Disney Store "Tiki Kingdom" Merchandise

I didn't notice anyone else post about this. My apologies if someone already did.

The Disney Store just released a bunch of stuff labeled as Tiki Kingdom. You can see some of it here:

http://tikitalk.astropad.com/archives/disney-stores-roll-out-tiki-kingdom-merchandise/

I swung by a Southern California mall today and walked past the tiki themed toddler section in front to check out the big coffee mugs in the back. The toddler stuff was plastic and melamine and didn't appeal to me that much but the adult coffee mugs are very nice larger-than-average size ceramic mugs. I picked up 5 different "Tiki Kingdom" mugs featuring Minnie, Mickey, Grumpy, Eeyore, and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Each character is drawn with their hands folded over their stomachs in somewhat tiki fashion and they have a sort of wood-grain look. They also are flanked by two other characters on each side and tiki torches on each side as well. I'll probably post pics of them up on Ooga-Mooga soon. They were $8.50 each or 2 for $6 each. So, $32.50 for the set.

Disney came out with some hatpins with a similar look a while back. I think they are testing the Tiki waters and if the latest merchandise sells well they may ramp it up a notch. I don't know why they are focusing on these particular characters, though. I expected to see an Aloha Mickey and the characters from Lilo and Stitch, but why Eeyore or Sally? Why not the Tiki Room Birds? Maybe you have to have your own movie to be merchandised...even if you're more tiki than the other characters...

Has anyone seen any other mugs in the series besides the five I mentioned? Or does anyone know if there's a grand plan for the Tiki Kingdom line?

We saw these same items yesterday at the local Disney Store. I hate to say it, but Tiki has finally been taken too far. What they were trying to pass as a Mickey Mouse 'tiki' appeared to be a more of an Pacific Northwest totem pole, and just about everything else was this bizarre conglomeration of wooden Disney figures, generic Hawaiian themes, and a bit of a '50s feel.

I thought the entire thing to be hideous, and if it weren't for the 'Tiki Kingdom' label applied to the merchandise, I would have never guessed it was Disney's mistaken attempt at Tiki culture. Poorly conceived, designed, and implemented.

Ugh!

The Tikipedia
www.tikipedia.com

[ Edited by: tikipedia 2007-05-20 15:29 ]

I bought the five mugs, but I felt conflicted about it.

On one hand, I felt like a sap who'll just buy anything that says "Tiki" on it regardless of the quality. On the other hand, I thought that by supporting the "Tiki Kingdom" line I was letting Disney know that there is a market for Tiki and that they should pay attention to us. In the back of my mind I saw a smoke-filled room with executives saying, "We put out that whole line of tiki stuff last summer and it flopped. Must not be any interest in this tiki stuff anymore. Why do we keep that hut thing open anyway?"

I just wish that Disney would do some better research before they dived into a project like this. "Tiki Kingdom" could really pay off AND please Tiki enthusiasts at the same time.

As some of you already know, my family & I are Disney consultants. Among other things, we help develop ideas for art in the galleries that are in the park[s] out here in Cal. Here are a few things we "kick around the table" when we talk about Disney & Tiki.

1. "Tiki" as most of you know is a "nitch". Now of course, thats one reason we here at TC like it. Because its not part of the mainstream of society. Now in the retail world, that makes it a hard sell.
2. As far as art is concerned, the target market [price level] has to come in fairly low. [ so not much "fine art"] Us Tikiites dont like to spend a lot of $$, & we also [ Ive learned ] like to buy smaller artwork so we can have all kinds of cool stuff in our Tiki bars/rooms.
   So if you are a mouse employee [ or consultant] trying to convince the powers to be that Tiki is gonna make Mickey a lot of cheese, its an uphill battle!
   Now, if you really want to send them a Tiki message, you can purchase one of Brian Sissons Tiki pcs!!! at http://www.register123.com/event/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x55101b2bb

OK, just a little shameless self promo, sorry.............Remy

On 2007-05-21 15:30, Trader Tom wrote:
I bought the five mugs, but I felt conflicted about it.
On one hand, I felt like a sap who'll just buy anything that says "Tiki" on it regardless of the quality.

Welcome to the jungle my friend.
You shall now be set free for your courage of confession.

Mouse Art, you're right. Sissons rocks! If I had more wall space and more bucks I'd probably buy the Tiki Room Gods Series I saw down at Disneyland a few weeks back. Those are beautiful.

Unga Bunga, thank you for the absolution. I will try to go my way and sin no more. Although I did notice that there's a sixth Tiki Kingdom mug I missed...a Jack Skellington mug. Aaargh. Must resist...Must resist...

do it Tom complete the set. Just don't tell anyone.

For those who didn't pick up this stuff already, my local Disney Store has had all their Tiki Kingdom stuff of clearance for about a month now. Good change to add to your collection before it's all gone.