9″ Muppets on the loose

WDWNT on April 11, 2011

On the Disney Parks Blog today, Steven Miller talked about the release of Muppets 2. Most of the information was not new to frequent readers of DV, however the images he included were! Confirmation of all 4 of the 9″ Muppets, 3-D Kermit, Animal, Gonzo (with Camilla), and Sam the Eagle. No word on edition sizes (but DV thinks they will be pretty big, think Toy Story 9″, unless they feel there are too many Toy Story 9″ left) and the release date is only known to be NOT April 15th. The artist is Monty Maldovan.

Kermit 3-D 9″

Originally the chaser for series 1, until they put a tux on him to celebrate the 55th anniversary, this design was kept over and blown up to be a 9″ figure for series 2. I really like the Muppets 3-D logo shirt, the Mickey Ears, and the 3-D glasses (which look so good I can’t tell if they are part of the paint or an accessory!) The second vinylmation to have 3-D glasses, it’s nice to see Kermit has upgraded to Polorized technology from 3-D Mickey’s red and blue anaglyph tech.

Animal 9″

Animal looks really good. I miss not having actual hair, but I do have to say the design is better then I expected (after having Celeste set the bar so high). The have all the details, from the drum stick, to the silver bracelets (it would have been cool to make them studded), to the rope belt. Very cool. As an ex-drummer I think I’m gonna have to buy this one.

Sam the Eagle 9″

Released June 24th
LE 1500

Check out his parioticness! The American flag in the background (the ears). Sam’s beak also looks really good from this angle. Using the (not for long) Mickey nose it really does almost look like a beak in this shot! Perfect eyebrow, and I also like the talons on the front, with one on the back.

The back of Sam gets it’s own row because of the special accessory. The tail! It’s been added and looks cool! I can’t wait to see it in person!
Gonzo 9″

Sold with: Camilla 3″

Well there wasn’t much they could do about Gonzo’s nose. But once you’re past that, the rest of this figure is pretty cool. I love his suit with the flower. I’ll miss not having a 3″ Gonzo for the moment, but I think this pairing is a great idea.

Camilla 3″

Sold with: Gonzo 9″

Gonzo’s love interest has followed him all the way to the vinylmation box. I really think this 3″ works, and would buy several if she came alone. Great job with this figure Monty!

I think this series will have me bending my “No 9” rule just a little. Ok, a lot. I want them all! What do you think? Forgetting the desire to have these chracters as 3″s (which I hope comes later) do these figures work for you? Let us know…

All pictures from disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

Mickey’s Modified Mold

WDWNT on April 10, 2011

Update: 4/11/11 Disney acknowledged the change in mold design today on their blog. Donald Ferro, vinylmation developer, said, “We are always striving to make the best possible figures. The first form was introduced in November 2008. As the artwork has become more complex, there were elements of the first form which made it challenging from a manufacturing perspective.”

Artist Thomas Scott said, “We have learned much since the introduction of Vinylmation. We can draw anything, but the art has to translate into printing pads and spray masks, so there are limitations. And since we are not present at the manufacturing facilities, we can’t always predict how they will choose to execute our designs. This revised form addresses a few of those more challenging areas to apply artwork. One challenging area was the space where the underside of the belly and top of the feet meet. The feet are now removable which leaves the door open for improved artwork and future accessory opportunities.”

Artist Eric Caszatt explained, “Continuous improvements are part of our Disney philosophy,” explained Eric Caszatt. “We are excited to use this form as it combines the root of Vinylmation – the Mickey Mouse shaped canvas – with design enhancements that will make future figures look even better than today.”

It looks like Disney is already into the change, but we did notice that most of the quotes were about the new removable feet, and less about the changes to the bigness of the body and the loss of details lines on the face.

Update: DV Reporter Ryan also pointed out that Casey Jones’ Winnie the Pooh from The Florida Project will be using the new mold. After looking at the other pieces, it seems that the Hula girl (which used to be part of the event) was also the new mold, but Thomas Scott’s Dumbo (which replaced the Hula girl) seems to be the old design!

Thanks to a comment on Sea Creatures Explained by Jay Knight and a note by DV reporter Ryan, a few changes in Mickey’s Vinylmation mold have been brought to our attention. These changes, outlined below, will premier in the Sea Creatures series coming out April 22nd.

Shape

Old Shape
New Shape

First, is the general shape of the figure. You will notice the new shape is rounder and smoother. The body is a little fatter. Also, look at the space between the ears… it is shorter and rounder and the ears themselves seem more circular. The cheeks do not bubble out. And there doesn’t appear to be a large indention between the feet anymore, meaning a smoother canvas for the artist. the general shape of the feet has also been altered.

