Get Vinylmation Cheap this Weekend!

WDWNT on July 21, 2011

As a thank you to their fans over at facebook, the DisneyStore has offered a great discount this weekend. At both the brick and mortar stores, as well as the store online, you can get 20% off the entire order (minus a free special items). We even have confirmation from Disney that vinylmation are included in this promotion.
Remember those robots that are coming out tomorrow??? 🙂

To get the code “like” the Disney Store at facebook.com/DisneyStore and check the post they made today.

What will you be getting with this great discount???

For those who aren’t cool enough to help out Disney, you can get the discount info from here, but that’s kinda uncool dude.

Lightning McQueen Races into “Lights, Motors, Action!”

WDWNT on July 21, 2011

Lightning McQueen from the Disney-PIXAR Cars series finally debuted in the “Lights, Motors, Action!” Extreme Stunt Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Tuesday. WDWNT Reporter Adam roth was on the scene and has video to share of the new scene that replaces the Herbie the Love Bug sequence:

Spotlight On: Disney Store Artist Jim Valeri

WDWNT on July 21, 2011

All this week, we are taking a look at the Disney artists behind the Robots Vinylmation series. There has also been a ton of Robot news announced. Make sure to check out Robots Explained, Robots Uncovered, Podcast Ep. 30, Robot Artist Signing, a look at the great packaging, our review of Robots, and of course, Disney’s “When Robots Attack!” video for more Robots coverage.

Jim Valeri
Senior Manager, Design
Photo Copyright Disney

Though he was born in Akron, Ohio, Jim Valeri considers himself a California native. With a degree in illustration from Cal State Northridge, Jim worked in the aerospace industry for some time before becoming an intern at Disney Consumer products in 1994. Sixteen years later, Jim is still with the company creating Vinylmation like Cranky Bot from the Robots Series. Jim also created one of the exclusive Limited edition 9″ Robots, Salvage Bot.

Salvage Bot 9″

Art is a compulsion for Jim, so working in the creative environment of the Disney Store and making characters come to life everyday is only natural.

What are some other Vinylmation has Jim Valeri designed?

Hey, Taxi!
NYC Exclusive
New York, NY
NYC Exclusive
Bonzai
Villains 1
Stromboli
Villains 1

Spotlight On: Disney Store Artist Enrique Pita

WDWNT on July 20, 2011

All this week, we are taking a look at the Disney artists behind the Robots Vinylmation series. Make sure to check out Robots Explained, Robots Uncovered and Podcast Ep. 30 for more Robots coverage.

Enrique Pita
Senior Designer
Photo Copyright Disney

For Disney Store Senior Designer Enrique Pita, it’s always been a dream to work for Disney. Born in Havana, Cuba, Enrique moved to the US in 1980 and studied commercial art design at LA Trade Tech College. Since then, Enrique used his expertise to expand his career throughout a number of industries including print press, typography, illustration and graphic design for companies like Guess, Tiltworks and Jerry Leigh. At the Disney Store, Enrique creates artwork for everything from t-shirt graphics to Vinylmation. His recent creations include Radio Bot, Love Bot, UltraSonic Bot and El Elektro Bot from the Vinylmation Robots series.

Radio Bot 3″

An avid Disney fan, Enrique calls himself a “collector who creates collectibles”, and is proud to show off his robust collection of Disney figurines both at home and in the office.

What are some other Vinylmation Enrique Pita has designed?

Statue of Liberty Minnie
NYC Exclusive
Ursula
Villains 1
Prince John
Villains 1
Bad Pete
Villains 1

Animal is about to rock the house!

WDWNT on July 20, 2011

Kermit 3-D 9″ Animal 9″

Today Vinylmation.com announced that the Kermit 3-D and Animal 9″ figures that are part of the Muppets 2 set will be released on August 5th at both D-Streets. Each piece is by Monty Maldovan and will retail for $44.95. There will only be 1500 of each piece.

Are you picking these up? Let us know!

