Ear Hats on Sale at D-Street Florida
While picking up our Sea Creatures, we saw that all four of the recent ear hats on sale. Both urban 7 hats are LE of 1000 and priced at $69.95.
The animal hat is $69.95.
The donut hole hat is $69.95.
Disney Store Update 4/22/11
Today at the Online Disney Store everything has gone as expected. The Sea Creatures, Muppets 2, and 9″/3″ Urban 6 Gumball Machine and Kid all appeared online this morning. As of this posting each of these is still available!
The 9″/3″ Urban 6 Gumball Machine and Kid by Caley Hicks and Maria Clapsis are an online exclusive for $74.95.
The Money Maldovan designed Muppets 2 series is available in two forms. As individual blind boxes for the “D-Street Price” of $11.95 (as opposed to the Disney Store price of $12.95). You can also purchase a whole case of 24 for $286.80.
All 12 of the Sea Creatures are up, and the price is only $9.95! This is the first available vinylmation using the new mold. They were designed by Billy Davis and will also be released at D-Streets later today.
Also available:
Toy Story Cases for $238.80 each
Villains Cases for $238.80 each
Holiday 2 Cases for $238.80 each
Animation 1 Cases for $238.80 each
9″ Park 5 Goofy’s Barnstormer for $44.95
9″/3″ Park 5 Mad Hatter and Dormouse for $74.95
9″/3″ Urban 5 Racecar and Driver for $74.95
9″ Create Your Own White for $14.99
Gumball Machine Release – 4/22/11
Update: 11:40 PM According to the vinylmation.com event page, Sea Creatures and Muppets 2 will also be coming out online tomorrow. So stay up late or get up early to buy some of these! (Thanks Playwright for the addition heads up!)
We just read that the Urban 6 9″/3″ combo of the Gumball Machine and the kid blowing bubbles will be released online tomorrow! The artist is Caley Hicks. This is a must have if you got the Gumball Ear Hat.
Is Brazil Coming to World Showcase at Epcot?
Is Brazil going to fill one of the long empty pavilion spaces in Epcot’s World Showcase? This short article from Brazil’s largest daily newspaper, Folha, claims that it is:
TRANSLATION:
Brazil got a great seat at an International forum with Disney. Representatives of the largest complex of theme parks in the world sought the federal government this week to announce that are going to install a pavilion of Brazil at Epcot in Orlando.
Now, this wouldn’t be the first time a pavilion for World Showcase was announced and not built, so it may be too early to be concerned about this. Brazilian guests do make up a large portion of Walt Disney World’s visitors, so it wouldn’t bee too far-fetched. One question: Do Brazilian guests need to visit the country they just left? Probably not, but according to this article (how credible it may be is still debatable), it is happening.
We will keep you up-to-speed on this breaking story as more becomes available, so stay tuned…
When Paul Met Julie
We here at Destination Vinylmation would like to congratulate Paul and Julie on their engagement. Paul took a special approach to asking his lady for her hand, and since it involved Vinylmation we asked Paul to tell us a little about what went into making that special night. “It was June of 2009 in California Adventure that my girlfriend, Julie, and I purchased our very first vinylmations. Little did we know that almost two years later our small purchase would become our biggest addiction and hobby together. Going to either Disney World or Disneyland every year has become a tradition for us, and now collecting and trading vinylmations has become part of that tradition.” |
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| “When I was in the planning stage of proposing to Julie I was trying to come up with a great shock that I could do that I hadn’t seen before, something not cliche. So I ordered a couple of blank vinylmations not knowing how that would work out. Upon starting work on it, I really liked the way it was coming out and had to move on to the next step in the process; how to make this whole thing a surprise.” |  |
| “The plan was to place my custom, inside a sealed package, then place that sealed package inside a current series vinylmation box and glue it shut. Opening a box carefully and patiently, so I could reseal it, was not so difficult. Opening the vinylmation bag inside the box was. I tried to open some vinylmation bags like a bag of chips. This result did not work out. So I eventually made a small slit on the bottom of the bag with a razor blade, and slide out the vinylmation feet first. Once I finished my custom vinylmation and custom artist card (yes I created a custom artist card also, gotta be authentic), I slid it inside the bag and used some clear packing tape, carefully placed inside the slip, to seal up the bag. Next, I glued the box and I was all set.” |  |
| “Later that evening, I invited Julie over to open up the vinylmations I had bought over the weekend. It worked out well that Muppets 2 was released this past week because it didn’t look suspicious that I had purchased some vinylmations for us to open. We set up to open hers and mine, I had her go first, and the rest is history. I was very nervous because I’m not much of an artist but, I’ll say she was totally surprised. I would say it was a home run.”
-Paul |
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PIXAR Celebrates 25th Anniversary with a Weekend at Epcot
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Heads up Pixar fans – we’re breaking an exciting announcement this morning on the Disney Parks Blog.
The 18th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will celebrate all-things Pixar, including the upcoming release of “Cars 2,” during Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend May 13-15 at Epcot.
Mater from “Cars” and “Cars 2” leads the celebration, which will include special Pixar character meet and greets, kids activities, informational discussions by Pixar filmmakers and more.
World Showplace (located between the Canada and United Kingdom pavilions), will serve as the celebration headquarters. Inside, families can enjoy meet and greets with characters from “The Incredibles,” “Toy Story 3,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “Up,” or browse a photo gallery that calls out some of Pixar’s best Easter eggs from past films. There also will be an art gallery that displays the creative work that went in to Pixar films.
World Showplace also will be the setting for informational discussions by Pixar filmmakers: Composer Michael Giacchino, Producer Jonas Rivera and “Cars” Franchise Guardian Jay Ward (pictured above). Discussions will take place May 14-15 (times are still TBD).
