imagined dress looked too similar (but is actually inferior) to her signature ballgown from the movie. Unfortunately, the translation of the sketch to the doll's dress made the whole thing worse, because instead of soft ruffles, they opted to make really tight rosette ruffles that just don't look right. They also turned her elegant updo into a rather old-looking beehive. Then, she has those weird eyelashes. The doll's face is lovely and if I ever were to take her out of the box, I would restyle her hair, trim the antennae, and maybe even redesign the bottom half of her dress. Yes, that would ruin the collectability of the doll, but she would be a great OOAK doll project.
4.) Like with Cinderella and Ariel, Mulan's design translated a lot better into doll form. I really like the color of the dress and the long train. The fan inspiration at the top of the bodice and the train are very pretty. Mulan also sports the antennae-lashes and a beehive, but since her hair is more tightly pulled back than Belle's, the beehive looks a lot better on Mulan. I actually look forward to buying this doll.
5.) To me, Snow White is the quintessential princess, and she will always be my favorite out of the group. I absolutely love her design sketch. I don't particularly like the way her hair looks in the official doll pictures/video, but in the actual doll packaging, her hair looks a lot tighter and neater. Her dress is not as impressive on the actual doll as in the sketch (the bodice is not fitted enough), but I will do whatever I can to buy this doll. At least she does not have the antennae-lashes, and her face is very cute.
6.) Aurora... poor Aurora. She is one of my favorite princesses, but where do I start with this designer version? The design sketch of her gown is little more than a sleeveless copy of her signature princess gown and they gave her an almost-Cinderella-like updo. Her translation into doll form is even worse. The skirt of her dress is now super-plain, lacking the pleats that make her dress original. They took out the light pink design at the hips of her dress and replaced it with a cheap-looking white trim belt. What was the reasoning behind that? Her hair as a doll looks like classic Cinderella more than ever. The sketch at least had Aurora's signature bangs and tried to curl the updo in resemblance to Aurora's stylized curls. The doll lacks all of that, and apart from the fact that this doll is wearing Aurora's tiara and necklace, and the fact that the box will read "Aurora" on the little gold plaque, this could be Cinderella in a new dress. In fact, this gown is a better re-imagined version of the pink dress that Anastasia and Drizella rip to shreds in Cinderella. That being said, the doll's face is lovely and I still plan on buying her in respect to my love for Aurora. To be honest, I know that I will treasure my 1998 40th Anniversary Signature Aurora doll more than this Designer Aurora doll. Final note: at least she was also spared from receiving the antennae-lashes.
7.) Jasmine translates rather accurately from sketch to doll. However, I still don't see anything about it that really excites me. I know that people have complained that her eyes seem a bit off and that her forehead looks too big, but I actually think that the doll looks a lot like Jasmine. Jasmine has unnaturally large eyes as part of her animation design, so I have no complaints. I don't like the fact that her elbow and wrist joints are exposed. I know it's because they want the entire doll series to be consistent in their ability to be posed, but it looks awful. Since I don't presently own any Jasmine dolls (I never found one I really liked), I will be happy to add this doll to my collection. Maybe it's a good thing that her clothes are just a dress version of her normal clothes.
8.) Tiana's dress really looks like a simplified version of her wedding gown, and I think that was a terrible cop-out. Sure, Tiana's wedding gown is really beautiful, but almost every Tiana doll out there has her wearing that dress. I like her hair better in the sketch than how it appears on the actual doll (she looks like a Supreme). At least the doll has a small Frog-Naveen, which is a cute touch. I don't yet own any of the Tiana dolls, so I don't have any reservations about buying this doll.
9.) Rapunzel is my #2 favorite princess (I really liked the fairy tale ever since childhood). Her design sketch is very dramatic, and the dress translates very well onto the doll. My big issues with the designer Rapunzel doll are: her antennae-lashes, her exposed arm joints, and the odd smug look on her face. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to getting Rapunzel.
10.) I have read rather scathing and unflattering comments about the designer Pocahontas doll, which for the most part I think are rather unfair, and I will not repeat them here. I will say that her design sketch is not very inspiring, and that carries over into the doll's dress. The felt-looking material of the dress makes the overall look rather cheap. I'm sure that it was supposed to resemble a soft deerskin texture, but it kind of failed. I have no idea what her purse is supposed to symbolize. Now, as for the doll herself, she reminds me of Padma Lakshmi, and I think that she is very beautiful, but not really Pocahontas. The original play dolls of Pocahontas that were released when the film came out in theaters is still probably one of the best doll renditions of Pocahontas to date. I will try to buy this doll for the sake of the collection, and maybe she'll grow on me in person.
