Disney Brand Guide: The Most Magical Toys On Earth

I’m 6. I’m crying. This is an event that will scar me forever.

No, I haven’t been scalded for trampling on the living room carpet in my muddy shoes; I’m watching The Lion King.

No matter what your age, I’m sure that if you think back, you’ll be able to remember a defining Disney moment in your life. 

Whether you were watching Pinocchio’s nose sprout as he listed off his lies or trying to pronounce ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ (I didn’t Google that, I promise!), we’ve all been captured by the magic at some point.

Fast forward sixty years and the magic is still there, albeit more in the form of new films like Frozen and Toy Story 4. 

And luckily, Disney has found new ways of keeping the magic alive with toys and merchandise that children can fall in love with.

In this brand guide, we’re going to look at Disney’s philosophy and what makes their toys worthy of a place on your shelf – and maybe we’ll indulge in a little nostalgia along the way!

We’ll round off the guide with our must-have Disney toys, which will include our best sellers – so you know you’re getting recommendations that sell.

Disney: A Brief History

Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse and Disneyland was born in Chicago, Illinois on the 5th of December 1901. 

He took a keen interest in drawing as a youngster and drew cartoon sketches for advertisers in his late teens, which is where he created and marketed his original cartoons.

In his early twenties, he moved to Hollywood where he pawned resources with his brother and began producing in an office block. 

Moving Into Merchandise

In the late 1920s, the duo created Mickey Mouse, who was an instant hit, and Disney decided to make a move that would revolutionise their revenue streams – merchandise. Soon, Mickey Mouse was plastered on everything from toothbrushes to pencil cases.

Over the next ten years, hit films such as Bambi, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Dumbo were released, capturing the hearts of millions around the world.

In the 1950s, Disneyland was created, which was another way for Disney to sell more of there merchandise while revolutionising the ‘fairground’.

Walt Disney died in 1966 and projects were taken over by his brother Roy; which included The Jungle Book and The Aristocats.

After Roy died in 1971, the company moved out of the brothers’ ownership and into the hands of the team that were trained by them.

A New Direction

Disney started to develop into the huge corporation it is today, with new parks in Paris and Tokyo, targeting an older demographic with films like Sister Act and creating a cable TV channel.

Disney also started to open stores, and there are now 330 Disney stores worldwide. While Disney has always focused on films, their merchandise has only increased its popularity, which is why we stock a fantastic range of Disney toys and merchandise.

What Does Disney Stand For?

For a company that has its 100th anniversary coming soon, maintaining the values and philosophies that made it so popular in the first place is both vital and challenging. But Disney has managed to do it, here are some of the values they stand by:

Storytelling

Remember when I was crying at The Lion King, that’s an example of gut-wrenching, emotional storytelling there. Who expected someone to die in a kids cartoon film? I don’t even think the adults saw that one coming. 

Disney even makes its staff feel part of the story by calling them cast members, and instead of customers, they use the word guest. Small touches, but they make the difference when you’re trying to pull someone into your world.

Innovation

I’ve just given about ten different reasons why Disney are innovative in the short history; innovation is something that Disney has managed to make a core part of their company, even after their innovative owner passed away. Their most recent innovation is the Disney streaming service, which they launched in March 2020.

Entertainment

Disney is one of the biggest companies in the entertainment sector, and it’s clear this value runs through the spine of the company. You only have to look at the various brands it owns to see that: Marvel, Nationa Geographic, ESPN, Pixar and the Star Wars franchise. If it’s Disney’s mission to keep entertaining us, my eyes are firmly on the screen.

Inspiration

The inspiration that runs through all of Disney’s characters comes from the character that created the company, Walt Disney. He came from a humble background, was told he lacked creativity, failed over 300 times in the pursuit of his dream and worked other jobs to fund his passion. No wonder the company creates such compelling films and characters.

Disney’s Commitment to Social Responsibility

As well as adhering to a strong set of values, Disney aims to make the world a better place. Customers want more information on the companies they buy from than ever before, so working with ethical and responsible business is crucial.

