Mask or Duffy @ Epcot Kidcot?

[clandrum]

This sucks! This trip we are taking my daughter's BFF. Just this morning my daughter pulled out one of her old masks and they were looking at all the charms. They were getting all excited about what color they were going to get in their charms. I am all for change, the Bear is fine but no charms sucks!

 

[HappyPeach]

It sounds like Disney has noticed how much money Build a Bear is making and it wants a piece of the action.

 

[pinkerbell]

It sounds like Disney has noticed how much money Build a Bear is making and it wants a piece of the action.

I agree. What bothers me is that disney seems to be more of a follower than an innovator lately. Can they no longer be original?

 

[lrodk]

The Duffy masks are a definite downgrade from what they had before. My kids got a kick out of wearing the older face masks. And there was variety in the patterns. It also added an element of excitement that kept the kids that much more interested in a section of the park that was always adult oriented. Can't say the same about the full-body Duffy cutouts. I hope they bring back the old ones.

 

[KJMAX1]

Ill likely get a Duffy and some outfits. I believe the mask was from a parade with puppets back in 2001 0r 2002. Cant remember what it was called, but the puppets were huge, and personally I liked that parade. It was almost Marde Gras-ish with a world theme. My kids have tons of those masks, and frankly we've stopped doing them because we can never complete world showcase because we are stopping at all these kidcot stations

 

[CampbellScot]

We bought the passports last time we went and really liked those. They are $10. But if you don't want to spend the money, the DISigns thread has some really cute make at home passports that you can use. My kids DD8 and DS11 loved the passorts and all of the stickers and such. DD8 liked Duffy as well, but missed the mask and the charms.

We also bought the passports the last time we went. The kids are older now and the masks and coloring were deemed "babyish" by my 11 year old step daughter. My step son (now 9) would still do them but we got him a passport too and he really liked it. I think it's a good alternative to the masks once the kids are older. I know that Duffy bear on a stick would be considered extremely babyish by both kids. Of course now that my step daughter is 12 it's hard to tell what she's going to like from moment to moment!

As for me...I think Duffy is darn cute! He reminds me of the "My First Disney Bear" that was out a few years ago...I've always been a teddy bear lover though. I can see how kids would be bummed out that the kidcot stations seem to be more for the wee little ones. Duffy certainly brings down the age of interest for most.

 

[DisOrBust]

Just back and my kids 8,14,and 16yo were devastated their masks were gone. It was a tradition for them. My 16yo just said it plainly. Disney took a cultural experience and turned it into brainwashing advertisement.

We usually spent a great deal of time in WS, not this trip.

WE did go to IOA for the first time in ten years though,

 

[clandrum]

You have one smart 16 year old on your hands.

 

[lovethattink]

It's been a long time since the masks were taken away. My 7 year old is so use to asking for a mask, that he still goes up and asks for a mask, please. The cm get the most confused looks on their faces, lol. We have to explain that before Duffy it was masks.

 

[pinkerbell]

We have some uncompleted and barely colored masks from previous visits. I may just bring a couple and Boycott DUFFY!

 

[yogibigdog]

Do you think they will bring the mask back?

 

[GJF323]

One thing about Duffy and Build-A-Bear is that outfits are interchangeable. At the D23 Expo this year, they were showing a line of really cute Duffy wear (including Halloween costume-type clothes where he can be a character from the Pooh series - my Duffy got a few of those also - available on the Build-A-Bear website). Not sure which size Duffy the clothes fit - I'll have to measure mine when I get back to him - he's at my mom's house and I won't be there until the weekend.

I wouldn't bet on Duffy going away - Disney has made a big investment in him. They realized that kids love Teddy Bears (and us adults, too) and Disney didn't have a signature bear. He's only going to get bigger (I'm sure the Duffy DVD is being shot in 3D as I'm writing this).

I think it's interesting that so many kids aren't into the DUffy-on-a-stick. Maybe if enough parents let it be known that it didn't work, they will go back to the masks. Or maybe offer both - it can't be that hard to do.

 

[es45]

Wonder if there is a Mickey available that could wear the Duffy clothing? My girls don't like Duffy but they would love the outfits (from each country) for a Mickey.

 

[CurlyJo224]

One thing about Duffy and Build-A-Bear is that outfits are interchangeable. At the D23 Expo this year, they were showing a line of really cute Duffy wear (including Halloween costume-type clothes where he can be a character from the Pooh series - my Duffy got a few of those also - available on the Build-A-Bear website). Not sure which size Duffy the clothes fit - I'll have to measure mine when I get back to him - he's at my mom's house and I won't be there until the weekend.

I wouldn't bet on Duffy going away - Disney has made a big investment in him. They realized that kids love Teddy Bears (and us adults, too) and Disney didn't have a signature bear. He's only going to get bigger (I'm sure the Duffy DVD is being shot in 3D as I'm writing this).

I think it's interesting that so many kids aren't into the DUffy-on-a-stick. Maybe if enough parents let it be known that it didn't work, they will go back to the masks. Or maybe offer both - it can't be that hard to do.

The Duffy that wears B-A-B clothes is the 17" version. My Duffy's wardrobe has tripled since last year's trip.

 

[northeast_minnie]

it is our son's first trip to wdw in just under 4 weeks and we were really looking forward to making the masks at the Kidicot stations in epcot - hope he will like the Duffy on a stick instead - time will tell.

 

[TDC Nala]

Do you think they will bring the mask back?

Not as long as they are trying to push Duffy. And I think they will be pushing him for quite a long time.

I dont' think the hanging charms will ever be back, as it's cheaper for them just to provide stamps.