Series: Song of the South
Company: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Size: 36 cm
Main distribution: Walt Disney World parks
This is Br’er Bear from the Disney movie Song of the South. The plush is from the Walt Disney World park.
It’s quite a large plush that’s about 36 cm tall. He is in a sitting position. He wears a blue jacket that could be taken off and wears a red hat that is sewn on at various points. He is made from a soft fabric with a short pile and has long hair coming from under his hat. His eyes are hard plastic buttons. He has little black dots drawn on his muzzle.
His proportions are off compared to his movie counterpart, but his character is spot on. With his slight slouch, long bendy arms and goofy expression he really nails the dimwitted look. The colours are mostly correct.
He sits upright by himself easily due to his large base and sitting position. He is quite stiff and well stuffed, which gives him a firm shape.
He has a lovely thick fabric tush tag located on his butt. It has the words Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® on it in blue, with the copyrights, material and where it is made under it in black. There is nothing on the back.
I have never seen Song of the South, and it is quite hard to get nowadays as Disney has quietly swept it under the rug due to its racist stereotypes. However, I knew the Characters from comics that were in the Dutch Disneyland magazine that ran in the 90’s. Other than that, I have no nostalgic or any feelings for that matter for Br’er Bear.
My mum found him in a charity shop for cheap. Due to the hard plastic eyes and lack of CE mark I’m thinking it’s pre-90’s. Nowadays they no longer have these for child safety reasons. These plush are now considered “vintage”, and it has that typical vintage look to it. Hard face features, stiff stuffing and dark colours; there is just something cool about these.
Splash Mountain opened in 1989, so he may be from around that time?
I only got it to sell on to be honest. I really wanted to blog about him as I like the older merchandise, but I have no feelings for him. Now that Splash Mountain is getting re-branded to Princess and the Frog, merchandise of him is now even rarer and it’s the perfect time to sell.
So he’s up for sale! And if anyone knows his exact age, do send me a message!
Got any more details / information for me to add? Or did I get something wrong? Do you own the same plush? Do you agree or disagree with my findings? Let me know in the comments below!