First look at Star Tours from Cast Member Previews!!! (Updated)

WDWNT on May 14, 2011

Well as usual WDW News Today is working hard to bring you the up to the date information on Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (or 3D, or II depending on what you like to call it). We were able to speak to a number of cast members who have participated in the Cast Member Previews and reconstruct the queue and ride experience from the bits and pieces that we have put together. Note this IS reliable source information but from multiple sources. It reflects info from people who have experienced the attraction but there may be gaps as it is from multiple sources. We will continue to update you as we get more information from our team covering the events in Walt Disney World. Oh and beware I have a bad feeling about the SPOILERS ahead!

Here is what we have so far:

QUEUE

  • The first queue room is mostly the same, the screen is now HD and shows weather reports, destination previews, and a look at Starspeeder 1000.
  • The Goose droids are now screening luggage in the second queue room. However on a sad note the droid room song is gone!
  • As luggage goes through the scanner, projections show what’s inside. Some items inside include Wall-E, a Stormtrooper helmet, and an ewok doll among other items.
  • 3 to 4 models of our former pilot RX-24 are now in that room, each a different color. They each have a tag saying they are defective!
  • A body scanner is now located at the end of the room. The other goose droid makes a comment about you passing through.
  • Loading area is essentially the same except for new lighting and signage, the updated pre-show is presented on two HD screens above.



PRE-SHOW

  • Pre-show has Aly San San (the new Spokes-Droid voiced by Allison Janey) providing all the spiels in English and Spanish. The guests in the cabin was a shot for shot remake of original pre-show.
  • The cast member chooses who will be the rebel spy or princess that will be “caught” when the ride begins. We suggest you try kissing up.
  • During the pre-show, C-3P0 comes to inspect the Starspeeder cabin, has a discussion with pilot, then asks him to leave. (I’ve got a bad feeling about this)

    • 

Ride Experince (Updated 5-14 4:30pm)

  • Guests board and are seated, the starspeeder takes off with reluctant pilot and a view of the Millennium Falcon. Guests are then ambushed!
  • You escape the ambush by jumping to lightspeed, bringing you to you your first destination.
  • The riders we spoke to then ended up on either Hoth or Kashyyk. There’s a battle on Hoth and you get chased on Speeder-bikes in the latter.
  • You go to space and get a transmission. The riders we spoke with were given a message by Admiral Ackbar or Princess Leia.
  • Princess Leia says “help me Star Tours, you’re my only hope!”. Next, R2-D2 then jumps to lightspeed without C-3P0’s permission.
  • The riders we spoke with then either entered final scenes in the Death Star, on Naboo, or Coruscant.
  • The Death Star scene ends with a Boba Fett chase through the asteroid field.
  • Naboo has a giant fish attack.
  • Coruscant has a giant battle in the sky between the Trade Federation and the Clone Troopers. You barely escape from a huge crashing ship!
Well Thats about it from the cast preview of Star Tours stay tuned as we get more updates from Destination D, The Pixar Weekend, The Opening of star tours and more!

Vinylmation Exchange Report: May 13th, 2011

WDWNT on May 13, 2011

by Ryan Thompson

Welcome to the third edition of V.E.R., or the Vinylmation Exchange Report. This week’s article will focus on Park series 9 inch releases. The park series, is of course, Vinylmation inspired by scenes, characters and imagery from the various Disney theme parks, and what a better way to display them than in the larger, more detailed, 9 inch form! From the creepy wallpaper inside the Haunted Mansion, to a trashcan in Fantasyland, the Disney artists have picked their way through the parks… and they still aren’t through! However, just because it’s based on your favorite ride, doesn’t mean it’s worth a lot – this article will discuss the various rarities and values of the Park 9 inch figures.

To keep things interesting, I’ve decided that I cannot pick more than ONE figure from each series in each category… otherwise all the rising stars would be from Park 1!

