Reseller Frenzy Delays Disney Park Christmas Merch Until May

Holiday merchandise mania has hit Disney, where demand for festive items is so intense that some fans may not receive their purchases until May 2025.

Yes, really.

Overwhelming Demand For Disney Merch

The holiday season is a blockbuster event for Disney parks, with each location, from Anaheim to Tokyo, pulling out all the stops. Elaborate decor, seasonal ride overlays, themed shows, festive treats, and exclusive merchandise make this time of year unforgettable for guests.

But Disney’s holiday merchandise has a way of igniting a shopping frenzy. In the past, fans have waited up to eight hours in line for highly coveted non-festive items. Virtual queues and special passes are often needed to manage the crowds during high-profile drops like those on Star Wars Day.

As the holidays roll in, it seems like this frenzy is only getting worse. This year, Tokyo Disney Resort’s famously adorable Christmas merchandise has proven so popular that select items are now back-ordered until May.

According to Pinzuba News, the overwhelming demand has left guests frustrated, with resellers exacerbating the issue by purchasing items in bulk to flip for profit on platforms like Mercari.

Resellers Drive Frustration

Tokyo Disney Resort has become a hotspot for resellers, who capitalize on scarcity to sell merchandise at inflated prices. A prime example is the Lil Ring Ring sweater (which features quite possibly the most adorable festive Mickey Mouse illustration on the planet). Disney priced the sweater at 6,900 yen ($44 USD), but on Mercari, it’s currently listed for as much as 17,000 yen ($110 USD).

Measures to Curb Reselling

The Oriental Land Company, which operates Tokyo Disney Resort, is cracking down on resellers with several strategies. These include limiting store entries based on park tickets, distributing purchase tickets to control transactions, and capping the number of items per guest. Guests must also agree to terms prohibiting purchases for resale when buying park tickets.

In collaboration with Mercari, the resort works to flag inappropriate listings, such as items not yet in stock or using official Disney images and warns users about inflated prices.

Biggest reason why Disney Parks sippers and popcorn buckets sell out within days is because of resellers jumping back in line multiple times to purchase the max limit.

Biggest reason why Disney Parks sippers and popcorn buckets sell out within days is because of resellers jumping back in line multiple times to purchase the max limit. pic.twitter.com/u6bUAtXgHe

— Wonders of Magic (@wondersofmagic) September 5, 2023

Reselling isn’t unique to Tokyo Disney. Parks like Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort face similar challenges, with guests often sharing images of resellers’ massive hauls, showcasing the scale of the problem.

The likes of limited edition sippers and popcorn buckets are often the go-to items, with resellers listing new items at an inflated cost on eBay. Resellers themselves have also gone to extreme lengths to circumvent any possible limits on purchases, such as using physical intimidation to protect their purchases.

We’ve also seen resellers bringing fake toddlers into the parks in the past, as well as hoarding piles and piles of items in-store.

Can Disney solve its merch reseller problem?