Monday, June 10, 2013

New Disney Princess 12" Dolls at Disneystore.com! :D

Well, they're finally here!  I knew that the Disney Store should be getting their 2013 editions of the classic princess dolls in soon, since it was about this time last year that the 2012 editions were released.  I think most of them look fabulous.  Without further ado, here they are:

Of course, you knew I'd have to start with my favorite. ;)  I really like the new Belle doll.  I love her packaging (although I love all of the new packaging for this line).  Her face is painted similarly to last year's edition, but seems to be a bit softer with a bit more color.  She doesn't have her gloves this time around, but honestly, that's probably a wise choice.  The gloves from last year were really hard to get on and off and looked a little bit silly once they'd been removed. :}  The dresses are still super glittery this year, but at least the glitter has a really cool pattern instead of just being plastered all over the dress.  It's also nice that Belle's hair is closer to the movie length, but not quite as overwhelmingly curly.  I think that will be nice for the kiddos who purchase and play with this doll. :)



And oh my goodness, I'm LOVING this year's Rapunzel!  Her dress is pretty accurate, aside from the shorter sleeves.  What I love most is her face.  They really went back to her movie coloring instead of a more glamorous look like last year.  Her freckles are much lighter and natural-looking this year, too.  

Another interesting thing I noticed in this picture and some of the others is that it appears they have gone back to regular Barbie-type legs this year.  I'm not really that surprised, since the bendable legs they did last year had some definite problems.  I'd love to see them try the fully posable legs sometime again in the future.  Hopefully they would take a look at some dolls with better articulation, such as the Liv dolls, and come up with a better method of articulation than the 2012 Princess line.

Here's Ariel.  I think they did an excellent job on her face this year.  It's soft and young and pretty, just like it was in the movie.  Too bad they couldn't have her come in her pink dress instead of her seashells.  A doll dressed like this doesn't get to come to our house. ;)

I love the detail on Princess Jasmine's outfit this year.  Her face is similar to last year's but my girls think she looks closer to the movie this time (and prettier).  Once again, not a doll that can come home with us because of her attire, but we all enjoy looking at pictures. :)


Aurora's dress is lovely.  I think her face paint is better this year, but her face still seems too thin to me.


Cinderella is beautiful and already on Little Gal's wish list. ;)  I really like the detail on her dress.



Mulan doesn't seem to have much that has changed.  I can't remember everything about what they did last year, but her dress is definitely simplified from the movie design.  Her face is pretty, though. :)

Pocahontas is much simpler than the other dolls of this line, but I appreciate that.  I don't think glittery patterned buckskin would look quite right. ;)  Another pretty doll.

I LOVE what they did with Snow White this year, too.  Her dress is short and accurate like the movie but looks quite pretty with the glittery pattern on it.  I like that she has her cape as well.  Her face is quite similar to last year's, but almost looks a bit softer.  Middle Gal is hoping to add this one to her collection. :)

Tiana's face is just beautiful this year.  Her dress is simplified to the point of being almost too understated, especially considering the fancy editions of some of the other dresses.  I wish they'd made her skirt a little poofier and given her glitter a pattern as well.

Ah, and poor Merida.  While at least her dress isn't off the shoulder like some of the concept art, they certainly glitter bombed it!  Somehow I don't think she'd be too thrilled getting stuck in such a sparkly dress. ;)


They've also added a classic Queen Elinor doll, which is nice if you just want the doll and not the bear shell that came with the first Elinor.  I'm sure from previous experience, however, that this Elinor's dress will be much lower quality than the first edition's.



And he's not exactly a princess, but look who showed up along with some of the new products.  I wonder what Belle would think if I brought him home? ;)  She shouldn't be too concerned.   I think his face is pretty gruesome, and not just because it's supposed to be.  I don't really have any plans to bring a Gaston home at this point.  I'd much rather have the new Belle and the new Rapunzel to add to my current collection. :)

One thing I wish is that they'd do new editions of the prince dolls, too.  I think it would be fun to have a new edition of each prince to go with each princess.  Of course, I'm very happy with the current prince face molds and face paint, so maybe I shouldn't complain. ;)

To see all of the 12" Princess line at Disneystore.com, click HERE.