VER RISING STARS:

1. Park 1 – “Watching You” 9”/3” combo by Dan Howard.

· Haunted Mansion is surely one of the most popular rides amongst the various Disney theme parks, and it became the first figure to have multiple figures based on it when Park 1 was released… and they all concentrated on the wallpaper! Yes the infamous “Creepy Wallpaper” was the subject of both a regular 3” Vinylmation, and this set; which at the time was given a relatively “large” release number of LE500. Despite the “high” numbers of figures this was an early sell out, and still a sticking point for many collectors! This one is rarely traded, and barely makes appearances on eBay, but when it does it outsells even the Balloon chaser and other hard to find figures. One of these in your collection is more than an investment; it’s a status symbol!

· Possible trades: SHAG, Wall-E and Eve, Balloon Chaser.

2. Park 2 – “Mine Mine Mine” 9” figure by Maria Clapsis.

· While this writer doesn’t like to covet over a single figure for very long, I have to admit that this particular figure has given me many headaches; and I don’t even own it! A very hard to find figure from Park 2, “Mine Mine Mine” by Maria Clapsis is one of the earliest Pixar based Vinylmation figures. It’s neat design, which matches almost identically to a line of additional merchandise, and it’s connection to a VERY popular movie mean that this one, like the Watching You set above, was snatched up VERY quickly, and makes rare appearances on trading/selling forums. Looking for it can certainly make you feel like Marlin trying to fine Nemo… but if I ever get my hands on one, I know what I’ll be saying… “Mine… MINE… MINE!!!!”

· POSSIBLE trades: Safari Mickey, Incredibles Set, Wall-e and Eve.

3. Park 3 – “Carnotaurus” by Maria Clapsis

· This is an interesting case, mostly because people might assume I would chose a Disney Cruise Line exclusive for Park 3, as three great figures were released only on the DCL boats, Wonder, Magic and the Castaway Cay 9/3” set. However, because those aren’t “really” in the Park 3 set (they were NEVER sold at a park), we must look beyond those to a red Dinosaur that no one would expect; Carnotaurus. The second Maria Clapsis design to make the list, this one actually did NOT sell out very fast, and was on the shelf for awhile, and even after selling out on both coasts, stayed at a steady value for months. However, in the past year, as new collectors come to Vinylmation looking for relatively “cute” figures (it is a giant scary dinosaur after all), this one is sought after by MANY collectors. Its value goes for 4 to 5 times its retail value, and sometimes much higher as this hard to find figure has been known to set off a bidding war. You have to believe though that its connection to the relatively unpopular “Dinosaur” ride has little to do with its value.

· POSSIBLE trades: Crossroads, Test Track, Creepy Wallpaper 3”.

VER SINKING STARS

1. Park 4 – “Adventures through Inner Space” by Maria Clapsis.

· Here we see Maria entering the other side of the list, in a figure that is well designed, but perhaps in a “why did they make THAT?” kind of way. For those that don’t know, “Adventures through Inner Space” was a ride that debuted in Disneyland in 1967, marked most notably perhaps as the first omnimover ride (that would later go on to power Haunted Mansion’s Doom Buggies) and also narrated by Haunted Mansion’s Paul Frees with music by the duo that created the infamous “Small World” music. The ride would take the guests through a giant microscope and into the wonderful world of micro…whatevers. Something sciency I am sure. Did I mention that the ride closed in 1987 to make way for Star Tours? Anyway, Maria Clapsis did a WONDERFUL job of capturing the feel of a ride no one remembers, but it didn’t help the popularity of this figure, despite the frenzy over every other Park 4 figure.

· POSSIBLE trades: 3D Glasses Mickey, Talespin, Little Green Men from Park 2.

2. Park 3 – “Fantasyland Trashcan” by Jeff Eborsohl

· A great idea, a figure based on a fixture in the parks people often overlook, the surprise part of this 9 inch figure from Park 2 is that it’s readily available for trade/buy. The design is simple enough, but perhaps it’s not as popular as the other Park 3 figures because it uses a decal in the center, a technique no longer used on Vinylmation… the decals would get sticky, and in heat, would even MOVE, ruining or disfiguring the decal. Or it could just be that it’s based on a trashcan, and not many people have an emotional attachment to the place we put our waste. Either way, this is the easiest Park 3 9” figure to collect.

