Disney’s Frozen Is This Year’s Unstoppable Powerhouse; Elsa Dolls Knock Barbie Off The Top Spot On The Gift List

Disney’s Frozen was released over a year ago, but it still remains a powerhouse in the retail world. Disney underestimated the power of the ice queen, for much of the Frozen merchandise line is in short supply.

“When the movie first came out we did some research at retail channels and were struck by how few consumer products there were in general. I don’t think Disney expected the property to be so wildly successful. Now they’re trying to give it as many legs as they can,” said Wynne Tyree, the president of Smarty Pants, a market research and consulting firm.

The first shortage of Frozen-themed products came when the movie was released to DVD.

According to the New York Post, a mother paid $1,200 for an Elsa doll after she promised her child one last April, but could not locate one in stores.

Disney has come out with a huge array of Frozen themed products. It is predicted that the Snow Globe Elsa Doll will knock Barbie off her top spot and be this year’s most popular toy. When you raise Snow Globe Elsa’s arms, she sings the hit song “Let It Go.” When you touch her snowflake necklace, it lights up and she says fifteen different phrases. Elsa can even sing in either English or Spanish, reports Today.

Even though Elsa had far less screen time than her sister Anna, she is the one little girls most identify with.

“Elsa outsells Anna because firstborns rule at everything — they get all the CEOs — anywhere that perfection pays off, you’ll find the firstborns,” said Kevin Leman, a psychologist and author of The Birth Order Book.

Many parents are puzzled by Elsa’s popularity.

“Elsa doesn’t really do anything but sing this great song and, let’s be honest she’s kind of a jerk. A lot of moms try to push for Anna — she’s the go-getter of the two,” said Jill Walsh, the mother of a 4-year old who loves Elsa.

Frozen has become an anomaly. Its popularity is even higher then it was when it held the No. 1 spot at the box office.

Next summer, Adventures by Disney will be offering tours of the Norwegian sites that inspired the film’s animators. Prices for these tours will start around $5,000. Disney also has plans to sell Frozen branded apples, grapes, juice, yogurt, bandages and a line of oral care products.

Disney chief executive Robert A. Iger recently told CNBC that he expected holiday sales to be “very, very hot.”