2020 was a BIG year for Disney Minnie ears, with 98 ears released in total!

Now that 2022 is here, we’re taking a look back at every new pair of ears released in 2021! There were some beauties and some surprises, so how do you think 2021 compared to 2020?

Note: We are looking at Minnie ears released at Disney World and Disneyland, as well as on shopDisney. And if you want to see some ears from other years check out:

• Disney Released 98 Pairs of Ears in 2020! See Them ALL Here!
• Disney World Has Released 94 Pairs of Ears in 2022! See Them ALL Here!
• Disney World Has Released 28 Pairs of Ears in 2023! See Them All Here!

January

In January of 2021, we saw the release of the sparkly blue and gold Annual Passholder Ears, featuring blue, pink, and gold sequin ears, a shimmery blue bow, and a Passholder token.

Many people fell in love with the red and pink Valentine’s Day Ears, with a sequin pink double-heart bow and sequin red ears with pink hearts.

The first runDisney Ears of 2021 celebrated Disney World park icons in red and blue, with a red sequin bow and a sparkly castle. runDisney began 2021 with virtual races, but have since opened up in-person races again in Disney World.

And the new Minnie Donut Ears made us hungry. Sequins were big in January of 2021, and the donut ears have a pink sequin bow with ears made of donuts with sprinkles. No, you can’t eat them, sadly.

We also discovered a way to wear Stitch on your head with the Stitch Ear Hat, featuring Hawaiian patterned ears AND Stitch’s actual ears. When you add in Stitch’s fuzzy hair and soft nose there’s an extra dose of cute.

We’re glad this is the cute and cuddly version of Stitch, and not the slimy, boogery version!

HELP! We Can’t Decide Which of Disney’s NEW Ears is Best!

February

One of the first ear releases in February was the Yellow Floral Ears, which gave us serious spring vibes with lacy yellow ears and colorful flowers instead of a bow.

The Pearl Minnie Ears reminded us that Minnie Mouse is the true reigning queen of chic. From the quilted black ears with Minnie pearls to the tweed bow, Minnie is serving us FASHION.

And the 2021 Aulani Ear Hat made us wish we were on a tropical vacation. These ears represent Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii with a geometric print and a beachy Mickey playing the ukulele appliqué.

February ears ranged from floral to chic to island tribal, and we’re here for it!

More 50th Merch And FIVE New Ears?! See All the Disney Items That Arrived Online This Week

March

In March, Disney released SO MANY new ears! March was kicked off with the Disney California Adventure Ears, which were exclusive to Disneyland. The ears reminded us of the Mickey Fun Wheel, now known as the Pixar Pal-A-Round.

March also saw the release of the new Pink and Purple Balloon Ears, which were a newly colored version of the previous Red Balloon Ears and the Snowflake Balloon Ears. These ears allow you to celebrate Disney on both coasts, with the purple balloon featuring the Disneyland logo, and the pink balloon has the Disney World logo! They light up too!

The Sequined Iris Ears were controversial here at DFB. Are they blue or purple or something in between? Is the “bow” straight from an 80s prom dress or a bunch of scrunchies sewed together? We later found out Disney describes these ears as “iris,” or a “rich blue.”

The Purple and Pink Ears brought sequins back with purple sequin ears and a puffy pink and white polka dot bow. Classic Minnie Mouse!

There were Disney icons galore on the Disney Parks Loungefly Ears! Can you spot them all? We see a teacup, the Orange Bird, Cinderella Castle, the “it’s a small world” clock, a Dapper Dan, and more, along with a sparkly blue sequin bow.

March also brought the new 2021 Graduation Ears, which are usually released by Disney annually. The 2021 ears had black sequin ears, a blue graduation cap, and a gold tassel. The side of the headband also said 2021.

The last ears of March 2021 were the Pastel Rainbow Ears, which were a beautiful rainbow of pastel colors, from the sequin ears and headband to the satin bow. These ears would be a great spring-time addition to a Minnie ear collection!

March brought out all of the stops with this month’s ear launch. Whether you’re ready to celebrate Spring or get ready for graduation, March ear release was on point!

The Disney World Ear Headband You’ve Been Waiting For Is Here — And It’s NOT Minnie Ears

April

April began with more debating among the DFB team, with the Pink and Gold Ears taking center stage. This new take on classic Minnie ears brought us a fully sequined pair of ears with a gold bow and pink and white polka-dotted ears. Do you think the gold and pink works?!