· POSSIBLE trades: Sci Fi Diner, Tiki Room, Drippy chaser.

3. Park 2 – “Epcot Icons” by Thomas Scott.

· Speaking of head scratchers, here is one sinking star I just don’t understand. I like Epcot. I like Vinylmation. I like icons… however combining them all into this figure leaves some to be desired. I think I understand what the infamous Thomas Scott was going for here, but perhaps the paint or paint process took something away from the embossed metal look he was trying to convey. Instead we just get… grey, adorned with 8 symbols in… lighter grey. Boring. Despite being Park 2, this one sells sometimes less than twice its retail, and is easier for those attached to the parks to give up. If you have one keep it, but if you don’t, you REALLY gotta love Epcot to trade for it!

· POSSIBLE trades: Peter Pan, Julius 9/3 combo.

So that wraps up week 3 of V.E.R. IF you’re reading this, pop a note in the comments to let us know what you think, and possibly what areas you’d like to see covered in future V.E.R.s? Remember to collect what you like, and until next time… Make Mine Vinyl.

Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend

WDWNT on May 13, 2011

This weekend, May 13th – May 15th, EPCOT will host Pixar’s 25th Anniversary Weekend. This exciting celebration will give guests the opportunity to Meet and Greet their favorite Pixar characters that are not normally out and about the parks! You will also be able to browse a photo gallery from Pixar films, and explore the art gallery for a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible creative work that goes in to Pixar films. Special guests will also be on hand for the Presenting Pixar Speaker Sessions. Get the inside scoop from Oscar-nominated Pixar producer Jonas Rivera, Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino and Cars Franchise Guardian Jay Ward.

Today on DV we will take you around the event, let you know what to expect and top it off with a Vinylmation twist by showing you what Vinylmation figures have been release that feature Pixar characters. When you enter the Park, the Little Green Army Men from Toy Story will be handing out Park Maps.

click to enlarge
click to enlarge
The Little Green Army Man from Toy Story series designed by Thomas Scott.

Meet and Greets

 Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. He will be at Mission: Space in Future World. Buzz Vinylmation can be found in a few series. Of course the Thomas Scott designed Toy Story set. He is also found in Big Eyes and Jr. 2, also Thomas Scott designs.
Woody, Jessie and Bullseye from Toy Story. They will be at the American Pavillion in the World Showcase. Woody has two Vinylmation… one from Toy Story and another in Jr 3. Jessie and Bullseye can only be found in Toy Story.
Toy Story Vinylmation set had characters that couldn’t make it to the Pixar party: Big Baby, Buttercup, Hamm, Rex, Wheezy, and Dr. Evil Porkchop. Also 9″ versions of Alien and Zurg. And a 9/3 combo of Bo Peep and Sheep. There was also at Toy Story character released back in Park 2… Little Green Men.
Flik, Princess Atta, Gypsy and Slim from A Bugs Life. This group can be found at the Art of Living Garden near Morrocco. This classic is one of only 3 Pixar movies without a Vinylmation representative.
Remy and Emile from Ratatouille. These rodents can be found in the France Pavilion. Howerver, they have yet to be served up in Vinylmation form.
Mr. and Mrs. Incredile and Frozone from The Incredibles. They will be inside the World Showplace (located between Canada and UK). The incredibles has an interesting Vinylmation piece. It’s a 9″ Park 2 figure of Mickey Mouse in a Mr. Incredibles costume. It comes with a 3″ Jack Jack.
Lotso from Toy Story 3. This villain will be in the World Showplace (located between Canada and UK). Lotso’s lone Vinylmation is in Toy Story. Mr. Potato Head will also be there. He is Vinylmantionless, but has plenty of toys on the shelf in his own right.
Mike, Sully, Boo and Smitty from Monster’s Inc. You can test your bravery by meeting these Monsters inside the World Showplace (located between Canada and UK). They are rarely at meet and greats, so this is a great opportunity. You can find a Sully and Boo 9/3 combo in the Park 4 series. Mike can be found in both Park 2 and Big Eyes.
Carl Fredricksen, Russell and Dug from Up. You will find this trio next a floating replica of the Up house inside the World Showplace (located between Canada and UK). We will not see an Up releated Vinylmation until the 9″ Park 6 Up House is released. But one of our featured artists Chelsea created a Carl, Russell and Kevin. Her Kevin is currently for sale on eBay.
Tow Mater from Cars. He will be parked inside the World Showplace (located between Canada and UK). Lightning and Mater will soon have there own meet and greet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, until then, grab a picture with Mater here and Lightning over at Downtown Disney this same weekend. Although there are curently no Mater Vinylmation, you can pick up a cool Lightning McQueen inspired figure in Park 5.
It was originally reported that Wall-E would have a meet and greet area. One of the only time Wall-E had been at a meet and greet was at 2009’s D23 Convention in California. The official website and park map for this event does not have Wall-E on it. However, the Wall-E and Eve set is one of the most coveted in all of Vinylmation.
Finding Nemo will not have a true meet and greet either… kinda hard for a fish to sign an autograph I guess. But you will get to see some Living Coral Stilt Walkers outside The Seas with Nemo and Friends. And of course Crush will be interacting with guests inside at Turtle Talk with Crush. Nemo themed Vinylmation include Nemo Submarine from Park 4, Nemo from Jr 2 and Mine, Mine, Mine 9″ from Park 2.


