Disney Dolls Appreciation Discussion

[Shivatopia]

Hello!

So in the wake of the Disney Princess Designer Collection doll mania, I wanted to make a discussion thread about appreciating Disney Dolls: past, present, or future - collectible or otherwise. I am a doll collector, and I really enjoy the beauty of a well-made doll, especially if they resemble my favorite Disney characters. Feel free to post pictures, descriptions, or reviews of any Disney dolls that you like.

I only request that the discussion stay within the boundaries of actually discussing the physical dolls themselves, and not into tangents like the ease/difficulty in obtaining certain dolls or philosophies of collecting (there is another forum thread that has walked that path). Also, please be respectful of each other's opinions: you certainly don't have to agree with everyone, but no one is wrong or bad because they don't agree with you or like what you like. Different viewpoints are what make us special and unique! Let's keep it fun!

I'll start with:

Snow White - 60th Anniversary Signature Collection

This is my favorite Disney Doll ever (Snow White is my favorite Disney Princess), and I am eternally happy that she is in my personal collection. To me, no other Snow White doll has captured the complete sweetness that is Snow White as much this doll. Her dress is amazing and very true to the original design and color patterns (with the only exception of the gold trim on the top of her bodice). They also utilized very nice fabrics, such as the yellow satin skirt, the subtly patterned dark blue bodice, and her puffy slashed sleeves. Her features are appropriately rounded and soft, and her hair is spot-on. It is really hard to make a doll with short hair look good, but this Snow White looks perfect to me. She looks as if she just stepped out of the animated film and into real life. By the way, the tiny blue bird is included with the doll and can rest on her hand, like in the picture! So cute!

By comparison, there is the new Designer Collection Snow White doll (reported to be released next monday on September 19th). Although I absolutely love the concept design (above), I think that the doll (below) does not completely capture the drama and elegance of the design sketch (close, though) or the full essence of Snow White that the 60th Anniversary Signature Collection doll does.

​

Nevertheless, I really do like the Designer Collection Snow White doll, and I am eagerly awaiting her release. In fact, she is my favorite of the 10. I really like that they did include Snow White's red cloak into this design, which really makes her stand out in the collection. Luckily, her hair is more tightly styled in the actual doll packaging than this promotional picture. I read somewhere that someone thought that her hair looked too much like a mid-20th century matron. To me, it looks more 60s-chic, but in any case, it's not quite like the design sketch. As I said before, short hair on dolls is hard to pull off well. The apple purse is a nice accessory, but I wish they included a real gold chain to hang from it (like in the sketch). The area where the skirt joins with the bodice could have been more fitted, but overall, this is a very stunning doll!

Next: Sleeping Beauty 40th Anniversary Signature Collection

 

[Story]

I totally agree with you about the Snow White Designer Doll. I felt they were spot on with the clothing, (though a gold chain would have been a nice tough for the apple clutch) but I think her face could have been a bit more elegant - maybe even taking from the expressions of the 1950s barbie dolls?

Admittedly I do not know much about doll collecting- I've always thought they were pretty and have enjoyed from afar seeing my aunt collect, but I've never really gotten into it. This designer doll line has my interest peaked in dolls again though, and it made me stumble upon the alice doll that Disney had online:

It looks like it is sold out now, and while I couldn't buy it at the price it was at anyway, I truly was blown away by this one. Definitely a stunning design, and I totally loved it despite not being a die hard alice fan

 

[stybbafirefoot]

My favourite doll is kind of boring, but it is The Prince from Snow White that was released with the horse not so long ago. I like having all the different Princes, but for me that one is special!

 

[alice28]

Will you post of picture of the Snow White doll? I would love to see it.

This is the first doll collection I've ever pursued. The only other thing like it that I've done are the little plush princess dollies the parks started selling in 2006/2007. I bought my daughter (who was 2 at the time) all of them over a period of 6 months or so. I think there were Cinderella, Aurora, Tink, Belle, Mulan, Snow White, Jasmine, and Ariel. I had to buy Mulan and Snow off ebay because by the time we went to the parks to buy the rest of them (I think I had bought her Cinderella and Belle when we went to Disneyland summer of 2006, and we went to WDW spring of 2007 so there was a lapse in when I was purchasing them), Mulan and Snow White were no longer available. I remember going on the computer while at Wilderness Lodge to hunt those dolls down on ebay. Luckily someone was selling them for basically what they paid for them + shipping.