And the Pixar fun will continue throughout World Showcase, where characters from “Toy Story,” “Ratatouille” and “A Bug’s Life” wait to greet guests. Kids also can play the “Cars 2” Race Around the World Showcase game by picking up a booklet with clues that send them on a journey to specific World Showcase pavilions, where they’ll receive more clues, and receive a reward at the end. (All entertainment is subject to change).
You can find more information on the events official site at www.PIXARWeekend.com!
New Disney Gallery Exhibit Featuring the Art of Mary Blair
From the Disney Parks Blog:
In 1964, Walt Disney introduced a concept for a new attraction at the New York World’s Fair that would celebrate children around the world. More than four decades later, “it’s a small world” continues to be one of the most beloved Disney Parks attractions of all time.
Even more than the famous song that you can’t seem to get out of your head, one thing that sticks with me from “it’s a small world” is the art that takes you on a journey around the world. Artist Mary Blair is among those who played an integral part in the development of this classic attraction. Her artwork remains to this day, an inspiration to our Disney artists and Disney fans. Her designs have captured the hearts of many and can be seen throughout each “it’s a small world” attraction at Disney Parks worldwide.
Until today, there has never been an opportunity to showcase the collection that inspired it all. But thanks to Kim Irvine, Dave Golbeck and team, The Disney Gallery will unveil a brand new exhibit May 13 to celebrate the art of Mary Blair and 45 years of this classic Disney attraction.
The other day I had the unique opportunity to get a quick peek of what you’ll see when the exhibit debuts. Here are a few of the images
I hope you enjoyed this inside look. As I find out more, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Nick’s Character Autograph 9″
Each year on my Birthday I take a 9″ Vinylmation to WDW and add some character signatures to it. Yesterday I decided to take some fun pictures with my new Celebration 1st Visit Park Jrs that seemed to fit nicely with my vinyl. I included some close ups of these Jrs, maybe my favorites so far.
Character Autographed 9″
FastPass Jr
Autograph Jr (back)
Autograph Jr (front)
Stormtrooper of the Week #12
If a Stormtrooper is a good shot, a hard worker, and very lucky, they end up…. here.
New Details on “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue” Revealed in Press Release
Disney has issued an updated press release with new details on “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue”, opening June 3rd at Disneyland Park:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The power of the Force and the magic of Disney have combined to create “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” a new 3-D attraction set to open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park on May 20, 2011. The attraction also will open at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on June 3, 2011.
Based on the Star Wars films, Star Tours will take Walt Disney World Resort guests to multiple Star Wars destinations where they will interact with characters from throughout the Saga. And it will all be in 3-D.
With eye-popping 3-D digital filming, a dramatic musical score and motion simulator-based technology, guests will be immersed in the Star Wars galaxy like never before on a theme park attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering worked with Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Industrial Light & Magic – the groundbreaking visual effects division of Lucasfilm – to bring the out-of-this-world attraction to life.
Star Tours, which had thrilled Disney Parks guests since the 1980s, was “powered down” at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2010 so Imagineers could begin work on the new attraction.
And in a new twist, guests may be able to enjoy the attraction multiple times without ever experiencing the same adventure. More than 50 story combinations are possible for guests to experience aboard Star Tours.
Just as the Star Wars films immerse movie-goers in storylines that keep them on the edge of their seats, Star Tours will feature multiple stories and scenarios that will hurtle park guests throughout the Star Wars galaxy. And all of the storyline’s twists and turns will be random, affording guests the chance to ride the attraction multiple times.
Whether it’s a battle with Darth Vader and his legion of stormtroopers or a plea from Princess Leia to help her save the Rebellion, guests will find themselves in the middle of the action – literally – in the 3-D, multi-sensory attraction.
Entering the attraction queue area, Star Tours guests walk into a bustling spaceport. The famed Star Wars droid duo, C-3PO and R2-D2, greet them as the Starspeeder 1000 is prepped for service. Anthony Daniels, the voice of C-3PO and the only actor to appear in every theatrical chapter of the Star Wars Saga, reprises his role as the golden protocol droid. Daniels worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to record new dialogue for the attraction. Guests also are introduced to AC-38, a hotshot droid pilot known simply as “Ace,” and Aly San San (voiced by actress Allison Janney), the “spokesbot” for the spaceport.
After winding through the spaceport, guests board the Starspeeder 1000 spacecraft and prepare for Star Tours Flight #1401. Through a series of mishaps, however, C-3PO finds himself in the pilot’s seat instead of Ace, and it’s up to him and R2-D2 to navigate their passengers through the galaxy. However, the tyrannical Empire is out to stop the Starspeeder at all costs. C-3PO and R2-D2 take the controls and try to outwit and outrun the Imperial forces and a galactic bounty hunter hired to pursue the spaceship and its passengers.
Utilizing the 50+ random story combinations, the Starspeeder then embarks on a wild trip through the galaxy, visiting several planets made famous in the Star Wars films. Among the locations that might provide haven from the Empire’s pursuit are the icy planet of Hoth, the lush jungles of Kashyyyk and the underwater Gungan world of Naboo. And along the way guests may encounter Star Wars characters that offer to help (or hinder) their journey, including Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Darth Vader and Boba Fett. “Skytroopers,” a legion of stormtroopers created just for the Star Tours attraction story, might even join in the chase.
In fact, with multiple ways to experience each flight, guests will never know where the Force will take them.
At Walt Disney World Resort, Star Tours opens May 20, 2011, the same day the annual Star Wars Weekends event begins at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Star Tours and Star Wars Weekends event activities are included in regular admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.