Disney Treasures By Funko

By Nick

Back in 2015, Funko teamed up with Lucasfilm to bring the world Star Wars Smuggler's Bounty, and I jumped right on that train.

A couple of months ago I started getting emails from Funko about a new collectible subscription box. This time they were teaming up with Disney!

Disney Treasures offers a unique themed box every other month filled with 100% exclusive Disney Classic & Disney Theme Park collectibles created by Funko especially for the Disney fan, with each containing goodies such as Pop! Vinyl and other figures, pins, accessories and more (hoping tee shirts, as they asked my shirt size when I signed up).

There are 3 types of plans. Traveler is pay as you go, and $30 a month. Adventurer is the 6 month plan, and the boxes are $29. I went with the Explorer, 12 month program for $28 a box. This plan offers an anniversary gift at the end of my year.

I got my first delivery a few weeks ago, just before we went on our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, and I didn't open it up until we got back. 

The box is designed like a treasure chest.

Let's see what's inside.

A Mickey Mouse Pirate Pin and a Captain Hook patch.

Smee Pop! 

Wicked Wench Captain with Pirate Ship Dorbz.

A Mystery Mini with collectible tin. 

Beautiful graphics.

What is the figure? 

Captain Jack Sparrow!

 As a pioneer member, I received an exclusive pin.

Some great information about what to expect in the coming deliveries as well and information about the collectibles in this box.

You can get in on the next box by visiting  -

https://next.funko.com/?gclid=CMvNwquJ5NMCFUeBswodUOYLhA

Did Walt Disney World Ruin Pirates of the Caribbean

I usually go far back into Living a Disney Life archives to get posts for Saturday's with Lisa, but this article she posted just the other day asks a question that I am very interested in hearing people's answers to. - Nick   

 

By Lisa Green  

Disney World Ruins Pirates of the Caribbean?

I’ve heard more than a few grumblings over the additions to Pirates of the Caribbean through the years and I’m honestly surprised the cries have not grown louder of late.  Recently (about a year ago), this most beloved Adventureland attraction became the recipient of new scents to some of the ride scenes.   During a lengthy refurbishment that added new lighting, updated costumes, a softer drop, and more fluid-moving animatronics, the new fragrances were added.

   

 

 

 Yes, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” smell fans have long adored (that dank, musty, sulfur-tinged Orlando water aroma) is virtually no more (you can still smell it loud and clear in the ride queue, if it matters).  As you sail along, you’ll now notice what many describe as a “rum” smell and a “burning” odor (among others).  Similar to the “Rome Burning” fragrance in Spaceship Earth, Pirates now has its own set of custom scents.

A quick search of the internet does turn up a few discussions about the new aromas, but I’ve yet to find a definitive list of how many there are and exactly what we’re supposed to be smelling.  Personally, I’ve loved Pirates of the Caribbean in all its different versions and configurations throughout the 25+ years I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World.  The newest changes have made no difference to me…except the scents. 

 

 

They don’t bother me and my ride experience is not ruined, but I’m perplexed by how mysterious they are to me.  Maybe my sniffer isn’t as sensitive as it once was, but I can smell only two different aromas – one smells sweet and a bit like a particular green apple bubble gum I used to love as a kid.  The other smell is the scent of burning, which matches the burning town scene and makes sense (or should I say scents) to me.

What about YOU?  Have you noticed the new aromas in Pirates?  Please tell me…what do they smell like to you?  Do you like the changes that have been made to this attraction through the years?

NOTE:  I know the pictures I’ve used in today’s post are grainy and of poor quality and I’m sorry about that.  I’m a firm believer in “No flash photography” on dark rides and this was the best I could do with my iPhone.  

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.

She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

Wordless Wednesday : Walt Disney World's Pirates of the Caribbean

By Nick

Walt Disney World Buddy Trip 2016, Part 4 ; After Hours at the Magic Kingdom

By Nick

Who: Me and my friends Joe and Josh
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village 

Part 4

 
Thursday, May 12th Continued

After dinner at Be Our Guest, we went to Guest Services to pick up our lanyards for the After Hours at the Magic Kingdom event, which gave us exclusive access to the park from 11pm-2am. This was a gift from our new friends Alison and Jim! We then made our way up Main Street to a spot to watch the Celebrate the Magic castle show and Wishes.

Left to Right: Alison, Josh, Joe, me, Jim

By then it was almost 1030pm. 

We rode the People Mover, watching the park empty out. 

Just a few minutes before the park closed, we went to Space Mountain. 

Now, I haven't ridden that in years because the last time I did I felt a bit motion sick, but, maybe because I'd been going on 5-6 hours sleep since about 730am and I was delirious by this point, or the excitement and adrenaline, or a combination of everything, I enjoyed it thoroughly, and didn't feel a bit ill.

So we immediately rode again!

During the event, there were ice cream carts serving frozen treats and Coca Cola products all over the park, and everything was included free! 

We hit Buzz's Space Ranger Spin, Pooh, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, Pirates and the Jungle Cruise, some rides more than once, all with little to zero wait!

It was amazing to see the park so empty, we really felt that we had the park to ourselves! It was a surreal experience.

The only time we waited more than 5 minutes was at Princess Fairytale Hall.

Amazingly, I stayed awake the entire day. Anyone that knows me or frequent readers of this blog will know the I'm NOT a night owl, but the thrill of being in the Magic Kingdom at that time of night, and the feeling that it was open just for us, kept me pumped until the very end.

I can't thank Jim and Alison enough for this wonderful gift!

Please stop back soon for part 5!

Part 1 

Part 2
Part 3

Skeleton Crew, Pirates of the Caribbean Figures

By Nick

In my last post I shared a few Disney Parks Pirates of the Caribbean Action Figures. I have one more to share from that line, and some more skeletal pirates in Vinylmation form.

To me, one of the most memorable portions of Pirates of the Caribbean, the Walt Disney World version, (yes, there is a difference between the WDW and Disneyland versions) is the Helmsman.

The Helsman’s accessories include an anchor, a cutlass, a lantern and a knife.

I really love the detailing on these figures.

 

He stands 7 inches, or 17.78 centimeters, tall.

 

Vinylmation Parks #5 Series also has a Pirates Helmsman.

 

I don’t really think it resembles the figure above, very much. Or at all.

By Maria Clapsis.

The ever popular Helmsman makes a return appearance once again in the Pirates of the Caribbean Vinylmation Series, this time with some mates.

Left to right, we have the Skeleton Helmsman, the Skeleton Captain, and the Blue Bandana Skeleton.

 

This series is by Casey Jones.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your look at the pirates, me mateys, please come back aboard soon!