So, yes, for me the dolls are not necessarily 100% perfect, but they are lovely enough to be worthwhile for me to collect and enjoy. I will say that I am very frustrated with the distribution of the other products of the Princess Designer Collection (the mugs, journals, the Snow White compact, etc.). For example, the stores that are in my area (the SF Bay Area) only received the initial shipment of mugs when the Cinderella doll was released and promptly sold out. Naturally, the store workers and management are unable to disclose if they are going to be getting any more in the foreseeable future. This seems like a poor marketing strategy on Disney's part, considering that the mugs are only available at the retail stores, that the mugs are in demand, and I don't think that ceramic mugs are considered expensive to produce (considering how many mugs Disney does produce every year).
By the way, does anyone even know if the Snow White Compact Mirror was ever really released? There is a hidden listing for it on Disneystore.com, but on the day of the product launch, it was already said to be "Sold Out" that very same night, and I have seen no mention of it on any of the forums. I e-mailed Disney about it, but I have not yet received a response (it's been about 2 weeks now).
By the way, according to a forum thread on the disneypinforum site (I can't post links here yet), an estimate of each doll's edition size is said to be as follows:
Cinderella: 8000 (08/22)
Ariel: 8000 (08/29)
Belle: 8000 (09/05)
Mulan: 6000 (rumored 09/12)
Snow White: 6000 (unknown release date)
Jasmine: 6000 (unknown release date)
Rapunzel: 6000 (unknown release date)
Aurora: 4000 (unknown release date)
Pocahontas: 4000 (unknown release date)
Tiana: 4000 (unknown release date)
If this list is true, then it would appear that perhaps Disney is releasing the dolls in descending edition size from biggest to smallest, but "randomly" within each subset. Also, this system could potentially place Rapunzel's release for the 7th week (which would be 10/03 - the day after her official induction into the Disney Princess group). Just a thought. I agree with the general consensus that Rapunzel would most likely be released in week 7 (10/03) or week 10 (10/24).
Happy collecting!
My first impressions of the fashion designs were very mixed: I loved Snow White & Rapunzel's designs the best (and they are luckily my 2 favorite princesses); I was not particularly impressed by Cinderella & Ariel's designs; I thought Aurora, Jasmine, Belle, & Tiana's dresses were not different enough from their original gowns; and I thought Mulan & Pocahontas' designs were kind of boring. So, when the pin sets were released and sold out at the Expo, I shrugged, knowing that I really only wanted 2 of them, and that I would probably only want 2 of the dolls. Well, thanks to eBay, I did get my Snow White and Rapunzel designer pins, though with the usual eBay mark-ups in price (although I luckily did not pay the $100 price tag that most of the Rapunzel pins have been selling for).
So what are my thoughts about the actual dolls? Well, once pictures of the dolls started rolling out online, my opinions of them changed a great deal. Especially with the official August 22nd launch, and the feature video Disney put on the DisneyStore.com website, I gained a better appreciation of the doll collection and decided to buy the whole set. My opinions are as follows, which you may or may not agree with:
1.) Cinderella is a lot prettier as a doll than the original design sketch portrays. The sketch makes her look like a 1950s Barbie, which I did not like. The actual doll looks a lot more like Cinderella and her gown is really beautiful. The detailing is particularly impressive, as is the Pumpkin Coach purse. I am really glad I bought her.
2.) I did not like the sketch of Ariel's dress, but it translates a thousand times better as a real dress on the actual doll. I like her super-long red hair, though for the packaged doll I wish it cascaded in front of her shoulder like in the sketch. I hate the antennae-eyelashes that they gave to 7 out of the 10 princesses. They look strange, and if I ever take them out of the box (though I don't know why I ever would), I would consider trimming those off. Still, I am glad I bought her, as she is a stunning doll.
3.) Belle is not particularly one of my top favorite princesses, and as I mentioned, I thought that her re-imagined dress looked too similar (but is actually inferior) to her signature ballgown from the movie. Unfortunately, the translation of the sketch to the doll's dress made the whole thing worse, because instead of soft ruffles, they opted to make really tight rosette ruffles that just don't look right. They also turned her elegant updo into a rather old-looking beehive. Then, she has those weird eyelashes. The doll's face is lovely and if I ever were to take her out of the box, I would restyle her hair, trim the antennae, and maybe even redesign the bottom half of her dress. Yes, that would ruin the collectability of the doll, but she would be a great OOAK doll project.
