Additional Angles Added!

Last week, the Walt Disney Classics Collection announced the Fall, 2010 releases.

This morning, I updated the website with additional angles of the following:

• Dumbo
• Devil
• Undersea Gal
  

Dumbo, sculpted by Bruce Lau is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750.

The Devil and Undersea Gal, from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas were sculpted by Patrick Romandy Simmons and Limited to Production Year 2010.

Latest Additions to the Mickey's Christmas Carol Series

Ebenezer Scrooge (portrayed of course by Scrooge McDuck) is discovering the Christmas spirit the hard way—revisiting his past by gazing through the window of Fezzywig’s Tea Shop.

In this charming version of the Dickens classic put on by Mickey and his friends, many Disney favorites put in a welcome appearance, including glamorous Daisy who portrays the young Scrooge’s ladylove, Isabelle,
bedecked in her holiday best.

Also at play at Mr. Fezzywig’s party are Huey, Dewey and Louie, putting a festive final touch on the Christmas
tree and like Scrooge and Daisy, bringing holiday merriment throughout every season.

Scrooge and Daisy ("Reflections of Christmas Past"), sold as a two-piece set and Huey, Dewey & Louie with the Christmas Tree ("Holiday Helpers"), sculpted by Ruben Procopio are Limited to Production Year 2010.

Magic Feather Surprise!

“Right from the beginning Dumbo was a happy picture,” said Walt Disney, and the little star of that classic film sports a suitably happy smile in this all-new sculpture.

Perched high atop a burning-building set in the Big Top before a big city audience, the precious baby pachyderm, wonderfully winsome in full clown makeup, is thrilled because he’s about to make the leap into a flight of faith leading him to fame, showbiz success and best of all, a joyful reunion with his mother.

Complete with his littlest yet biggest cheerleader Timothy Mouse and the rarely portrayed confidence-granting “magic feather,”Dumbo is sure to inspire soaring spirits in everyone who he smiles upon.

Dumbo ("Are They in for a Surprise" "Got the Magic Feather?"), sculpted by Bruce Lau is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750.

More From Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'

Deviltry, singing skeletons, and undersea mayhem make things merrily macabre as the demented denizens of Halloweentown welcome their Pumpkin King in their own wonderfully warped way.

While sweet rag doll Sally looks on amidst the eerily animated bony band of the vocalizing Skeleton Tree, the delighted Devil and the charmingly repellent Undersea Gal give Jack the highest compliment possible: he made flesh crawl!

Sally ("Otherwordly Ovation") is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750 and the Devil ("Debonair Demon") and Undersea Gal ("Briny Beauty") are Limited to Production Year 2010.

All three (3) sculptures (Sally, Devil and Undersea Gal) were sculpted by Patrick Romany-Simmons.

The Devil and Undersea Gal join the Previously Released Jack Skellington (”Accolades All Around”), an Open Edition, released in August 2007 as part of the Fountain Scene.

Joan Cusack Signs Jessie Doll at Chicago Disney Store

On June 16, 2010, Disney Store unveiled the Limited Edition Jessie Doll at the Disney Store on Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Only 2,010 Limited Edition Jessie Dolls were created in celebration of the release of Toy Story 3 on June 18.

Hundreds of eager fans lined up at the Disney Store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago yesterday to be among the first to purchase the limited-edition Jessie doll, and the occasion was made even more special by the appearance of actress Joan Cusack, who provides the voice of Jessie in the upcoming Toy Story 3.

Members of D23, Disney’s official fan club, had an added benefit: They were the first in line when the store opened earlier today (June 16) and were able to be the first to meet Joan Cusack as she signed the dolls and greeted excited guests. You’ll find photos from the event here:

http://dcp.smugmug.com/Events/The-Disney-Store/Joan-Cusack-Signing-at-Disney/12586005_RGFLr#903799502_WLkCW

WDCS Collector Appreciation Celebration!

Walt Disney Classics Collection has announced a special Collector Appreciation Celebration opportunity for eligible WDCS Members-Only pieces taking place at participating authorized WDCC retailers. An email blast will be sent to all active members whose email address was on file with the Walt Disney Collectors Society.