We found the Disney Cruise Line Minnie Ears in Disney Springs. These ears feature a nautical navy and gold bow with gold sequin ears. The Disney Cruise Line was closed for most of 2020 and 2021 but officially set sail in September 2021.

At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, we spotted the Aulani Ears, which had a blue and white tropical pattern along with a sparkly flower instead of a bow.

And the Denim Ears were majorly popular, selling out quickly on shopDisney and at Disney World. They were made of light denim with an actual real pocket on the ears, featuring a red embroidered Mickey. They were a bit pricier too at $48. The back of the ears also had real pockets!

April had the glam and the casual ears. So, whether you glitz it up in the parks with your best duds, or you like to keep it comfy, April had the ears for you!

PHOTOS: A RARE 50th Anniversary Collectible Appears at Disney World!

May

Disney began May by giving us summer a little early with the Tropical Ears! If you look closely you can see Mickey and Minnie among the foliage print on the ears. Instead of a bow, these ears have tropical flowers.

Disney also released the Winnie the Pooh Ear Headband, which were made with a fuzzy yellow material and a cute little bee on one of Pooh’s ears so you could look just like Pooh Bear while you gobble up some honey. We won’t judge.

The Rainbow Mickey Ear Hat was released as part of Disney’s 2021 Rainbow Collection for Pride Month. This ear hat has rainbow striped ears with a rainbow Mickey Mouse patch on the front.

In honor of the release of Loki on Disney +, Loki Ears arrived in Disney World! The Loki Ears were modeled after Loki’s Horned Helmet and his iconic green and gold colors. Dressing as your favorite variant has never been easier!

In addition to the Rainbow Mickey Ear Hat, Disney also released the Studded Rainbow Ears, with a rainbow pleated bow and navy blue ears with sparkly rainbow gems, which looked amazing in the sunlight!

The Disney x BaubleBar Blush Ears gave us sparkly pink vibes, with a silky pink pleated bow and some seriously blinged out ears covered in sequins and pearls. Can you spot any hidden Mickeys in the gems?

And the Darth Vader Minnie Ears originally launched on shopDisney on May the 4th (aka Star Wars Day) and promptly sold out. Later in May, we found them in Disney World! They were designed by Ashley Eckstein, who is the voice of Ahsoka Tano and the founder of Her Universe, and they feature a shiny Darth Vader bow. The back of the ears say “Rule The Galaxy!” Darth Vader has never been more chic.

Rainbows, the Dark Side, or rolling with your favorite MCU variant is how May set everyone up for their summer ears!

New Ears Alert! Disney Debuts Pastel Rainbow Ears

June

Summer began with the Stitch Headband, which gave us another way to wear Stitch on our heads! This headband features Stitch’s signature ears, a tiny tuft of hair, and of course his eyes and nose, all in the form of a fuzzy blue headband.

Disney also released the Mint Minnie Ears, which offered a softer look for summer! These ears were a pastel green with sequin ears and a puffy satin bow. These totally give us Princess Tiana vibes, and we love everything about it!

And the Karlie Kloss Designer Minnie Ears cost $98 AND required a secret code to purchase them! We found them in Disney Springs, and you had to say “CODE KLOSS” to buy them. Model Karlie Kloss designed these ears in honor of female coders, and they feature a light blue bow with a coding design pattern on the ears.

The 2021 Americana Ears gave us deva vu because they reminded us of something — oh wait, that’s because they’re the exact same as the 2020 ears! You can decide if these should be included in the 2021 Minnie ears count, because they have the same red sequin ears with the red, white, and blue bow as last year.

And finally, Disney released Captain America Ears! The ears resembled Cap’s shield, while the headband itself was a faux brown leather like the shield’s strap.

Another variation of Stitch ears, in case the January set feels so five months ago, designer light-up ears, and patriotic additions ring in month six of year release!

Would You Pay $600(!!) for Disney’s New Vera Wang Designer Ears?

July

July was PACKED full of new ears. Disney gave us Halloween in July with two NEW Haunted Mansion-inspired ears! First, we saw the Her Universe Madame Leota Ears, which had studded ears with the Haunted Mansion wallpaper print and a velvety bow decorated with safety pins, with Madame Leota floating right in the center.

