Frozen Disney Store Merchandise, What are you looking forward to? (Contains Spoilers)
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Frozen Disney Store Merchandise, What are you looking forward to? (Contains Spoilers)
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! They have monsters university goodie bags in Wilkos, I hope they get frozen ones :3
RapunzelSalat
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I know we have lots of white princesses, but my beef is that most of them are blondes or redheads and most have blue eyes. I really want more to have Belle's colorations. Pale white girl with brown hair, with either brown, hazel, or green eyes. I can't count Rapunzel because she's blonde for most of the movie. They could have made her a brown haired girl who's hair lights up and glows blonde with magic when she sings. I think we all just want someone to look like ourselves.
That said, I've been wondering when they will do a Hispanic princess. She seems overdue. Also I am waiting for an African princess with a story set in Africa. I'm excited about Moana!
Sofia and her mom seem almost Hispanic, but they could be white too. I think people of both groups relate to her so well because you can picture yourself as her if you are white, or if you are Hispanic.
Frozen is not racist. The story takes place in an area where people would have lighter skin. They could have had different hair and eye color, but for Elsa I would have picked the pale shades to go with her icy nature over anything darker. Anna could have looked different if they wanted.
I think the thing about "white" princesses is... they sell. The most popular ones are blonds or redheads. When I think about it, my favorite princesses have always been the ethnic ones (until Elsa), but I realize Ariel, Rapunzel, and Aurora (that one surprises me) seem to sell the most.
And I don't think it's a question of little girls choosing a princess who looks like them, I think they just gravitate toward those features. *shrugs* For me, because I have those boring white features, I'm attracted to more exotic looks.
When I was a kid, EVERYONE whined about Disney needing to do a black princess. I thought Princess and the Frog was going to be a runaway hit. I LOVE that movie, and Tiana. But she doesn't seem to sell as much as Rapunzel, the very next princess to come along. I'm sorrynotsorry, but I think Tiana is a way cooler princess than Rapunzel and prettier and more charismatic and a better role model. But then she has dark hair and dark eyes (like the majority of the population), so she's overlooked.
Anway, that's just my take on something we're all going to see differently. YMMV, right?
The great thing about the princess lineup is there's representation for just about every demographic. If they do make a Latina princess, though, the story NEEDS to relate to the culture. Just forcing some girl to be Hispanic for the sake of ethnicity (I'm looking at you, Tiana) doesn't work.
And I don't think it's a question of little girls choosing a princess who looks like them, I think they just gravitate toward those features. *shrugs* For me, because I have those boring white features, I'm attracted to more exotic looks.
When I was a kid, EVERYONE whined about Disney needing to do a black princess. I thought Princess and the Frog was going to be a runaway hit. I LOVE that movie, and Tiana. But she doesn't seem to sell as much as Rapunzel, the very next princess to come along. I'm sorrynotsorry, but I think Tiana is a way cooler princess than Rapunzel and prettier and more charismatic and a better role model. But then she has dark hair and dark eyes (like the majority of the population), so she's overlooked.
Anway, that's just my take on something we're all going to see differently. YMMV, right?
The great thing about the princess lineup is there's representation for just about every demographic. If they do make a Latina princess, though, the story NEEDS to relate to the culture. Just forcing some girl to be Hispanic for the sake of ethnicity (I'm looking at you, Tiana) doesn't work.
RapunzelSalat
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Belle is just as popular as the top sellers you mentioned. I don't think Aurora is really as big of a seller as Ariel, Rapunzel, and Belle are. Sofia is also incredibly popular with kids. I saw so many little girls dressing up as her for Halloween it was crazy. I don't know why Jasmine doesn't sell better. She is amazing! I really don't think kids gravitate toward blondes and redheads otherwise Merida would be more popular and Belle not so much. Sometimes it is about the princess herself and her story. Ariel is a mermaid! She gets bonus points for that! Rapunzel has super long magical hair! Bonus points! Elsa has ice magic! Again more points.
I like Tiana but she spends SO much time as a frog. I like frogs, but I prefer my princesses to be in human form. I don't think her looks are the reason she is as you say, overlooked. I don't think people liked her story as much or the froggy time.
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I'm excited for Moana because that sounds like a really cool story. I also would love to see a hispanic girl, but I agree that it would have to really relate to the culture, not just make her latina for the sake of having one.
I got the Valentines Cards today. One set has pencils and the other set has stickers. I bought a few extra sets just in case of the pencil ones.
ElysionsPrincess
Love Thaws a Frozen Heart!
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This is very very true.
Working at the Disney Store, I swear to God, we needed a bell to ring when someone bought Mulan or Pocahontas merchandise. It was such a rare occasion that I felt it needed to be celebrated. They. Don't. Sell. It is extremely unfortunate. And its not like Disney doesn't try. Sure, they don't put them on as much merchandise as they do other items, but they still both got costumes, accessories, classic dolls (WITH princes!), and Animator Dolls. That is a bit. And their stuff still just...sat. We had so many Mulans left over from the first shipment of Animator dolls that we never got another one, and, get this, we still have some LEFT.
It is dependent on where you live, however. For example, Tiana sells out almost the second we get her where I live. I have heard that in other locations, this is certainly not the case.
I hate it when people blame Disney for the problem, when it is society we must look to. Society doesn't go to see the movies with POC leads. Those movies just don't do as well in the box office. Its not because they are bad movies, it is because the majority of the population that goes to the movies is not-POC (statistically). And they want to see what they want to see. The movies don't get as many viewers, and the merchandise doesn't get as many buyers, and that can be devastating to the company.
