The making of Epcot "Drink Around The World" Mickey Ears! 07/03/2022
Epcot Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida has a "Drink Around The World" showcase: The process of making your way around the world while stopping for drinks in each country.
Sammy was excited to be going with her friends in August, however she was very disappointed that Disney did not make Mickey Ears for the occasion. (Disney made T-Shirts and other paraphernalia but no ears!) Sammy called upon her dad for help to turn her vision into a reality. This became a team effort, collaborating with dad's creative product development skills, Sammy's artistic talents, and mom's sewing and embroidery expertise.
Many weeks went into research, product purchases, and development. We started off by purchasing Disney Light Up Balloon Ears, these became the base of our design. We knew there would be a lot of trial and error so we purchased three (they were not cheap). The concept was that the transparent ears would represent drinks (the light-up effect was a cool bonus). We gutted the ears and stripped the bands of their outer cloth. Most of the elements could be disassembled by removing the screws but the plastic ears had to be cut in half to access the inside. The electronic device was carefully repurposed, we bought a lot of novelty fruit items and cut them up to fit inside the ears. After everything was placed inside the ears, we filled the ears with a clear and dye colored epoxy. Carol made a new cloth band cover, embroidered "EPCOT" on the side, and made the bow to complete the ears. The final execution turned out great and they were a big hit at EPCOT!
Sammy was excited to be going with her friends in August, however she was very disappointed that Disney did not make Mickey Ears for the occasion. (Disney made T-Shirts and other paraphernalia but no ears!) Sammy called upon her dad for help to turn her vision into a reality. This became a team effort, collaborating with dad's creative product development skills, Sammy's artistic talents, and mom's sewing and embroidery expertise.
Many weeks went into research, product purchases, and development. We started off by purchasing Disney Light Up Balloon Ears, these became the base of our design. We knew there would be a lot of trial and error so we purchased three (they were not cheap). The concept was that the transparent ears would represent drinks (the light-up effect was a cool bonus). We gutted the ears and stripped the bands of their outer cloth. Most of the elements could be disassembled by removing the screws but the plastic ears had to be cut in half to access the inside. The electronic device was carefully repurposed, we bought a lot of novelty fruit items and cut them up to fit inside the ears. After everything was placed inside the ears, we filled the ears with a clear and dye colored epoxy. Carol made a new cloth band cover, embroidered "EPCOT" on the side, and made the bow to complete the ears. The final execution turned out great and they were a big hit at EPCOT!
