Sitting down without any external support are the various Disney basic Ariel 12'' dolls released in 2011 and 2012. From left to right they are the 2012 Classic Ariel, the 2011 Classic Ariel (Deluxe Sparkle Gown), the 2011 10-Pack Ariel and the 2011 Disney Parks Mermaid Ariel dolls.
2011 Parks, 2011 10-Pack, 2011 Classic and 2012 Classic Ariel 12'' Dolls compared.
Ranking of features:
Face: The 2012 Ariel wins due to her more youthful, livelier appearance. When I first saw the promo images, I thought she looked too cartoony, but I've changed my mind after seeing her in person. Her eyes are a bit smaller, rounder and side-glancing, they are now blue-green rather than blue, the eyelashes are thicker and longer, her eyebrows are thicker, and her lips a deeper pink. I think the lashes should have remained as they were before, but she is still by far the prettiest of the basic Ariels. She even rivals Designer Ariel in looks.
Hair: The 2012 Ariel wins, due to it being the right length, and having beautiful gentle curls right out of the box, without the need for grooming. The only thing wrong is she has the part on the wrong side of her head, so the front bangs are going the wrong way, but it still looks prettier than any of the other basic Ariels. It is also shiny and silky smooth, with very few flyaway or frizzy hairs. The hair on the other Ariels are basicly identical in style, so tie for second.
Outfits: The Parks Ariel has the most elaborate outfit, with a two-layered tulle skirt and a starfish ornament in her hair. Also her bikini top under the shells has a nice satin neck strap. However these embellishments are not in the movie, and make Ariel look like a Polynesian dancer rather than a mermaid. The best outfit is worn by the 2012 Ariel, since the fins look like real fins - being shiny and smooth, the glittery green tail looks very nice, and the bikini top is a good facsimile of the seashell top of the movie Ariel, without having separate seashells on top of a bra. Second place for accuracy is the 10-pack Ariel, then the 2011 Classic Ariel. Although the 2012 Ariel has glitter on her tail, it isn't laid as thickly as on the 2011 Classic doll, and seems to stay put pretty well so far. The 10-pack doll has no glitter on her tail, but her seashell bra is covered in glitter, and is the same as on the 2011 Classic doll, except for jewel in the center of the latter.
Articulation: The 2012 Ariel has the most articulation, as her knees and ankles are fully articulated. Her knees bend 90 degrees, as opposed to about 45 degrees for the others. Her feet are also poseable, if you take off her tail. However, her legs cannot bend more than about 45 degrees with the tail on, due the splaying of her legs. The 10-pack Ariel can bend a full 90 degrees from their hips with the tail on, so can actually sit down with her back straight up. The 2011 Classic doll can only bend about 75 degrees because of the stiffness of her glitter covered tail. The Parks Ariel is the worst -- she can only bend about 30 degrees with her tail on, because of the double layered skirt and stiff tail.
Overall Ranking: The 2012 Ariel is the best overall doll, due to her beauty and movie accuracy. Her drawbacks are the glitter, her hip joint preventing a natural sitting position with the tail on, and the part being on the wrong side. My second choice would be the 10-pack Ariel, third the Parks and last the 2011 Classic.
Comparing various versions of the Disney Princess 12'' poseable dolls, from the years 2011 through 2012. They are all from my collection, and for each of the 10 Disney Princesses, the different models are posed side by side in group photos. They are viewed from the front, the back and with their skirts lifted to show their legs and shoes or feet (for those with skirts). I also include short reviews of the dolls.
The models shown are:
2011 Disney Parks Collection Princess Dolls (Pocahontas and Mulan not included). $18.95
2011 Disney Store Classic Film Collection Princess Dolls - 10 Doll Set for $99.50
2011 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $12.50
2012 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $14.50
The 10 Disney Princesses and their movies are:
Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)
Cinderella (Cinderella, 1950)
Aurora (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
Ariel (The Little Mermaid, 1989)
Belle (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)
Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)
Pocahontas (Pocahontas, 1995)
Mulan (Mulan, 1998)
Tiana (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)
Rapunzel (Tangled, 2010)
