Guide to Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland

Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland cover

Duffy and Friends may be the most popular Disney characters you’ve never heard of. Beloved at the Asian Disney Parks, Duffy and Friends are a series of 7 stuffed animals who have become so popular that they’ve established a large presence in all 3 Asian Disney Resorts. You’ll regularly see crowds of people lining up just to meet them, and their merchandise flies off the shelves so fast that Disney has begun sectioning off entire stores just for their merch.

They’re a bit controversial too, with some Disney fans believing that they’re just a cash grab scheme. I am not one of those people. I actually do like Duffy and Friends, not because I’m a huge fan of theirs but more because I can see how much joy they bring to people every time I go to the Asian Disney Parks.

I know this for a fact because I have a sister who completely loves OluMel. Here’s a picture of her wearing everything OluMel head to toe. People really care about these characters, and for that reason alone I think they more than deserve their place in these parks.

If you have a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) coming up and want to be acquainted with all things Duffy and Friends before you go, then this article is for you! I will be going over every offering at Hong Kong Disneyland related to Duffy and Friends. From their cute playhouse to the merch and everything in between.

Let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

Background on Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland

The Duffy and Friends phenomenon started in the US Disney Parks. They debuted an early version of Duffy called “The Disney Bear” in 2002, but he didn’t connect with guests. Tokyo Disney decided to adopt the bear in 2005, giving him the name Duffy and creating a whole backstory for him as well. In his backstory, Mickey Mouse was about to go off on a long journey, so Minnie Mouse made him a Teddy Bear to keep him company, putting him in Mickey’s duffle bag, hence the name Duffy.

When Duffy debuted at Tokyo DisneySea, he was a smashing success. So much so that Disney exported him to every single other Disney Resort in the world. However, after receiving another lukewarm response from guests in the non-Asian Disney Parks, Duffy was once again pulled from Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris.

In Asia, however, his popularity grew. Pretty soon, Tokyo DisneySea dedicated the entire area of Cape Cod to Duffy. Soon after, Duffy also gained some friends. ShellieMay, a female version of Duffy meant to be Duffy’s best friend, was created in 2010, and in the next decade five other friends would join Duffy, helping increase the brand’s popularity across Asia.

Gelatoni, introduced in 2014 at Tokyo DisneySea’s Mediterranean Harbor, is a green kitten who likes to paint and wears a blue beret. In 2017, StellaLou, introduced in 2017 at Tokyo DisneySea’s American Waterfront, is a purple bunny who loves to dance and dreams of a life on Broadway. CookieAnn, a yellow dog who loves baking and is known for wearing a chef’s hat, was introduced next in 2018 at Hong Kong Disneyland. OluMel, also introduced in 2018 but this time at the Aulani Disney Resort in Hawaii, is a green turtle who loves to play music. Finally, the latest Disney friend to be introduced is LinaBell, a pink fox who loves solving mysteries with her magnifying glass. She debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in 2021.

Their popularity has led to their inclusion in parades, nighttime spectaculars, and other Disney attractions in Asia. Their merchandise flies off the shelves, with the Duffy and Friends generating half a billion in merchandise revenue for Disney in 2024. Recently they’ve tested introducing Duffy and Friends merchandise to the US Disney Parks, which has also been flying off the shelves.

Hong Kong Disneyland, in my opinion, is the ultimate destination for Duffy fans. From accessible meet and greets to their inclusion in many entertainment offerings, as well as getting their own seasonal events and numerous stores and shelves dedicated to them, there’s lots to discover and experience as a Duffy fan in HKDL. This guide will go over every single offering that features Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Current Duffy and Friends Offerings

These are the Duffy and Friends offerings that are available year-round at Hong Kong Disneyland. I have to make that distinction because there are some offerings that are seasonal, which I will get into later on in this article.

Duffy and Friends Playhouse

Duffy and Friends Playhouse is both a walkthrough attraction and a meet and greet space located on Main Street USA. In it you’ll find spaces decorated to look like the house where all the Duffy and Friends characters live. There’s a kitchen, a living room, and a beach area. It’s all decorated really well and makes for fun and cute photo ops.

But the main thing to do here is to meet Duffy and Friends! Only 3 friends are available to meet each day. LinaBell is the only friend that is there every single day, with the other six friends rotating amongst each other. There’s no sure way of telling which friend will be available on a particular day, but I would recommend asking a cast member as they might be able to tell you who is meeting in the next few days.

