Epic Universe Merch, Figment's Flattening, and Duffy's Global Takeover

Alice in Wonderland Gala and Costume Ideas

• 🎭 Lauren is preparing for a school gala with an "Alice in Wonderland" theme and is considering "bounding" rather than a full costume.
• 🌹 She proposed dressing as a singing flower with her partner, who would be a matching floral shirt, or as the "Queen of Hearts" with him as a card.
• 🎨 Jim suggested a creative alternative for Eric: an apron with red paint splatters, embodying the character who paints the roses red.
• 🐇 The discussion touched on various iterations of Alice in Wonderland, including the Tim Burton film, "Descendants: The Rise of Red," and the "Once Upon a Time" spin-off "Wonderland."

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival News

• 🌸 The 30th annual Epcot Flower & Garden Festival is underway until June 2nd, featuring elaborate topiaries and special effects.
• 🎨 New topiary techniques include hand-sculpted clay for Belle and 3D printing for Tiana, with Maui's fish hook being the largest 3D printed element.
• 🎶 A backstage fire occurred near the France Pavilion during Peter Noon's concert series performance.
• 🛍️ Festival merchandise highlights include orange-themed items, a spirit jersey with a naval orange design, and unique items like a "flattened Figment" egg slicer and an orange bird vegetable peeler.

Universal's Epic Universe Merch and Attractions

• 🐉 Epic Universe will feature 20 new shops across its themed lands, including "Isle of Berk" from How to Train Your Dragon.
• 🧸 "Adopt a Dragon" plush baby dragons and a Captain Cacao mascot bear are among the new merchandise offerings.
• 🪄 An upgraded wand experience with haptic feedback and light features will be available for $90, with enhanced spell locations in the park.
• 🍄 The new interactive "Power-Up Bands" for Super Nintendo World are also discussed as an alternative attraction.

The Global Phenomenon of Duffy the Disney Bear

• 🐻 Duffy the Disney Bear, initially a poor seller in the US, became a massive hit in Tokyo Disney Resort after being imported.
• 🛍️ Tokyo Disney created a backstory for Duffy as a sailor bear made by Minnie, leading to a huge demand for the bear and its various sailor outfits.
• 🌟 Duffy's popularity in Japan led to meet-and-greets, dedicated shows, and a vast array of seasonal merchandise, with purchase limits imposed due to demand.
• 🌍 This success has inspired Duffy-related initiatives at other Asian parks, including Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, and Aulani, with new characters like ShellieMay, Gelatoni, StellaLou, Cookie, Olu Mel, and LinaBell.
• 🇺🇸 Disney is now attempting to reintroduce Duffy and his friends to US parks with "Celebrate Happy Cavalcade" at Disneyland, hoping to boost merchandise sales.