Aug. 12 — (PRNewswire) — A new aircraft depicting Duffy and Friends took off on its maiden flight today in celebration of the upcoming Duffy Month at Shanghai Disney Resort this September. The plane, carrying a host of special guests, flew from Kunming in China's southwest to Shanghai, following an exciting unveiling ceremony at the Kunming Changshui International Airport. The new Duffy·Friendship Express marks the fourth Disney-themed aircraft to join China Eastern Airlines' fleet as part of its partnership with Shanghai Disney Resort, following the unveiling of the popular Disney·Pixar Toy Story Land-themed Toy Story·Happy Holiday Express, which was launched last spring.
Duffy the Disney Bear is a loveable, cuddly teddy bear that was hand sewn by Minnie Mouse and given to Mickey as a companion for his many ocean voyages. Disney fans across China adore Duffy and his huggable group of fluffy friends - ShellieMay, Gelatoni and StellaLou - and today, the loveable team embarked on a joyful new journey as the newly decorated plane took off into the open skies.
During the inauguration ceremony in Kunming, the capital of China's Yunnan Province, leadership from Shanghai Disney Resort and China Eastern Airlines jointly unveiled the colorful new "Duffy and Friends"-themed airplane in front of a large group of invited guests, including media, celebrities and Duffy fans decked out in Duffy-themed apparel excited to see their favorite teddy bear. Among them was the talented young actor Chen Xingxu, a loyal Duffy and Friends fan who maintains an expansive collection of Duffy-themed merchandise.
A series of Duffy-themed experiences both at the airport and in-flight were introduced alongside the Duffy·Friendship Express launch. These magical surprises instantly captured the hearts of the special guests who then boarded the flight for its maiden journey to Shanghai.
The exterior design of the plane features Duffy and his friends on their way to another adventure. From the moment passengers are handed a commemorative Duffy-themed boarding pass, their immersive and memorable Duffy experience begins.
Flight attendants wearing Duffy and Friends headbands provide a warm welcome to passengers as they step on board and discover the cute Duffy and Friends details throughout the plane. Adorable Duffy and Friends images line the entire interior of the aircraft, from cushion covers to luggage containers - with images even on the cabin walls. A new in-flight video helps passengers to get better acquainted with Duffy and his friends and fall even more in love with him and his heartwarming stories. Passengers departing from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport will find Duffy-themed check-in counters and some guests will also experience a fun "Duffy shuttle bus" that transports them from the gate to the plane.
A Month of Special Duffy-Themed Experiences Await at Shanghai Disney Resort
Continuing the exciting Duffy news, Shanghai Disney Resort announced that starting this September, guests will be able to enjoy the fun-loving companionship of Duffy and Friends like never before. The first-ever "Duffy's Heartfelt Moments" celebration will be held from September 2nd to 30th during which, Duffy and Friends' stories of friendship and adventure will come to life at Shanghai Disney Resort in an exciting month of joyful celebrations and surprises. Guests will also experience a host of novel Duffy-themed decorations, adorable new shows, memorable themed food and beverage offerings, stylish merchandise, and much more, thereby becoming immersed in the joy-filled world of Duffy and his delightful friends.
As part of the celebration, the iconic floral Mickey display that greets guests at the entrance to Shanghai Disneyland will be transformed into a breathtaking floral Duffy, created from thousands of vibrant flowers and colors. To add to the atmosphere, from September 2nd to September 30th, the Shanghai Disneyland Band will put on a brand-new Duffy and Friends performance each morning, welcoming guests from around the world with a high-spirited mix of music and fun. Then, from September 16th to 30th, a special Duffy parade will wind its way through Mickey Avenue featuring Duffy, ShellieMay, Gelatoni and StellaLou joined by a host of dancers. From September 2nd to 30th, an engaging Duffy-themed social wall near Il Paperino will become the perfect backdrop for fun poses and cute selfies to share on social media and remember an incredible Shanghai Disneyland visit. Guests will find even more fun experiences at the Gardens of Imagination, where they can place their Duffy plush in a variety of cute, miniature settings for unique photoshoots as they create their own Duffy stories.
This September, Shanghai Disney Resort will also introduce memorable new additions to its Duffy and Friends merchandise offerings. The new Duffy and Friends Rainy Day collection will feature a diverse range of charming products, including cute plush toys dressed in colorful raincoats, keychains, crossbody bags, accessories, stationery, and more. Additionally, devoted fans who are enthralled by the cuteness of Duffy and Friends will have the opportunity for the Disney friends to feature on their outfits, with a bell-shaped Duffy and Friends-themed Lolita dress coming to resort stores.
The fun continues with sweet and savory surprises, as Shanghai Disney Resort rolls out a new range of Duffy and Friends-themed food and beverage items. The Picnic Basket kiosk in Shanghai Disneyland is debuting its first-ever picnic basket, offering an adorable assortment of fresh food and beverage treats including roasted duck salad wraps with orange mayo, ham and cheese wraps, green garden salads with lemon olive oil, mixed nuts and dried berries, snow crispies, fruit cups, and more.
A variety of restaurants around Shanghai Disney Resort are also getting involved in the Duffy-themed fun. Mickey & Pals Market Café will be transformed into a Duffy-themed restaurant with special decorations and overlays inspired by Duffy and Friends. Guests are invited to an engaging Duffy and Friends-themed afternoon tea in the restaurant's Daisy Room. Lumière's Kitchen in the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel will also introduce the first-ever Duffy-themed weekend brunch at the resort. Guests will be able to meet Duffy and StellaLou before enjoying a delicious array of delicate bites and mocktails - plus kids can explore their passion for cooking in the Duffy-themed Junior Chef Class. In addition, the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel's Ballet Café will feature StellaLou-themed desserts including almond chocolate caramel cakes, blueberry cupcakes, Oreo blueberry cookies, ice creams, and much more, each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Duffy Month.
With so many fun activities to do throughout each day of the Duffy Month, our two hotels offer the perfect place to relax during multi-day resort visits, while offering the special value and experience of early park entry for guests with theme park tickets. Starting this September, Shanghai Disneyland Hotel will feature adorable Duffy-themed room amenities and overlays, inviting guests to experience even more "heartfelt moments" with Duffy and Friends.
Complete Your Duffy-Themed Experience with Special Ticket Offers
To celebrate the start of this special month, Shanghai Disney Resort is releasing a new limited-time ticket offer that gives guests a discount of approximately 20% on one-day non-dated tickets for admission to Shanghai Disneyland from August 29th through September 30th. These tickets will be on sale from August 12th to 25th across multiple official channels and platforms, including the resort's official WeChat account, the Shanghai Disneyland Main Entrance ticket booth, the Disney Reservation Center, and via the resort's travel trade partners. More information about this offering can also be found on these channels.
In order to make the Duffy Month celebrations even more exciting for guests, China Eastern Airlines is introducing a limited-time flight-hotel-park ticket promotion. Guests who purchase this promotion will receive two free round-trip flight tickets from select cities to Shanghai , provided by China Eastern Airlines. This special offer includes a one-night stay for two guests at the resort's Toy Story Hotel, two single-day standard Shanghai Disneyland tickets, plus a Duffy and Friends-themed afternoon tea for two. This amazing package will be on offer from August 20 <