If you’re like me and don’t really do character meet and greets, you can just look around the playhouse and exit without meeting the characters via a side exit. I would recommend lining up early if you want to meet LinaBell specifically. She’s the most popular of the friends and always has the longest line. I would go there during rope drop and immediately line up at the playhouse to meet her. The other friends can also get long lines too, but if you want to meet all 3 friends featured that day, start with LinaBell.

Do take note that once you meet one character, you will be directed to exit the playhouse. You will have to re-enter the playhouse to line up for another friend. Lines for these friends will also close in the late afternoon, so line up before then if you want a picture with them!

Friendtastic Parade

Duffy and Friends are also part of the Friendtastic Parade. Debuting as part of the park’s 20th anniversary celebration, the Duffy and Friends float is the second-to-the-last float in the parade. It features all 7 Duffy and friends and 6 dancers that lead the float. The float’s music is an original song called “What Friends Do”.

The float is themed to a treehouse and is one of the largest floats in the parade. ShellieMay is at the front of the float, with CookieAnn right behind her. There’s a bridge that connects one part of the float to the other and on that bridge is StellaLou. Up on the top of the treehouse is Duffy and LinaBell. To the right of the treehouse is Gelatoni with his newest painting. At the back of the float is OluMel, who is standing in front of wooden planks that have their names on them.

This is one of the most beautiful and detailed floats in the parade, which is saying something because the floats in this parade are incredible. I love the little details scattered throughout the float, like the sign with their faces on it and the rolling waves below the bridge. It’s such a fun float and every time it passes you’ll find people with Duffy and Friends plushes waving them at the characters. It’s a moment that will have you smiling from ear to ear.

Merchandise

You’ll find Duffy and Friends merchandise mostly on Main Street USA, where sections of the Emporium and other stores are dedicated entirely to them. Everything you could possibly want is available here, from t-shirts to bag charms, kitchenware, pins, stationery, bags, and of course plushes in every single size. If you like one particular friend, or need one particular item themed to them, you’ll for sure find it in this park. There are also some items that are exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland!

Seasonal Duffy and Friends Offerings

Now I’m going to be discussing the offerings that are seasonal. Duffy and Friends are represented in a lot of seasonal events at Hong Kong Disneyland, including a seasonal event focused solely on them!

Duffy and Friends Play Days

This is the seasonal event themed to Duffy and Friends. It usually takes place every spring after Chinese New Year but before the Summer season, so from about March to late May or early June. During the event, special merchandise, decor, and entertainment will be available for guests to experience and purchase. I’ll go over the offerings that are included in this seasonal event.

The biggest entertainment offering included in this seasonal event is StellaLou’s Wonderful Wishes Ballet, which is shown at the Storybook Theater in Fantasyland. Shown in collaboration with the Hong Kong Ballet, this show focuses on StellaLou and follows her as she reaches for her dreams of performing on stage. It’s a cute show, but do note that it is very popular. If you want to see it, line up for it at least 45 minutes before showtime.

There’s also usually a castle stage show featuring Duffy and Friends during the event. All 7 Duffy and Friends usually appear in the castle stage show, and just like StellaLou’s Wonderful Wishes Ballet you must arrive at the viewing area early to secure a good spot to view the show from.

Duffy and Friends decor also populates Main Street during Duffy and Friends Play Days. The floral arrangement at the front of the park is usually themed to Duffy during the event. The banners on main street are also Duffy themed, as is the display that is usually in front of the gazebo in town square on Main Street.

Also, scattered throughout the park will be these displays where you can put your Duffy plushie on to take pictures of them in various locales around the park such as the It’s a Small World facade, the castle, Mystic Manor, and Tarzan’s Treehouse.

Of course, there will be lots of exclusive merchandise available as well. These designs will be exclusive to the event and can only be bought at the park. They will have bag charms, apparel, and other merchandise available for you to buy during the event. If merch is important to you, go during the beginning of the event to make sure they’re still in stock.

Friendversaries

Every year, Hong Kong Disneyland puts on a weeklong celebration for each friend during their “friendversary” or the anniversary of when they first debuted at the park. There is usually a special character moment during the actual date of the friendversary. Some special merchandise and food items could also be added to the park for a limited time for each friendversary. Be sure to follow @duffyfanstasy_hkdl on Instagram for the latest updates on Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Duffy and Friends at Hong Kong Disneyland Conclusion

Duffy and Friends are a cultural phenomenon, and you can thank the Asian Disney fans for making them as big as they are. The fans are the heart and soul of the Duffy brand, and without them Duffy wouldn’t be nearly as special as he is today. I hope I was able to orient you on everything about Duffy and Friends at HKDL. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on my socials!

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