The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! December 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store

It’s the last day of 2014 and forget about what a year it has been for theme park merchandise. There was The Good: Both Universal and Disney upped their game with the new Film Vault and Memento Mori stores.  The Bad: There is an actual movie using nothing but Disney Vinylmation And The Ugly: Turns out the heavily anticipated Adventureland-themed gift shop in the Magic Kingdom will instead be a Sunglass Hut. Here’s to even better (and weirder) happenings in 2015.

Also, before we go on, be sure to check out our Year End “Best” of the Disney Outlet Store article.

Enough jibber jabber! Who is ready to hit the Outlets? Remember that clicking on any picture will open a full size version of it (don’t say we didn’t warn you).

Our first item could be a foreshadowing of things to come. It’s rare to see Muppet related items at the Outlets. Especially based on the popular Kermit the Frog. Out in Disney California Adventure, Muppet*Vision 3D has been jettisoned for Frozen Fun, and rumors persist that the attraction could join the Studio Backlot Tour, American Idol Experience, and the Legend of Jack Sparrow in the recycling bin at Disney Hollywood Studios here in WDW. If that happens, expect the Outlets to be flooded with items featuring Beaker, Dr. Honeydew and the rest of the gang.

Let’s continue with plush. Here is a Steamboat Minnie Mouse. I’m not a big fan of the black and white plush as it just looks weird to me. I like plush. I like the aesthetics of black and white artwork in general. Combined? Not so much.

 

This Marie doll is the first piece of Aristocats merch I have ever seen at the Outlets. I could not figure out why it was called “floppy Marie.”

 

As the only 2 Time runDisney medal winning blogger/podcaster (you can read my thrilling tale of triumph by CLICKING HERE. Spoiler Alert: You may want to have some tissues handy and readers have seen their heart swell bigger than the Grinch’s after returning the presents to Whoville) I was excited to see a runDisney-inspired Marathon Mickey Mouse Plush. I bought two of these, one for each of the hardware I proudly wear 24/7.

 

I’m a huge fan of Finding Nemo and have bought every single small plush from that movie for the kids in my family, so it was with chagrin to see this Dory plush marked down to $9.99 (Originally $17.95.)

 

Here’s another version of plush I’m not the biggest fan of, although I like it much more than those weird swaddling Disney baby plush. I’m man enough to admit these need to be at least 25% “cuter.” Muppet Babies worked, this doesn’t.

 

Not that much Christmas related merch, but there was this Yoda. I’ve remarked many times how much awful Star Wars product there is, but if this doll’s candy can is supposed to be Yoda’s cane, I actually love it. Originally $16.95, now $11.99.

 

Our next stop brings us to the exact moment where I knew I had completely lost my mind. I saw this Duffy bear, the very same Duffy who I dislike more than anything in the world (including Tombstone pizza and Hunt’s catsup) and, yet, I had to have it. I’m going to have to do some mental gymnastics to defend this one and I believe I have found my loophole. I’m going to count this as Epcot International Food & Wine Festival merchandise instead. Originally $30, now $9.99.

 

I believe this Santa Duffy was used in lieu of coal this year for naughty children around the world.

 

A decent amount of Brave merchandise has been showing up lately, and the newest piece is this Merida plush.

Last month we saw the first price break in anything Frozen related, but it was only for weird Olaf dolls and iPhone 4 cases. Now here comes a decent looking Anna doll. Are we past the tipping point for Frozen merchandise at the parks and resorts? Time will tell, but if we have expect the Outlets to be swamped with items from Arendelle this Spring….

 

JACKPOT! Misery-like stalkers Regular readers of my work may remember I did an article spotlighting the merchandise available on the Disney Cruise Line. I was completely blown away. While I bought a whole bunch of stuff on my cruise, I made a calculated decision to hold off on anything branded “2014,” including this awesome hoodie, which originally was $54.95, marked down to $19.99! NOW IT’S MINE!