1. Supply chain – We are committed to respecting human rights, monitoring the safety and integrity of products, and reducing the environmental footprint of our supply chain.
2. Content and products – Disney is committed to creating positive, safe, fun, and inclusive entertainment experiences that audiences of all ages can enjoy together.
3. Social impact – cash and in-kind contributions, volunteerism, the signature social impact program focusing on children’s hospitals and wish granting, and investments in youth.
4. Environmental sustainability – Disney is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimising waste, conserving water resources, and protecting the planet as we operate and grow our business.
5. Conservation – Disney Conservation is committed to saving wildlife and building a global community inspired to protect the magic of nature together.

What Disney Toys Should You Stock?

We’ve sifted through our sales data to show you our best-selling Disney toys, so you can get products that are guaranteed to be as big a hit as a Disney film.

1. Our Best-Selling Disney Toy 2020 – Disney Frozen 2 Top Trumps

It comes as no surprise that the classic card game Top Trumps tops the list of our Disney best-seller. 

It’s a fun game for kids of all ages, which allows them to bring their favourite Disney character to life and get to know their levels of strength and loyalty – among other skills.

Plus, Top Trumps is portable, so your customers will be able to transport and play on car, train and plane journeys, which we predict will start to increase as lockdown restrictions ease.

Other Top Trumps Sets:

• Top Trumps Dinosaur Roar
• Top Trumps L.O.L Surprise
• Top Trumps Specials Disney Classics
• Top Trumps Avengers End Game

2. Disney Marvel Face Paintoos

What could be better than getting your face painted in the shape of your favourite Marvel characters? Let your customers become their favourite superhero with Paintoos.

Paintoos make face painting easy and don’t create as much mess, as the painted masks work like fake tattoo skin transfers. They come with five amazing characters; Spiderman, The Hulk, Ironman, Captain America and Rocket Raccoon.

You don’t need any artistic skills and the transfers wash off easily. Plus, you can get other Paintoos packs!

Other Paintoo Packs:

• Frozen Paintoos
• Disney Princess Paintoos

3. Disney Frozen 2 6-Inch Plush

Frozen, Frozen, Frozen. Kids can’t seem to get enough of it! It’s been Disney’s best film for some time and kids are obsessed with the film characters.

That’s why this assortment of 6-inch plush toys flies off our shelves. Let your customers get their hands on Anna, Elsa and other Frozen 2 toys that are sure to keep them entertained for hours.

Other Frozen Toys:

• Frozen Anna 20-Inch Doll
• Frozen 2 Whisper & Glow Display House Assortment
• Disney Frozen 2 Musical Adventure Anna

4. Disney Princess Shimmer Fashion Doll Assortment

These wholesale Disney Princess Shimmer Fashion dolls come in an assortment of your customers’ favourite characters from Cinderella to Ariel. 

Each princess doll shines in their signature colour outfit that sparkles from top to toe, for hours of fun playing out magical moments from their favourite movies.

Other Disney Princess Toys:

• Disney Princess Playball
• Disney Princess Travel Neck Pillow

5. Finding Dory Stationery

Finding Dory was released in 2016 and received rave reviews from critics and children. Like any Disney film, plenty of merchandise was released and has been popular among fans.

As well as stocking toys, stationery is great for allowing children to express their creativity and comes in handy for school, too.

Stock up on Finding Dory stationery to ensure your customers have a blend of fun toys and practical items that will improve critical skills like imagination and concentration.

Finding Dory Stationery:

• Disney Finding Dory Snap Bands
• Disney Finding Dory Eraser Set
• Disney Finding Dory Hard Cover Pads
• Disney Finding Dory Round Sharpener
• Disney Finding Dory Memo Pads

Set Up An Account & Get Trade Prices for All Disney Products

Once you sign up to Harrisons, you’ll get access to all our trade prices for Disney products. Hit the button below to begin the sign-up process. Already got an account? Log in and start browsing.

View Our Recommended Toys for Christmas 2020

With Christmas fast approaching you’ll want to ensure you get all the most in-demand toys before stock runs out – read Dana’s Top 10 Christmas Toys and get the best Christmas toys immediately.