Welcome back to another Disney Top 5.
Every October, like clockwork, I find myself standing in the cavernous halls of the Jacob Javits Center on the west side of Manhattan, scanning booth after booth for Disney magic. For those who’ve been following my “Top 5 Disney at NYCC” articles, you know I’m on a mission: to find the unexpected, the delightful, and the heartwarming. At New York Comic Con 2025, I definitely came home richer — not just in “stuff,” but in reminders of why I love this convention, this community, and this Disney fan life. Here are my Top 5 Disney highlights from New York Comic Con 2025.
5 – Steiff
Yes, you read that right. Steiff, famed for its exquisitely crafted teddy bears and plush collectibles, made its debut at NYCC with a suite of Disney-themed offerings. At their booth, you could find Mickey, Minnie, Pooh & Tigger, Marie, Thumper, Stitch — even Bambi.
I confess: I couldn’t resist. I made it home with a Steiff Bambi for my wife. She has quite a collection of Steiffs from her childhood, from her mom, and from me buying them for her in Epcot’s Germany pavilion. I also picked up a Steiff Snoopy (yes, Snoopy, stealing just a little space in my “Disney world”) for my daughter, who adores the iconic beagle.
What I’ve always loved about Steiff and their presence at Comic Con is the craftsmanship: these aren’t mass-print plushes you can find at many booths on the show floor, but heirloom-quality items. The stitching, the trademark ear button, the jointed limbs — you can feel that a Steiff is a toy made by people who care about every tiny detail. For Disney collectors who love plushes, this was a fresh and welcome addition to the NYCC ecosystem. And don’t worry, if you’re not such a Disney nut, there were plenty of regular bears as well as Steiff bears dressed as Superman and Batman, and a wonderful collection of Harry Potter-themed Steiffs.
If you want to follow Steiff, check out steiff.com or their Instagram (search “Steiff”) — they often tease limited editions and special collaborations. Keep your eyes peeled: I expect more Disney/Steiff crossovers in the future.
4 – GoPinPro and PinFolio
Another first for NYCC 2025: GoPinPro, a Florida company with a brick-and-mortar shop called Pin HQ out of Winter Garden, made its convention debut. I’ve been following the “GoPinPro girls” — Julia and Sydney — on Instagram for some time now, so I was thrilled to see their booth in person. I’d visited Pin HQ a few weeks before the con and was blown away by the sheer number of Disney pins, accessories, lanyards, displays, and trading gear. The shop was jam-packed with Disney fans and pin collectors that day, and I was able to get a nice handful of trading pins as well as a few resort pins that were missing from my collection. If you’re looking for it, chances are they have it in their shop. As a diehard pin trader myself, I’ve never seen so many Disney pins in my life.
At NYCC, they were featuring their PinFolios, which are essentially high-quality binders and display pads designed for pin collectors. It makes total sense for Comic Con fans, given the sheer number of trading pins out there across every fandom and property imaginable. These are perfect for Disney pin traders or anyone who’s ever come home from a con wondering how to organize the hundreds of pins in their bag. They’re available in so many sizes, styles, and colors that they’re enough to keep every pin trader satisfied. It’s a quality line of products from people who truly care.
I’ve got to take a moment here to really shine a light on Julia and Sydney — the Pin Pro girls behind GoPinPros. These two absolutely radiate Disney energy. You can feel their love for the parks, the characters, and the community in every conversation. They don’t just sell pins — they live the trading culture. They’re collectors, storytellers, and fans first, business owners second, and that’s what made their booth and their shop such a joy to visit. Watching them talk with fans, you realize they’re doing this because they love it. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s exactly the kind of Disney spirit that belongs at Comic Con.
Visit gopinpro.com online to learn all there is to know about these pin experts and their unique and essential products.
3 – Guy Gilchrist (Jim Henson’s Cartoonist)
Now in his second year at New York Comic Con, Guy Gilchrist — the celebrated cartoonist for Jim Henson’s Muppets comic strip — returned to the show and, once again, didn’t disappoint. Guy told me his goal out on the convention circuit is to keep spreading the love of Jim’s work, and judging by the line at his booth, he’s doing exactly that.