Activities

Besides the Meet and Greets, the Flower and Garden Festival will be in it’s last weekend of the season. You won’t be able to miss the Buzz, Woody and Lotso topiaries at the park entrance. You will also be able to see Lightning and Mater in flower form at the entrance to the World Showcase. Other Disney character topiaries can be found around the park.

Make sure you grab your Cars race booklet and collect the stamps around the World Showcase. Collect them all, you receive a special commemorative button.

Inside the World Showplace, you will be able to browse a special photo gallary that reveals some of the best “Easter Eggs” from Pixar films. You will also be able to visit and art gallery filled with a behind-the-scenes look at Pixar.

Daily Speaker Sessions will also be held inside the World Showplace. Here is the schedule for Saturday and Sunday (same both days):
Noon: Jay Ward
2pm: Jonas Rivera
4pm: Michael Giacchino
6pm: Special Presentation with all three

I hope you enjoy the Pixar filled weekend EPCOT! I will be there. If you go, send us your pictures and let us know what you thought about the event.

First Look at Star Tours Queue

WDWNT on May 13, 2011

The Orlando Sentinal and Wsbt.com give us a quick first look inside the new attraction queue and even ran into Tom Corless who is down in Walt Disney World covering all the events for us happening in and around the world the next few days. As always stay tuned right here to WDW News Today as we bring you up to the minute coverage of everything happening in Walt Disney World over the next few weeks.

By Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel12:53 a.m. EDT, May 13, 2011

Inside Disney’s Star Tours, workers are prepping walls, high-definition screens and assorted droids for the attraction’s grand reopening next Friday at Hollywood Studios.

Outside Star Tours, anticipation is building among Star Wars and Disney enthusiasts, so much so that a few fans wait at the attraction’s entrance every day, in case there’s an unannounced preview of the simulator thrill ride.

Click here to find out more!
The revamping of Star Tour represents the highest-profile addition to the Disney World parks in 2011. A version will open at Disneyland in California on June 3.

Disney has been selective in what details it reveals, including the price tag for the renovation that took nine months to complete. The floor plan of Star Tours remains the same as when it opened in 1989, but its story and emphasis have changed.

The new Star Tours is designed to immerse guests in the Star Wars universe, said Kathy Rogers, senior show producer for Walt Disney Imagineering. That feeling should be present “as soon as you come in the door,” she said during the Orlando Sentinel’s exclusive guided tour this week.