She still has all of them, and I just think they're so cute. We were getting Mulan out yesterday, to sit her with "Mommy's Mulan" that I bought in the AM.

On a side note, I am going to London and Paris for 2 weeks next April, including 3 days at DLP. I am so excited to see what sort of merchandise I can buy, what will be different, etc. The two American parks practically sell exactly the same things. It will be fun to hunt down the perfect Princess souvenir for my daughter, and perhaps some cool stuff for my boys as well (they will be almost 11 and 14 by the time I go- they're starting to not give a flip about Disney merch).

 

[alice28]

Oh, and I've also bought my DD two of the Princess and Me dolls that they sell online with TDS and at Toys R Us. These are pretty neat dolls, kind of like Disney "American Girl". DD received Aurora for Christmas and Rapunzel for her birthday. She already has requested Belle or Ariel for this Christmas and I'm happy to oblidge. Soon I know she will outgrow this, so I'm milking it for what I can. I love to do the Princess thing with her, since my older two kiddos are boys....I had enough of Star Wars, cars, & Yu Gi Oh cards to last me a lifetime.

 

[stybbafirefoot]

Alice 28, DLRP has some lovely princess things! My favourite items were musical princess statuettes, but they were quite expensive at 38 euros! everything is expensive there now with the poor exchange rate of the euro. The dolls are mostly the same as the american one, I saw a nice one of Ariel in a wedding dress. I will have to hunt out my photos I took quite a few of the merchandise.

 

[dizneydogs]

I just got that Alice doll last week as I have been collecting all the dolls in that series. She is absolutely stunning! Her hair is so pretty they actually put glitter strands in it (hair flair) same as they did for the Rapunzel doll in that series. I am just waiting now for Disney to deliver the Queen of Hearts doll.

As for other dolls I also collect the Disney Marie Osmond Dolls. I have most of the pin trader ones, Cinderella Disneyland 50th and Mary Poppins and the latest Ariel one that was released earlier this year. My other favorite Disney dolls are the ones I had personally made at Germany in Epcot. I would get a new doll with each trip. I have Alice, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Mulan, Minnie, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White that I can think of off the top of my head. Unfortunately they are no longer making the Disney dolls there anymore.

 

[karkura]

I am going to go off into the upcoming Rapunzel Designer Princess Doll. I wonder why she is holding a hand mirror. Wouldn't she be cuter with a little Pascal in her hand or on her shoulder?

 

[Shivatopia]

My favourite doll is kind of boring, but it is The Prince from Snow White that was released with the horse not so long ago. I like having all the different Princes, but for me that one is special!

I am so jealous! I have wanted that version of The Prince doll (with his horse Astor) for a while. Someone was selling the giftset last December during the holidays on eBay, but I could not afford to get it then (and I have not seen it since). But his clothes are reproduced the best in that giftset. I bought the more recent Prince doll from the Disney Store this year, and it's ok, but his cloak and tabard are not as good as the Prince/Astor giftset version. This year, if I see that giftset on eBay, I am so buying it!

 

[stybbafirefoot]

Pascal is awesome! The hand mirror would have been better with Belle really.

 

[karkura]

Pascal is awesome! The hand mirror would have been better with Belle really.

I agree. Although the rose is significant too. Tiana has a frog in her hand. They could have done Pascal.

 

[stybbafirefoot]

My partner got it for me for Christmas last year, wasn't easy getting it from the states or cheap, but treasured by me! I agree the quality is better, and he has his hat too!

 

[Shivatopia]

I am going to go off into the upcoming Rapunzel Designer Princess Doll. I wonder why she is holding a hand mirror. Wouldn't she be cuter with a little Pascal in her hand or on her shoulder?