For me, visiting Guy’s booth is more than just another stop at Comic Con — it’s personal. My first job in television was with Jim Henson Productions, right out of college. I still remember the day I sat in Jim’s office, having a brief but unforgettable conversation with him at the end of my internship. Not long after that, I was hired to work on the tribute special following his sudden and untimely passing — a moment in my life that has stayed with me all these years.
When I met Guy last year, I told him that story. And this year, to my amazement, he remembered. That simple act — him recalling my memory, my connection to Jim — meant more than I can say. Guy embodies everything we loved about Jim: kindness, humor, warmth, and a genuine desire to make people smile. Watching him bring Rowlf to life for fans at his booth, cracking jokes and sharing stories, felt like a little piece of that Henson magic was still alive and well in the middle of the Javits Center.
You can keep up with Guy at guygilchrist.com.
2 – James Mulligan, Disney Artist
Year after year, I put James C. Mulligan on this list, and I’ll keep doing so as long as he brings that sunshine to NYCC. He’s more than a talented artist — he’s someone whose spirit exudes love for Walt Disney, for Disney storytelling, and for fans. His booth is among those I always carve out extra time for.
This year, James was featuring a stunning new piece — a tribute to The Living Seas at Epcot, before Nemo and friends ever swam their way into the pavilion. It’s classic Epcot through and through, full of those retro-futuristic blues and silvers that defined that original era. The kind of artwork that makes you stop and remember when Epcot was about discovery, imagination, and the magic of our planet’s oceans.
James is warm, generous, and wholly present with fans. He shares his insights, chats about the process, and welcomes conversation. I’ve come to regard him not just as an artist I admire, but as a friend I cherish seeing each year. James’s booth is always alive with color, laughter, and good conversation. I always leave his space smiling, inspired, and just a little more optimistic about the creative spirit that Walt started all those years ago.
Follow James on Instagram @mulliganjimmy — he often announces new prints, exclusives, and convention schedule. If you make it to NYCC next year, seek out his booth. I promise it will brighten your weekend.
1 – Megan Withey, Disney Artist
For 2025, my number one spot goes to Megan Withey. From the moment I stepped into her booth, I knew she belonged here. Megan paints incredible watercolors that capture the heart of Disney — characters, castles, park scenes, even emotional moments that fans hold dear. She doesn’t stop at Disney either. To quote her website, “Megan is an internationally recognized American fantasy and pop culture watercolor artist.” Stop at Megan’s booth at any comic convention and you can find art featuring anime characters, Tolkien scenes, and even your favorite Pokemon icons.
Megan’s been creating art since she was a little girl, and you can tell this isn’t just a career — it’s part of who she is. Her love for Disney runs deep, and her favorite subjects to paint are the Disney princesses, which makes perfect sense when you see her work. Each piece has this dreamy, storybook quality — soft washes of color, delicate lines, and so much heart.
I was especially taken by her lantern scene from Tangled — you can almost feel the glow of the lights reflecting off the water, Rapunzel’s wonder, and Eugene’s quiet awe. It’s one of those rare pieces that captures both the visual beauty and the emotion of the moment.
She also had this stunning watercolor of the house from Up being lifted by Carl’s balloons — the colors so bright and full of life you could almost hear Michael Giacchino’s score playing in the background.
What really made me appreciate her more was talking about her and her husband’s date nights at Epcot. She’s not just a Disney artist; she’s a Disney fan. That authenticity shines through in every brushstroke.
I left with a beautiful Christopher Robin and Pooh signed for my son Casey, and a Peter Pan and Tinker Bell over London for myself. Megan is the real deal — a true artist and a true fan.
You can find her work at theartofmeganwithey.com.
Walking out of the Javits Center at the end of NYCC 2025, weighed down by tote bags and treasures, I felt something simple and profound: gratitude. For joy. For creativity. For the fandom that lets us show up, geek out, trade stories, buy art, hug puppets, chase pins — and feel at home among strangers who feel like kindred spirits.
If you’ve never been to New York Comic Con, I can’t encourage you enough to go. Check out newyorkcomiccon.com. Whether you’re there for comics, collectibles, panels, cosplay, or — like me — just a little extra Disney magic, you’ll find it. These are my people, and I think they’ll become your people too.
That’s all for this time. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time with another Disney Top 5.
