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Credit: DisneyHe may be the leader of the club that’s made for you and me, but Mickey Mouse will temporarily step aside as the icon of one Disney park from April 8, 2025.
While Mickey remains the global face of The Walt Disney Company, Duffy the Disney Bear has emerged as the star attraction in Disney’s Asian parks, including Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland. Over the past decade, Duffy and his Friends have become merchandising powerhouses, raking in $500 million annually, according to a 2023 Disney report.
To honor their incredible popularity, Tokyo Disney Resort is launching a year-long celebration, Duffy and Friends 20th: Colorful Happiness. Running through March 19, 2026, this event will commemorate 20 years of Duffy and Friends, all of whom reside at Tokyo DisneySea. Guests can look forward to Duffy-themed decorations, meet-and-greets, exclusive menus, and highly sought-after merchandise.
The rise of Duffy has been a long (and lucrative) journey. Duffy the Disney Bear was first introduced in 2002 at Walt Disney World as “The Disney Bear” to promote the opening of Once Upon a Toy at Downtown Disney. Initially, the character struggled to gain widespread attention. Positioned as a simple plush toy with a Mickey-shaped mark on his face and paws, Duffy didn’t resonate with audiences in the U.S.
However, in 2005, Tokyo Disney Resort reintroduced the bear with a new backstory, presenting him as a handmade gift from Minnie to accompany Mickey on his travels. This relaunch, paired with Japan’s cultural affinity for cute and collectible characters, marked the beginning of Duffy’s meteoric rise in popularity that soon spread to other Disney parks and led to the introduction of additional friends:
- ShellieMay: An adventurous bear known for her creativity.
- Gelatoni: An artistic cat with a signature blue beret.
- StellaLou: A rabbit with dreams of Broadway stardom.
- CookieAnn: A chef dog inspiring her own bakery at Shanghai Disneyland.
- ‘Olu Mel: A ukulele-playing turtle beloved at Aulani.
- LinaBell: A clever pink fox with a massive fan following in Asia.
The event will also feature the regular dinner show “Duffy and Friends’ Wonderful Friendship,” a beloved all-year-round experience at Tokyo DisneySea. Meanwhile, guests can catch a prelude event, Duffy & Friends: Wonderful Kitchen, from January 15 to March 31, 2025, marking CookieAnn and LinaBell’s debut meet-and-greets at Tokyo DisneySea.
Merchandise fever is expected to hit new highs, as previous drops, like LinaBell’s exclusive line at Shanghai Disneyland, have seen lines stretching up to eight hours.
Hong Kong Disneyland has previously run a similar—but much shorter—event known as Duffy and Friends Play Days. This saw Mickey swapped out for Duffy in the floral planter at the park entrance, and Duffy decor was scattered throughout the entire resort.
Who’s your favorite member of Duffy and Friends?