Monday, February 28, 2011

Figment Sighting This Weekend!

Fellow collector Tom, spotted this Figment ("Noble Knight") in Downtown Disney at Disneyland® this past weekend.

No specifics are available but from the image (click image for a larger view), it will be a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750 with a SRP of $140.00.

Thanks Tom!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Check Out Latest Episode of 'D23's Disney Geek'!

Episode Twenty-Nine of "D23's Disney Geek" is now online!

This week check out the following:

- Donnie Dunagan—the original voice of Bambi—talks about working with Walt Disney

- Stars align for "Phineas and Ferb"—including Jane Lynch, Michael Douglas, Michael J. Fox and more! Plus, the boys will soon greet guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

- A tour of Chicago's Michigan Avenue Disney Store reveals fascinating Disney design details (did Clarabelle Cow start the Great Chicago Fire?)

- Disney Junior—Live on Stage! sets its opening dates to say "Yo Ho, Let's Go!" to guests- "High School Musical" spins off into a new Disney Channel series

- Toon Studios reveals "Planes"—a high-flying new movie soaring above the world of "Cars"

- Scoop on Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" including the roster of voice talent

- Popping the popcorn for the Academy Awards

- Viewer questions… and more!

Episode Twenty-Nine can be viewed here!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

'Winter in Bloom' Premiere Event this Weekend!

Tinker Bell ("Delicate Daydreamer") the Fourth Release in the Disney Artist Series and Second Release in the Tinker Bell Seasons is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 3,000 sculpted by Margi Wray.

The sculpture will making its debut this coming weekend (February 25-27, 2011) at all participating retailers. Please click image above and/or here for participating retailers!

Friday, February 18, 2011

The ‘Toy Story’ Gang to Ride Again!

LOS ANGELES— Toy Story fans, rejoice. Pixar will release two new short films starring Woody and pals by year’s end. The first short, Hawaiian Vacation, will run with Cars 2, which will arrive in theaters on June 24th. Pixar unveiled Hawaiian Vacation at a gathering of about 300 Disney investors and analysts in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday. (Barbie and Ken try to stow away with Bonnie for a Hawaiian trip but get left home, to their enormous disappointment; Woody, Buzz and the other toys try to console the pair by improvising an island vibe but . . . it doesn’t go well.) The second short — a title was not announced — will run with The Muppets, a Disney feature film set for a Thanksgiving release.

In related Pixar news, Disney announced a direct-to-DVD spin-off of Cars, with airplanes as the main characters. Planes, undoubtedly accompanied by related merchandise, will arrive in spring 2013. The movie will focus on Dusty, a small-town dreamer who longs to enter an around-the-world air race despite his fear of heights.

Phineas and Ferb, the Disney Channel cartoon, is also headed to the big screen; Disney said it was in the early stages of developing a Phineas and Ferb feature that will be a hybrid of live action and animation.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Check Out Latest Episode of 'D23's Disney Geek'!

Episode Twenty-Eight of "D23's Disney Geek" is now online!

This week check out the following:

- D23 Members race to our "Cars and Stars" event with Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer and exciting new details about "Cars 2"—Plus, John Lasseter reveals his character in the high octane sequel!

- Bob Iger chats about the D23 Expo, and some dalmatian pups hang out for this year's Fan Art Contest

- "Newsies"—the beloved 1992 film—is set to hit the stage a big new musical this fall

- Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers is "Going to Walt Disney World." While Chip and Dale make a Super appearance!

- ElecTRONica extends its run at Disney California Adventure

- The Disney Fantasy marks a major milestone with character

- Viewer questions… and more!

Episode Twenty-Eight can be viewed here!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Disney/Pixar's Cars 2: The Video Game Revving Up For Summer 2011 Release!


DISNEY•PIXAR’S CARS 2: THE VIDEO GAME REVVING UP FOR RELEASE SUMMER 2011

Video Game Based on Highly Anticipated Cars 2 Film Features New International Spy-Themed Adventures with Favorite Cars Characters


BURBANK, Calif. — (February 15, 2011) – Disney Interactive Studios today announced that Disney•Pixar’s Cars 2: The Video Game is coming to major platforms this summer. Unveiled at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, Cars 2: The Video Game will allow players to jump into the Cars universe with a brand new international spy theme. The game will feature an array of beloved Cars characters competing in action-packed spy adventures, as well as world-class racing. Inspired by the upcoming Disney•Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game is slated for release this summer.

