Thursday, February 28, 2013

Vinylmation Prognostication Disney World Resorts Series 1



Welcome to another installment of Vinylmation Prognostication! In this column I will be brainstorming “blue sky” ideas of what I would like to see future Vinylmation series to feature. I will examining the potential futures of current Vinylmation series as well as thinking up new series that I (and maybe other Disney fans!) would like to see be released. Since I have no idea what new series will be coming up this will be a fun way to dream up our wish lists so to speak. So, feel free to voice your thoughts on if you agree or disagree with my choices at the end of the article. With that being said let the prognostication begin!

In today’s column I will be creating a brand new series centering around the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels! My goal is to create a series that focuses on a unique feature at a Walt Disney World resort. I will limit my designs to represent only one resort per series. The front of the vinylmation will feature a design element that is unique to a certain resort and on the back of the figure’s head will feature the logo from that resort. With that being said, I will now unveil my Walt Disney World Resorts Series #1!

1. The Mary Blair Mural, Disney’s Contemporary Resort
photo from yesterland.com
I will start my series off with the classic mural from the Contemporary Resort’s Grand Canyon Concourse. On the figure I will try to include a couple of the native americans as well as the iconic five legged goat. It would be great to include an entire side of the mural, but rather than trying to cram everything on the figure I would like to focus on just a few of the characters from the mural. I think this would be a great tribute to the art of Mary Blair as well as a interesting design to add to any Disney fan’s collection.

2. Tiki God, Disney’s Polynesian Resort
photo from wdwlive.com
From the Polynesian Resort I would have my second figure be the Tiki God that is featured around the resort on various signs as well as the resort’s garbage cans. The figure would be all brown like the signs around the resort with the tiki’s head on the vinylmation head and body design on the figure’s body. A classic design representing one of the original resort hotels!

3. Main Building, Disney‘s Grand Floridian Resort
photo from diszine.com
With its white walls and red gabled roofs, this Victorian style hotel is the last of the Magic Kingdom monorail resorts. I would have this figure be of the tower on the main building incorporating that iconic look onto the design.

4. Old Port Royale Food Court , Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
photo from wdwmagique.com
My design would encompass the food court…..yes the food court with its bright colored buildings and Caribbean themed lanterns. This quite possibly my favorite themed food court on property therefore in my mind warranting inclusion in this set.

5. The Lost City of Cibola Feature Pool Pyramid, Disney‘s Coronado Springs Resort
photo from distherapy.com
The Mayan pyramid that is the main feature of the resort’s pool would represent Coronado Springs. This is probably the most iconic design feature of this resort. I would love to see the pool be incorporated into the design by using the feet while the pyramid would encompass the body and the head of the figure.

6. Mardi Gras Jester, Disney‘s French Quarter
photo from dizzneemomma.wordpress.com
Lots of design possibilities exist with the French Quarter Resort. I am going to go with the colorful Mardi Gras jester statue that is located on property. I think it fits perfectly with the whole New Orleans theme going on at the resort. Accesory jester head on stick would come with the figure!

7. Globe, Disney‘s Yacht Club Resort
photo from disneyhotelsfan.com
Located in the lobby of the resort, the giant globe would by my inclusion for this resort in the set. I would love to see how detailed the designers can get with converting the globe to Vinylmation form. How much of the detailed information contained on the globe would the be able to get on the figure?

8. The Kitchen Sink, Disney‘s Beach Club Resort
photo from Coronado.forumotion.com
This ice cream sundae monstrosity that can be found at the Beaches and Cream Soda Fountain is the first thing that pops into my mind when somebody mentions this resort. I have never had the guts or stupidy (call it what you will) to order this monster on my prior visits to the resort, but I hear it is quite the experience for others who have. Regardless not too many resort are known for one particular food item, but the Beach Club is at the top of the list.

9. Carousel Chandelier, Disney‘s Boardwalk Resort
photo from floridaphotomatt.com
Another lobby design feature for the set! This stunning chandelier is easy to notice on one’s visit to the Boardwalk. Fitting nicely with the overall theme of the resort, this chandelier features horses as well as angels holding the light features of the chandelier. How about including the light feature as an accessory? I think that would be kind of unique!


10. Totem Pole outside Mercantile Exchange, Disney‘s Wilderness Lodge
photo from dipity.com
Outside of the Wildreness Lodge’s gift shop you will find a totem pole. This isn’t a traditional totem pole though! This one features Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Humphrey the Bear. The Wilderness Lodge has a lot of unique design features, but I like this one. It also is a perfect way of sneaking in some Disney characters for this series.