The ride’s 3-D film is divided into several segments featuring different planets and will be shown in 54 combinations. Once inside that door, visitors have a chance to see:

•A flood of fresh — and familiar — faces from Star Wars lore. The attraction is populated with characters throughout. “You’ve got Darth Vader, you’ve got Princess Leia, you’ve got R2-D2, C-3PO, Boba Fett, Yoda, Admiral Ackbar,” said Tom Fitzgerald, executive vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering. “Jar Jar Binks makes an appearance.”

The idea is to set Star Tours in a definite galaxy far, far away. The new safety video shows only intergalactic beings filing into seats; no one who looks like a tourist, as in the previous version. A window to another concourse shows shadowy outlines of other recognizable characters, royal and interplanetary. There are cameos during the ride.

•A crisp look that reflects a time shift. The new version is set years earlier than the old ride, and familiar objects look newer. “It feels like a brand-new airport,” Rogers said.

In the first room of the queue, a copper-and-white StarSpeeder 1000 vessel sits where the blue StarSpeeder 3000 used to be. R2-D2 and C-3PO are there again, along with a small IC-360 scouting droid. Overhead is a new high-definition board listing spaceport departures and a galactic Weather Channel.

•A clear vision. Once the ride begins, the adventures are presented in 3-D digital projections, as opposed to 70 mm film. The imagery was again produced by Industrial Light & Magic under the guidance of “Star Wars” mastermind George Lucas. (The 3-D “flight glasses” are sleek, shiny and black.)

•Nods to Star Tours past. In the second room of the queue, which is the scanning area of the spaceport, boxed-up droids are ready for shipping. Rex, the hapless pilot from the original Star Tours, is marked “defective” and spews snippets of old dialogue.

The additions have fans curious about the “new” Star Tours. Scarlett Litton of Davenport is part of a group that waits near the attraction, hoping for an early opening. Members post updates on StarTours2Live.com.

“If they were to have a soft opening today, I want to be able to tell people so they can go on it … although I do actually kind of want to be the first in line,” said Litton, 26. She works for TouringPlans.com, which has developed a mobile application specifically for Star Tours. Among its features will be an alert when the attraction opens.

In the meantime, she and Orlando’s Darcie Vance, 33, watch for clues during daylong shifts. They’ve seen exterior lighting go up, new uniforms for cast members, fresh arrivals to the gift shop and other details that are newsy to big fans.

“So far, no opening,” Litton said.

Increasing the number of Star Tours characters is a good thing, said Tom Corless, founder of the WDW News Today website and host of its podcast.

“I think everyone’s excited that Darth Vader’s in it. I know they wanted Darth Vader in the original one, but it never happened,” said Corless, 22, who lives in Bronx, N.Y., but will be in Florida for the opening.

Corless also likes the idea of the multiple story-line combinations. Going in, passengers won’t be sure which planets they’ll be traveling to and which characters they’ll be encountering. Fitzgerald, the Imagineering executive, describes it as a slot machine with four wheels representing the scene choices.

On the ride, guests may see a 3-D Darth Vader, experience pod races on the planet Tatooine and dodge the tongue of a mammoth underwater creature of Naboo. Odds are the next ride will have a completely different lineup. In the old version, it was always a botched trip to the planet Endor.

“It’s essentially going into the same building and getting a different ride nearly every time you step into it,” Corless said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Spotlight On: Custom Vinylmation Artist Chelsey

WDWNT on May 12, 2011

Update: 05 12 11 The custom Kevin you see here designed by Chelsea is now available for purchase on eBay. Click here to visit the auction.

Last week, we featured the work of Californian artist Chelsea with her Carl and Russell Up custom Vinylmation. This week, she gives us an exclusive preview of her newly finished Kevin 9″ Vinylmation.

Destination Vinylmation: Chelsea, tell us about the design on this figure.

Chelsea: I’ve decided to stick with my 3D idea for Kevin. His feather was made out of clay.

