Un-Masked

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

Dennis Conroy posted these photos to Vinylmation Exchange today:

They are photos of the upcoming Disney Store Masks Vinylmation series. Each figure comes with that piece over their head as a “mask.” They remove to uncover the character below. However, the character does not match up with the rest of the body. This could be done for comedic effect OR they could be mix and match heads!

Under the surgeon’s mask, looks like the hockey player. Under the hockey mask, looks like the spa lady with cucumbers on the eyes. Under the ninja’s mask, looks like the villain. And under the spa mask, looks like… well, my theory kind of dead ends there. Maybe the surgeon or kabuki guy.

Any way you slice it, this is shaping up to be one of the most forgettable sets ever made. At least in the eyes of Vinylmation collectors. Shoppers at the Disney Store looking to add “fun” merchandise to their carts will probably toss a few blind boxes in. But a quick look at comments around the community make me think not many collectors will.

Disneyland Trade Night! Today, May 10th

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

Trading Night at the Disneyland Resort
May 10
Pacific Ballroom at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

Calling all Traders! Join us for Disney Trading Night, May 10, from 5 – 8 p.m in the Pacific Ballroom at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Meet avid and novice traders, make friends and share stories about your collections.

We kindly ask that Guests do not line up until one hour prior to the start of the event. Please park in the Downtown Disney District parking area or the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Visit.disneypins.com to see the latest pin releases and future Disney Trading events.

Dirk Wallen’s 2/23/13 Walt Disney World Resort Photo Report

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen takes us to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks this time around, stopping to check progress on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train, the Tangled restroom area, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, the Big Thunder Mountain interactive queue, and more! Let’s take a look:

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RFID entrance installation continues at the Studios

The large electronic scrolling sign at Sounds Dangerous is now gone, looks like we can finally officially say the attraction is dead

The new Disney JuniorL Live on Stage debuted a few weeks ago

Doc McStuffins was added to the show

As was Sophia the First

Whoops…

It was up there for some of the show…

The Epcot 30th reveal/conceal pin set came out recently

New Spring pins

85th anniversary of the Plane Crazy short

EASTER DUFFY!

New Muppet shirt

Moving over to Animal Kingdom

Kodak picture spots are still up…

RFID entrances still being installed at Animal Kingdom as well

More Kodak

Hard to believe, but they are still installing the nets at Tree of Life

This is taking forever…

Some areas look completed

Others look like no work has even started

Beastly Bazaar will soon open as the Adventurers Outpost, a Mickey and Minnie meet and greet

The Character Landing will soon host Donald and Daisy, Pooh and Tigger are heading to Camp Minnie-Mickey

Pocahontas has already moved out of Camp Minnie-Mickey

The old theater for Pocahontas and Her Forrest Friends is still stroller parking

Some walls up in Camp Minnie-Mickey

We believe they are installing FastPass+ behind these walls at Theater in the Wild

Moving to Epcot, Flower and Garden Festival preparation is in full swing

Some scrims still up near the Oz playground

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs near Germany

Toy Story characters in the American Adventure

Lady and the Tramp in Italy

All of the booths are up… it’s so weird to see these out so early in the year…

They are giving out seed packets to promote Oz: The Great and Powerful and the festival

The Mission: Space facade is being refurbished, the ride is open still

Don’t try to park at the Polynesian Resort, there is a ton of construction equipment sitting there…

Work continues on The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. There’s some strange tower rising on the right…

Another somewhat similar structure is rising outside the building on the other side

It’s starting to look like the Grand Floridian

Moving to the Magic Kingdom, Main Street Apparel is behind tarps again

Work continues on Princess Fairytale Hall

Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

Work continues on the Tangled restroom area

You can see the tree-stump shaped charging stations gusts can use to charge electronics

Work is nearing completion on the exit of “it’s a small world” that has been behind tarps

Columbia Harbour House is still behind tarps

Work continues on Splash Mountain which is closed until mid-March

More and more progress is being made on the interactive queue at Big Thunder Mountain

I see Marc Davis and Blaine Gibson references…

The detail on the new props is stunning

A nod to Western River Expedition, the attraction originally designed for this space

Most of the work on the mountain looks complete

A few tarps still out there…

This looks like way too much fun…

YES… MUST BLOW STUFF UP!