11. Giraffe on the savannah at Jambo House, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
photo from mousellaneous.org
For Animal Kingdom Lodge, I would have the figure feature one of the resort’s giraffes grazing in the savannah with the  Jambo House in the background. If they could include some tiny people watching the giraffe from the balcony of their room it  would be even better. Not sure if that last detail would be able to be included, but whatever the design the giraffe on the  savannah would be a fitting representative for this resort!

12. Serpent, Electrical Water Pageant (Chaser)
Photo from afrugalfriend.net
While not technically part of any resort the Electrical Water Pageant is held nightly around the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. The show passes by all of the resorts in the Magic Kingdom area, so there is my justification including it in this set. Of all the floats in the show, the serpent is my favorite. I also, think this would be a unique chaser that encompasses multiple resorts rather just picking out a chaser from one specific resort. If they could put some electric lights in the figure to make it light up that would be awesome!

So, there you have it! An entire resort themed Vinylmation Series. I know I had to leave some resorts out of this series, but that is why there is a series #2! Feel free to voice your thoughts on what you would like to see for this series below. See you next time!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Jr. 8 Goofy's Candy Co. Explained

Jr. 8 Goofy's Candy Co. Explained
Release Date: April 12 (Facebook Store), April 19 (D-Streets)
$9.95
Maria Clapsis and Thomas Scott
Designs are based on Disney's consumable line.

Update 04/18/13 The Disney Merchandise Blog posted the two chasers from the Goofy's Candy Co. Jr. 8 series.
One is the official Goofy's Candy Co. logo in the head with Goofy's signature laugh "Gawrsh!" written all over the body. The other chaser is Goofy, looking goofy and apparently sweating.

Today we got a look at the rest of the non chasers from this line. Here are the Disney turnarounds for them.


I think they are doing a good job with the clear parts of this set. I know there are a lot of similar ones, but I think they work well for the set (unless they could have found a way to actually stick a stick inside one).
I love how if you are to search for "Gummy Bears Vinylmation" in the future, this is what you'll get. MC thinks this is probably the best one from this set.



Interesting note on this one. When we saw it at Mickey's Circus it has green on some of the stars. I wonder if that will be a variant, or just an early design?

Here are the pictures from Mickey's Circus back in September of 2012.










Fantasia 7 Offers More Pastoral Symphony

Fantasia 7 will be released at D-Streets and Online on April 26. The combo was designed by Thomas Scott, will retail for $24.95 and is LE 1500. Today, we got our first glimpse of this pair.
First up is Zues. And here he is from the Disney film...
The second figure in the pack is Hephaestus.
And here is a screen shot of him from the film...

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

High School Chaser - Spoiler

Click image below to reveal the Disney Store's High School Chaser. It was posted on the Vinylmation Exchange Facebook page by JoSzz Chen. This set has came out yesterday so it's on shelves now. I have to say that this is a pretty good chaser. Love the accessory!

Thumper Hops Into Animation 3: Coming April 12th

The Disney Vinylmation Events page was updated to include an April 12th release date for Animation 3. While we do know the identity of half of the 12 figure mystery set and a few of the LE combos, the biggest reveal from this update was the combo topper. No photos as of yet, but it was revealed to be none other than Thumper from Bambi!
Photo from Disney
I can not wait to see what this figure looks like. Similar to the Classic Collection's Oswald, it will be a let down if Thumper does not have the bunny ears instead of the Mickey ears. I think it also needs the cotton tail that we saw on the 2012 Easter Bunny figure.
By the way, Thumper is designed by Casey Jones... who also designed the Easter Bunny figure above. So I think it is a safe bet we will see the Bambi bunny on a similar platform! Thumper joins his buddy Flower from the 1942 Disney animated classic who appeared in Animation Series 2 last year.
You can find the series as we know it on our explained page here. What figure are you most excited about?

Tyler Dumas Poster Art Signing April 5th in Orlando

On Friday, April 5 Disney Design Group artist Tyler Dumas will meet with guests and sign his April 2013 Poster Art series merchandise at D-Street Orlando from 5-7pm. Tyler's April design is one of my top three favorites of the entire series. (see the entire series here) This is a look at the calendar page:
Here is a look at the Vinylmation:
I think they translated the design to the Mickey platform as well as they could, but it falls a little flat to me when compared to the 2-D art on the poster. There will also, of course, be a pin available to purchase.
Now if Tyler's artwork here looks familiar to Walt Disney World fans, it should. Tyler is the artist behind the Cinderella Castle collage that was used on merchandise to celebrate the 40th anniversary of WDW in 2011.
Tyler also created to logo for the "Room for One More" event at WDW that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion.
Tyler is also no stranger to Vinylmation. He has his autograph on the bottom of a few vinyl Mickey feet, including:
9" Holiday 2 Independence Day (one of my all-time favorites)

9" Holiday 2 Birthday Cake

3" Urban 1