4.) Like with Cinderella and Ariel, Mulan's design translated a lot better into doll form. I really like the color of the dress and the long train. The fan inspiration at the top of the bodice and the train are very pretty. Mulan also sports the antennae-lashes and a beehive, but since her hair is more tightly pulled back than Belle's, the beehive looks a lot better on Mulan. I actually look forward to buying this doll.
5.) To me, Snow White is the quintessential princess, and she will always be my favorite out of the group. I absolutely love her design sketch. I don't particularly like the way her hair looks in the official doll pictures/video, but in the actual doll packaging, her hair looks a lot tighter and neater. Her dress is not as impressive on the actual doll as in the sketch (the bodice is not fitted enough), but I will do whatever I can to buy this doll. At least she does not have the antennae-lashes, and her face is very cute.
6.) Aurora... poor Aurora. She is one of my favorite princesses, but where do I start with this designer version? The design sketch of her gown is little more than a sleeveless copy of her signature princess gown and they gave her an almost-Cinderella-like updo. Her translation into doll form is even worse. The skirt of her dress is now super-plain, lacking the pleats that make her dress original. They took out the light pink design at the hips of her dress and replaced it with a cheap-looking white trim belt. What was the reasoning behind that? Her hair as a doll looks like classic Cinderella more than ever. The sketch at least had Aurora's signature bangs and tried to curl the updo in resemblance to Aurora's stylized curls. The doll lacks all of that, and apart from the fact that this doll is wearing Aurora's tiara and necklace, and the fact that the box will read "Aurora" on the little gold plaque, this could be Cinderella in a new dress. In fact, this gown is a better re-imagined version of the pink dress that Anastasia and Drizella rip to shreds in Cinderella. That being said, the doll's face is lovely and I still plan on buying her in respect to my love for Aurora. To be honest, I know that I will treasure my 1998 40th Anniversary Signature Aurora doll more than this Designer Aurora doll. Final note: at least she was also spared from receiving the antennae-lashes.
7.) Jasmine translates rather accurately from sketch to doll. However, I still don't see anything about it that really excites me. I know that people have complained that her eyes seem a bit off and that her forehead looks too big, but I actually think that the doll looks a lot like Jasmine. Jasmine has unnaturally large eyes as part of her animation design, so I have no complaints. I don't like the fact that her elbow and wrist joints are exposed. I know it's because they want the entire doll series to be consistent in their ability to be posed, but it looks awful. Since I don't presently own any Jasmine dolls (I never found one I really liked), I will be happy to add this doll to my collection. Maybe it's a good thing that her clothes are just a dress version of her normal clothes.
8.) Tiana's dress really looks like a simplified version of her wedding gown, and I think that was a terrible cop-out. Sure, Tiana's wedding gown is really beautiful, but almost every Tiana doll out there has her wearing that dress. I like her hair better in the sketch than how it appears on the actual doll (she looks like a Supreme). At least the doll has a small Frog-Naveen, which is a cute touch. I don't yet own any of the Tiana dolls, so I don't have any reservations about buying this doll.
9.) Rapunzel is my #2 favorite princess (I really liked the fairy tale ever since childhood). Her design sketch is very dramatic, and the dress translates very well onto the doll. My big issues with the designer Rapunzel doll are: her antennae-lashes, her exposed arm joints, and the odd smug look on her face. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to getting Rapunzel.
10.) I have read rather scathing and unflattering comments about the designer Pocahontas doll, which for the most part I think are rather unfair, and I will not repeat them here. I will say that her design sketch is not very inspiring, and that carries over into the doll's dress. The felt-looking material of the dress makes the overall look rather cheap. I'm sure that it was supposed to resemble a soft deerskin texture, but it kind of failed. I have no idea what her purse is supposed to symbolize. Now, as for the doll herself, she reminds me of Padma Lakshmi, and I think that she is very beautiful, but not really Pocahontas. The original play dolls of Pocahontas that were released when the film came out in theaters is still probably one of the best doll renditions of Pocahontas to date. I will try to buy this doll for the sake of the collection, and maybe she'll grow on me in person.