When I was little, Jasmine and Pocahontas were my favorite. I look nothing like Jasmine or Pocahontas, never have, and never will. But that is not why I liked them or didn't like any other princesses more. I liked them for their personalities, and for what they stood for. My mother always taught me, as all parents should, that it is on the inside what counts.
I'm not saying representation doesn't matter, because it does. But nothing grinds my gears more than when I see a parent literally direct their child towards the princess that looks more like them. Even though the kid is gravitating towards their aesthetic polar opposite, the parent literally will force them into a Belle dress because they "look more like her". If the child is forced to like Belle her whole life, something probably clicks in the subconscious there.
A kid should love a princess because of her insides, and what she does, and the impact she has. Not because of her hair or eye or skin color. Parents that are overly focused on that, in my opinion, are teaching a wee bit of racism. Just my two cents. Kids don't see race or religion or anything like that. They just see the beauty and wonder and inspiration.
RapunzelSalat
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Do parents really do that?! I mentioned seeing lots of Sofias for Halloween. They were of all races and colors, not just little white or Hispanic brown haired girls. I saw some brown haired Cinderellas and Ariels and some blonde Belles. It was nice.
YMMV.
But whether your milage varies or not, one thing is certain. The white princesses are bigger sellers, for whatever reason. Maybe Merida doesn't sell like Ariel, but she certainly sells better than Mulan and Jasmine (2 of my favorite princesses).
I'm not talking about the minutiae, just the statistics. If Disney is CHOOSING to stay away from making ethnic princesses (which I doubt) it's not because they're racist, it's because they're a business.
I don't know if this is a good or bad thing, but my little girl, who is learning how to talk, said her first longest sentence, which was "let it go." She will say it over and over until I play the Demi version of it. I showed her the Summer Olaf song on Youtube, and we had to watch it over and over yesterday until it was time to go to bed. It looks like I will be buying the Frozen CD and looking for an Olaf Plush (or maybe I'll buy the Olaf chair at Toys R Us).
If Disney does a film with a latina princess they need to make sure she has great dresses and is the lead in the movie and the movie need to be a hit (obviously Disney id trying to do the last one anyway), I think that if Jasmine, Pocahontas Mulan (she spends most of the movie in her army outfit), Tiana had all of those they would be more popular. I worry Moana a bit since she unlikely will be wearing fancy dresses, it would be sad if she would became the new Pocahontas.
The Disney movie that is supposedly coming out in 2016 has characters named Angelina, Inma and a male character named Marco. The main character is obviously named Jack (the movie is based on Jack and the Beanstalk), but it got me wondering in what country this movie is going to be based, and what the characters will look like. The movie does not have a princess character tough, so maybe it does not matter and we know so little about the movie anyway. And this was off topic anyway, just wanted to mention.
The Disney movie that is supposedly coming out in 2016 has characters named Angelina, Inma and a male character named Marco. The main character is obviously named Jack (the movie is based on Jack and the Beanstalk), but it got me wondering in what country this movie is going to be based, and what the characters will look like. The movie does not have a princess character tough, so maybe it does not matter and we know so little about the movie anyway. And this was off topic anyway, just wanted to mention.
LordTremaine
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Jasmine is very popular from what I've seen. Mulan and Pocahontas are more "serious" characters. Their films deal with racism, war and all that stuff. Plus they lack the lovely gowns that characters like Cinderella, Belle and Aurora have. Also Pocahontas doesn't get a happy ending in her film and Mulan's romance is left pretty ambiguous at the end. I think these things all factor in to their lack of popularity in the line up. Tiana is also a more serious character. She isn't a quirky dreamer like Ariel or Rapunzel. She is a hard working realist whose goal is to open a restaurant. I've also heard people complain that Tiana was only made so there could be a black princess in the mix. It's a shame really because Mulan, Tiana and Pocahontas are all such strong characters and very good role models.
Plus their films aren't as beloved. Snow White was the first Disney film and the first animated fiml in American cinema. Cinderella was a huge hit, Disney's biggest since SW. It's also the most famous fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty was a hit and featured ground breaking animation. Mermaid kick started the Disney Renaissance. BatB was the first animated film in history to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. Aladdin was a huge hit, highest grossing film of 1992. Tangled and Frozen are both mega hits as well. Pocahontas and Mulan's films did well at the box office but Poca came after TLK and is pretty much blamed for being the beginning of the end of the Renaissance. Mulan came out much later when Disney wasn't at the top anymore. PatF did well but not as well as Disney as hoping.
But still it's a shame these characters aren't as popular as they should be.
Plus their films aren't as beloved. Snow White was the first Disney film and the first animated fiml in American cinema. Cinderella was a huge hit, Disney's biggest since SW. It's also the most famous fairy tale. Sleeping Beauty was a hit and featured ground breaking animation. Mermaid kick started the Disney Renaissance. BatB was the first animated film in history to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture. Aladdin was a huge hit, highest grossing film of 1992. Tangled and Frozen are both mega hits as well. Pocahontas and Mulan's films did well at the box office but Poca came after TLK and is pretty much blamed for being the beginning of the end of the Renaissance. Mulan came out much later when Disney wasn't at the top anymore. PatF did well but not as well as Disney as hoping.
But still it's a shame these characters aren't as popular as they should be.
When I was younger my favourite Princesses were Belle, Pocahontas and Mulan! I was OBSESSED with Mulan when the movie came out. I loved her and the movie so much. I never once looked at the princess and thought about her skin colour or ethnicity, I do admit when I was young one of the reasons I liked belle was because she had brown hair though! But I loved Mulan cause she kicked butt and fought and when I was young I thought that was so cool :lol:
When do you think Anna and Elsa will be coronated?
When do you think Anna and Elsa will be coronated?
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