So, what are your thoughts on the new line?  Which dolls are your favorites this time around? :)

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay! I really like the new Rapunzel's face. I was holding off on buying her until the new dolls came out, just in case I liked the new one's face better (I did like the old one, but something about it just wasn't quite "Rapunzel" enough for me).
Unfortunately, I was also holding off in the hopes that they would improve the leg articulation, not get rid of it altogether! Rats. :( I really like dolls that can bend at least 90 degrees at the knee-- it makes sitting poses so much more realistic. I do like this Rapunzel, though, so I'll probably get her anyway. I might eventually give in and swap her head to a LIV body (best 12" doll bodies ever!). The only problem with a LIV body, though, is that shoe choices are much more limited :( (The previous bodies can wear typical Barbie shoes-- though Merida wasn't very happy with me trying sparkly pink pumps and strappy sandals on her :D).

Speaking of Merida... poor Merida! Not only did they cover her in sparkles, but they took away her trusty bow and arrow!

Thank you for notifying us about the new Disney dolls! I'll definitely get Rapunzel the next time I visit the Disney store. :)

--Kate

Cindyrella said...

I LOVE Auroras new doll! They kept the new face with the old hair! And Cinderella looks soooo nice! Unfortunately the went with the bouffant hair and it seems like she has blue slippers instead of clear plastic, but her dress is sooo pretty! I am in love with these dolls because they dont have their new hairdo, to me, I thought they looked really awkward on them in the last set.

Abigail said...

I'm guessing that Rapunzel and Belle are gonna make it to your house soon.

Unknown said...

Aww no! i was so hoping that DS would continue with the articulated legs. I mean yes i do understand that the legs weren't the BEST articulated doll legs in the doll world..like compared to say the Barbie Fashionsita legs. But still, i do however like the glitter design on this years clothes rather than last year. IMO i wish they would have left the glitter out this year. I don't however like Merida's dress this year, I much prefer my last years version. I guess this years dolls that i need will have to have regular legs, I really like Belle and Ariel this year. Snow is just as pretty as she was last year, and i love that she has a little cape..it's so cute. I'm so hoping that Ariel will get a wedding doll version like Cinderella did or even a pink dress version.

Anonymous said...

I was going to tell you about it but apparently you beat me to it! :) Have you noticed that they removed the Pocahontas Animators doll? Such a shame! I wanted her so badly. The doll are okay; I'd probably get one or two.. Gaston, though, he's just so- I don't know- hilarious.

jordan sky said...

I think they've really improved! I hope that (like what you said) they give them better articulation! I <3 dolls with good articulation! Now I want to buy like all of these dolls except maybe Jasmine I've never been a fan of Aladdin. Gaston is totally creepy! Ariel is SO pretty (she's my favorite princess)! But why are all the dolls looking off to the side? Wow this is a long comment...lol!

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Wow! So fun to come back to all of these comments. :) I'm glad to see that you're all as excited as I am about the new releases. :)

Kate, I completely agree about Rapunzel. :) The new one's face is perfect, while last year's just didn't quite look like she did in the movie. :)

I also wish they would have improved the articulation instead of nixing it. Maybe next year... ;)

LIV articulation is amazing! :) I recently had to do a body swap on my original Disney Store Rapunzel. I used a LIV body and have really enjoyed having a Rapunzel with so many different posing options. The only problem I've found is that her head sometimes tilts back and it's hard to get it to stay in place. Some of this might just be because her hair is so heavy. ;)

LOL...I can imagine Merida wasn't very happy with you when she was wearing sandals and pumps. ;) And yes, I'm pretty sure she's not thrilled with the Disney Store right now either. The degradation of having her bow and arrow taken away AND having to wear sparkles...her life must feel like it's over. ;)

