Florida Project Vinylmation Auction Catalog

WDWNT on August 29, 2011

Today, Disney released the catalog of items up for auction at the Florida Project. Along with one of a kind items, they also have lots of chasers and variants. We picked out some highlights below. Take a look at the entire catalog here.

Pete’s Dragon signed by Mickey Rooney
Not produced Haunted Mansion Tote and Make-up Bag
Stormtrooper, Boba Fett and Darth Vader cutouts from midnight Star Wars release
Molds pulled from mold machine
Not produced Tink variant

Florida Project One of a Kinds

WDWNT on August 26, 2011

Like Trade City 2010, Florida Project will have some One-of-a-Kind Vinylmation. As Disney releases the pictures, you will see them here.


Artist: Maria Clapsis

This is amazing and perfect for this event. It is modeled after something actually done in the early days of Walt Disney World. Check out this excerpt from The Main Street Gazette:

Photo from The Main Street Gazette
From 1972 through 1973 water skiing shows featuring daring feats and character-clad skiers took place regularly on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Depending on the year, the event was known as either the Walt Disney World Water Ski Spectacular or The Wonderful World of Water Ski Show and would feature up to five shows a day, including nighttime acts. The show could be seen from near the Magic Kingdom monorail station and did have an admission cost of between 50 to 75 cents. During the latter period of the show’s short history, a “D” ticket could also be used to gain admission.



Not to mention the Florida Project Pin and Postcard some of us are picking up:

Artist: Maria Clapsis

Artist: Adrianne Draude

D23 Vinylmation Preview: Florida Project

WDWNT on August 19, 2011

I can’t wait for the Florida Project! September 9-11 at EPCOT. We already knew all the figures for purchase, but we got a peek at the ‘gift’ given to people who registered for the Vinylmation day:

It’s a Minnie Mouse. I don’t know about you, but this figure doesn’t do much for me. Its kind of plain. I like the bow, but a generally ugly piece. Your thoughts?

The Orange Bird is a different story. I know we already have one (the AP Exclusive), but this one has a different facial expression and a Mickey Ear Hat! This guy will be only available through trading with Cast Members at the Florida Project.

Here is a look at the 3″ available. Dumbo will be sold with a 9″ Mickey and Pooh will be sold solo.

On the right, is the 9″ Mickey that is packaged with the 3″ Dumbo. On the left is the 9″ Empress Lily. Check out our Florida Project Explained page for more info.

Florida Project RSP Info

WDWNT on August 4, 2011

If you submitted an RSP (Random Selection Process) for Pins or Vinylmation at The Florida Project (if you didn’t, it’s too late), and you missed the confirmation email details, here are a couple important dates:

August 12
We will know right around this date the results of the RSP. What did you put first? (pins or Vinylmation)

August 26
This is big day our cards get charged.

A New Orange Bird?

WDWNT on August 3, 2011

Today on the Disney Parks Blog Stephen Miller showed off several of the pieces of merchandise from the upcoming Florida Project Show (Sept. 9-11th). In the very last shot he teased a cast trader that they will be seeding into boxes at the event on Sunday.

Photo by Disney. Thanks to Sophie for getting it more focused for us!

The Orange Bird with Mickey Ears. I think it’s a fun addition to our collections, especially next to the Passholder’s Exclusive Orange Bird.

What do you think?

Thanks to Konrad for pointing us here as soon as it popped up!

Also according to Michelle St. Laurent-Sheive, former Disney Design Group Artist turned Display and Design Manager with Park Event Operations, appearing at the event is a “giant, three-dimensional Orange Bird that will be placed on the World Showcase promenade welcoming guests to the event (do I smell photo opportunity?)” Let’s see how many photos next to it we can put on the site!

