Hey Gang!
I got this idea from Jeanie of Adventures
In Barbieville . She is a fount of
inspiration for me! She mention to me that she recently got disney dolls
for body swap but had a mishap in removing one of the heads. So let's talk
about Disney doll heads, bodies and buying them aftermarket or used!
The upside and downside of Disney dolls.
The upside!
For me, while articulated Barbie bodies are harder for me to find in thrift
stores (and boy do I miss thrift stores) articulated Disney bodies were not!
There are alway articulated Disney dolls on Facebook too. For me, the neck
knobs are a little more tricky and maybe... a little thinner too! Because of this,
you have to be careful when removing the head of and when purchasing Disney
dolls aftermarket (used doll).
Warning you are about to see nude dolls!
The body!
This one of the basic bodies. There is another with a different kind of knees and feet!
The two knees and feet!
Compared Disney body to Mattel body.
Shoulder to knee!
Disney articulated --Mattel Fashionista
Disney neck knob to Mattel neck knob
Mattel is a longer neck but the neck on the Disney body is long enough to not look
too short with a Mattle head.
The Disney knee has a click knee and Mattel has a fashionista knee.
Here is the most important part to know the dics of the neck knob is larger on the
Disney doll than on the Mattel doll. Making the head a little harder to get off
and on the neck than a Mattel!
Note you can't see the hole in the neck.
Now there are several manufacturers that make dolls for Disney. Removing
the head of Disney or any doll to me is a heat the head with a hair dryer move!
You really want to heat the head before attempting to remove it. By this I mean
I use the dryer to heat the base of the head until it is slightly soft and will make
it easier to remove. If you can feel it soften you are doing good.
You may need to heat it more that once if it starts to cool. I like to use my pointy
scissors in this process too. I like to cover the hair (will talk about the hair in
another post) and move the opening of the head over the top of the head knob
carefully. Then I may use my pointy scissors to pry the head to above the round
top of round disc. Running it around the edge.
It is much easier to get the heard off the two hooks at the of the knob than a
Mattel head where the hook and stem are longer. Like with Mattel neck knobs
I remove the hooks to make it easier if a want to do another swap.
Before!
After!
Many of the newer Mattel dolls are a light complexion.
Glinda the Good Witch has bendable elbows and click knees but she could go
on a Disney articulated body.
Made to move purple top is kinda scarce. Many of the articulated Disney doll
bodies are the right complexion to fill the gap! I first used Mulan's body for a
few dolls!
Mulan
Mulan and Top Model Summer
Summer on Mulan body!
Stars Doll on Mulan
Asian Barbie on Mulan
Asian Bacis Barbie on Mulan
Several different bodies can work! I think the yellow is Bell,
purple is Rapunzel and blue is Cinderella.
The Birds Barbie and Fashionista #30
Other dolls on Disney bodies!
Mattel Pocahontas head on Disney Pocahontas body!
Mattel Nakima head on a Disney Jasmine body. She was move to a Pocahontas
body so that she too she has the arm tattoo also.
Curvy fashionista Ric Rac on Tiana body.
Petite Fashionista crazy for coral head and Fashion Fever Tia head
After market purchases
When I purchase a Disney doll or any doll online, I ask about
the head, hair, neck, body, hands and feet! A picture taken is a certain way
may hide what will obviously be a flaw in person. Am I saying the seller
is trying to pawn off a flawed doll on you? No, there is a chance that they
might not have noticed. Your asking will make them look and if there is
an issue when the doll arrives, you have a leg to stand on! If in checking
they say "oh wow, there is a problem, you can if you still want it, negotiate
a better price. Sometimes you only want the head so it is still OK!
When purchasing from a thrift store, my school of thought is the same with
any thrift store purchases. Anything I see I even kinda like goes in the cart!
There is nothing worse than seeing something you thought about in some else's
cart. Put it in the cart and review it before checkout.
Until I have looked all over the store I don't thin out my cart! After I am sure I
have seen everything, I now go thought the cart and check for issues with
everything in the cart. Problem that can't be fixes are in the top little area of
the cart to go back. "Sure shots" are put in the front of the cart and "iffy in the
back. I then put back the issues items, access again the iffy" and total my cost.
Hopefully I am not over! If I am, then what do I really want or need?
So the Disney neck on the left is cracked and the knob is missing. The neck on
the right is Mattel and the knob is missing.
Crack neck that wasn't notice until I got home and tried to do a head swap.
Side view!
You can glue a neck knob of Mattel and Disney dolls. I can do some repairs but
it is better to know that you have to do it that to discover it.
BTW, on articulated Disney bodies the forearm with hand can be removed with a
little work!
Will post for the boys later! Stay tuned.
OK, Thanks For Looking!
