The holiday season is giving me all of the Babes in Toyland vibes! And while I may not be the Toymaker, I certainly do enjoy sharing my love of playthings with friends and family. Since the holidays are all about sharing joy, I am pleased to share with you, dear MiceChatters, my gift guide to the 10 best Disney toys to give as gifts (or get)!
(Please note that we do NOT receive any compensation for any product links in this article. We are sharing only to help you with your holiday planning.)
1. Olu, A Disney Friend of Duffy ($15-$35)
I know I am not the only one who cried many a tear over the loss of sweet Duffy and his pals at the US-based Disney Parks. Thankfully, Aulani, Disney’s Resort in Hawaii, not only stocks the plushes of Duffy, ShellieMay, Gelatoni, and StellaLou (CookieAnn will join in the future) along with exclusive outfits but the location has its own exclusive friend, Olu the Turtle.
But before you say, “I can’t travel to Aulani just to go shopping,” I have some fantastic news. Miraculously, Olu’s merchandise is available currently on shopDisney. One can only hope that once CookieAnn is released, she will receive similar treatment. Olu is available here!
2. The Game of Life: The Haunted Mansion Disney Theme Park Edition ($39.95)
Truth be told, I don’t terribly enjoy playing the original Game of Life. I find it moderately boring and thoroughly depressing. But throw a Haunted Mansion overlay on it, and I am totally up for a round or two. Why is this edition infinitely better? Well, for one, the board has locations like the Groundskeeper’s Shed and the Crypt. And you don’t acquire children; you pick up hitchhiking ghosts. The spinner is Madame Leota’s table, for goodness’ sake! You just can’t beat that.
For the record, not even The Haunted Mansion will get me to play Monopoly. If it can ruin friendships in its normal version, I’m terrified to think of what the Haunted Mansion would do. You can find The Game of Life: Haunted Mansion here.
3. Winnie the Pooh Plush Pillow ($34.99)
This sleepy ol’ bear is part of the Disney Dream Friends line normally seen in the Disney Parks. Doesn’t he look darling in his nightgown and sleeping cap? I wonder what he is dreaming about. Actually, I don’t. It’s honey. Of course, it’s honey.
You can find your very own sleeping Pooh Plush Pillow here.
4. Vinylmation Kingdom of Cute Series 2 Figures by Jerrod Maruyama ($19.99)
The artist Jerrod Maruyama shares cuter, miniature versions of Disney history with this blind box set. As with all blind boxes, you don’t know which one of the cuties you’ll find (please let it be the Barker Bird!) but from where I am standing, you can’t lose.
If you’re willing to try your luck, or want to give someone the change to try theirs, you can find the Vinylmation Kingdom of Cute Figures here.
5. Wishables ($9.99)
Another worthwhile blind box (or bag, in this case) toy are these Wishables plushes. If you’re interested in learning more about the product line, check out my article about it! This item is Disney Parks merchandise, so the stock available online is fairly limited. There are series based on The Haunted Mansion, The Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, and most recently, their Christmas Fantasy Parade (entitled “Merry Christmas series”).
You can find the collection of Wishables available online here. You’ll also find them in the parks.
6. The Haunted Mansion of Cute Figure by Jerrod Maruyama ($19.99)
Yes, I love The Haunted Mansion and I am not ashamed to admit it. On a side note, how on Earth did Jerrod Maruyama manage to make that creepy chair look so adorable? In any case, these are yet another set of blind-boxed figures (the last ones for the list – I promise!). I just love that the ghostly characters are translucent. It’s those little touches that make things special.
You can find The Haunted Mansion of Cute Figures here!
7. Pirates of the Caribbean Battleship Game ($44.95)
Avast, ye mateys! Continuing the boardgame streak from earlier, this Pirates of the Caribbean version of the Battleship board game (a game I actually like regardless of the window-dressing), is “plussed” with special rules and game pieces. You can, of course, play the traditional way, too.
If you’re stumped on what to get a youngster for Christmas, you can’t go wrong with Battleship. You can find it here.
8. Remy puppet by Folkmanis Puppets ($67.99)
All of Folkmanis’ Disney puppets are something special, but I have a soft spot for Remy. For one thing, he can wear some of Duffy’s (and Gelatoni’s) shirts. And for the photographers out there, he is a fantastic prop for Park food pictures.
You can find a Remy Puppet of your own or to give away here.
9. Porg Mini Magnetic Plush ($14.95)
Don’t hate me, but I like the shoulder Porg more than the shoulder Groot. Maybe it’s those big, round eyes. Who knows? No matter the reason, this little plush can ride on your shoulder thanks to a magnetic patch that comes packaged with it. Having one of these guys on your shoulder is actually pretty fun.
You can buy a shoulder-sized Pork here!
10. Nendoroid Winnie the Pooh by Good Smile Company ($49.99)
As you might remember from my Nendoroid guide, a Nendoroid is a small posable figure that comes packaged with interchangeable parts and accessories. Of all the currently available Disney ones, the Nendoroid Pooh is my favorite. The honey-minded bear comes with so many accessories, including a small figure of Piglet!
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Let’s Hear From You!
Those were my top 10 Disney toy suggestions. What toys are on your gift list? Did you find anything that caught your eye that’s perfect as a gift? Let us know in the comments!