Just what we need from Disney

[Sarangel]

A press release from Disney Consumer Products:

Disney Consumer Products today announced the launch of the new Disney Smoothie Maker and Disney Popcorn Popper, both designed to bring Disney magic into one of the most important gathering places in the home - the kitchen. The new line of appliances is an expansion of the company's innovative new line of consumer electronics products designed for kids and families that combine Disney's entertainment content with leading technology and design. Both products will be available in October at major retail outlets nationwide, just in time for the holiday season, and are the first in an ongoing line of appliances that will continue to be introduced to consumers.

A collaborative design effort between Disney and Back to Basics™ Products, Inc., the Disney Smoothie Maker and Disney Popcorn Popper are designed for durability and top performance and have a look and feel that fits any modern or traditional kitchen. The new appliances have special safety features and offer simple, step-by-step instructions.

"Warm popcorn and fresh smoothies are extremely popular treats, and preparing snacks together can be a fabulous experience for the whole family," said Chris Heatherly, director of Electronics/Appliances for Disney Consumer Products. "We've designed the products to capture the essence of what Disney is all about - fun, magic and family."

The Disney Smoothie Maker and Disney Popcorn Popper provide parents with a great opportunity to introduce kids to the concept of reading a recipe, calculating basic measurements and following basic kitchen safety rules. The popcorn popper makes five quarts of fresh, delicious popcorn, which is large enough for an entire family to share. A pre-portioned lid measures corn kernels for calculating the desired serving amounts. The clear design lets everyone watch the popcorn popping.

Manufactured and distributed by Back to Basics, the Disney Smoothie Maker is red and has a capacity of 40 ounces. It features a quick-mixing stir stick, mess-free dispensing valve, safety locks and is whimsically designed, with Disney-style non-slip rubber "feet" at the base. The Disney Popcorn Popper has a capacity of five quarts, features a non-stick coated popping surface, a cover that flips to become a serving bowl, a motorized stirring rod, heat-resistant handles and base, and Mickey's white non-slip rubber "feet." Both items are available at a suggested retail price of $39.99 each.

 

[WDWHound]

Sigh

 

[Chuck S]

Hey, I have friends whose whole house is themed to an aray of cartoon characters...so these would do well for them. Maybe Santa will give them for Christmas

I personally would probably not buy them, since I don't make smoothies at home, and micro popcorn is just too easy.

The 2 Disney items I do have (An old Vitantonio Mickey waffler and a Mickey toaster) are both quality products, and they are used often.

 

[AllisonG]

GAG

 

[Luv2Roam]

How about a Disney/Coleman generator? Now THAT is something many could use.

 

[Peter Pirate]

I don't understand you people. What about this announcement is anything other than vanilla? It's a nothing announcement, except to folks who may go for this sort of thing. There is certainly no down side so why the negativity? Just more anti-everything disney does sentiment?

 

[petula]

Sounds fine to me. (Although that thing about introducing kids to reading recipes is stretching a little bit.) I've always wanted one of those Mickey Mouse toasters. But where's the cotton candy maker?

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by Peter Pirate
I don't understand you people. What about this announcement is anything other than vanilla? It's a nothing announcement, except to folks who may go for this sort of thing. There is certainly no down side so why the negativity? Just more anti-everything disney does sentiment?

I'd have preferred Disney expended their creative talents on some other division of the company than a popcorn popper, like maybe innovative animated features or groundbreaking whole-family theme park attractions.

While there may be nothing necessairily wrong with these two designs, you do tend to cheapen the Disney name when you slap the company logo on every little product that comes along. Some Kitchen or Household items are fine "novelty" designs (toaster, television, etc.), but eventually you can take this too far, and then it looks like just another grab for money.

 

[jazstar87]

Someone in this crazy world will buy it., but come on what is disney really thinking?

 

[crusader]

I'd have preferred Disney expended their creative talents on some other division of the company than a popcorn popper, like maybe innovative animated features or groundbreaking whole-family theme park attractions.

Expended their creative talents? Comeon! This is an announcement coming from their consumer products line. Yes, creative people work in that division, but this is too much.

I think we tend to forget how big our little "world" really is. By introducing two harmless novelty items into their home products division, they're not cheapening the brand - even under the grandious general scale being thrown out here.

 

[TheWho]

But can it core an apple?

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by DC7800
I'd have preferred Disney expended their creative talents on some other division of the company than a popcorn popper, like maybe innovative animated features or groundbreaking whole-family theme park attractions.

If the creative teams from merchandise were sapping energy from other divisions, I'd agree with you. But it's not like Disney takes the greatest creative minds from Animation, Entertainment and Attractions and pulls them off their work to go over to Consumer Products and create something new. And it's not like Consumer Products takes money out of Attractions' or Entertainment's budget to make their new popcorn popper. These two items are the Consumer Products creatives doing their jobs -- coming up with fun new products for all those folks out there (and there are a LOT of them) who have Disney-themed kitchens in their Disney-themed houses.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by TheWho
But can it core an apple?

No ... you need the Wicked Witch Apple Corer for that.

 

[petula]

Originally posted by WDSearcher
No ... you need the Wicked Witch Apple Corer for that.

This was my first laugh of the morning!

 

[Bstanley]

If only they were selling a 'Mickey head' butter-forming tool, then we might get a

HUGE

comment from someone in the peanut gallery

 

[crusader]

Originally posted by Bstanley
If only they were selling a 'Mickey head' butter-forming tool, then we might get a

HUGE

comment from someone in the peanut gallery

HA! except it may go something like:

Disney introduces a new hands-on solution to mitigate complaints about the loss of free butter - you can now buy an exhorbitantly priced, low quality tool from us and mold it for yourself!

 

[Cricket2]

I'm holding out for a toilet paper embosser myself.

JC

 

[crusader]

I'm thinking bigger. More like the brick oven.

 

[Planogirl]

Wouldn't it be interesting if novelties such as these were exclusive to the Disney Store? Maybe with such items available along with dishes, bedding and so on plus fewer locations, the Disney Store might have made a go of it.

Just conjecturing and wishful thinking. I'll go back to eating peanuts now.

 

[Bstanley]

Excellent observation. The financial decline of the Disney stores is directly related to the decline in the unique nature of the stock IMHO.

I bought adult clothing there as well as (dare I say it) SNOWGLOBES, jewelry, etc.

Nowadays our local store is not noticeably different than a local discount store in terms of it's stock.