Welcome to the NEW WDW News Today, Now with Disneyland!

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

logo23

Over the last five-and-a-half years, WDW News Today has grown from a single site into an entire network of Disney-inspired websites and podcasts. Over that time, we have had plenty of successes and a few failures. Over the last year or so, we have discussed the concept of bringing together all of the websites and podcasts run by WDWNT under one roof, and integrating them all into one website. I am proud to say that our technical team has made that dream a reality with the new WDWNewsToday.com.

The first obvious change in our operations will be the closure of Disneyland News Today, WDWNTunes, and WDWNT: The Magazine. All of the services offered by these sites will continue, but they will do so on WDW News Today.com. For the past few weeks, WDWNT visitors have been able to read the latest articles from WDWNT: The Magazine, now no longer in a digital publication form. By putting these articles into more of a blog format, we can more timely release articles and allow you an easier way to read the same great content as before.

Our online radio station, WDWNTunes, is now integrated right into WDW News Today. This will allow you to listen to great Disney Parks music and fantastic original programming such as “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless, Around the Hub, and Your Ear to the World while you read all of our great content. The chat and all functions of the original WDWNTunes can now be found by clicking the “listen” tab under “WDWNTunes” in the navigation bar.

The largest change is the closure of Disneyland News Today, WDWNT’s west-coast counterpart. While we may be saying goodbye to the Disneyland News Today name after 5 years, the same great coverage you have come to expect from DLNT is now available right here along with all the Walt Disney World news and information you love. Disneyland Resort news is now featured side-by-side with Walt Disney World news and you can pick which resort you want to read about by using the “Park News” tab in the navigation bar. Don’t worry, the very popular Disneyland News Today Podcast isn’t going anywhere in this overhaul. You can still download the podcast just as before, through this site or on iTunes. The Disneyland News Today twitter account will also continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

What was the WDWNT Network is now WDW News Today. We hope you enjoy our new site and our easier to follow layout. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, you can email us at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com, or message us on facebook or twitter. We look forward to starting this incredible new chapter with you, as we continue “bridging the gaps between you and the Disney world”!

Founder & CEO of WDW News Today
Tom Corless

Registration Date Change for Reflections of Evil Trade Event

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

According to the Disney Parks Blog, registration for the Reflections of Evil Trade event will now begin on May 13th at 1pm EST instead of May 8. But they have a good reason…

Ticket sales and event registration were slated to begin tomorrow (May 8) but in true Villains fashion, they have hidden the link to the magic portal that allows you to register because they refused to start ticket sales on any date but the 13th. So look to register for the event on the new date, May 13, 2013 at 13:00 hours (so spooky!) or 1:00 p.m. EST via ArtofDisneyParks.com.

Scary!

Artist Jared Flores to Debut A Bug’s Life Blind Box Series

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

This set was inspired by the insect characters from Disney/Pixar’s 1998 release A Bug’s Life . It features many of the beloved heroes, villains, and wildcards from Pixar Studios second movie. This set features 12 designs, followed by one Mystery Chaser.  For full photos of the set please visit my Flickr stream.

The series will go up for sale on the Facebook group: Vinylmation Exchange Customs. On Sunday May 12 at 7:00 PM PST the official post will open. There are 12 bugs available for purchase, so the first 12 people to claim their box on the post will secure a their bug. Limit one bug per person.  This purchase includes one randomly assigned character from the set, as well as a signed artist card. Each box will sell for $90, with shipping expenses included.

You can keep track of my work at http://jaredcircusbear.tumblr.com
Contact me for custom commissions at jared_circusbear@yahoo.com

Park 3 Photoshoot

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

Update 05/13/13 Here are the correct answers:

1. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Animation Academy
2. Magic Kingdom: Country Bear Jamboree
3. Contemporary Resort Lobby
4. Magic Kingdom: Prince Charming Regal Carousel
5. Magic Kingdom: Cinderella’s Castle
6. Epcot: American Adventure Sign
7. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Herbie’s Drive-In
8. Magic Kingdom: Plaza Rose Garden
9. Magic Kingdom: Jungle Cruise
10. Epcot: Mission Space
11. Magic Kingdom: Pirates of the Caribbean
12. Disneyland: Jolly Trolley
13. Magic Kingdom: Flower Bed at Entrance

Congrats to Gabriel! He got 11 out of 13 correct and wins a Vinylmation figure. Stay tuned for more Photoshoot contests.