Glad I could let you all know. It's just as much fun for me...it gives me a valid excuse to geek out. ;)

Cindyrella, I'm with you. I think the hairstyles this year are much more natural looking. I don't mind them in the new illustrations and promo material, but I don't think it translated well with the dolls. Although as an adult collector, I did enjoy my Belle doll from last year. She just wasn't very practical for play for kiddos. :)

Abigail, you guessed right. ;) I happen to have some Disney Dream Rewards Dollars that I've been saving up. I think I just figured out what I need to spend them on. ;)

Hi Amber. :) Like I said to Kate, maybe they'll figure out the articulation and try it again next year. We can always hope, right?

Anonymous, I'm on top of my game today. ;) Actually, some of the credit should go to Holly of Holly's Dolly's on Facebook. I was browsing Facebook and saw her link to Gaston and Cinderella, and then headed over and found the others for myself. :)

I'm sorry you missed out on the DAC Pocahontas. I wouldn't completely despair yet. I heard rumors in December from a Disney Store cast member that they were being discontinued, and some of the dolls started disappearing on the store's website shortly after that. However, since then, several of the dolls that were gone have come back. So who knows? There might still be a few Pocahontas dolls in a back room somewhere. ;) I hope you find her!

Hi Jordy! :) Thanks for commenting. I think that the Disney Store was trying to go for a more "artistic" look with their photography this time around, so that must be why all the princesses are looking off to the side. ;) That's the main reason I decided to use the picture of Belle in the box because I thought it showed her face better. :)

P.S. Don't ever worry about long comments. As I've said many times before, I love them! :)


Nina said...

I love Belle, Rapunzel, Mulan, Aurora, and Merida! These are a big improvement from last year. I really like Belle's dress, too, because it's way more accurate.

Alexandra said...

I like that Cinderella has the "traditional" bangs/bun. The updated version's sideswept bangs bugged me...not that they weren't cute, but my traditionalist side just couldn't accept it...it wasn't CINDERELLA. :P

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Nina. :) I'm super pleased with Belle's dress, too. Can't wait to add her and Rapunzel to my collection. :)

Lol, Alexandra, I understand what you mean. Little Gal sure has taken a shine to the sideswept bangs, though. Cinderella is her favorite princess, and there's something about her fancy new style that she really loves. I'm with you, though. ;)

Jen said...

Oh good, they're back! I was looking at the dwindling website stock, wondering if I was out of luck when it came to stealing clothes for my Pullips. :D

Speaking of, though, I am SO glad I went ahead and bought Rapunzel and Merida when I did! R's last dress might not be the most movie-accurate, but I love the long sleeves and deeper, contrasting colors. As for Merida...well, self-explanatory. (And I have noted the lack of bow & arrow!)

I noticed that a few of the last-edition Meridas (plus acccessories, minus sparkles) are $7.99 on the Twice Upon a Year sale, so if anyone wants a better Merida, get her now!

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

I see your point, Jen. If you're looking at just the dresses and not the faces, Rapunzel's dress from last year would be a more unique choice. :)

What, your Merida doesn't want to be coated in sparkles? ;)

Thanks for the tip on the sale...I'm sure all those Merida fans out there will appreciate it. :)

Kristina said...

We made a trip to the Disney store last weekend. My daughter was over the moon and we got a ton of great stuff. (She snagged 6 plushies for $2 each!) We also got the old Cinderella, Belle, & Merida. I am so glad we picked up the $8 Merida with the bow and arrow and movie accurate dress. That glitter thing is beyond awful! I am pleased that we got the old style body with the articulation. My daughter really likes the poseability, even if it is a lil wonky! :) She got the Mattel Disney princess pack with 7 princess from Target for her birthday. Those dolls were so cheap and awful she actually cried when she tried to play with them because their hair was so awful (hard and immovable on 3!) and their cheapo hollow plastic legs wouldn't even move on 2 of the dolls! Needless to say, they were returned and a trip to the Disney store was made!