I used a picture from the movie scene where Kevin was found by Russel and Carl in the jungle. On the back of the vinyl, I decided to use the abstract view of Carl, Russel, Doug and Kevin looking up at Paradise Falls with the house on top of it.

DV: This is a perfect use of the Vinylmation shape to draw Kevin. Is this the way you always pictured it, or were there a few different ideas before settling on this design?

Chelsea: This not the way I always pictured it. My original ideas was to draw it on both sides and show the beak in the front. However, after the initial sketch, I found it’s not the best way to show him.

DV: I enjoy when artists don’t just force a mirror image of the front onto back. The back of this figure is a beautiful depiction of the movie UP. Is it difficult to paint such a detailed image onto the Vinylmation canvas?

Chelsea: It’s quite a challenge to put such a detailed image onto the vinyl. However, as always, I do love challenges. It really took me a while to finish such a high level of detail.

DV: After looking at the finished figure, is there anything you would do differently if making another?

Chelsea: The only part that I’m not quite satisfied about this one is the pink color on his tail. It’s not the perfect pink I want. I want the pink to be lighter than this one.

DV: What is your favorite part of this figure?

Chelsea: I think my favorite part is I was able to blend the front side and back side. There’s no clear cut of the front side and back side. It naturally transitions from front to back so it looks like a whole piece.

DV: I love how colorful it is. It’s a great looking piece of art from one of my favorite movies of all-time. I know I would love to add this to my collection… Is this a one of a kind? And will it go on sale or is this for your personal collection?

Chelsea: I am planing to make 3 of them. I’ll keep one for myself for sure. (The others) will go on sale after the exclusive exhibit on Destination Vinylmation for the week. If anyone is interested in purchasing this figure before I put it up for sale, please email me at zhchelsea0513@gmail.com. I’ll put it on Ebay afterwards. Thanks for the continuous support.

ZoMG: Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat?

WDWNT on May 12, 2011

Thank you Noah!! Thank you! Thank you!

I don’t know if you guys know this about me or not but, there is only one thing that I love more than Vinylmation, and that is The Little Mermaid!!!

Today, Noah posted this release news on his blog, noahfineart.com:

June 11th 2011 – The Little Mermaid Product Debut + Signing!

This event will include various artwork from Noah, Dave Avanzino, and Walt Disney Imagineer, Larry Nikolai. On his blog, Noah stated that he will be debuted an entire Little Mermaid Collection including, limited edition artwork, decorative plates, mugs, tee’s, jewelry and two Vinylmation!

The Vinylmation will include: 12 Limited Edition 9 Inch & 12 Limited Edition 3 Inch Figures! (I need both!)

The image that he has posted looks amazing!! The colors look great, perfect for Ariel and I couldn’t be more excited!! The artwork in the background is beautiful and the small image that we can see of the 9-inch figure looks incredible! The Vinylmation is on a stand (like a lot of the other LE Vinylmation Noah has created) and I can see an outline of Ariel! It looks almost like she is in her grotto!!

We will post any more information that we find out closer to the release on June 11th!!!!

I hope you guys are just as excited about this as I am!!!

Thank you Noah for making one of my Vinylmation dreams come true!!!

-Zoe

Disney Store Online Report: 5/11/11

WDWNT on May 11, 2011

Hey there Vinylmation fans. This is the first edition of the Disney Store Online Report. For those living next to one of the two U.S. Disney parks or one of the Disney stores throughout the country, purchasing Vinylmations is fairly convenient. However, a great number of Vinylmation fans don’t live within driving distance of the locations and are left to purchase them from third party sellers, eBay, or what we’ll be going over here, the Disney Store Online (DSO).

Any frequent users of DSO know that their products, prices, and availability change sporadically. Products are up one day and down the next, labeled with a price but then marked as “sold out” when added to your cart, and simply put on sale without notice. These reports are targeted towards helping Vinylmation fans who aren’t able to drop by a Disney store, still have as much information about what’s available online as possible.

