Dogs have been on my mind lately. I recently met my daughter’s new dog, Gracie, whom she found at a local shelter upon returning to college. I also read Tom Smith’s story about the Disney Side Dog’s Day at Magic Kingdom Park on August 30. Both things sparked a flood of memories about the two dogs I had growing up. I know pets are important members of many families, so I’m delighted to announce the return of pet products to Disney Parks. Coming in spring 2015, guests will find a small assortment of dog items as part of a new program called “Disney Tails.” I spoke with Nicole Brann, merchandiser for souvenirs, about this new line.
“We know our guests love their pets,” said Nicole. “Guests may remember the pet products that we carried at Disney Parks in the mid-2000s. I’m excited to reintroduce some of those popular items under this new product line called ‘Disney Tails.’ For the initial small assortment, we will only focus on dog products, including bowls, squeak toys and apparel. I hope these new items will be another fun way that guests and their pets can show their Disney Side at home.”
Nicole shared with me concept artwork for some new items. I, of course, love the Haunted Mansion–
themed bow tie for dogs. All of the products in this line will feature packaging with the Disney Tails logo.
Look for these items in select merchandise locations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts next year. I’ll share additional updates as final samples arrive at our Disney Theme Park Merchandise headquarters.
While my traveling lifestyle makes me more of a cat person today, I miss my first dog Charlie, as seen here in 1978.
I’d love to hear a “tail” about your favorite pet, so please share in the comments below.
Comments
I second Robin! I can’t wait for all the dog, cat, and hopefully small animal (rabbit) merchandise you are going to have. Piper, my very own Jock, is going to love this stuff!
My dog’s name is Belle, I have every Disney pet thing I can find at the parks (translation: not much) I go to WDW at least 2 times a year and my mom and sister live in your backyard. I have been WAITING for this day.
I would have LOVED to help out designing this line. I work in product development now and I have my BS in Animal Science. 😉 *cough*shamelessplug*cough*
No cat items?
That bow tie better fit my cat.
Finally! Can’t believe there is no pet merchandise at the moment…. Will save me going to Petco next year when I’m in Orlando!
Cool! Hopefully cat products are coming soon?! I have eeked out those old Fairy Tale cat treats – I’ve had 4 cats ADORE those things. And they still drink from the Disney Cats water bowl – more Aristocats and Cheshire please!
So excited to get this news! Please add kitty items too! I always like to bring my kitties something when I go and it is tough to find anything these days. I still have lots of the older items, but would love to be able to add new toys and bowls. Thanks so much for bringing this line of products back!
Cute for the dog owners, but why nothing for cats? My cat loves the little fluffy balls that used to be sold at the parks, he still has a few. I hope next go around will include some cat toys.
Can’t wait to get that bow tie for my dog, Mr Fox! He will love it!
@Kim – Bow ties are cool!
I thought the previous Pet line called Disney tails? Using Figaro for cat line and forget who for the Dogline
My cat still uses her dish from the old line !! 🙂
Would love to see some cat stuff !! She still has a light up ball and Cheshire Cat cat toy both are in her toy corner. Pumpkin may not play like she used to but don’t go moving her Toys some get used as a pillow when sleeping by her toys
@Susan – Funny story about the previous pet product line … my sister Susan (great name) used to be the developer who worked on that product last decade. 🙂 There are no immediate plans for cat toys in this first phase.
I hope the dog products stay around till I go to Disney World in December 2015.
cool but hopefully there are some cat products too. My cats have disney water and food dishes but would love for there to be more!
I am extremely excited! Will these items be available exclusively in the parks, or will they be available at DisneyStore? We are visiting WDW over NYE this year and will miss them, but our pup, Rolly, needs some more Disney!
@Jenni – The Disney Tails product is being created especially for Disney Parks. They won’t be found at Disney Stores. Select items may be carried on our Disney Parks online store yet it’s way too early to know (since the items won’t be released until spring 2015).
No cat toys? There are more cats as pets than dogs in the US.
@Barbara – I also heard cats rule the Internet. 🙂 There are no immediate plans for cat toys in this first phase.
Love it! Add the kitties to the fun too! Mine loved his old Aristocrats cat nip pillow I got years ago….played with it til it DIED….you couldn’t even see the characters, it was so thread-barren but I couldn’t throw it out, he loved it so much! Can’t wait to be able to find him something special from the parks.
Another voice for cat toys and all! We have some Disney cat placemats and dishes from years ago, and have wondered why they disappeared.
This is really exciting, looking forward to the return of pet merchandise! We do have a bandanna from a few years ago that says “My humans went to Walt Disney World and all I got was this bandana”. I hope that more bandanas, which are Disney ‘clothes’ for pets are part of the new line!
@Jennifer – I think you’ll be happy when things are released next year 🙂
Can’t wait! We love Disney and are hoping they come out with costumes!
This is great, but I hope there will be some merchandise for the Disney Cats. There always seems to be more for the dogs, and my poor Figaro and Tigger only seem to get water and food bowls.
Great news…but what about cat products?! I have a set up toys I got years ago that my cat still plays with but they need to be updated! Show some feline love!
@Fran – The initial offerings will only focus on dogs. Cat products may be added in the future. If your cat is like my tuxedo cat Kevin Flynn, he will just stare at me then walk away. Ha! 🙂
I am so excited that this line of merch is coming back! My old dog had the cutest grey Mickey Mouse hoodie (among other things!) Now it’s time to buy the new dog some things! I’ve got my eye on that Mickey Premium Bar toy…
Finally.
The Pet items have been slim pickins for years.
Never could understand it with all the famous Disney dogs & cats.
And people do love their furry children for sure. I could see them raking in the dough with lots of fun imaginative items. Just hope they don’t price them way out of reach. I mean they are going to be chewed & drugged threw the dirt lol and will need to be replaced often. Hope Disney puts lots of really creative people on this.
@Joni – Great news! There are some creative folks working on the products as I type this response. 🙂
FINALLY, they are coming back with the pet line…Now they need to include kitties as well…Was so disappointed when they discontinued these products a few years ago…
This is awesome news! I hope they’ll soon add collars and leashes! My own little “Minnie Mouse” needs honor her namesake!
Great!!!!!!!Good news!!!!!
I have always grown up with a dog in my house. The last golden retriever, Maggie, my parents had was my baby. We went to Disney as a family in 2011, but we were not able to find any dog merchandise other then a leash. So I bought her a baby Minnie Mouse that had the rattle in her body. For the next 3.5 years she loved it. She would carry it around, and take it away from other family dogs. It made me happy to know that she loved it. 🙂 I am happy to see Disney bringing merchandise back. I know I will be buying buying a lot more souvenirs hahaha!!
@Laurie – Thank you for the comment. I’m glad to hear you’re happy 🙂
So glad to see this. We have a cat who loved the treats of old. Each Year when we went to Walt Disney World we would bring him back to containers of them as our we are back home gift. Will they be adding cat items to the line? We hope!!!!
@Mary Beth – There aren’t immediate plans to offer products for cats. The first phase will only feature dog products.
This is the best news! We just came back from Disney World this week and I was disappointed there were no dog toys. I had to bring my dog SOMETHING, so I got her a stuffed yeti from Animal Kingdom. Well that lasted all of 3 hours before she tore it apart! Yay Disney for thinking of the doggies!!
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