Cars 2: The Video Game brings players inside the international training center CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage), where they choose from more than 20 different characters and train to become world class spies. As part of their international training, they will participate in simulated hazardous missions using high-tech gadgets to evade and slow down adversaries.

Avalanche Software, video game developers of the critically acclaimed Toy Story 3: The Video Game, are back in the driver’s seat for Cars 2: The Video Game, working in close collaboration with Pixar artists to bring the humor and personality of the feature film to life.

Cars is one of Pixar’s most successful and treasured franchises, so we are thrilled to be working with Avalanche Software again to extend our creative vision of the Cars 2 universe into the interactive medium,” said Jay Ward, Cars franchise guardian at Pixar Animation Studios. “Avalanche Software has the technology, experience, and history in working with us to create the best-looking Cars video game to date.”

“The team at Avalanche Software is working on exciting ways to combine the power of the franchise with new storylines and characters in Cars 2: The Video Game to create something unlike any other racing game,” said John Blackburn, vice president and general manager of Avalanche Software. “The combination of racing, international locations and spy themes, and the beloved Cars characters makes Cars 2: The Video Game a truly unique game for players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy.”

Cars 2: The Video Game will feature connectivity with the World of Cars Online – a free-to-play browser-based, virtual world based on the hit Disney•Pixar animated Cars universe. Players will be able to discover an exciting new world beyond Radiator Springs with Mater, Fillmore, Sarge, and others as they gain rewards in the video game and then use them to unlock new items in the World of Cars Online.

Cars 2: The Video Game will be available on major video game platforms this summer including PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, and PC/MAC.

Please visit http://Disney.com/CarsVideogame and www.facebook.com/carsgames for more information.

About the Cars Franchise

Released in 2006, Disney•Pixar’s feature film Cars has become a leading boys’ franchise generating an impressive $2B in annual global retail sales for a total of $8B to date. Winner of the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Feature, Cars went on to gross $462M in global box office sales. It’s supported across The Walt Disney Company through films including the highly anticipated release of Cars 2 in Disney Digital 3D, consumer products, live theater productions, park attractions including Cars Land planned for launch in 2012, music, a web site www.Disney.com/Cars, TV including the popular series of short form content: Cars Toons, home entertainment, video games – including Cars and the upcoming June release of Cars 2: The Video Game supporting all major platforms, a virtual world www.WorldofCars.com, and books – with more than 75 new titles releasing throughout 2011 domestically, in addition to more titles on digital books and mobile applications.

About Disney·Pixar's Cars 2:

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in Cars 2 when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.

Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning Cars. Cars 2 is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film Ratatouille, and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, Up; visual effects executive producer, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Review: Wii Epic Mickey

I’ve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Epic Mickey since the game’s earliest concept art appeared on the internet in late 2008 – early 2009. The leaked drawings presented the intriguing possibility that the game would offer a spectacular “out of the Disney norm” environment. I immediately got the game upon release and finally was able to make some time to check out this awesome game!

I knew that it was likely that the original concepts would morph during the design process (the original art was, in many ways, quite extreme) and they did. But the version of the environment that actually wound up in the game is just as stunning. Epic Mickey has taken the Disney worlds that we all know and love and warped them into three-dimensional visions of a familiar, yet slightly skewed, Magic Kingdom. The worlds of Epic Mickey are decidedly cool and incredibly fun and new yet still very retro.


Most of all, Epic Mickey is a true Disney geek’s dream come true.


One of the game’s smartest design decisions was to allow you to actually portray (“play”) Mickey Mouse as you explore the game world. I found that I loved “being” Mickey (and that's saying a lot being a die-hard Donald Duck fan) and I made decisions that affect the outcome of the game based on my feeling that Mickey is always a “nice guy” and would always do the right thing. I don’t know if this is typically true of this type of exploration game, but in Epic Mickey there are usually a couple of ways to do various tasks and I usually tried to accomplish the task without resorting to destruction or virtual violence. Always being fascinated by a "parallel universe" it might be interesting to give the game a different spin seeing what it would be like if Mickey did have a dark side :)

Epic Mickey gives you a way to make choices through the use of a cleverly themed game mechanic that is pure genius: paint and thinner. Throughout the game, Mickey can collect paint and thinner, and by using a brush that he carries, Mickey can fill in missing portions of the environment with paint or he can make portions of the environment disappear using thinner. Mickey can also use paint to turn villains “good” (if enough is used), or use thinner to destroy them.