This report certainly won’t be listing every product on the online store, being that there’s upwards of 80-100 regularly, but will rather be focusing on a few major categories of Vinylmation, the first of which is titled “Introducing.” “Introducing” will be recently released Vinylmations which are available online. Next will be “Price Variants,” which will note both the beginning and ending of Vinylmations on sale. The occasional “Comebacks” are Vinylmations that Disney is re-entering into the online marketplace and although a rarity, are fun to find and don’t stay up for long! “Sellouts” are those annoying items that Disney has listed as for sale but are unfortunately unavailable once selected. Lastly, “Up and Comings” are Vinylmations that are planned for online release in the upcoming weeks.
Introducing
New to the DSO are the Sea Creature individual open boxes, all of which are available for $9.95.
Urban 6 also made its introduction recently with individual mystery boxes, although no cases as of yet, at $11.95.
Muppets 2 also stepped onto the online shelves with both individual mystery boxes at $11.95 and the usual 24 tray for $286.80.
Lastly, the first of the Urban 6 9” made it into the store with the Gumball Machine 3” combo for $74.95.
Comebacks
This week’s Comebacks include an entire series as well as a few topper combos. The entire open box TRON series is back online at $9.95.
The whole open box The Nightmare Before Christmas series (including the chaser Pumpkin King!) at $11.95.
Both the Urban 5 & 6 Topper Combos, with two-tone Mickeys, as well as the Animation 1 Topper Combo, with Simba, are available for $24.95.
Lastly for the Comebacks, the 3” Figure and Pocket Watch combo, modeled similarly to the upcoming Steamboat collection, is again available at $150.00.
Price Variants
The Price Variants for this week are a select group from The Animal Kingdom series (the Panther, Gorilla, Buffalo, and Bear), which dropped from $9.95 to $7.99.
The Create Your Own 3”, all but white and yellow, are marked down from $8.95 to $4.99 while the Create Your Own 9”, all but white and black, are marked down from $39.95 to $14.99! A pretty good deal for you creative Vinylmation fans out there!
The other Vinylmation on sale is the 2010 Marathon figure for $5.99, originally $14.99.
Sell Outs
Thankfully this week Disney is up to date on all its products! There are no Sell Outs as of writing this report.
Still Around
The few Still Around figures that are left are the open box Flag series, all but U.S.A., for $9.95 and the open box 2011! series, at $11.95.
Up and Coming
This month, scheduled for May 20th, is the release of additional Urban 6 9” figures. These can be found under the 9″ Urban 6 Vinylmation: The Complete List post. The solo 9”s will be priced at $39.95.

Well that’s it for this week’s Disney Store Online Report Vinylmation fans. Hopefully this has been helpful in your online search for Vinylmations. Till next time.

– Nick J.

Pics from disneystore.com

Disney Fans Insider Previews “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue”

WDWNT on May 10, 2011

The Disney Fans Insider takes a good, long look behind-the-scenes of “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue”:

Star Wars™ fans will reel in intergalactic ecstasy when the newly renovated Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction storms Disney’s Hollywood Studios May 20 and Disneyland Resort June 3. Lovers of Jedi and Sith lords are in for a double dose of droid-tastic adventure as the first grand opening is scheduled during the first of this year’s four consecutive Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World Resort. Dust off your lightsabers kids … it’s time for take-off!
Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, who worked on the original Star Tours back in the mid ’80s, talks about re-imagining the new show. “We actually began planning the redesign over 10 years ago … a year before Episode I was complete. Fans were eager to see some changes, but after learning that Episodes II and III were in the works, we decided the update would have to wait. In order to create the ultimate Star Warsattraction for our Parks, George [Lucas] needed to finish his saga so we could include the best of all the films.”

Waiting may have been difficult, but transforming six full-length movies into a four-and-a-half-minute, fully-immersive ride presented other challenges for Tom’s team. “Because of time-period differences (the new attraction is a prequel to the original), we had to reverse-engineer our story, as well as the look of the Starspeeders.” The chronologically correct Starspeeder 1000 (formerly 3000) now features upgraded interior dashboards and onboard monitors so everything looks, sounds, and feels better than ever – even the color scheme was updated.