This special promotion begins today, Wednesday, June 16th and includes the following Members Only releases:

Thumper ("Did the Young Prince Fall Down?) - 2004 Instant Redemption Sculpture $20.00US

Sheep ("Curious Companion") - 2005 Instant Redemption Sculpture $20.00US

Tinker Bell in Lantern ("Pixie in Peril") - 2005 Open Edition Sculpture $199.00US

Ariel ("Seaside Serenade) - 2006 Membership Renewal Gift $50.00US

Scuttle ("Muddled Mentor") - 2006 Instant Redemption Sculpture $20.00US

Blue Fairy & Pinocchio ("The Gift of Life is Thine") - 2006 'Of Dreams & Magic' Sculpture $110.00US

Nemo & Gurgle (I"m From the Ocean") - 2006 Figurine Sculpture $65.00US

Cinderella ("Wistful Dreamer") - 2007 Membership Renewal Gift $50.00US

Bruno ("Canine Confidante") - 2007 Instant Redemption Sculpture $20.00US

Peter Pan and the Mermaids ("Spinning a Spellbinding Story") - 2007 'Of Dreams & Magic' Sculpture $199.00US

Ursula at Vanity ("Devilish Diva") - 2007 Villains Series Sculpture $140.00US

Horace & Jasper ("Bumbling Baduns") - 2007 Commission Only Sculpture $160.00US

Donald Duck ("Happy Camper") - 2008 Membership Renewal Gift $45.00US

Nephew Duck ("A Real Trooper") - 2008 Instant Redemption Sculpture $20.00US

Belle with Enchanted Rose ("Forbidden Discovery") - 2008 'Of Dreams & Magic' Sculpture $130.00US

Wendy ("Peter! Oh, Peter!") - 2008 Commission Only Sculpture $70.00US

Johnny Appleseed ("Johnny Appleseed") - 2008 American Folk Heroes Sculpture $85.00US

Contact an Authorized Dealer for Availability!

Pegasus Family Sighted!

The Pegasus Family has been sighted at the Art of Disney (Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney) at Walt Disney World! Thanks Matthew for the heads up! Talked with my BFF's Bob & Toni via Twitter who are at Walt Disney World right now and they saw it last night. They said it was 'Great!' and "Big!' Hopefully they'll be able to check in and give us more details.

The Pegasus Family ("Mythic Menagerie"), sculpted by Kent Melton is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 500. Sculpture is scheduled for a Spring, 2010 release.

The Walt Disney Archives Celebrates 40th Anniversary!

Bob Iger, Leonard Maltin and Special Guests to Honor Archives Founder Dave Smith in a One-of-a-Kind Event! Open to Members of D23, Disney’s Official Fan Club.

BURBANK, Calif. – June 4, 2010 – For four decades, The Walt Disney Archives has been home to the most treasured items from Disney’s fabled history, and on Friday, June 25, the Archives will mark its 40th anniversary with a special celebration at the Walt Disney Studios.

During the event, Disney President and CEO Bob Iger, noted film historian Leonard Maltin and other surprise guests will honor Dave Smith, the founder of The Walt Disney Archives and Disney’s chief archivist, for his achievements in preserving the Disney legacy.

The special celebration is open exclusively to members of D23, Disney’s official fan club, and tickets to the once-in-a-lifetime Walt Disney Archives 40th Anniversary Celebration go on sale at 10 a.m. Pacific time today exclusively at http://www.disney.com/D23.

“The Walt Disney Archives is an incredible collection, and that’s due to the dedication and passion Dave has brought to the development of the Archives since Roy O. Disney hired him 40 years ago,” said Steven Clark, head of D23, who also oversees The Walt Disney Archives. “We’re excited to honor Dave and the Archives, and to give our members a close-up look at some rarely seen ‘jewels in the crown’ of Disney history.”

As part of the Archives’ 40th Anniversary celebration, a number of new pieces from recent Disney projects will be officially added to the Archives’ collection; their identities will be revealed during the event.

The Walt Disney Archives 40th Anniversary Celebration will also feature a champagne-and-dessert reception on the Walt Disney Studios lot, and the premiere of Archiving the Archives: Forty Years of Preserving the Disney Magic, an all-new film created for this special anniversary, which will be screened in the Studio Theatre. Additionally, D23 Members who attend will receive a special gift created for the occasion.

Only a limited number of tickets, at $50 per person, will be available to this once-in-a-lifetime event, which pays tribute to the past, present and future of The Walt Disney Archives.

Every day of the year, D23 Membership brings exciting Disney discoveries, special savings, and a host of benefits. Gold-level D23 Memberships are $74.99 and include a one-year subscription to the exquisite Disney twenty-three magazine. Silver-level memberships, which offer all benefits except the magazine subcription, are just $34.99 a year. All discounts and special promotions are available to both Gold- and Silver-level D23 Members.