Profile

Old Nose
New Nose

In this side by side profile shot, you can see the new nose is rounded and stubby. As opposed to the protruding nose we have come used to. You can also notice in this profile, more about the new shape. Noticeably rounder in both the head and body. The ears are also attached a little differently.

Contour Lines

Old Face
New Face

Disney must have applied some anti-aging cream to Mikey, because his lines are gone. No more outlines of Mickey’s facial features in the face. Also gone…

Old Somach


New Stomach

…are the buttons on the stomach.

Hand

Old Hand
New Hand

The right hand will take on a more cupped shape and both arms look a bit slimmer as well. In this picture, you can also notice some changes to the contour of the side of the feet near the ankles.

“Overall, I think these changes are positive. Anything to help the artists provide a more true-to-concept design, I’m all for it. I do not like the nose shape change. That takes away one of Mickey’s identifiable features. I also feel the same way about the contour lines on the face and especially the buttons. Look, I know the ears are a pretty big giveaway, but in the end, these are artistic designs on Mickey and I think those changes take a small piece of that away.” – Nick

Are these changes for this series or here to stay? What do you think about these changes?

Cupcakes with Cute Filling?

WDWNT on April 9, 2011

The bakery series. A group of us were talking at D-Street yesterday, while we waiting for the Duck Tales release, and the topic of the bakery series came up. We discussed the frosting and how much larger it seemed then the actual vinylmation. We projected that this frosting might be an additional piece, similar to Buzz Lightyear’s helmet.

We also noticed the tuffs of hair in the ears of Cheshire Cat Cupcake, and the ears in the ears of Marie Cupcake. A nice woman from Eustis suggested the following, “Maybe the frosting comes off to reveal a character painted on the actual vinylmation on the inside!” That would be awesome, and make the bakery set a must have in my book.

What do you think? Do you think the frosting will be plastic? Removable? Scratch and sniff? Let us know.

Noah’s 3″ Custom Tron Figures at D-Street

WDWNT on April 9, 2011

If you missed your chance at the very limited edition of Noah’s 9″ custom TRON figures, then here’s another chance at a similar product. Originally sold in the Pop Up Shop in Culver City, these 3″ versions are $150 each and of very limited quantity. Each was only available for a week last year, but right now at D-Street (Florida) you can buy all three flavors at once! It will just cost you $450 bucks.

Duck Tales Out of Box and on my Table!

WDWNT on April 8, 2011

Regardless of price, this set is pretty cool. here’s a first look at our Duck Tales set out of the box (Although the design on the back of the box is very cool, just like with Tail Spin)
Check out the removable top hat (the third top hat in vinylmation). I also really like that the ears on Launchpad are clear in the middle. And Scrooge’s glasses are perfect!

Check out Launchpad’s scarf. Pretty cool if you ask me.

What do you think? Did you stand in line this morning to get these?

More Disney Afternoons Confusion on Price (Better Ending)

WDWNT on April 8, 2011

Update: 4/9/11 Wow, I just looked at the price tag on a box a friend who was in line behind me bought. His box is priced at $26.95, but they only charged him $24.95. Once again I have to say thank you to D-Street for being very cool about this situation. It seems now that after I mentioned the price problem (I was the first one out of the store) that they quickly changed the price tags on the box. But, and this is the awesome part, it seems like they kept charging the $24.95 price for everyone who was in line that morning. I heard the price went back to actually being $26.95, but it seems only after the wait line had ended. Very cool Disney, very cool.

Update: Noon. We are hearing rumors that the price might be back up to $26.95, I guess they have a price gun at D-Street.

Nick and I both waited in line outside D-Street Florida today to get the Duck Tales set. We got to meet with a lot of people, including oft-commenter Claudia!, and talk some vinyl. Once inside the store we picked up our Duck Tales set and noticed something interesting.

The price tag read $24.95. I was excited, because I was expecting to pay more, until I noticed they had rung me up for $26.95. Unlike the Tail Spin problem, D-Street graciously offered to refund my money. When I went back a little later, they did mention that the price when scanned had been changed back to the $24.95. Thank you Disney for staying true to the price tag! As of this post, the Art of Disney site still has this:

I appreciate the speed and easy of this solution, but it does bring to mind, why (after a month) are these sets still being released with the wrong price tags? And why, if they were already priced, did Disney go and change the price?

Muppets 2 Vinylmation Explained

WDWNT on April 8, 2011

Update: 4/15/11 Price is actually $11.95 at D-Street. But it’s $12.95 at Disney Stores. Check out more info (and pics of price tags) at Muppets 2 Price post.