The second ears related to our favorite spooky ride were the Haunted Mansion Gargoyle Ears. These ears had a gargoyle holding two candles right in the center, with the Hitchhiking Ghosts on one ear! The back of the ears said “999 Happy Haunts.”

The newest version of Slinky Dog Ears had Slinky Dog stretched out through two ears, designed with the famous Toy Story cloud walls from the movies!

We were stunned by the new release of the Black Velvet Bling Ears, which had a polka-dotted bronze sequin bow and ears made with black velvet and gold rhinestones. Sparkles and class all the way.

The 2021 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival brought us the new Apple Orchard Ears, which were designed as part of the Apple Orchard collection that was released with the festival. The ears had a wooden design and the bow was patterned with light green polka dots and apples.

If you like your ears to have some edge, the Studded Mickey Ears had silver studs and a silver chain design on faux black leather! These ears were pretty different from what we’ve seen in the past, and they’d be great for someone who isn’t super into the typical Minnie ears with bows.

These Minnie ears were inspired by one of the newest Disney World resorts! Disney’s Rivera Resort Ears had a leather-like pink bow with a pattern featuring the Riviera logo and the hotel. The ears were a glittery pink and at the center of the bow was the Riviera logo.

If you were willing to spend $50 on a pair of ears, the Disney x BaubleBar Pearl Ears would have been perfect for your collection. These ears were designed with faux black velvet and a giant, oversized white and black polka dot bow. There were pearls along the sides of the headband and dainty flower jewels that complete the look.

The Desert Suede Minnie Ears surprised us with their very unique look! With textured rustic orange ears and a faux suede bow with a cutout design, these ears were more on the subtle side, but that color put them on a different level.

You can still find the Desert Suede Ears on sale on shopDisney for $19.98!

Order your very own Desert Suede Ears here!

And the Italian Minnie Ears we found in the Italy pavilion in EPCOT had a double black sequin and black and white polka dot bow. The ears were red, featuring Minnie on a Vespa on one ear and Italian landmarks on the other ear! The black headband really made the ears pop.

July was the biggest month of ear releases, yet! 10 new years from prepping for the spooky Halloween season to uniquely studded and suede ears. Disney is steppin’ up its ears game!

PHOTOS: Disney’s Brand New DESIGNER Ears Were Created By a Legend!

August

August brought the beginning of Disney’s After Hours BOO BASH to Disney World, which means we started seeing Halloween ears! First, we saw the Minnie Witch Ear Headband pop up on shopDisney.

In the parks, we found the new Plaid Halloween Ears, which had a bronze sequin bow with a grey plaid ear pattern. The side of the headband said, “Haunt It!”

Can you really have Halloween without Mickey Jack-o’-Lantern Ears? These ears had smiling Mickey Pumpkins with grey plaid ears of their own.

The Halloween Light-Up Balloon Ears were spotted first at Disneyland, and they later came to Disney World as well. These ears were orange and black, with black silhouettes of trick or treating Mickeys on each ear.

We found the Iridescent Nightmare Before Christmas Ears in Disneyland initially, and they were made by Loungefly. They featured a clear iridescent bow and a print including Nightmare characters like Sally, Jack, Zero, and Oogie Boogie in shiny silver.

The subtle yet amazing Faux Leather Star Wars ears were found in Disneyland before they landed in Disney World. One ear features the symbol of the Rebel Alliance, while the other ear has the symbol of the Galactic Empire.

Halloween started in August in 2021, and all these ears stepped up to mark the holiday!

An Ultimate Guide to the BOO Bash Halloween Event in Disney World

September

There were THREE special 50th anniversary ears released for Disney World’s big celebration! The Loungefly 50th Anniversary Ears were part of the Celebration Collection, and they were made with faux leather ears, a gold sequin bow, and a print of the Fab Five in their 50th anniversary outfits.

These Sparkly 50th Anniversary Ears were covered in EARidescent-colored sequins, and the felt gold bow was covered in colorful rhinestones!

The third pair of Gold 50th Anniversary Ears was part of the Disney Castle Collection, with fuzzy white ears covered in gold embroidery and a gold sequin bow. These ears could also light up, and they came with a USB port for recharging purposes!