Disney fans can become members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans at www.disney.com/D23, select shops at the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Resorts, and at www.DisneyStore.com/D23.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official community for fans in Disney’s 85-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.disney.com/D23; a collectibles line, The Walt Disney Archives Collection; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

At a Disney Park not so far away…Jedi Knight Mickey Mouse!

The creative “Forces” at Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, and Walt Disney Classics Collection proudly present this new collectible sculpture.

Using the same principles applied to classic Disney animation and hand-crafted of kiln-fired porcelain with accents of metallic paint on the lightsaber handle, this impressive sculpture stands 6 ¼” tall and includes a Disney Certificate of Authenticity.

Hop on your landspeeders without delay setting course to the Disney Parks and/or ArtOfDisneyParks.com for more information on how to make this very first Walt Disney Classics Collection Star Wars sculpture part of your collection.

Jedi Knight Mickey Mouse retails for $125 plus tax. Available to pre-order from Walt Disney Event Services at (407) 827-7600 while supplies last with initial deliveries starting in August and September 2010.

Rubén Procopio - European Gallery Signing Tour 2010!

Rubén Procopio will be returning to Europe, after last visiting more than two years ago, to visit with old friends, make new ones and meet the European collectors and fans of Enesco's WDCC and Grand Jester Studio sculptures.

The appearance schedule is as follows:

May 9th - Drawing and sculpting demo at Nexus Six (Antwerp, Belgium)

May 12th - Question and answer presentation, a signing and the start of a charity eBay auction (see ad above) at Poohshop (Scheveningen, Holland)

May 13th - Signing and sculpting demo at Collectors Company (Rotterdam)

May 15th - Signing and drawing class at Collectors Closet (Ijmuiden)

May 16th - Signing and drawing class with a boat trip as well at Videoland (Dordrecht)

May 18th - Conclusion of auction that began on May 12th, winner receiving a personalized drawing of a Disney character of their choosing at Poohshop (Helmond)

May 22nd - Presentation by Tony Oxtoby, drawing class, signing and raffles at Castle China (Warwick, England).

Review: Maleficent's Castle

Yesterday, WDCC's latest release from Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent's Castle ("Forbidden Fortress") arrived! To us long-time collectors, we refer to this type of release as Enchanted Places, a type of release that began in 1995 and saw it's last release in 2001.

Since then, we've seen Enchanted Place-type releases (though not classified and/or confirmed the return of the series) with the release of the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin, Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse from Swiss Family Robinson and the most recent Maleficent's Castle.

When ordering from a photo/image, you sometimes wonder if the actual sculpture will meet your expectations, this one did not disappoint! The sculpture is every bit as detailed as the images supplied when the sculpture was announced. The official photo (above) reflects accurately the coloring of the Castle when the sound chip is activated.

Using resin to sculpt the Castle, it captures all the detail of the brick, stone and briar around the Castle that would be lost if done in porcelain. Castle includes a sound clip with music and narration, a Walt Disney Classics Collection first! The music and narration are from the digitally remastered Sleeping Beauty film sequence which introduces Maleficent's Castle. The narration goes as follows:

"For everyone knew that as long as Maleficent's domain, the Forbidden Mountains, thundered with her wrath and frustration, her evil prophecy had not yet been fulfilled..." [thunder and lightning]

Pressing a button on the hardwood base (a nice black lacquer), this sound clip starts playing (approx. 23 seconds) and LED lights within the castle flash to replicate lightning. Powered by 3 AA batteries (not included). I personally liked the placement of the button and speaker on the base, as they were not obtrusive and very well placed.

Special Note: The Castle is attached to the base, not separate as with previous Enchanted Places type releases. Be very careful of the spires and turrents when handling the piece and removed by lifting it straight out by the base, do not pivot it. When putting in the batteries, best to hold on its side but be careful of where the spires and turrets are positioned.

Below are a couple photos I took of the Castle alongside the Maleficent sculpture, the 1999 Fall Premier Event featured sculpture (click on each image for a larger view):

Maleficent's Castle ("Forbidden Fortress"), concept designed by Larry Nikolai is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 500.

DVC Announces New Alternative

Beginning April 15, 2010 Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is offering a new alternative to members borrowing vacation points from a future use year. Instead, members can obtain one-time-use vacation points for a fee of $15.00 per vacation point.

Disney Vacation Club members can obtain a maximum of 24 one-time-use vacation points once per use year, per membership. These one-time-use vacation points can be used to book stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts, as well as vacations through the Disney Collection, Adventurer Collection and World Passport Collection.