Update: 4/8/11 Thanks to Don Sawyer, we have the retail price for Muppets 2. It’s $12.95. We also now know the Penguin is the triple. (makes sense)

Update: 4/6/11 We now have turnarounds for all 11 3″ figures. Check out the backs of everyone. Nothing super exciting, but Floyd does have a ponytail. Also added pic of chaser. The photo is from eBay seller lindogcatbird.

Update: 4/2/11 Video from @FrogFan76 confirms all but the chaser. Check out his video at his youtube channel youtube.com/frogfan76 and his twitter at @FrogFan76. Thank you FrogFan76 for putting these out there for the world to see.

Update: There is a rumored list of the Muppets 2 lineup on the Vinylnation website. DV has yet to verify the lineup with Disney at this time (although all but the chaser have been confirmed by other outside sources). Disney has released some of pics and figures of Muppets 2 already. So here is the complete Disney verified and rumored list and our thoughts on each. Thanks to our leaders who emailed/tweeted/commented with links pointed to this info! We super appreciate it!

Update: According to commenter DiMera78, the Disney Stores will also be getting this series on April 15th!

Muppets 2 will be released on April 15th at both the Florida and California D-Streets. The store at Downtown Disney in California will get an added bonus… Muppets 1 and 2 designer Monty Maldovan will be on hand to sign his figures. He will be there from 2-5pm PST and will sign up to 2 items per guest. As always, these items will be limited to the artist’s own merchandise.

We know this set could also include 9″ figures, but have no details on what characters will be featured at this time. No release date details for the 9″ figures.


 Lew Zealand

Lew Zealand’s act involves boomerang fish. He throws them away and they come back to him. Lew Zealand was meant to only appear in episode 310 of The Muppet Show, and he was made from a Whatnot. However, after that, a more permanent puppet was built and Lew Zealand became a regular character.

The figure looks great, love the fish in the ears. – MC

Scooter

Scooter serves as a “gofer” backstage on The Muppet Show, and appeared from the first produced episode through the end of the series. His eye glasses are set back back with his eyes poking it and he can be seen most of the time in his green jacket.

Kinda boring figure, but that’s what Scooter is. -MC

Pepe

Pepe the King Prawn, whose full name is Pepino Rodrigo Serrano Gonzales, started life in Madrid, Spain. He worked as a chef, before moving to Hollywood and following his true calling in show business. How will Monty design this figure with the wild “hair”?

The craziest, and in my opinion, worst figure in the set so far. -MC

Penguin

The Penguins are mostly nameless and undifferentiated from one another. They have appeared in many Muppet productions and are best known for tossing themselves into the air. In Muppet Vision 3D at DHS, the Penguins are featured in the orcestra pit in both puppet and animatronic form.

There are already 2 peguin vinylmation out there, but I still want this one too! So adorable. -MC

Captain Link Hogthrob

Link Hogthrob is one of 3 figures in Muppets 2 that come from the “Pigs in Space” sketches. Link idebuted in the second season as the not-so-fearless captain of the Swinetrek, he thinks very highly of himself, and that often led to conflict with his co-star, First Mate Piggy.

Kinda devoid of features to identify him, but the other two are not Link, so this must be him. Love the suit. Love the cape.-MC

First Mate Piggy

The second character from “Pigs in Space” is First Mate Piggy. At the height of this sketch’s popularity, in 1981 the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia were greeted by Pigs in Space on two consecutive mornings with specially recorded comedy bits by the Muppet performers.

Perfect. Great placement of the nose. – MC

Dr. Julius Strangepork

The third figure from “Pigs in Space” is Dr. Julius Strangepork. He is an elderly pig who serves as resident scientist aboard the Swinetrek spaceship and is occasionaly seen in other Muppets Show sketches.

Also good. The suit, the nose, ect -MC

Zoot

The brass man of the band will also be part of the group. Sunglasses and maybe a hat or a sax as an accessory!

He’s got a hat! Wish it had been a sax. Otherwise, great figure. -MC

Dr. Teeth

The leader of the Electric Mayhem, Dr. Teeth is the keyboardist and lead singer. This vinyl looks great (as far as we can see). He’s got his gold tooth, his stripped shirt, and his crazy pink/purple hat with a blue feather in it. First seen at the trade event in WDW.

Looks great. Love the shoes. Very colorful. -MC

Sgt. Floyd Pepper

Floyd looks great wearing his Sgt. Pepper’s Band jacket and signature green army hat. The question is, will his army hat be the fancy glitter one he wears while playing bass in the orchestra pit for the Muppet Show? Also check out that bright orange mustache!
First seen on a slide from the Trade City show.

