Park 10 Explained

Park 10 Explained

Release Date: July 11, 2012 at Disneyland Paris (no US release date yet)

Price: 

Details: Park 10 is dedicated to all Disneyland Paris designs.

Update 7/26/12 Park 10 to release at Orlando and Anaheim D-Streets on August 3.

Update 7/19/12 Updated with HQ photos from @DLPWonderful.

Update 7/9/12 July 11 is the rumored released date for Park 10 at Disneyland Paris. No announcement of a US release date. This date comes 2 days before the US release of Park 9. @VM_Paris just put out this tweet: "Release date for #Vniylmation Park 10 is july 11th for #disneylandparis"

Photo from disneyshowcasekey.blogspot.com

	Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Like the Magic Kingdom train in Park 9, this version has a smoke stack on top of the head.
	Aladdin's Enchanted Passage A really cool look to this one with Aladdin's shadow at the bottom and the colorful stars in the ears.
	Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril A thrill ride in Adventureland at Disneyland Paris, this coaster takes guests on a journey through the world of Indiana Jones. The figure has a nice look to it with snakes in the ears.
	Phantom Manor Mayor Thanks to my friend Adam over at DisneyBrit.com for confirming this one. This guy is found inside the Disneyland Paris equivalent to the Haunted Mansion and removes his head as guests pass by. Can anyone confirm the internet rumor I found that his head is or is modeled after Dreamfinder from Journey Into Imagination? It does resemble him.
	Orbitron There are many rides like this throughout the various Tommorowland's at the Disney parks. It is a high flying orbiting attraction similar to WDW's Astro Orbiter.
	Tower of Terror Opened in 2007, Paris's La Tour de la Terreur is located in the Walt Disney Studios Park.  It is nearly identical to the TOT building at Disney's California Adventure, except for minor differences in interior room locations and the Paris version is a half meter taller. At 183 feet, it is the second tallest attraction at DLP (Big Thunder Mountain is 197 feet). The figure itself is a more literal interpretation of the Tower of Terror than we have seen in the past.
	Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop One of the newer rides in Paris it is located in the Walt Disney Studios Park. The design is just a perfect fit with the parachute taking up Mickey's head, then the base of the ride taking up the body.
	Moteurs... Action Stunt Show Spectacular Located in Walt Disney Studios Park, this was the original, before it was brought to Orlando's DHS. This is a brilliant use of mold here. Putting the car on the head like it is jumping the flames below... simply perfect.
	It's a Small World A colorful representation of an attraction seen in all the Disney parks, the artist chooses the sun as the focal point with some of the flags and shrubbery. More of a representation than a part of the ride.
	Skull Rock This cave can be found in the Adventure Isle part of Adventureland. Guests can venture inside and look out through the giant eyes. The artist did a great job of representing both the rock skull and the water below.
	Swiss Family Tree House La Cabane des Robinson looms high over the Disneyland Paris park, and this colorful looking figure seems to take it's design cues from concept art such as this sign. It is a more idealistic look at the tree house than any real picture of it I can find.
	Mystery Chaser Click image to reveal the chaser.

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Heather Kattelman

DV: Lost in Wonderland has a lot going on so let's start from the ground up. The wheels are used to perfection. The best one in my opinion being the pocket watch with the chain going up onto the hood. How long did it take to plan out this piece to get all the little details on there?
Heather: The pocket watch was one of the first design pieces I came up with actually and I'm with you, it's one of my favorite features on the car.  This design really came together relatively quick.  My only delay was is in editing out ideas - there are so many wonderful things that could have been included!  I had to hold back a bit to keep the design cohesive.

DV: What characters are represented on this custom?
Heather: Well there are a few characters... Of course, Cheshire is featured on the hood and again you see his smile on the rear spoiler.  You can notice the White Rabbit in the passenger window and the design nod to him with his gold pocket watch in the front tire.  I also included a Red Queen feature in the opposite front tire with the crown and various card suit symbols and if you look closely, there is a beautiful Absolem Butterfly near the back of the car just behind the hat on the driver's side.   Lastly, to top off the design (pun intended), is the Mad Hatter hat!  Hatter is always the life of the party and was the perfect fit to finish off the design.

DV: The sides of the car convey the whimsical and chaotic nature of the tea party and the movie in general. What are your favorite touches?
Heather: That's exactly what I was going for... This piece was so much fun to create and its whimsical design has a few elements that I really love but my favorite would have to be the Mad Hatter Hat.  I just adore how it came out and would absolutely not change a thing about it.

