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Can Anything Be Done? Resellers Constantly Hoard Disney Park Merchandise

in Disney Parks, Merchandise

Posted on by Jess Colopy 1 Comment
Resellers loading up wagons at EPCOT and Disneyland Paris. An angry emoji, a dollar sign emoji.

Life hasn’t been easy recently for adult Disney fans. Many so-called “Disney Adults” have been the target of relentless harassment, such as one woman who shared a video of herself hugging Pluto for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some critics have even called being a Disney Adult a “mental illness,” while others compared it to a religion.

Related: Droid Love Alert! ‘Star Wars’ Droid Inspired Minnie Mouse Ears

One phenomenon, however, has turned “Disney Adults” on each other: merchandise resellers. Resellers are known to mass-purchase exclusive merchandise, with many viral images of in-store hoarding inciting fury among Disney fans. Some resellers even sell items that were given away for free!

Disney World 50th
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

While The Walt Disney Company has attempted to crack down on excessive purchases with buying limits and virtual queues, this doesn’t always work. Many Guests come in pairs, swapping out to purchase the maximum limit of each item repeatedly.

Fans have long asked The Walt Disney Company to crack down on Guests who purchase excess merchandise to sell online at inflated prices. Unfortunately, merchandise hoarders existed even before eBay and will likely never go away. Here, we’ll look at documented incidents of merchandise hoarding worldwide.

Incidents at Disneyland Resort

Main Street Electrical Parade collectibles
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Popcorn Buckets

Popcorn buckets are some of the most adorable and coveted collectibles at the Disney Parks. This includes an iconic set inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade, released at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park earlier this year. Resellers quickly jumped on the adorable treat holders, despite purchasing limits.

Main Street Electrical Parade merchandise ears
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Resellers have listed the starting price for the Elliott popcorn bucket as high as $125.00, with many listings being less, and the Turtle Sipper for as high as $180.00. There are also combination packages that include both collectible items. Many of these listings sold, implying a demand for the pricey collectible!

Loungefly

You’ve seen them everywhere – adorable backpacks inspired by your favorite characters from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and more. Usually priced at around $80 retail, resellers have jumped on the Loungefly train. A Sleeping Beauty Castle-inspired loungefly, originally released in 2019, recently sold for over $500 and $800:

Disneyland Castle Loungefly for $549, $849.
Credit: eBay

Incidents at Walt Disney World Resort

EPCOT 40

EPCOT recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and resellers joined the fun. Many Guests photographed others with carts stacked high and mounds of merchandise waiting to be sold online. From @MagicalNewsLIVE:

Sadly, this is why we can not have nice things. #DisneyWorld #EPCOT #EPCOT40

While purchase limits were in place, Guests with multiple members in their party can swap out – one guards the goods, and one checks out with the maximum number per Guest. Disney Cast Members might not notice or have time to stop repeat customers on such a busy day.

Figment Popcorn Buckets

figment popcorn bucket with colored popcorn
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

The Figment Popcorn Bucket saga is perhaps the most infamous incidence of merchandise hoarding, once again at EPCOT. The purple dragon is the most beloved Disney Parks mascot, despite his absence from Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Starting in January 2022, Guests sold out this adorable bucket with each restock. While no photos of resellers emerged online, eBay listings certainly did. Markups became such a viral meme that fans began listing drawings of the buckets on eBay for hundreds of dollars:

Looking at the Figment Popcorn Bucket scalpers on eBay and found… this. Gotta appreciate the hustle.

 

International Merchandise Hoarders

Disneyland Paris

Just days ago, we reported on Disneyland Paris Annual Passholders hoarding an exclusive Disneyland Paris Monopoly, celebrating Disneyland Paris’ 30th Anniversary. Multiple Disneyland Guests shared photos of different alleged resellers filling bags and wagons with copies of the game, including @dlp_guests_show:

1 monopoly, 2 monopoly… #DLPLive #dlp #DisneylandParis

Disneyland Paris Monopoly listings appeared on eBay within 12 hours, with one seller offering ten copies at $95 each, or 97.31 Euros. Of course, people can list items for any inflated price they want. Disturbingly though, people are buying. One copy of the board game from this seller sold within 24 hours. A search of “sold” Disneyland Paris Monopoly listings on eBay shows at least ten copies sold at prices ranging from $73.88 to $124, plus shipping.

In another recent incident at Disneyland Paris, Guests hoarded massive, designer replicas of Phantom Manor, EuroDisney’s version of The Haunted Mansion. Priced initially at €129, the replica quickly appeared online at nearly double the price (€249):

Do we have an answer about their destination? 

The person could have added a * next to “price items of the park* without counting my discount which allows me to make a good profit” (translated) 

Tokyo Disney Resort

Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are famous for some of the cutest Disney Parks merchandise. That makes the Japanese Disney Parks the perfect place for resellers to earn a quick buck!

Earlier this year, resellers filled buckets with limited merchandise, which didn’t have a purchase limit. @bump_sugar_ tweeted:

20th Anniversary Or-kun resale has started. Only people who are full of baskets (translated)

Of course, these incidents are just a few of hundreds documenting resellers’ accumulated items. It’s impossible to say how many incidents haven’t been photographed!

Have you encountered resellers at any Disney Park? Do you think Disney needs to crack down? 

 

in Disney Parks, Merchandise

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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