A Disney Princess

I recently discovered the Classic Disney Princess play line dolls made by Hasbro. From what I've managed to find online, it seemed Mattel and Hasbro were both vying for this line but it was Hasbro who ended up getting it. I don't really know the full story there but the first indication was the lack of greasy hair which was in my opinion a great thing. For those who aren't aware, Mattel seem to have a habit of getting a little too happy with how much glue they stick inside their doll heads. This glue tends to leak out into the hair which makes for very tacky, greasy feeling hair. It's a shame really. There's a temporary fix using talcum powder which I will try on two of my worst affected MH girls.

Whilst browsing for the DC Comic doll Wonder Woman (which they didn't have) at Toys R Us, I came across this play line of dolls and two faces instantly jumped out at me. These were Pocahontas and Mulan.

Let me preface this by saying these dolls have very little in the way of posing. In fact, other than sitting and being able to rotate their heads and look up (not down though), there is not much else they can do. They can't stand on their own either. For the price range of these dolls, I really wasn't expecting much. It's not a total deal breaker for me because I find the faces quite different in a good way.

These dolls seem to be you either like them or you don't from what I've seen. Some people like the faces, some find them a little weird. It all comes down to personal taste.

Although the fabric used for their clothing is not exactly top quality, the designs are interesting and different from what I've seen before. I don't mind the colourful themes they have going on and the glitter does not come off when I run my fingers over them. I was a bit concerned about that.

What I love is the subtle face screening on Pocahontas. I like that she's very toned down. Her hair is wonderfully soft and silky.

Iconic Song from the Disney film: Colours of the Wind

Mulan has a slightly different face to Pocahontas. Her features I find are a lot more exaggerated but it's quirky enough that it appeals to me and I can see why it might not appeal to some. Her face is a lot more made up. I really love the colours of her outfit and really find her hair gathered on the side like this looks quite nice. Unlike Pocahontas, the ends of her hair were a bit dry and felt like a bit of product had been used. I've since washed it out and it feels a lot softer now.

Iconic Song from the Disney Film: Reflection

One of the things I love about this line is that they have taken into account the height difference which is great and makes for some nice diversity. Mulan really is shorter than Pocahontas. No trick of photography here.

Overall, despite their limits, I find both dolls quite lovely. I don't plan to buy anymore of this line unless they release Esmeralda from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' - then I might be tempted to buy her.

*Note: These dolls do not come with stands.