DV: The Mad Hatter's Hat is the logical way to top this custom off, is the accessory your own creation?
Heather: I knew that I wanted to put my own twist on the hat while keeping some of the original features so, yes, the Mad Hatter hat is a custom creation of mine.

DV: Did you enjoy working on the Vinylmation 95 mold enough to do more?
Heather: Absolutely!  I've actually got two more in the works right now - one is more of a classic "car" for a collector that has ordered one to capture his pride and joy the he owns, a Mustang!  The second is a super-sleek Batmobile that I'm creating in the anticipation of the upcoming release of the new Dark Knight Rises!

DV: Is this custom available for purchase and do you take orders for Vinylmation 95 commissions?
Heather: "Lost In Wonderland" is currently available to purchase for $249 if purchased directly though me. I'm also accepting commission work for the Vinylmation 95 Cars with designs starting at $99.

DV: How can people order a design or submit a commission request?
Heather: Here are all the ways to contact me:

Vinylmation Customations
Heather Kattelman
www.facebook.com/VinylmationCustomations
www.facebook.com/HKattelman
VinylmationCustomation@gmail.com
www.Twitter.com/MYVinylmation

Something Sensible from Vinylmation.fr

After almost a year of watchign the homepage of vinylmation.fr we finally see something that made us smile. The above image showed up and with it, the first clever use of this page. The 2 in 20 is covered up and replaced by a 1. Why? Because Park 10 will be the set that represents the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris.

We know this is obvious, we just liked it and wanted to acknowledge it. Good job!

Funko Pop! Muppets 1 Review by Mike Boon

by Mike Boon

First, let me get this out of the way: I have a wee bit of an obsession with The Muppets. I also get a kick out of seeing them in non-traditional form, which is what first got me hooked on Vinylmation and why I even purchased the bizarre Pook-a-Looz Muppets.

I was excited when Funko announced the Pop! Vinyl Muppet figures and, overall, I’m not disappointed. Sure, there are some nagging issues with all of them, but they look smashing on my shelf. Word is that they are already working on a second wave and I cannot wait to see who they have coming up next (fingers crossed for Beaker and the Swedish Chef).

But first, let’s look at what we have available right now:

Great, reliable Kermit is perhaps the easiest Muppet to transition to another form. Slap his trademark eyes on anything and you’ll know exactly who it is. With this figure, Funko wisely moved away from their traditional black-eye look (more on that below) to stick with his usual peepers. The square head is unique and in-line with many of the others in the set. Small quibble: His eyes are nicely over sized for emphasis but could have sat a little higher on his head. Big quibble: I simply cannot get my Kermit to stand up. Which means he’ll always be leaning on the back of the shelf instead of out front where he belongs.

Let’s just ignore the fact that they spelled his name as “FOZZY” on the side of the box (product shot above is from Funko and not Mike's box) and focus on the figure itself. Overall, I like the design. Great depiction of his hat and tie, plus he has a slightly raised eyebrow that works well with his character. The square head and tilted ears go well when paired with Kermit. Mixed feelings on the black eyes though. I realize this is part of the usual Funko design but the purple eyelids draw a bit too much attention. Could be worse though (see next).

Piggy is one of the most difficult Muppets to reinterpret and this design, much like Muppets Vinylmation Series 1, certainly doesn’t argue the fact. Her mouth and nose are a nice proportion, but her eyes really hurt the character. If you are going to remove Piggy’s trademark blue irises for black Little Orphan Annie eyes, you should at least put a little more shape into her eyelids. Tilting each slightly or adding some roundness (as on Fozzie) would have likely made her seem more friendly. Plus, her ears are too long and too far back on her head. Purists will no doubt balk that her gloves are red instead of purple, but the Marilyn Monroe-type pose is the best thing going here.

Definitely one of my favorites of the bunch and not just because I can actually – shockingly – purchase a Mahna Mahna figure in 2012 (the character goes back to a 1969 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show). He stands well, his hair is a lot of fun and since his eyes are traditionally black, no “empty soul” issues here.

Also a big fan of this one as it goes very well when paired with Mahna Mahna on the shelf (and who would want a “Mahna Mahna” without a “do doo do doo doo”). The squareness to the head is appropriate and subtle. The designers opted for pupils with this one, which is highly appreciated. Black eyes would have looked very odd with the black mouth. Only issue: You may need to spring for two.