Have you ever wanted to smell like Disney popcorn? The Loungefly Popcorn Scented Ears had a white bow patterned with colorful Mickey Balloon Popcorn Buckets, and the ears were a clear red material with popcorn inside! And yes, they actually smelled like popcorn.

The EPCOT Light & Color Ears were released with the opening of Creations Shop in EPCOT, and these Spaceship Earth-inspired ears had a clear design with a Spaceship Earth print, and a puffy gray bow.

They could light up and they came with a USB port and even a cord for recharging. Just LOOK how they glowed at night!

September was gearing up for the 50th Anniversary celebration and this month may have had some of the prettiest ears, yet!

A $500(!!) Disney 50th Anniversary Item is Now Online!

October

These 50th Anniversary Ears were released exclusively in a $500 Disney World 50th Anniversary Box, and it’s possible that the only way to get them was to shell out $500! The ears were covered in a velvet material, with metallic embroidery and an iridescent metal headdress.

These breathtaking Norway Ears were released in EPCOT, and they might be one of the most beautiful pairs of ears we’ve ever seen. The ears have a colorful embroidery pattern, and we found them at The Fjording in the Norway pavilion.

Over at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, we spotted Monorail Ears at Bayview Gifts. One ear featured Mickey, the other Minnie, and the Monorail was placed on the top of the headband, so it looked like it was riding across the top of the headband.

The Blue Velvet Ears had deep blue velvet ears adorned with a light blue chevron embroidery, and a plush sparkly blue bow.

The Olive Ears, which we endearingly referred to as Grandma’s Couch Ears, were made with a soft material that reminded us of, well, a couch. There’s also a metallic bow, but we could never quite decide if the color looked more olive, gray, or brown.

You can get them on shopDisney for $29.99!

Get the Olive Minnie Ears here!

The Holiday Minnie Mouse Ears were found for $29.99 on shopDisney before Halloween, which was surprising. These ears were made with a velvet material in “cranberry red,” according to Disney, and they were adorned with red and gold gems.

They’re actually still available on shopDisney!

Shop the Holiday Minnie Mouse Ears here!

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members got their very own ears! These DVC Ears were found at La Boutique in Disney’s Riviera Resort. They came with the DVC logo on one ear, sketches of a vacationing Mickey on the other, and a blue gingham bow.

Disney World’s Vault Collection brought us the vintage Disney merchandise of our dreams, including a Vintage Ear Hat, with a more retro ear design.

And check out this plastic Vintage Minnie Ear Headband we ALL had in the 90s!

The cutest Plush Mickey Ears were $24.99, and they featured soft plush Mickeys in his classic black, red, and white colors.

You can find them over at shopDisney now!

Click here to get the Mickey Mouse Plush Icon Ears!

Over at the Calypso Trading Post shop at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, we found new Loungefly Caribbean Beach Resort Ears. They had green, leafy ears with a big, colorful hibiscus in the center!

And talk about the ears that go with everything! The Velvet Castle Ears had a gray velvety material with a sparkly gold and silver sequined bow. They reminded us of Cinderella Castle before the 50th anniversary makeover!

And Star Wars fans were excited for the Ahsoka Tano Ears! These ears were designed by Ashley Eckstein, and they’re inspired by the character Ahsoka Tano, who served as Anakin’s Padawan in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

You can still find them on shopDisney! They’re $34.99.

Get the Ahsoka Tano Ears here!

November

November 1st brought us two NEW ear releases! The Minnie Mouse Sherpa Ears looked like THE comfiest ears ever made. They were literally lined with sherpa material! The side of the headband had “Stay Cozy” embroidered in gold, and the ears had a metallic pink material, with the bow made of soft sherpa.

And the Mickey Mouse Holiday Sweater Ears were made with a knit fabric featuring different holiday designs on the front and back of the ears.

The Polynesian Ears were inspired by Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and they were found at the hotel itself! They were made by Loungefly, and they featured ears decorated with the face of the statue from the Polynesian’s lobby, and some colorful flowers instead of a bow.

We weren’t totally sure if we thought the Chip ‘n’ Dale Ears were cute or creepy, but they sure were unique! We found them at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, and instead of traditional Minnie or Mickey ears, you got the plush heads of both Chip and Dale, with an acorn and leaves in place of a bow.