Rapunzel's hand mirror in the Designer Collection confuses me, too. An elegant brush would have been more appropriate, or as you said, a small Pascal would have been absolutely darling! In the movie, the only mirror that has any significance is the full-length mirror that she looks at her reflection when she first puts on the crown, which gets broken later and from which Flynn uses a shard of it to cut her hair. As it is, Designer Rapunzel looks very vain, since they gave her a smug look on her face as she is looking into the hand mirror! That said, Designer Rapunzel is still my #2 favorite of the series after Snow White.

On the topic of the Designer Doll accessories, Tiana is pictured with a frog Naveen puckering up for a kiss in the promotional pictures, but I don't recall the Tiana display doll in the stores being packaged with a frog Naveen. Did I just miss it, or did Disney marketing goof on this by releasing pictures of her with frog Naveen?

 

[tinkerbelle1956]

And Flouder or Seastion, even a fork for Ariel .

Your SW doll is gorgeous !

 

[Shivatopia]

My partner got it for me for Christmas last year, wasn't easy getting it from the states or cheap, but treasured by me! I agree the quality is better, and he has his hat too!

That's right, he does! Oh, do I regret not buying this giftset last Christmas!

 

[karkura]

Rapunzel's hand mirror in the Designer Collection confuses me, too. An elegant brush would have been more appropriate, or as you said, a small Pascal would have been absolutely darling! In the movie, the only mirror that has any significance is the full-length mirror that she looks at her reflection when she first puts on the crown, which gets broken later and from which Flynn uses a shard of it to cut her hair. As it is, Designer Rapunzel looks very vain, since they gave her a smug look on her face as she is looking into the hand mirror! That said, Designer Rapunzel is still my #2 favorite of the series after Snow White.

On the topic of the Designer Doll accessories, Tiana is pictured with a frog Naveen puckering up for a kiss in the promotional pictures, but I don't recall the Tiana display doll in the stores being packaged with a frog Naveen. Did I just miss it, or did Disney marketing goof on this by releasing pictures of her with frog Naveen?

I don't recall seeing the little frog Naveen either. He could be there. I just did not look carefully. He is on the pin. He actually looks pretty silly on the pin. His eyes are all bugged out. It's actually kind of funny.

 

[Shivatopia]

My next offering:
Aurora/Sleeping Beauty 40th Anniversary Signature Collection

Beautiful Aurora is my third favorite Disney Princess (after Snow White and Rapunzel). Similar to my feelings about the Signature Collection Snow White, I think Disney scored big with this Aurora doll. Her gown is a gorgeous translation of the royal dress Flora made with her magic in the movie. The detailing of the upper part of the dress is elegance incarnate, from the fancy bodice, to the collar, to the sleeves matching the fabric of the geometric top part of her skirt. Her tiara and necklace are made of gold colored plastic, but so detailed and delicately made, that you would think that they are really made of metal. Her hair style is Aurora's signature hairstyle, perfectly reproduced, including the stylized curls of her bangs and her flowing softly curled locks. Her face is rather unique, as I don't think I've seen any other dolls with the same sculpt. The one issue I have (and it's a minor one at that) is that her skirt flares out a lot wider than it "should." Aurora's dress in the movie was definitely medieval, where the fabric should follow the curve of her hips and then fall straight down to the floor in straight lines -- no flare unless she twirls around. The skirt on the doll is very poofy, similar to Glinda from the Wizard of Oz. I am very proud to own this doll!

 

[SparklyStars]

Sicne we're talking about other dolls, does anyone know much about the Disney Brass Key dolls? I remember seeing Cinderella in a shop when I lived in Australia and absolutely fell in LOVE. I never got her, though. Only recently when I looked it up online did I realize they had a lot of other dolls, too..

 

[Abyssinian28]

Great thread!

My husband and I are more figure collectors than I am a doll collector, but I do dabble in the occasional Barbie The Designer dolls are really my first journey into Disney Barbie-esque dolls, but I do have these, which I love:

The Tower of Terror one is my favorite...I love that ride.

 

[Shivatopia]

Great thread!