Pics from the Disney Parks Blog

New Vinylmation on Display at WDW

WDWNT on July 9, 2011

I was like a kid in a candy store last night at the Vinylmation/Pin Trade show at Walt Disney World. The candy store was the Fantasia Ballroom in the Contemporary Resort. The candy was the amazing looking upcoming Vinylmation from Park 7, Holiday 3, Urban 7, Astrology and The Florida Project. First up, lets flash back to the year 2000. Remember this:

This figure will be in Park 7 and is scheduled for an early fall 2011 release. It’s the EPCOT ball as it looked in 2000 when they added the Mickey hand, wand and stars. I am in a minority, but I liked this look a lot. Not as a permanent feature, and the 7 years it was there was a bit too long, but I was a fan. And I’m a HUGE fan of this figure. With the ball in the body, using the right arm as sorcerer Mickey’s arm (note the red sleeve), and the accessory wand with star!!! With the clear blue head and stars in the ears, this figure looks amazing in person. Also from Park 7…

Beautiful colors on this Kali River Rapids figure. Kali of course is a place to get very, very wet at the Animal Kingdom. Depending on what third of the raft you sit on, you either stay rather dry, get a little wet or couldn’t be more wet if you just jumped into the river. One more Park 7 was there. Check out the Hollywood Studios Earful tower.

The tower perfectly fits the Vinylmation mold and looks great. But what’s that red, white and blue figure in the bottom corner?

BOOM! This fireworks figure from Holiday 3, Fall 2011, is explosive. (sorry) We saw the pin from Sci Fi academy pics, and as expected, it comes with the cone cap.

In this side view, you can see the fuse. You can also peak at the side of Earful Tower where Mickey Mouse is painted on. But that’s not all! Astrology was on hand. And check this out:

Ya, Sagittarious has a bow. It seems to be the only accessory in the set. Astrology, designed by the talented combo of Lisa Badeen and Maria Clapsis, with art direction by Thomas Scott, has designs that are very well thought out. Here’s a look at the whole set:

I’m not a big fan of this set in theory, and am still not sure what ones, if any I’ll be buying, but I can’t deny the set is looks great and is well designed with the constellations mapped out onto the figures with perfect placement of the designs.

The packaging is an open window design with 6 figures pictured on one side and 6 on the other. They list the dates corresponding to the astrology signs so you can pick your figures out very easily.

Up to now, we have only seen a 2D version the 9″ Park 6 Davy Crockett. When we saw the 3″ version for the D23 Expo, Davy had a coon skin hat with a tail. It looks great, and lead us to hope for the same for the 9″ version. From the picture, we knew he would have the hat… but the tail?

Oh yeah! The King of the Wild Frontier, due out mid-August, is going to look great exploring the wilderness of my Vinylmation cabinet. Now we have seen all of Urban 7 before, but last night, one of life’s great mysteries would be answered. When we first saw Mike Sullivan’s, what we first called, “a Bob Ross painting like figure”…

we had no real clue what it represented. But what we DID know for sure, is the back would hold all the answers and let us know exac…

Oh. Ok, maybe it didn’t. Let’s move on to The Florida Project…

Dumbo from The Florida Project
Pooh from The Florida Project
I wasn’t sure about the Empress Lilly figure, but the design looks spectacular in person. The printing, the colors and the quality are really special on this Florida Project Vinylmation. The packaging was also on full display for the first time.
Speaking of The Florida Project, they also had many of the pins for the September event on display. I visited those boards many times. I can’t wait for this event. I’m a huge retro Disney fan, and these products are right up my ally. Darn you Vinylmation for being my gateway drug to pins! Well, I had fun seeing everyone there last night. Did you make some good trades? What do you think of the Vinylmation on display?

Empress Lily Box

WDWNT on July 8, 2011

Picture Copyright Disney

Today vinylmation.com released real shots of The Florida Project vinylmation. You can check them all out at the site, but the most interesting, and freshest part of the announcement was a picture of the box the Empress Lily will come it. I love the colors of The Florida Project!

The time is now… RSP for the Florida Project

WDWNT on June 2, 2011


We got our emails from The Florida Project announcing that the RSP process has begun. The deadline for submitting your selections is July 31st, at 11:59 PST. So take another look at everything being offered and make your selection!

 Retro Dumbo

RSP2
Artist: Thomas Scott
Sold with Retro Mickey 9″
LE 1500
Set Price: $74.95

Retro 70s Mickey 9″

RSP2
Artist: Thomas Scott
Sold with: 3″ Retro Dumbo
LE 1500
Set Price: $74.95

Retro Pooh 3″

RSP1
Artist: Casey Jones
LE 1000
Price: $14.95
Empress Lilly 9″

RSP3
Artist: Lin Shih
LE: 750
Price: $49.95

What are you putting first???? I think I’m gonna go for the 3″s.