The details on the body here really work well, particularly the tiny drumsticks in his hands and the broken chain around his neck. The black eyes don’t look too bad here, especially since he’s always been wild and this adds a little edge to the often cuddly character. His eyebrows are nicely stylized too, but it would have been nice to see a little definition between where the eyes end and the eyebrows start. Oddly, Animal is missing the more pronounced square shape to the head as seen on the others.

Like Piggy, Gonzo also has a tendency to go very very wrong. The designers got many details right (three fingers, purple tux, crook in the nose), but his square head is too pronounced, he is missing a tongue and his eyes are all wrong. Gonzo’s eyes are supposed to pop out rather than sit flat on the face, plus they are too small and with too much space between then (they should touch in the middle). I’m all for different designs, but it all seems a little too “Zombie Gonzo”.

A real treat and hopefully a sign of more Electric Mayhem members with the second wave. I really dig the lopsided hat, the feather, the round body design and the detailed outfit (even if he is missing his rings). The wide smile and prominent nose look great. Also, Teeth has the best looking black eyes of the bunch. They almost look like dark shades, which just makes him seem that much cooler. Based on this design, Zoot, Floyd and Janice would look fantastic as Pop! Figures.

For past posts from Mike Boon click here. 

You can also check Mike out at his own blog: baboondesign.blogspot.com

Under the Big Top Explained

Under the Big Top Explained
Release Date: July 21 at Costa Mesa Disney Store. July 23 Nationwide Disney Stores
Price: TBA
Details: 12 figure mystery box set based on circus figures. There is an artist signing with Gerald Mendez at the Costa Mesa Disney Store on July 21 from 10:30 – 1:30. There will also be special events and activities at the event. Some interesting fine print for the event. If you purchase a full tray of this set, then you get a gold ticket, good for up to 7 signatures. If you buy 3-8 boxes, then you get a silver ticket, which gets you up to 3 signatures. While supplies last.

	Bearded Lady A cross between a nice lady and a werewolf, this lucky gal has a crazy cool face follicles.
	Gymnast Similar to the Philharmagic Donald, the vinyl is upside. The hair in the feet doesn't work quite as well as similar designs in the past, but it's still fun and creative.
	Mime Not much use of the ears, but a great expression on his face. Although I don't think I've ever seen a pudgy one.
	Scary Clown If you follow the podcast you'll know that lots of people are scared of clowns. This one is not going to help that. Perfect for those of us who might be getting a little too much sleep at night.
	Snake Charmer Not really a North America type, I do like the accessory flute! And I like that the feet are actually the basket the cobra is coming out of.
	Strong Man Check out that accessory. It's gotta be the heaviest one yet! The sweat is a nice added touch.
	Tattooed Man At first I thought this was a Hairy Man, but that didn't really seem all that special. On second look, he's covered with tattoos. Let's hope for some easter eggs.
	Fire Eater Love the accessory (I always do). Looks great.
	Ring Master Great mustache. And Hat.
	Monkey Reminds me of Abu. Another nice accessory!
	Fortune Teller Great us of artist technique to show the table and crystal ball in front of the vinyl.
	Mystery Chaser Click on image to reveal chaser.

Disney Tunes Photoshoot

Disney's animation wouldn't be the same without the tunes that stay with us long after the credits roll. So it's no surprise the Disney Tunes had an itch to find some musical inspirations around Walt Disney World and rock out.

80's Dale hit the drums at Animal Kingdom. He was excited to play along with his Oingo Boingo cassette tape.

Classic Rock Donald blew out his amps at home. So he stopped by D-Street to use theirs and show off his Mick Jagger like moves.

Classical Mickey found the only radio in Walt Disney World that tuned into his kind of music. It was in a pile of props over at Muppet Vision 3D.

ONE NIGHT ONLY! 

At Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Country Daisy

I'm not sure if this House of Blues jukebox still works, but don't tell Disco Goofy that.

A Stitch in time... we flashback to when this mischievousness alien was part of The Electric Mayhem. Little known fact: The Electric Mayhem began as a punk rock band in 1974. After only a few months, lead singer Stitch left the band to work on some solo projects. In March of 1975, Dr. Teeth and the gang, minus Stitch, got a gig as the house band on The Muppet Show and went on to enormous fame and fortune. Stitch on the other hand, dropped into obscurity until his 2002 film debut in Lilo and Stitch. The film was an instant hit. But after the sequel went direct to DVD, Stitch had to take a job terrorizing guests inside Magic Kingdom's Tommorowland.