Disney's New Plan: Stalk the Maternity Ward

(Newser) – Picture this touching moment: You’re in the hospital, aglow from the birth of your first child … when a Disney rep accosts you, offering you free stuff in exchange for joining an email list. That’s basically the plan Disney came up with after realizing, to its utter dismay, that many kids don’t develop their Mickey Mouse habit until they hit preschool age. The obvious solution: Develop a Disney Baby line of products, and introduce it to new parents before they’ve even left the maternity ward.

Specifically, moms and dads will hear all about the virtues of the Disney Cuddly Bodysuit, and then receive one for free—more than 200,000 will have been doled out by May, the New York Times reports. Parents can, of course, buy more (or a number of other products) on Amazon.com or at Nordstrom or Target. Hilariously, another part of the plan involves a loyalty program that could reward pregnant women who sign up for email alerts with free theme park tickets. Says an exec, “To get that mom thinking about her family’s first park experience before her baby is even born is a home run.”