The Florida Project: What is RSP?

WDWNT on May 10, 2011

For those of you who came over to Vinylmation from Pins, you probably already know what Disney’s RSP or Random Selection Process is. If you are familiar with it, please feel free to share your comments below. For those not familiar with the process, what follows is a brief explanation of it.

The reason we are bringing this up today, is it appears this process may apply to Vinylmation, as well as Pins, at the Florida Project Trading Event in September. All the pins have been assigned RSP numbers in the Trade Show catalog.

Note the RSP number at the top middle
RSP numbers also appear next to the Vinylmation in that catalog.

We do not know for sure, but this leads us to believe they may be using RSP for Vinylmation as well. What is RSP? Here is a selection from Disney’s Pin Trading FAQ page:

In an effort to provide an equitable distribution of the limited edition event merchandise, we have asked our Information Technology Department to assist us by supervising a Random Selection Process (RSP). The RSP eliminates the need for guests to arrive early and stand in line to purchase items that are limited in nature. The RSP is a computer-generated process matching a list of Guest names and their desired merchandise selections and rankings. All Guest names, their merchandise selections and rankings are entered into the system. When all information has been input, the system will randomly assign merchandise items to each Guest for purchase, based on the edition size, ranking and the ranking of all other attendees. For example, if an item has an edition size of 20 and 100 Guests show an interest to purchase this, the computer will randomly select 20 Guests who will be offered the opportunity to purchase the item.

So you must enter a drawing for the chance to purchase Pins. Guests attending the Florida Project and who signed up for the Pin Trading days, today received an email with a link to the RSP form to fill out for the Pins they wish to purchase. This is my first Pin event. I’m drawn in by the great retro Disney merchandise. I like the idea of a no pressure situation… I don’t have to rush down to EPCOT and be at the front of the line and wonder if the Pins I want will be there. Plus this allows for merchandise to still be available for people who can’t make it the first day. It is a bit odd being told by a computer what I can and can’t purchase. If you registered for the Vinylmation day of the Florida Project, keep an eye out for an email about RSP and we will let you know if we get confirmation one way or the other.

What do you think of RSP? Have you had a good or bad experience with it in the past?

When I See an Elephant Fly

WDWNT on April 13, 2011

This September at The Florida Project event, a 3″ Dumbo Vinylmation designed by Thomas Scott will be released in a 9/3 combo with a 9″ Retro Mickey.

 If there were a poll of the most iconic rides at the Magic Kingdom, Dumbo would surely be toward the top of the list. In the shadow of Cinderella’s castle, kids and adults alike hapily take flight high above Fantasyland in one of 16 Dumbo-shaped ride vehicles. 
In truth, this is no more than an aerial carousel ride you may find at a local carnival, but the location and theming make it a classic. This ride, with minor differences, appears in all 5 Disney parks world-wide. At Magic Kingdom, Dumbo was an opening day attraction in 1971. And this figure perfectly captures both the style of the ride vehicle and era in which it opened.
The overall design, with the selected color palette and flowers, really place this figure into the early 70’s. 

The face of Dumbo well represents the front of the ride vehicle with the animated look and the eyes peeking upward at the rider. The main discrepancy is the trunk… upward facing on all the ride vehicles, but downward on the figure. The hat is also a great touch. Well done, and just like the Hong Kong 5th Anniversary Dumbo.

But that is where the similarities end, this new Dumbo has a much different design scheme. The obvious difference is in the colors that are used. Also, check out the trunk. The HK figure has the upward facing trunk that this Dumbo should have. The back of the HK figure continues with the magical sparkles that surround the figure and features a HK 5th Anniversary Logo. The back of The Florida Project figure however shows off the brilliant details that tie it more closely to the attraction ride vehicle.

The “rug” on the back perfectly represents the area where the rider sits… right down to the curled up corners. This Dumbo figure also features his signiture ruffle collar.

Originally, Disney was going to package a Polynesian Hula Girl figure with Retro Mickey. They pulled it in favor of Dumbo. The Hula figure looked great in concept art and as a Disney history fan will be a welcomed addition to my collection someday, but in the end, i’m glad Dumbo stepped in to take her place.

What are your thoughts on Dumbo and The Florida Project?