So glad he has his beard, or the face would lack any details. That’s the problem with Muppets I suspect. Love it. Check out his hip ponytail in the back. -MC
Janice

Janice plays the Les Paul guitar for the Electric Mayhem. This vinyl representation duplicates her long blond hair, big lips, and her purple eye shadow. Notice the flower on her hat symbolizing her “flower child” attitude and speech.
Chaser

Waldo C. Graphic is a computer generated character who can morph into a variety of shapes. Waldo was controlled in real time by a puppeteer, making use of a mitten-like motion-capture device called a Waldo (which he was named after). He is prominently featured in Muppet Vision 3D at DHS.

And he comes with a hat!
Kermit 3-D 9″

Originally the chaser for series 1, until they put a tux on him to celebrate the 55th anniversary, this design was kept over and blown up to be a 9″ figure for series 2. I really like the Muppets 3-D logo shirt, the Mickey Ears, and the 3-D glasses (which look so good I can’t tell if they are part of the paint or an accessory!) The second vinylmation to have 3-D glasses, it’s nice to see Kermit has upgraded to Polorized technology from 3-D Mickey’s red and blue anaglyph tech.

Animal 9″

Animal looks really good. I miss not having actual hair, but I do have to say the design is better then I expected (after having Celeste set the bar so high). The have all the details, from the drum stick, to the silver bracelets (it would have been cool to make them studded), to the rope belt. Very cool. As an ex-drummer I think I’m gonna have to buy this one.

Sam the Eagle 9″

Released June 24th
LE 1500

Check out his parioticness! The American flag in the background (the ears). Sam’s beak also looks really good from this angle. Using the (not for long) Mickey nose it really does almost look like a beak in this shot! Perfect eyebrow, and I also like the talons on the front, with one on the back.

The back of Sam gets it’s own row because of the special accessory. The tail! It’s been added and looks cool! I can’t wait to see it in person!
Gonzo 9″

Sold with: Camilla 3″

Well there wasn’t much they could do about Gonzo’s nose. But once you’re past that, the rest of this figure is pretty cool. I love his suit with the flower. I’ll miss not having a 3″ Gonzo for the moment, but I think this pairing is a great idea.

Camilla 3″

Sold with: Gonzo 9″

Gonzo’s love interest has followed him all the way to the vinylmation box. I really think this 3″ works, and would buy several if she came alone. Great job with this figure Monty!

Which characters did you feel were missing from the first series that that are still not on this rumored Series 2 list? Leave us your suggestions in the comments!

Thanks to muppet.wikia.com for some background info on the characters.

And a special thanks to @FrogFan76 for his video over at youtube.com/frogfan76.

Artists Designs of Goof Troop Set

WDWNT on April 7, 2011

Today Disney opened up it’s Sneak page and allowed us a viewing of the Goof Troop set by Chris Chapman. We only saw a little bit of the designs in the advertising pictures a month ago, so it’s nice to see the whole figures. Again, no release date set for this set. What do you think?

Goofy

Another Goofy????? That’s like 5? 6? Dang, that’s a lot of goof. At least he only has two ears, unlike his Nerds version. His tie and sweater really bring me back to the show. (And that weird movie)

Max

Goofy’s kid from Goof Troop. He will come will a skateboard.

DuckTales out tomorrow! Take a sneak peek today!

WDWNT on April 7, 2011

Being released tomorrow, April 8th, is the 2nd set in the Disney Afternoons Series: Duck Tales!
The set is designed by Chris Chapman and will be releases periodically through the next couple of month. But tomorrow is the release of DuckTales, and today we got a chace to see the turnarounds of both chracters!

Launchpad McQuack

The pilot of both Scrooge and Darkwing, Launchpad has been all over the Duckverse. I think the long jaw is a good design choice, although it might be a little off color, like the Mickey Nerd mouth.

Scrooge McDuck

The main character of DuckTales. Check out the top hat. That’s the third top hat accessory so far. A pretty good accessory, but we’d rather some money bags!

What do you think of this set? Will you be out there tomorrow morning with Destination Vinylmation??

Online Help Desk: Best Markers for Signing Vinyls

WDWNT on April 7, 2011


A reader wrote us and asked “I bought a black 9″ vinyl that I plan to bring to Disney to collect autographs on. Do you have any idea what the best kind of marker (I was thinking silver) to use on a vinylmation?”

Let us know your opinions so we can help our friend out. What do you feel is the best pen for black and white vinyl? Is it a black sharpie? One of those silver paint pens? Leave a comment with your experience having people sign your vinyls, preferably brand and color! Thanks.