Technology played a crucial part in all the renovations, but Tom points out some of the most significant advances, starting with the branching storyline. “For the very first time, we utilized technology that selects one of 54 different story combinations so each ride’s really a surprise. Guests never know where they’ll go. We created this approach to keep it fresh for our enormous fan base. It’s a huge change from the original show.”

Two other key differences – the 3D factor and increased range of the motion simulator – were also technology driven, as Tom explains. “We wanted to add 3D for years, but had to wait for projection equipment that was robust enough to make it look state-of-the-art. Advanced visual effects make the world totally dimensional and so much more realistic than before. It’s absolutely breathtaking.” Imagineers worked closely with Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic team, who produced all the video footage for the main show as well as most of the pre-show.

Enhanced motion programming makes for a more unique experience as Guests are whisked off to a variety of new locations, including Tatooine, Hoth, Naboo, Coruscant, the mysterious Wookiee planet Kashyyyk and even a Death Star under construction. “It’ll feel very different from the first show, which only featured space flight. We’ve added a desert pod race, underwater travel, sliding on ice, and careening through forests while smashing into trees. Some adventures will be planet-based, some space, but each ride will feel distinct because Guests won’t know which story combination they’re getting.”

Many more characters have been incorporated into the new show, with appearances by fan favorites like Darth Vader, Admiral Ackbar, Princess Leia, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Yoda, C-3PO and Jar Jar Binks. “Darth Vader’s voiceover was recorded by the original actor. It was also great working with Anthony Daniels and Frank Oz, who reprised their roles as C-3PO and Yoda respectively.”

Tom goes on to tell us how one of the brand-new characters – a spokesbot seen in the pre-show commercials and safety video – was named. “Aly San San came about because we couldn’t think of anything and knew George [Lucas] was amazing with names. When we told him actress Allison Janney was doing the voiceover work, he instantly said, ‘Aly San San.’”

In fact, collaborating with the creator of pop culture’s greatest phenomenon presented numerous benefits. “I spent more time with George than we were able to on the original show, which was absolutely wonderful for me. Meeting with him every few weeks to review the sequences, help us tune up the show, and learn from his experience was priceless. It was like taking a master class from George Lucas.”

Musical history was made when the Imagineers worked with Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams, who wrote the original Star Wars film scores. “John and his music editor found passages from the scores to use in our show. The cabin music is taken from the original recordings!” Composer Michael Giacchino lent his Academy Award-winning talent to create additional arrangements of various Star Wars themes for the commercials and pre-show videos.

With so much to see and hear, Disney and Star Wars fans alike will be thrilled to discover all the little homages hidden throughout the show. Tom says, “We packed as much of the films as we could into the new show. It’s really a salute to the best of Star Wars, so whether you’re a fan of the original or the newer trilogy, there’s something for everyone.”

Mark your calendars and check out Star Tours – The Adventures Continue when it opens May 20 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park and Disneyland Resort on June 3!

First Look at The Nearly Completed “Undersea Adventure”

WDWNT on May 10, 2011

Yet another inside look at the almost complete Undersea Adventure from the Disney Parks Blog:

I know “The Little Mermaid” fans have been eagerly awaiting the opening of The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure park. I’ve been waiting since I first saw the movie back in 1989! There are three other people who’ve also been hoping that someday a Little Mermaid attraction would open at Disney Parks: legendary Disney animators Glen Keane, Mark Henn and Andreas Deja. These three talented men are some of the creative minds behind all those lovable characters in the movie.

Recently, Walt Disney Imagineers Larry Nikolai and Chris Crump gave the animators a tour of the new attraction. I was lucky enough to also be on this tour, along with a crew from D23 magazine. You can read their extensive article in this month’s issue and here.

In this video you get to see a rare Disney moment: animators seeing their work come to life in a Disney Parks attraction. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And remember, The Little Mermaid~Ariel’s Undersea Adventure opens at Disney California Adventure park on June 3.