“Get ready to take your Disney fandom to the next level! For generations, Disney has been weaving a magical spell around our hearts, transporting us to enchanted realms, and introducing us to beloved characters that have become an integral part of our lives. From Mickey Mouse’s iconic ears to Elsa’s icy elegance, Disney’s rich tapestry of characters has inspired countless fans around the world. And now, Disney is giving fans the ultimate way to express their love and loyalty – with customizable ears that let you wear your heart on your sleeve… or rather, on your head!
Disney Fans Can Now Wear Their Favorite Characters as Ears with New Customizable Headbands
Disney adults have a new way to get their heads (and ears) ready for their next park adventure. The Disney Store has unveiled customizable headbands and a range of charming plush accessories for fans of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Toy Story, Inside Out 2, Winnie the Pooh, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Chip and Dale.
The soft and comfy headbands are $11.99 for adults (one size fits most) and character plushes are $13.99 each. The accessories are designed to be attached to the headband, so you can group your favorite Pixar characters, classic Mickey & Friends pals or playful emotions onto your noggin.
The full plush collection also includes Donald and Daisy Duck; Inside Out‘s Joy, Sadness, Anger, Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy, Disgust and Ennui; Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear, the little green aliens, Hamm and Lotso; The Nightmare Before Christmas‘ Jack, Sally and Zero; and Winnie the Pooh‘s Tigger and Pooh. Plushes can also be used as bag charms and attached to purses, keychains, backpacks and other gear.
Shoppers who spend over $99 also get free shipping at the Disney Store with code SHIPMAGIC. Below, shop the new personalizable Disney character headbands and see the full collection at disneystore.com. See Disney’s complete Create Your Own Headband assortment ($11.99 to $13.99) and customize your accessories at disneystore.com.
Disney Refuses to Compromise on Channel Pricing and Value
Disney finds itself at the center of another major TV carriage dispute, with its channels now unavailable in millions of homes. This time, the company and the satellite TV giant DirecTV find themselves at odds, with a number of Disney channels including ABC and ESPN going dark for DirecTV customers.
The channels went dark shortly before the high-profile LSU-USC college football game and in the middle of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. The NFL season kicks off in a week.
“The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, in a statement following the channels going black.
“Disney is in the business of creating alternate realities, but this is the real world where we believe you earn your way and must answer for your own actions. They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers – making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price.”
Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN put out their own statement, which reads, “DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the U.S. Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.
We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that’s what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”
A year ago, Disney’s channels went dark for two weeks for Charter Spectrum subscribers in a high-stakes dispute that Charter framed as being about the future of pay TV. Ultimately, the two sides cut a deal that made Disney+ and ESPN+ available to Charter Spectrum subscribers at no extra cost but also saw Disney agree to cut loose some of its cable channels from the provider’s lineup.
Charter is the largest pay-TV provider in the country with about 13 million subscribers, and the blackout had a notable impact on both companies’ bottom lines. DirecTV is not quite that big (it is estimated to have about 11 million between its satellite TV and streaming offerings), but it is nonetheless one of the largest providers of TV in the country.
DirecTV had telegraphed that it was preparing for a fight on Aug. 21, when it released an open letter from Thun outlining his vision for “A brighter TV future,” one in which companies like DirecTV could sell “genre-based” packages around news, family and sports.
While the letter did not dwell on Disney specifically, it is clear that it was written with the current dispute in mind. “Distributors like DirecTV have asked programmers for the flexibility to launch skinnier packages for years. It is high time that we work together to bring that ocean of opportunity to fruition,” Thun wrote.
DirecTV’s Vision for a Brighter TV Future
But Justin Connolly, Disney’s president of distribution, told Unionjournalism that the company has been willing to make concessions in that respect, to no avail.
“I think, or I know, that they are trying to spin and push this narrative that they want to explore more flexible, skinnier bundles and that we refuse to engage on that, and bottom line: That is blatantly false, and we’ve been negotiating with them for weeks, and we proposed a variety of flexible options … but yet they haven’t engaged with us on the options,” Connolly says.
“They just continue to sort of spin, both publicly but also in the room, a little bit on these ideas that don’t have a lot of specificity to them, and, you know, from our perspective, don’t feel like they can be executed easily,” he added.
Shakira’s Big Moment
The Story Behind “Hips Don’t Lie”
Shakira shares the story of how the hit song came together. Song was almost left off her album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2.
Song was almost left off her album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2. Shakira’s vision and persistence led to the song’s success.
Shakira continued to describe how she had a dream about Wyclef the night before her manager called her, telling her he wanted to work with her.
“I started working with Wyclef, and I knew I had a hit, so I called Donny Lenner, who was in charge at the time of [Epic Records], and I said, ‘Donny, you have to pick up the albums from the stores,’ and he’s like, ‘No way, these albums are already out there,’” the Grammy winner recalled.
“I’m like, ‘You’ve got to believe me. You’ve got to trust me. You do that, we have a hit.’ And he said, ‘OK, so I’ll listen to you. I’ll listen to you on this one,’ and he did it.”
She then noted that they “had to repackage the albums” to add the song.
20 Years of “Hips Don’t Lie”
This year is the 20th anniversary of the track that ascended Shakira to a new level of fame. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Next, Shakira’s North American leg of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour begins May 13.
Conclusion
A New Era of Disney Fashion: Customizable Headbands Revolutionize Fan Culture
In a groundbreaking move, Disney has unveiled a game-changing innovation that is set to revolutionize the way fans showcase their love for their favorite characters. The introduction of customizable headbands featuring beloved Disney characters as ears is a masterstroke that not only caters to the nostalgia of old fans but also invites a new generation of enthusiasts to join the fun. As highlighted in our article, this new range of headbands offers an unparalleled level of personalization, allowing fans to wear their favorite characters on their sleeves – or rather, on their heads. The fact that these headbands are customizable is a testament to Disney’s commitment to understanding and embracing the ever-evolving preferences of its devoted fan base.
The significance of this development cannot be overstated. By democratizing access to Disney characters and allowing fans to express themselves in a more immersive way, Disney is effectively blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. This move also underscores the company’s recognition of the profound impact of social media on fan culture, where individuals increasingly seek to showcase their passions and affiliations to a wider audience. Moreover, the fact that these headbands are designed to be worn in a variety of settings – from everyday life to special events and theme park visits – speaks to the versatility and adaptability of Disney’s approach to fan engagement.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that this trend is only set to accelerate. With the rise of experiential retail and immersive entertainment, Disney fans can expect even more innovative ways to engage with their beloved characters. Whether through cutting-edge technology, interactive experiences, or physical merchandise, the possibilities for creative expression and fan participation are endless. As Disney continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, one thing is certain: the world of Disney fandom will never be the same again.