Michaela Bush said...

I absolutely LOVE Rapunzel and I'm hoping to get her and Flynn (He looks kind of different to me - aside from packaging, his lips seem to have a darker tint than the stock pictures of, like, last year's? Could just be me though) while the 2 for $10 each deal is going on, hoping it's still going on at the end of the week when I can get them!
I love the fact that they have the Barbie type legs, because I have last year's Merida and her legs are awful - she's bowlegged, her one hip is super tight and clicks when I try to sit her down, the other hip is so loose it just flops around, and basically it's a lot of fun trying to get her to stand even in a doll stand, because her hips are too wide for it, while her torso is too thin! Kind of sad that they glitterized Merida, but I suppose that was a long way coming...

Kirren said...

And of course, Snow White would be the one I bought last year. :P I don't think I can justify getting another one so close to the one I have, especially when I'm trying to downsize my doll collection. But, I do love the new Rapunzel, and I will have to be getting her! I also kinda like Merida, but I'm not sold on her yet. :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Kristina! Looks like you snagged Cinderella, Belle, and Merida just in time! ;) While the old articulation is not my favorite, I do understand the appeal. My daughters are the same way. They love posing their dolls from last year. :)

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's disappointment. I've never been able to afford the 7 pack of Mattel Disney Princesses, but I'm glad to know not to waste my money! I hate it when Mattel uses the hollow legs. :( In earlier years, especially when I was growing up, Mattel had the most beautiful dolls and the Disney Store dolls weren't all that great. Now it's a complete turn around. I prefer the Disney Store dolls and am not really a fan of the Mattel ones. I'm glad your daughter's birthday was a success in the end! :)

Hi Tangled Fan 2013, thanks for commenting. :) I'm loving the new Rapunzel, too. I had to order a rewards card for my Disney Dream Rewards dollars, so I'm also hoping that the 2 for $10 sale lasts for a while. ;)

Your comment about Flynn made me go back and look. There might be some slight variation to the paint, but I think the guys are pretty much the same...which is good news for me. I don't need more than 2 dolls right now. ;) If they ever do a major revamp, though, I will definitely be adding some new Prince dolls to my collection. ;)

My Rapunzel from last year has similar problems to your Merida. She's bowlegged and one leg was set in her hip wrong, so I can barely get her to sit down. :(

Yeah, we could all see glittery Merida coming...poor girl. ;)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Sorry, Gods Girl, your comment didn't publish until after I'd done mine. ;)

Sorry about Snow White. I'd be tempted to get her myself, but I understand about the downsizing thing. That's why I've limited myself to only Belle and Rapunzel. ;) Lol...Middle Gal got Snow White last year, and she's already expressed and interest in this one, too. ;)

Hope you're able to get your Rapunzel soon. :) I'm so excited to get mine! :)

Anna-Marie said...

I think my favourite out of all the new Princess dolls is Ariel. Not surprising, though, considering my favourite Disney princess movie was 'The Little Mermaid'. :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

The first Disney movie I really fell in love with as a child was "The Little Mermaid". I got to see it in the theaters when it was first released. Afterwards, I memorized all of the songs and sang them constantly. I drew pictures of Ariel every time I had a spare minute. And my next door neighbor and I played "mermaids" in the pool for many summers afterwards. ;)

I think the new Ariel has a very sweet face. :)

Anonymous said...

Non of the poses in the pictures look natural, IMO.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Yeah, they look a little uncomfortable with their arms sticking up awkwardly in the air. ;)

Nathan Forester said...

I saw the Gaston one. Looks pretty close to the one from the movie. Well except the fact he's well...skinny while the movie version is buff.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Lol...my oldest daughter noticed the same thing. She told me his muscles weren't big enough to look like Gaston. ;)