These DCL hats were original $24.95, now $6.99.

 

I’m not 100% sure what this exactly is, but I bought it anyway. I think it’s a rich man’s fanny pack. When I do my first merchandise report at the Four Seasons gift shop, I bet I’ll find these with gold lettering or something.

These gloves were originally $16.95, now $6.99. I passed on this because, coming from New Hampshire, I have literally not put on a coat in the 8 years I have lived in Florida. Gloves? It would take a blizzard.

Even though I don’t scrapbook, these DCL scrapbooks make me consider trying it out. They look sharp. Originally $29.95, now $11.99.

These shot glasses toothpick holders were originally $9.95, reduced to $3.99. I’ll drink pick my teeth to that!

Even though I don’t drink coffee, I love this mug, and now it sits beautifully in my cupboard at home. Like all coffee mugs at the Outlets, this has been reduced to $5.99.

I love the pun on this cup. “Theme Perks.” They should re-use that for some sort of loyalty program for repeat visitors to WDW. Or at least the alternate Universe where Disney actually cares about repeat visitors. It also appears that this is a normal coffee cup blended into a large coffee cup right? Does anyone know the story behind that?

This is the exact time of thing at The Trophy Room in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace Co-Op, but instead that sports-themed store sells the exact same Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Steelers  merchandise you can buy at your local Sports Authority. It will be a great mystery of the ages why that store isn’t used to sell merchandise not only featuring Disney characters with real teams, but merchandise based on any of the fake teams/characters in Disney movies over the years. An Adam Banks jersey from The Mighty Ducks? A Cool Runnings bobsled toy? Something based off Angels in the Outfield or any of the 100 Air Bud sequels?

Here’s a nifty Wilderness Lodge coffee mug.

One thing I do collect is souvenir cups, so I definitely got this Wilderness Lodge one. It will be added to The Hoard and will be pulled out if I need to do another Theme Park Ice Bucket Challenge video.

Let’s keep the Wilderness Lodge train going with this shirt, originally $24.95, now $12.99.

The “monorail spiel” t-shirt was originally $24.95, now $4.99.

Need a hat to go with the shirt? Originally $19.95, now $4.99. I personally think that the shirt is okay, the hat is a bad idea as someone would have to stare at you for a while to figure out what was going on. I do like the Mickey head bursting out of it though.

I know what you’re thinking. “How does Derek take such incredible photos? He truly has an eye for placing these discount items so that they are pleasing to my eye.  Podcaster…blogger….two time runDisney medal winner… is there anything he can’t do?!” Here’s the truth though. Even though each Outlet Report contains about 40-50 pictures, I take well over 100. Many of them come out like the one below.  I know you must be sitting at home, dreaming of the glitz and glamour of a being theme park blogger, but sometimes it’s not always as great as it seems.

 

I saw this I’ll Be Your Prince t-shirt a couple months ago at Downtown Disney’s The World of Disney store. I’ll be honest. I’m surprised to see it here half price because we all know plenty of awful couples who would wear this in public while performing PDAs to make the rest of us uncomfortable. Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

I really like the retro-style of this shirt. Originally $36.95, now $14.99.

This DCL Alaskan shirt was originally $34.95, now $13.99.  One day I’ll understand why a long sleeve shirt you can only get aboard a cruise line ship had a MSRP that was $2 cheaper than a standard screen printed Disney t-shirt above.

Whaaaaaaaaaat?!  Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

More Expedition Everest shirts hitting the Outlets. This one has THE YETI SNOWBOARDING. Originally $24.95, now $12.99 and I would do ANYTHING to have Joe Rhode in “Secret Santa” to be able to see his face opening this.

On the other hand, this Expedition Everest messenger bag is fantastic. Great details. Originally $39.95, now $19.99. I already  have three other Disney messenger bags though and I have never left the house with one.