The paint/thinner mechanic is part of one of the game’s design themes
that includes an early Disney staple: cartoons. Throughout the game there are several really cool interstitial 2-D platforming games that replicate sequences from a variety of Oswald and Mickey Mouse cartoons. It’s a game mechanic that I found particularly Disney geeky. They’re just a lot of fun, and it’s great reliving these old cartoons from a first person POV.

Disney character history is also honored by the appearance of Mickey Mouse’s predecessor, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It’s great to see them both together in the same world. It’s also great to see old Disney characters being used again and Epic Mickey gives them all new life. I’ve always been extremely fond of Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow, and they both make appearances throughout the game. The new characters and enemies created for the game are also really fun. The Spatters have a particularly enjoyable personality and I found it funny that they appear in themed costumes in the various segments. It’s hilarious to see them in futuristic and pirate gear!

The environments are amazingly detailed. Some of them present amazing atmosphere with clouds, fog and rain. The lighting is very well done. The entire game is filled with eye-popping color and immense detail. I even found myself on the edge of my seat in several sections that presented virtual “dizzying heights” with cliffs and voids. I felt a touch of vertigo a couple of times!

While the game ultimately has one chief goal, I enjoyed all of the side “quests” (some of which must be completed to advance in the game while others are optional), and there were several interesting and challenging puzzles. The game also has you acquiring E-Tickets (which can be used like money at various Emporia), “Pins” both normal (bronze, silver and gold) and special (theme to a particular task you have completed or a character you have helped/defeated) and film reels that you can turn in at the Cinema for prizes. This game function appealed to the collector in me (too bad they didn’t find some way to include WDCC figurines in the game).


I’m not a hard-core gamer and I think that some games are hard that others think are easy, so I was worried about the “combat” or fighting aspect of the game. Fortunately, after finally mastering Mickey’s controls (I don’t know why it took me so long to finally get the hang of making Mickey double-jump), I was able to make it through what I considered some tough challenges and I found that I was very proud of Mickey.

There are a few things that I would like to have had changed in the game design. A game mechanic that I found incredibly useful (a way to slow time and distract enemies) became available a little too late in the game for my taste. I found it annoying that I could not “save” the game at any point that I wanted to and wound up having to replay events that I’d already successfully accomplished many times. I also had some trouble with the placement of the camera at points and while there are controls to maneuver the camera around there are simply too many places where Mickey gets stuck and you have no way to look where you are going. Fortunately the “lives” or power-ups are fairly generous and I found ways to work around the camera problems.


From what I’ve read online about the plot of the game, I’m about two thirds of the way towards the end so I know there are a lot more challenges, but ultimately what makes the game great for me is that I am craving more playtime. I want to make it back to the world of Epic Mickey and I find myself hoping that they can find a way to do a sequel game. In the meantime, I’ll have to go back and play again and find new ways to save the day! Something I'd highly recommend is the Prima Official Game Guide. You would be surprised how much it helps!

For Wii gamers (I’m sorry to say that it’s only available at this time for the Wii) and Disney fans go out and purchase a copy now! You’ll be addicted!

I want to thank my friend Matthew who shared his thoughts on this game and helped contribute to this article. Thanks Matthew!!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Check Out Latest Episode of 'D23's Disney Geek'!

Episode Twenty-Seven of "D23's Disney Geek" is now online!

This week check out the following:

- George Lucas blasts off on "Star Tours: The Adventures Continue" at Disney's Hollywood Studios—with his very special pilot

- New ABC shows from creative minds behind "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost"—plus a surprising Disneyland fact about one of them!

- The "Gnomeo and Juliet" soundtrack is loaded with awesome Elton John music and fun extras, plus a familiar voice lends his talents to a pink flamingo

- Complete details announced for D23's "Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th" and "D23's Great Disney Scavenger Hunt: Walt Disney World" events coming this May

- A chat with Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith

- More details on Tokyo DisneySea's Fantasmic!

- Viewer questions… and more!

Episode Twenty-Seven can be viewed here!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th -- Tickets On Sale 2/24!

Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th
Tickets on Sale February 24 at 10 a.m. PST; 1 p.m. EST

The Event Offers Members of Disney’s Official Fan Club an Exclusive Look at Walt Disney World and Features Disney Legends, Imagineers, Musical Performances, Entertaining Presentations, Rare Screenings, Special Gifts & More.
Plus: D23’s Great Disney Scavenger Hunt: Walt Disney World Is Ready to Race!