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Park 3 photos taken around Walt Disney World. See if you can guess where the locations of each of these photos were taken. Send in your answers to DestinationVinylmation@gmail.com. (Answers posted in the comments section will not be counted). All photos are numbered (those not numbered are the same location as the photo above it) Please be as specific as possible. The person who responds with the most correct answers, will win a Vinylmation. (HINTS: 1 photo was taken at Disneyland. Only 1 photo was taken outside a theme park.) If there is a tie, winner will be randomly chosen. Deadline is Sunday, May 12 at Midnight EST. Good luck and have fun!

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Animation 3 Clown Dumbo and Timothy 9/Jr. LE Combo

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

This one, like a stork delivering a baby, seemed to come out of nowhere. And there are some interesting release details here. This is a 9″ Clown Dumbo and Jr. Timothy combo for the Animation 3 series designed by Monty Maldovan. Here is the fun part… its a limited edition of only 250 pieces! AND, costs a whopping $99.95!

 If I’m being honest, I don’t know if this needs a 9″ platform. There is a lot of grey empty space and something aesthetically to me just doesn’t look quite right.

The junior Timothy makes sense size wise to pair with a 9″ Dumbo and he is designed really well.

This seems to be one of those rare times that Disney is pairing up a price with an edition size. We know that the Mickey Circus Lion and Seal last year were LE 100 with an inflated $150 price tag to reflect the rarity of them. Now, Disney does it again by charging a considerable amount more for a low LE. Now, we know they don’t always do this, as some LE 500 figures didn’t see a price increase. And we also know that even figures with an inflated edition size can get a very high price tag. Let’s look at a recent comparable, Jabba and Salacious 9/Jr. It is LE 1000 with a $60 price tag. That was the same price as the Villains 9/Jr combos a few years back, so that has stayed, while still high in my opinion, consistent. But then you have Han Solo in Carbonite as an LE 2000 and costs $35! That’s $10 above most double 3 inch combos.

I have stopped trying to understand Disney merchandise a long time ago. I never knew that all this asking Disney to give us lower edition sizes would increase the price tags! They just don’t get it. At $100, I think this will sit on the shelves for quite some time. At $60 with an LE 250, it would sell out. What do you think?

Independence Day 2013 Eagle

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

We got a sneak peek at this one a while back, but we now see the turnaround of the Independence Day 2013 Eagle designed by Maria Clapsis. Like most holiday event vinyls, it does not have an official LE size, but these really do vary in production size. Some stay in stores for months, some sell out before holiday the celebrate. This on will release on June 7th and retail for $14.95.

A few wonderful aspects here, let’s start at the top. The old school flag in the ears with the circle of 13 stars and there are actually 13 stripes!!!! The eyes look stoic. The beak looks almost 3D. The feathering on the body and head is amazing detail. The the talons on the feet… wow.

Fantasia G8or and Hippo

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

We have been waiting for this one, and Thomas Scott left it for last. The famous Gator and Hippo from Fantasia are the 8th and final two piece combo in this wonderful series. It will be released at the parks and online on June 28. Like the rest of the series, it will be $24.95 and LE 2,000.

 There are many ways we thought the Gator could fit on the Mickey platform, and I think Thomas did a wonderful job. The color in the ears have always given this series and added flare. This combo is no different. The Gator’s face extends down onto the body and fits on there so well. Its all about proportions to make it look right, and this is pulled off so very well. This series has and need accessories, so the cape is perfect.

The Hippo is simple and elegant. We do have two Hippos already, but this is the first normal 3″. We have the 9″ with fabric skirt and the 3″ that was the chaser from the Disney Store’s light up series. I do want to see this one in person. As much as I like it, I might have liked a lighter shade for the Hippo just to make it pop some more. I do love the purple eye lids and other highlights that really help the design.