Members interested in learning more about one-time-use vacation points can contact Disney Vacation Club Member Services or visit www.dvcmember.com.

eFX Collectibles Announces Special Pricing Exclusively for Members of Disney’s D23!

BURBANK, Calif. (April 21, 2010) – eFX Inc. yesterday announced special, members-only pricing for Disney enthusiasts who are members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans.

D23 Members can save hundreds of dollars on eFX’s line of intricately crafted Disney replicas by visiting the eFX website at www.efxcollectibles.com. Special D23 Member pricing takes effect immediately, said Bryan Ono, president of eFX Inc.

“There are no Disney fans who are more devoted and enthusiastic than D23 Members, and we wanted to do something special for them,” Ono said. The first of eFX’s Disney replicas is the remarkably detailed, four-foot reproduction of Capt. Nemo’s Nautilus from Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The painstakingly produced Nautilus is priced at $1,799, and is available to D23 members for $1,699.

Limited to just 500 pieces worldwide, the Nautilus can be pre-ordered at www.efxcollectibles.com. A non-refundable, $500 deposit is required, and the special D23 member price will be adjusted with the final payment prior to shipping.

D23 Members will have the opportunity to place their orders for Disney collectibles 24 hours before the general public. D23 membership numbers will be validated upon ordering at the website.

The next Disney replica from eFX will be available to order by D23 Members starting Tuesday, May 4, 2010 with ordering open to the general public on May 5, 2010. It’s the exquisitely crafted Evil Queen’s Heart Box from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ($799, or $724 for D23 members), inspired by the designs of Disney’s first full-length animated feature.

The Heart Box is intricately constructed from solid rosewood and features an imaginative 24-karat gold-plated heart that locks with a dagger-lock mechanism. The Heart Box sits on an elaborate, museum-quality display base that features two sculptures by renowned artist David Kracov: One depicts the Evil Queen holding the chalice that contains a magical elixir to turn her into the “Old Hag” – who, in the second, holds the fateful “magic wishing apple.” Each Heart Box includes a numbered plaque and certificate of authenticity, and production will not exceed 500 pieces worldwide.

Upcoming Disney-inspired pieces from eFX include an 18-inch Rizzo the Rat Photo Puppet ($379, or $329 for D23 members), which celebrates the enduring appeal of the Muppets and will be available for order shortly. It’s a detailed and accurate replica of the full-size, three-dimensional “photo puppet” used to represent favorite Muppet characters in photo shoots. Fully articulated, the eFX Rizzo the Rat is created based on reference patterns and materials supplied by Disney’s Muppet Studios. Rizzo’s dressed in a T-shirt and a letterman’s jacket that features real suede-leather sleeves and a “Ratpanic” embroidered patch on the back. Worldwide, eFX is limiting the edition size to 1,000, and each piece will come with a numbered plaque and certificate of authenticity.

D23 Members can place orders and get more details about the ordering process and shipping information at www.efxcollectibles.com.

WDCC Announces Upcoming Releases Sold Out Thru Pre-Orders!

The Walt Disney Classics Collection Sales Force and Authorized Dealers were notified earlier today of the following sculptures being sold out to retailers through pre-orders:

King Louie ("Orangutango-Jango!), sculpted by Patrick Romandy-Simmons is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750.

It’s no wonder this madcap monarch is known as King Louie the Most, for he’s the most outrageous animal in the jungle. This kooky orangutan holds crazy court in an ancient temple, where Louie loves to dance up a storm when he’s not lounging on his elaborate throne.

Scheduled for a Spring 2010 release, this irresistible sculpture set is complete with an urn full of jungle delicacies, and plussed with wire, pewter and resin.

Cinderella and Prince Charming ("Royal Introduction"), sculpted by Kent Melton is a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 750.

Arrayed in her miraculous, luminous gown, Cinderella never looked so radiant as the aptly named Prince Charming kisses the hand of the surprised scullery maid in disguise.

Sculpture includes a 60th Anniversary backstamp and plussed with real pearl earrings and metallic and opalescent paint.

Please contact an Authorized WDCC Dealer and/or the Walt Disney Theme Parks for availability.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all who visit either the Blog and/or Website today and all my friends on Twitter & Facebook! Try not to eat too many chocolate bunnies and jelly beans :)

As we think of spring and summer, for your viewing pleasure (courtesy of Youtube.com) is the Nifty Nineties (1941):

The Nifty Nineties is a Mickey Mouse Cartoon©Disney