So, yes, for me the dolls are not necessarily 100% perfect, but they are lovely enough to be worthwhile for me to collect and enjoy. I will say that I am very frustrated with the distribution of the other products of the Princess Designer Collection (the mugs, journals, the Snow White compact, etc.). For example, the stores that are in my area (the SF Bay Area) only received the initial shipment of mugs when the Cinderella doll was released and promptly sold out. Naturally, the store workers and management are unable to disclose if they are going to be getting any more in the foreseeable future. This seems like a poor marketing strategy on Disney's part, considering that the mugs are only available at the retail stores, that the mugs are in demand, and I don't think that ceramic mugs are considered expensive to produce (considering how many mugs Disney does produce every year).
By the way, does anyone even know if the Snow White Compact Mirror was ever really released? There is a hidden listing for it on Disneystore.com, but on the day of the product launch, it was already said to be "Sold Out" that very same night, and I have seen no mention of it on any of the forums. I e-mailed Disney about it, but I have not yet received a response (it's been about 2 weeks now).
By the way, according to a forum thread on the disneypinforum site (I can't post links here yet), an estimate of each doll's edition size is said to be as follows:
Cinderella: 8000 (08/22)
Ariel: 8000 (08/29)
Belle: 8000 (09/05)
Mulan: 6000 (rumored 09/12)
Snow White: 6000 (unknown release date)
Jasmine: 6000 (unknown release date)
Rapunzel: 6000 (unknown release date)
Aurora: 4000 (unknown release date)
Pocahontas: 4000 (unknown release date)
Tiana: 4000 (unknown release date)
If this list is true, then it would appear that perhaps Disney is releasing the dolls in descending edition size from biggest to smallest, but "randomly" within each subset. Also, this system could potentially place Rapunzel's release for the 7th week (which would be 10/03 - the day after her official induction into the Disney Princess group). Just a thought. I agree with the general consensus that Rapunzel would most likely be released in week 7 (10/03) or week 10 (10/24).
Happy collecting!
berrybread
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
I'm liking everyone's enthusiasm! 
I had a thought this morning, it's Labour Day which means most stores are closed. For instance, my mall is closed which contains my disney store. So I suppose Belle will be released tomorrow? Although, this isn't a big deal to me because I'm not planning on buying her. I'm just curious about if other disney stores that are not located in malls are open because of her release?
I had a thought this morning, it's Labour Day which means most stores are closed. For instance, my mall is closed which contains my disney store. So I suppose Belle will be released tomorrow? Although, this isn't a big deal to me because I'm not planning on buying her. I'm just curious about if other disney stores that are not located in malls are open because of her release?
StacieDreaminODisney
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2009
Our local malls are open today, so some people may have luck.
If I had extra money for collectibles right now, I would definitely "need" a few of these dolls!
I just wish they had made them more like the drawings. I was expecting their eyes to appear more closed, like they're glancing downward. Also, their dresses don't fit as nicely.
Still, I would buy them if I could! Congrats to everyone who has gotten them so far!
If I had extra money for collectibles right now, I would definitely "need" a few of these dolls!
I just wish they had made them more like the drawings. I was expecting their eyes to appear more closed, like they're glancing downward. Also, their dresses don't fit as nicely.
Still, I would buy them if I could! Congrats to everyone who has gotten them so far!
*sarah*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
I'm liking everyone's enthusiasm!
I had a thought this morning, it's Labour Day which means most stores are closed. For instance, my mall is closed which contains my disney store. So I suppose Belle will be released tomorrow? Although, this isn't a big deal to me because I'm not planning on buying her. I'm just curious about if other disney stores that are not located in malls are open because of her release?
The malls here are all open today. I went shopping yesterday instead of today, cause on holidays like this the malls are packed. I bet the people line up bright and early tomorrow at your mall though!
Alice28
DIS Veteran<br><font color=blue>I'm Doombah Fricki
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
I got mine today.Quite the line up at the store.
What's with some people wanting the lowest number as possible? This one woman wanted the CM to look at all the doll's numbers and she wanted to lowest. The CM said, "No, sorry, I don't have time to do that right now." Is there something better about having a lower number???
I got the Belle, the notecards and the Rapunzel journal. No more mugs at my store, but several journals.
What's with some people wanting the lowest number as possible? This one woman wanted the CM to look at all the doll's numbers and she wanted to lowest. The CM said, "No, sorry, I don't have time to do that right now." Is there something better about having a lower number???
I got the Belle, the notecards and the Rapunzel journal. No more mugs at my store, but several journals.
*sarah*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
I didn't even know the dolls were numbered? I'll have to look at mine I guess. I don't know why some people would care about it being a low number. I was just happy to get one lol.
Share this page
GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.
Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!
