Reigning Dancing with the Stars Champion Donny Osmond Previews Dance Star Mickey at New York Toy Fair 2010

(February 15, 2010) The dance stars align at Toy Fair 2010 as Fisher-Price – a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) – and Disney introduce Dance Star Mickey. The original Disney character, who first appeared on merchandise more than 80 years ago, will dance his way into the hearts of a new generation of children this fall. To preview the newest and most interactive Mickey character plush, two of the most beloved and legendary entertainers – Mickey Mouse and Donny Osmond – joined together today to show off some of the season’s hottest dance moves. Fresh off the heels of his big ABC-TV Dancing with the Stars win, Mr. Osmond took to the dance floor to stroll down memory lane and shake things up with a little friendly dance competition with Mickey.

“Our newest Mickey plush, Dance Star Mickey, combines the strength of the Disney brand and its powerful storytelling content behind the Mickey Mouse character, with the magical playtime experience that Fisher-Price has been bringing to kids for nearly 80 years,” said Gina Sirard, vice president, marketing, Fisher-Price. “The collaboration between Fisher-Price and Disney brings Mickey Mouse to life in an exciting new way, proving that the iconic character continues to resonate strongly with kids today. And when it comes to dance stars, it takes one to know one, so we are thrilled that Donny Osmond is here to help us show everyone just what this new Dance Star Mickey can do.”

Every year Fisher-Price finds new ways to bring kids’ favorite characters to life and this year the magic is Mickey. Now kids can get up and dance as their fun-loving pal Mickey Mouse comes to life right before their eyes! The new, innovative Dance Star Mickey walks, talks, and dances his way into kids’ hearts, topping off his skills with an “out of this world” grand finale to one of his signature dances. With one press of Mickey's foot, Dance Star Mickey comes to life for a fun interactive experience that encourages kids to get up, get active and dance. Grooving to five different songs with styles including soul, disco, Latin and techno, the dancing Mickey plush is packed with interactive games that will have children and parents laughing and dancing along. Fisher-Price utilizes a new, innovative mechanism to replicate the most technologically-difficult actions in an extremely realistic and lifelike way.

“We worked closely with Fisher-Price to make this the most animated Mickey Mouse toy ever made and to bring out the humor and endearing personality that has made him one of the world’s most beloved characters for generations,” said Chris Heatherly, vice president of Disney Toys. “Kids are going to have a lot of fun doing all the silly dances with their pal Mickey - from soul to Latin to contemporary hits.”

“Dance Star Mickey captures the fun, playful essence of Mickey Mouse. It is innovative, technologically advanced and packed with a lot of great content – all of which mean exceptional play value for kids,” explains Chris Byrne, content director for TimetoPlayMag.com, also known as The Toy Guy®.

Dance Star Mickey retails for $69.99 and will be available in October at national retailers.

-- Posted February 15, 2010