Here’s a cute 2014 Disney shirt. Reduced to $7.99. I like that all four characters are themed to a WDW park along with the park icons as well.

Very similar shirt here, although I’m not a fan of tie die shirts. I do enjoy Goofy’s pose though.

Disney pajama pants. Originally $34.95, now $12.99.

Disney 2014 boxer shorts. These were originally $19.95, now $7.99. I actually bought one of each. Is that TMI?

Here’s a great Mickey chef hat from this year’s Food & Wine Festival. Originally $19.95, now $7.95.

Here’s another 2014 Food & Wine Festival item. I think it’s a dishtowel? I need to start covering the Outlets with a person more domesticated to clue me in on what regular human beings use these items for. Originally $11.95, now $2.99. At that price you know I had to buy one.

More and more beach towels have been hitting the Outlets lately.

This is the first time I have seen a Space Mountain photo frame at the Outlets. Originally $16.95, now $9.99.

I love the Disney monorails, so here’s one of the few auto-stickers I actually like. Originally $7.95, now $2.99.

There is usually a decent amount of prints you can get at the Outlets, including this one featuring Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse through the years. Originally $39.95, now $19.99.

And then there is this one for super fans of Les Chefs de France. Also marked down to $19.99 from $39.95. Trying to wrap my mind around the audience for this one.

More 2014 branded stuff on it’s way out. Big fan of this Mary Blair-like artwork.

Here’s something else I saw during a run to Downtown Disney earlier this year, quite possibly the strangest Vinylmation set of all. And imagine what ground that covers. This is called the “Ink & Paint” collection. I don’t understand it at all and I’m gonna strike it up to getting too old for this type of stuff.

Meanwhile, back in July, I tweeted out a plea for someone to talk me out of buying this Park Starz Vinylmation set featuring the Country Bears. As I’ve said, I’m a HUGE fan of the Park Starz series of Vinylmation because the artists aren’t tied to that ridiculous Mickey mold, allowing them to create some amazing things. This set was originally $49.95, now $9.99. As you can imagine, I’m real glad I waited for this one.

Almost all of the 2014 WDW Halloween merch is gone, but you can still get this reusable bag.

I would have loved this Disney Racer Race Track as a kid. Originally $34.95, now $9.99. To be fair though, when I was a kid we didn’t have the amount of video games they have now and our toys were 1/100th as cool.

Let’s close with one of the weirdest items of the trip. I believe this is normal size golf ball and the trick is to get it to sit on the tee. I tried to do this for a little while to show you, Dear Reader, what it looked like on the tee, but as you can see I never succeeded. This was originally $29.95 and I’m not sure what it was reduced to because I was too upset at not being able to solve it.

Time to leave the Outlets!

 

While leaving the Outlets I came across this awesome kiosk selling “cartoon” bags. They used to sell these types of bags in Toon Lagoon at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and I love the look. At Universal these bags ranged between $85 and $115 each. I think on my next Outlet trip I’ll get the prices of these. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner right? I’m sure my girlfriend would love this as much as me. It’s just like Dooney & Bourke, right girls?

There are actually two Disney outlet stores in Orlando. Both are in Orlando Premium Outlet shopping complexes, and they are called Disney’s Character Warehouse, presumably because The Land Of Misfit Toys was already trademarked. There is one Character Warehouse located on International Drive close to Universal Studios (4951 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819), and the other is on Vineland Avenue, right across I-4 near the exits to Disney World (8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 32821). For this edition of MMM, we went to the location near Universal.

Previous editions of Magic, Memories and Merch: July 2013, August 2013, September 2013, October 2013, November 2013, December 2013, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014, April 2014, May 2014, June 2014, July 2014, August 2014, and September 2014, October 2014, and November 2014.

If you liked what you read here, you may enjoy THE SATURDAY SIX articles every week on the TouringPlans.com blog, the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast, and you can follow your humble author on Twitter (@derekbugan).