One Man’s Dream Now Provides An In-Depth Look at Fantasyland Expansion

WDWNT on July 20, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios yesterday to catch Lightning McQueen’s debut in Lights, Motors, Action!. While he was there, Adam checked out Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream to see if some of the updated exhibits had finally been installed. Well, they finally have:

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

The Shaghai Disney Resort is already being previewed

Walt Disney Imagineering is responsible for the new Resort previews

A brief description of the Resort

The concept art we have seen already

Some Fantasyland exhibits were already here

The new exhibit is suspended on the wall above the display case

A compilation of Fantasyland concept art including Enchanted Tales with Belle, The Great Goofini, Gaston’s Tavern, Princess Fairytale Hall, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant

An overall look at the display

A monitor has also been installed which shows an in-depth look at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Here’s video of the monitor loop:

Concept art for Scuttle’s Scavenger hunt can be found in the new video loop

Looks like guests will de deciphering some kind of code

In this artwork, guests find items washing up on the beach

Here we see a close-up of Scuttle who we assume will be a living character in audio-animatronics form

For the first time, we have a name and another look at the proposed shop across from the Mermaid attraction, Triton’s Treasures. We can also see the Ariel meet and greet area labeled as Ariel’s Grotto.

For more information on the Fantasyland Expansion as it becomes available, stay tuned to WDW News Today and WDWFantasyland.com!

Vintage Robot Boxes

WDWNT on July 20, 2011

All this week, we are taking a look at the Robots Vinylmation series. Make sure to check out Robots Explained, Robots Uncovered and Podcast Ep. 30 for more Robots coverage.

It’s funny how much detail is put into something that is meant to be thrown out by the consumer, but Disney has given us some great packaging for Vinylmation lately. When it’s not a Park, Urban or Holiday series, they really reach outside the box. The Star Wars tray was a real standout.

Copyright Disney

Disney also did a great job with sets like Cutesters and Animation as well. Then Pirates came around, and both the tray and individual box design really blew us away.

On July 22, Disney releases the Robot series of Vinylmation. We have talked the past few days about what’s in the box, but today, we will show you the packaging. The design is absolutely brilliant. This series is based on Robots from the 1950’s and ’60’s, so both the tray and blind boxes have a very vintage Sci Fi feel.

The colors on the box and the fonts used are all reminiscent of what you will see if you pick up a vintage toy robot.

I tried to open our blind box without ripping the flaps… that proved difficult. But you can see, as with Muppets and Villains, there is some entertaining writing on the flaps.

“Robot Fun! Prepare Yourself”
“There’s No Turning Back Now…
NOW You’re The Coolest Kid On The Block!”

Of course, the 11 Robots and Mystery Chaser outline are shown on the back of the box. And you can see the designers “aged” the box with fake creases and tears.

This packaging is sure to snag the eye of a passer by in the Disney Store that might not be looking for Vinylmation. For collectors, packaging as great as this just adds a little something to the experience of opening up our blind boxes. The artist did a great job at capturing that vintage Sci Fi feel from the outset and then carriing the them into the product itself.

When Robots Attack

WDWNT on July 20, 2011

Check out the new video from vinylmation.com that Disney made to announce the Robots Vinylmation Set.

I like this video a lot. What do you think?

Spotlight On: Disney Store Artist Marcella Lau

WDWNT on July 19, 2011

All this week, we are taking a look at the Disney artists behind the Robots Vinylmation series. Make sure to check out Robots Explained, Robots Uncovered and Podcast Ep. 30 for more Robots coverage.

Marcella Lau
Senior Manager, Design
Photo Copyright Disney

The daughter of a Southern California native, Marcella Lau was born and raised in Pasadena, California (the home of Disney Store Headquarters!). After graduating from Art Center College of Design with a degree in graphic design, Marcella joined the Walt Disney Company in 1997 and created everything from album covers for Disney Records to video game graphics for Disney Interactive. In 2006, Marcella joined the Disney Store team and since then she’s been designing all sorts of things… like Silly Bot from Vinylmation Robots.

Silly Bot 9″

Marcella’s favorite Vinylmation series is Villains because she loves all the characters. When Marcella isn’t at Disney Store, she loves being a great Mom to her two young children.

What are some other Vinylmation Marcella Lau has designed?

I “Mickey Head” NY
NYC Exclusive