My husband and I are more figure collectors than I am a doll collector, but I do dabble in the occasional Barbie The Designer dolls are really my first journey into Disney Barbie-esque dolls, but I do have these, which I love:

The Tower of Terror one is my favorite...I love that ride.

Your dolls are simply precious! Thank you for sharing! The Tower of Terror doll looks so old-Hollywood! I love it (the doll and the ride)!

 

[Moondance]

Even though I don't have her yet, the Pocahontas singing doll is my favourite She's cute, has long shimmery hair, a cool necklace.........AND she sings!!!!!! What could be cooler?

 

[Shivatopia]

Even though I don't have her yet, the Pocahontas singing doll is my favourite She's cute, has long shimmery hair, a cool necklace.........AND she sings!!!!!! What could be cooler?

I like the red shawl they gave to her. Red always seems to add a good pop of color to an ensemble... With Pocahontas, it says "autumn" to me. :drool:

 

[swim2sea]

I totally agree with you about the Snow White Designer Doll. I felt they were spot on with the clothing, (though a gold chain would have been a nice tough for the apple clutch) but I think her face could have been a bit more elegant - maybe even taking from the expressions of the 1950s barbie dolls?

Admittedly I do not know much about doll collecting- I've always thought they were pretty and have enjoyed from afar seeing my aunt collect, but I've never really gotten into it. This designer doll line has my interest peaked in dolls again though, and it made me stumble upon the alice doll that Disney had online:

It looks like it is sold out now, and while I couldn't buy it at the price it was at anyway, I truly was blown away by this one. Definitely a stunning design, and I totally loved it despite not being a die hard alice fan

My only complaint about this doll was they made a Mad Hatter doll and the Alice doll from the new movie, but the Queen of Hearts is from the animated movie. I would have been much happier if they had made them all from the animated movie.

 

[dizneydogs]

are you referring to this Barbie Mad Hatter doll?

The queen of hearts is a little of both since she has the heart lips and face more like the Burton movie but of course the dress is from the animated movie

 

[Shivatopia]

And to round up the dolls I own from the Signature Collection:
Cinderella Signature Collection

I think that of the Disney Princesses, Disney has made some very good Cinderella dolls. Cinderella from the Signature Collection, in my opinion, is certainly one of the better ones produced. Her traditional ballgown has been translated very well into doll form, and like Signature Snow White and Signature Aurora, very nice materials are used to recreate Cinderella's iconic gown. I love the textured fabric of the bodice, which shimmers with a silver diamond-shaped embroidered pattern. Tiny faux diamond gems and sequins have been sewn onto her lovely baby blue satin dress, and they sparkle in the light, reminiscent of the magic that Fairy Godmother used to make Cinderella's dreams come true. Her hair is styled into a very neat updo, and does a great job in recreating the look from the movie, which to me is a real feat, because I always wondered how one could really recreate animated Cinderella's hairdo in real life. I forgot to mention before that Signature Aurora has rooted eyelashes, and Signature Snow White does not. Signature Cinderella also has rooted eyelashes, which work well with the overall look. I've never taken my dolls out of the box, so I would imagine that her shoes were made to look like tiny glass slippers (Can anyone confirm this?). The only two details I can mention that could have been better are her sleeves and that they seem to have used a more generic "Barbie" face for her. Her sleeves are pretty and look great on the dress, but they are a bit too poofy compared to the movie design. Her face is dreamy, but does look more "Barbie" than Cinderella. Having said that, she is still my favorite Cinderella doll.

I do not own the final 2 dolls from the Signature Collection: Belle and Beast. I have never been 100% happy with any of the Belle dolls that were made, mainly for two reasons: 1.) they never know how to capture her elegant hairstyle from that most memorable scene of the movie (Signature Belle's hair is way too long and not even close to being styled right) and 2.) her dress is almost always overdone with too many ruffles, in my opinion. I never got the Signature Beast doll, because he was made as a companion doll to Signature Belle - it would not seem right to get him without also having her.

By the way, I forgot to mention in my previous posts that I do not own any of the photos I have posted so far on this thread. All of these pictures were obtained through google searches and are, to my knowledge, promotional images owned by the Walt Disney Company.