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Credit: Tokyo DisneyDisney has updated the procedures around selling some of its merchandise, and guests aren’t happy.
Certain Disney merchandise can be notoriously difficult to find at the parks. At times, highly anticipated items generate such intense demand that guests endure long lines or purchase them in bulk to resell at significantly inflated prices.
In the past, we’ve seen guests storm shops, rip items off shelves, and wait in line for as long as eight hours to purchase new releases. A specific incident at Shanghai Disneyland in March saw guests growing unruly, to the point that security was brought in to control the situation upon the debut of new Duffy and Friends items.
Duffy and Friends merchandise has caused significant frenzy at Disney parks. Guests at Tokyo Disney Resort, Shanghai Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland famously have a deep fascination with the brand, which generates $500 million annually. In some cases, virtual queues are implemented to manage the overwhelming demand.
Even non-Duffy merchandise has proven extremely popular. As Inside the Magic previously reported, some Christmas merchandise sold so well at Tokyo Disney Resort in 2024 that the order backlog stretches all the way back to May 2025 (yes, May).
New Merchandise System For Duffy
In an effort to reign in some of the merch demand, Tokyo Disney Resort has introduced a new system for some items next year.
From January 15, items from the Duffy & Friends Wonderful Kitchen range—including plush badges, charms, and costumes—will only be available via the Tokyo Disney Resort app.
The challenge is that the app is notoriously tough to access and use, rendering it inaccessible to many guests – especially international visitors. Consequently, the merchandise is also out of reach for these guests.
As @hk_emporium wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “It’s a bit strange to take away the opportunity for overseas guests to purchase merchandise and take measures against resale… Especially guests who travel many hours to come from far away countries.”
Putting aside the question of whether it is effective in preventing resale,
It’s a bit strange to take away the opportunity for overseas guests to purchase merchandise and take measures against resale…
Especially guests who travel many hours to come from far away countries.Recently, it’s not just about goods,
Due to the complexity of entry acceptance and DPA purchase, overseas guests were unable to see the show,
It’s also disappointing when you can’t ride an attraction.
転売対策として効果あるかはまずさておき、
海外ゲストのグッズ購入チャンスを無くして転売対策をするのはちょっとね…
特に何時間もかけて遠い国から来るゲスト。最近はグッズのことだけでなく、
エントリー受付、DPA購入の複雑さとかで海外ゲストがショー見えなかったり、…— Emporium HKDL情報🏰✨ (@hk_emporium) December 19, 2024
On a positive note, the Tokyo Disney Resort website indicates that this is only “for the time being.” However, it remains uncertain how long the situation will persist.
Duffy & Friends Wonderful Kitchen is an upcoming event at Tokyo DisneySea. Running from January 15 to March 31, 2025, this will feature limited edition food at Cape Cod Cook-Off, Dockside Diner, and Miguel’s El Dorado Cantina, as well as exclusive merchandise and the Tokyo DisneySea debut of CookieAnn and Lina Bell.
Another Duffy event follows after Duffy & Friends Wonderful Kitchen. Duffy and Friends 20th: Colorful Happiness will run through March 19, 2026, and 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.
What do you think of this new system for merchandise at Tokyo Disney Resort?