Minnie Mouse ears take a fashionable spin in this top hat-style headband.
If you’ve ever wondered: “what would it look like if Disney put everything they could think of onto a single headband, look no further than these Mad Tea Party ears! These ears have it all: ribbon, a top hat, a bow, a birdcage veil, and even a teacup embellishment! This wacky combination of elements actually seems appropriate for a “mad” pair of ears, though.
These ears were released by Disney Parks as a part of the “Minnie Mouse the Main Attraction” collection in 2020. Over the course of the year, 12 pairs of ears inspired by 12 classic Disney rides (including Space Mountain, the Jungle Cruise, and the Enchanted Tiki Room) were released in limited quantities.
I collected all 12 pairs of ears (and four of the Loungefly mini-backpacks) from the MMMA collection, and it gave me plenty of grey hair! March’s Mad Tea Party ears were some of my favorites, even if I had to spend four hours refreshing ShopDisney.com on the morning of their release.
Here’s how these Mad Tea Party ears look in real life:
EAR REVIEW
What We Loved
Unique Theme/Style:
Great!
The top hat and brightly patterned fabric are clear homages to the Mad Tea Party ride, and I love how the pattern of the ears matches a specific teacup’s design.
I’ll also admit that I’m happy they didn’t style these after the cartoon Mad Hatter – an olive green top hat just doesn’t appeal to me.
Bow:
Great!
I love that this bow is made out of ribbon instead of sequined fabric and I think it helps make the pair unique. I also love the bright pink color and the teacup embellishment in the middle of the bow.
Materials:
Great!
All of the materials used (felt, fabric, ribbon, mesh) all feel high-quality and vividly-colored.
I especially love the mesh veil – it has tiny polka-dots all over it!
Turnaround Time:
Great!
Even during the height of COVID-19 restrictions (when I ordered these) they came in two weeks!
Wearability:
Good
Surprisingly for a pair of ShopDisney ears, the headband isn’t too tight and doesn’t pinch my head!
Because the top hat makes these ears quite top-heavy, they will slide around if you move suddenly. Definitely don’t try to wear them on the Mad Hatter’s spinning teacups!
Pricing: $$
Great!
For their original price of $29.99 they were a great value! You can also find pairs on resale sites for relatively low prices.
Stitching/Gluing:
Great!
These are machine-sewn so there is no evidence of stitching or gluing.
Who would love these?
FashionEarstas who love Dapper Day! The birdcage veil on these ears gives them a little vintage touch and they pair perfectly with a poodle skirt!
What Needs Work
Ear Shape/Size:
Needs Improvement
The actual ears themselves are well-shaped, but the top hat on my pair is warped in the back and sticks up! While I’m glad they look alright from the front, I find the shape in the back inexcusable.
Headband:
Ok
This headband is fabric-lined, so it might be a bit slippery.
One thing to take note of is the extra-long fabric tag on the headband – unless you cut the tag off entirely, it will be very obvious in all of your pictures. I hate cutting off these tags so this makes me a little sad.
Shipping/Packaging:
Needs Improvement
These came inside of an unpadded Disney mailing bag (no padding or bubble wrap) and so were quite squished by the time I received them.
This was especially disappointing since they were a sold-out item and I couldn’t exchange them for an undamaged pair.
Where should future FashionEarstas be seen in these ears?
Of course you’ll want to take a spin on the Mad Hatter’s teacups at any of the Disney parks (they’re all subtly different) but you can also step out at some more stationary locations! If you’re feeling fancy, why not sit down for a Classic Afternoon Tea Party at the Disneyland Hotel in California. Or you can stroll through Twining’s teacup topiaries at Epcot’s UK pavilion during the Flower and Garden Festival!
Overall Score: (4.6/5)
We love the vibrant, somewhat zany style of these ears and appreciate how they pay homage to one of Disneyland’s Opening Day attractions! The issues with shipping damage (which were completely preventable) did leave a sour taste in my mouth, though. This doesn’t mean I won’t be putting together a dapper Mad Hatter look sometime soon, though!
I hope that you found this review helpful! I’d love to hear what you think of this review or just other magical things you have to share in the comments! Make sure you check us out on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram; chances are you will see our ears in action!
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