The 50th Anniversary EARidescent Ears were a gorgeous addition to Disney World’s big celebration, with iridescent sequin ears and a shiny iridescent bow, in honor of the EARidescent colors of the 50th anniversary.

Now let’s get into a few pricey ears released in November! The Vera Wang Ears cost a whopping $600, and they came with a detachable white tulle veil, a huge ivory organza bow, and pronged crystals on the ears.

The next ears were a bit cheaper at $225, but that’s still pretty pricey for ears! The Loungefly Luxe Logo Ears were made with embossed gold leather and a black leather bow. Can you spot the 50th and Cinderella Castle logos?

Find them at shopDisney now!

Here’s where you can get the Loungefly Luxe Logo Ears!

It’s time to get even more expensive now. The bedazzled Jeweled Minnie Ears were priced at $750, and they were covered in gold sequins and gems of various shapes and sizes, with a velvet-y bow in the middle.

You can shop for these on shopDisney now!

Click here to get the Jeweled Minnie Ears!

And finally, there was the Luxe Logo Jeweled Ear Hat for $1,000. Yes, that’s three zeros! Like the Bedazzled Ears, this ear hat is COVERED in gold sequins and rhinestones for a super sparkly and blingy effect.

And these are still available on shopDisney, so if you have $1,000 to spare, you can order them now!

Get the Luxe Logo Jeweled Ear Hat here!

The stunning Holiday Wreath Ears were huge for the holiday season, with a red snowflake bow and two Christmas wreaths for ears! The wreaths were covered in tiny red Mickeys and pearls.

The Holiday Lodge Ears also arrived in Disney World in November, but we didn’t see them online until December. They had a red plaid bow, and the ears were covered with a print of Mickey and friends in winter scenes!

In honor of the release of Encanto in theaters, the Encanto Ears arrived in Disney World! These colorful ears featured an embroidery pattern similar to Mirabel’s dress in the film, with a bright pink and blue striped bow. “Magic Awaits You” was embroidered on the side.

Beautiful ears, unique ears, creepy ears, and expensive ears. November was an emotional whirlwind of ears!

All Your Other Minnie Ears Will Be JEALOUS Of Disney’s Newest Ears

December

Holiday Cookie Ears were released in December! These foodie ears had Mickey-shaped cookies for ears, with red icing, green and white sprinkles, and a Santa hat. The headband looked like peppermint!

December also saw the release of a more affordable pair of 50th Anniversary Luxe Logo Ears, with these ears priced at $39.99 (instead of $225)! These ears were made with a black leather-like material, embossed with the 50th anniversary logo and Cinderella Castle, and the bow was made of a black velvet-y material, and it was covered in tiny gold sequins.

Lunar New Year Ears were released in December, so you had plenty of time to get a pair before the Lunar New Year began! These ears were red and covered in colorful flower appliqués, with a gold sequin bow. They also came with a red tassel!

They’re currently on shopDisney for $29.99.

Get the Lunar New Year Ears here!

Chewbacca Ears were majorly popular among Star Wars fans, covered in fuzzy brown Wookiee fur, and decorated with Chewie’s belt.

And if you wanted to take your Mickey waffle obsession to another level, you could get Loungefly Mickey Waffle Ears, which featured a pattern of tiny Mickey waffles on a white background. The bow had a criss-cross waffle pattern, with a pat of melty butter in the center.

The Baby Yoda “Ears” were actually more of a headband, but we’re including it in the list! This headband had a plush baby Yoda (also known as Grogu) front and center, with a tiny blue space frog sitting next to him.

They’re still on shopDisney right now, and they cost $34.99!

Get the Baby Yoda/Grogu Headband here!

And last but not least, Disney fittingly closed out 2021 with the 2022 Ears, which were light-up ears with “2” and “0” on one ear in red and blue, and “2” and “2” on the other ear in green and yellow.

And that’s everything released by Disney in 2021 — 86 EARS!! So 2021 was not quite up to par with 2020, but that’s still a LOT of ears. Keep reading DFB for ALL your Minnie and Mickey ear news!

Disney World Has Released 28 Pairs of Ears in 2023! See Them All Here!

What was your favorite pair of Minnie Ears fron 2021? Tell us in the comments!