Walt Disney World Resort is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is marking this milestone May 14 and May 15 with their highly anticipated member event Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th, another unforgettable experience available exclusively to D23 Members. The event will take D23 Members on a journey from the moment when the first parcels of land in Central Florida were purchased in 1964 through the opening of EPCOT Center in 1982 and beyond.

D23 today announced that tickets will go on sale February 24 at 10 a.m., Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time). D23 members can purchase tickets to the spectacular two-day event at
http://d23.disney.go.com/expo/030111_EE_DestinationDWDW.html. Last year’s Destination D event was sold-out so fans are encouraged to book early.

Guests may also now register for D23’s Great Disney Scavenger Hunt: Walt Disney World, which takes place May 12 & 13, and will send hundreds of teams across the Resort’s four theme parks in what will be the largest scavenger hunt to ever hit Walt Disney World! Registration for the Hunt is open to both D23 Member and the general public. (Registration for the Hunt is separate from Destination D.)

The weekend’s activities will illuminate the rich history of Walt Disney’s “Project Florida.” Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th will feature a remarkable gathering of Walt Disney World pioneers, retrospectives, screenings of rare and newly discovered film and TV footage and lively presentations that will give D23 members an unprecedented look at this truly spectacular World.

All Destination D guests will also receive a complimentary, limited-edition reproduction of the 1970 “Preview Edition” of the Walt Disney World souvenir guidebook from the Walt Disney Archives Collection. The 22-page, colorful book is just one of the gifts Members will receive. The complete Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th line-up (as well as information about D23’s Great Disney Scavenger Hunt) is available at the D23 Web site and includes:

*Appearances by notable Disney Legends & Imagineers Marty Sklar, Bob Gurr, Jack Lindquist, Eric Jacobson, Tony Baxter, Charlie Ridgway and Ron Logan, in addition to Debra Browne, the 1971 Walt Disney World Ambassador.

*A special exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives featuring rare items and artifacts showing the creation and evolution of Walt Disney World Resort.

*A multitude of fantastic presentations covering topics such as bizarre and wacky moments in Walt Disney World’s past, Walt’s vision for EPCOT, and even a peek at the Walt Disney World that never was!

*Rare autograph session with Disney Legends and authors.

*An enchanting concert, Magic Journeys: A Flight of Fancy through 40 Years of Walt Disney World Musical Memories featuring Disney Legend and Academy Award®-winner Richard M. Sherman.

DESTINATION D: WALT DISNEY WORLD 40TH – EVENT DETAILS

Date: May 14 & May 15, 2011
Location: Fantasia Ballroom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Registration: Open Friday, May 13 from noon – 9 p.m. Open Saturday, May 14 at 8 a.m. Registration will be located at the East Registration Counter in the Fantasia Lobby of Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Tickets: Available Thursday, February 24, at 10 am PST (1 pm EST)
Visit
http://www.d23.com/ to order tickets.
Cost: $175 per person; $215 for ticket plus registration of one Great Disney Scavenger Hunt team (between two and four people).

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Check Out Latest Episode of 'D23's Disney Geek'!

Episode Twenty-Six of "D23's Disney Geek" is now online!

This week check out the following:

- A visit to the Blue Sky Cellar at Disney California Adventure, with new exhibits, an enchanted map and an Imagineer reveals a little secret!

- The Studios debuts flashy new racers from “Cars 2”

- “The Magic, The Memories and You!” illuminates Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World and “it’s a small world” at Disneyland nightly—and “Johnny and the Sprites” star John Tartaglia has something to say about it

- Updates on the expansion of Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, including a word from Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs

- D23’s special advance screening of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”—with a special appearance by Captain Hook! Plus Corey Burton and Jeff Bennett (as their vocal alter egos Hook and Mr. Smee) reveal their favorite Disneyland attraction

- Stunning new art from Tokyo DisneySea’s “Fantasmic!”

- A new D23 Member event in Chicago celebrating “Bambi” is announced”

- Viewer questions… and more!

Episode Twenty-Six can be viewed here!

Update on Pegasus Family!


This past summer, The Pegasus Family began to show up at the Theme Parks and authorized Walt Disney Classics Collection dealers.

Good News for those still waiting to add this sculpture to their collection! The remaining balance of the edition is expected to arrive and ship to retailers in mid-March.

The Pegasus Family ("Mythic Menagerie"), sculpted by Kent Melton is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 500.