Vinylmation Robots Series 3

Initially, when Disney released the Vinylmation Robots Series 3, I was only interested in one of the figures, Winnie the Pooh.

Barbie bought just one, and, amazingly, came up with Pooh!
I love the clear honeypot stomach.

This Pooh Vinyl can also be found in a previous post by Barbie.

 
Then the Disney Store held a buy one Vinyl and get one free sale. So I picked up a few Robots. One was the 3 eyed Alien from the Toy Story movies. I gave that to my friend Josh. You'll also notice a Grumpy Bot in the picture below.

Grumpy is one of my favorite characters, so I am actually glad I got him!

I got this Pinocchio Bot this past weekend. Another favorite character, and another keeper!
I love the way he was packaged.
It's like he told a lie and his nose stretched the plastic.

Jiminy Cricket is on the screen on his back.

The buy one get one sale may still be going on, so check your local Disney Store.

Disneyland is My Happy Place

Guest Writer Wednesday

Disneyland is My Happy Place
By D'land Diva

I have been to Disneyland in the best of circumstances and the worst of circumstances. I have been there when it is so crowded that I have literally been carried down Main Street and I have been there when it was so empty in the park that I was able to ride Alice in Wonderland three times in a row without getting off. I have been there after earthquakes, bomb threats and during those uncertain times after September 11. It is one of the first places my husband took me on a date and where he proposed. It is where I found out I was pregnant with my son. I went to Disneyland to drown my sorrows after losing a job and I spent my honeymoon at Disneyland. As an Annual Pass Holder for some fifteen years, Disneyland has been an important part of my life.

You may ask why. How can someone who has been to Disneyland so many times return? Is there anything left to experience? Do I get sick of the rides? Do I get sick of the crowds or the heat or the walking?

In short, the answer is NO. Disneyland is an ever changing experience for me.  I still feel a giddy rush when I step through the turn style. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I still waver between trying to get on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters or waiting in line for Peter Pan first. I still take note of the beautiful flowers on Main Street and notice when something on the menu has changed at any of the restaurants. I love to wait in line to see the characters and each time I get a picture with one, it's like the first time for me.

Most of all, I love the happiness of being in a place where for just a few hours, I don't have to worry about anything. It's like the rest of the world stops at the front gates and once I enter, it's magic. Do I still get annoyed at the crowds or want to ask a Cast Member to turn down the heat a bit in the summer? You bet, but happiness just fills every inch of my being every single trip I take.  For me, Disneyland truly is THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH.

D'land Diva is a contributing writer and editor for the Tips From Disney Diva Blog

Mickey Mouse Brave Little Tailor Gold Trading Card

Brave Little Tailor Tuesday!
When I first found this case inside a box in my garage, I had no idea what it was. Authentic Images?

Flipping it over helped a bit. But I still wasn't sure what I was going to find inside.

A gold trading card?!

 

 

Why did I buy this? Well, I love Brave Little Tailor. And it's a pretty limited piece. Only 1000!

What did I pay for this? No idea. But it's 24K Gold, according to the Certificate of Authenticity! Wow!

Where did I buy it? I could assume it came from the 1996 Official Disneyana Convention, which featured the Brave Little Tailor. I have many items from this convention, picked up from eBay (sadly I wasn't there!) through the years. But, there is no indication that it was part of that event. Maybe in 1998? In the image above, in the lower left hand corner, you can see, printed, DIS-2-98.

Regardless of why, where, and when, I'll be hanging on to it. Stop back in the future to see what else I might pull out of that garage!

California Adventure Red Car Trolley Vinylmation

On our trip to the Disneyland Resort in February, my wife and I both fell in love with the Red Car Trolley.

With all the wonderful new attractions at Disney California Adventure, why would one of our favorite things be these trolleys?

I know the wonderful design is one of the most appealing things about it to me. Perhaps it's the nostalgic feel? The history?

Just what is the Red Car Trolley, you may ask?!

Back in the days before automobiles became the choice mode of travel for most, trolleys were the premier way to get around in the Los Angeles area.

 
They were at their peak in the 1920s, when one Walter Elias Disney arrived in Hollywood, and he may very well have used this mode of transport on occasion to get around.

Disney brings us 2 trolleys inspired by the original "Big Red Cars" of the Pacific Electric Railway.

These cars travel the Hollywood Land-Buena Vista Street Line with stops at Carthay Circle, Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood Tower Hotel Bound only), and Sunset Boulevard, next to the Hollwyood Tower Hotel.

The trolleys are numbered 623, to commemorate the arrival of Walt Disney to Hollywood in the Summer of 1923, and 717, the anniversary of Disneyland, July 7th.

I bought several items featuring the Red Cars, and thought I'd start with this Vinylmation I purchased for $12.95.

I love the graphics on the box, so will be leaving this one unopened.

Mickey's Fun Wheel shares this side with Sebastian from The Little Mermaid- Ariel's Undersea Adventure.

 

The top features Radiator Springs Racers, one of the best Disney rides. Ever.

I hope you've enjoyed your ride today, and will return for more trips with us in the future.

"Bambi's" Thumper Limited Edition Sericel

I bought this Sericel of Thumper, titled "They Call Me Thumper" back in the early 90's, but can't remember where from. I worked at an Animation Gallery in Philadelphia, and a Disney Store part time concurrently, so I imagine it was from either of those.

From the card that came with it:

Energetic bunny Thumper introduces himself to the newborn Prince of the Forest, Bambi, by demonstrating the percussive trademark thump of his hind foot.
From the film Bambi (1942)
Edition Size 5,000

The  Certificate of Authenticity goes on to explain the scene this is from as well as the Sericel process in more detail.

Carthay Circle Postcard

My wife Barbie and I received this postcard a couple of weeks ago from her cousin Jill.

It depicts the Carthay Circle Theatre.
From the back of the card:

The Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles is the home of gala and world premiers.
Thousands of cheering fans line the streets and stand outside the theatre,
and enthusiastically greet the hundreds of illustrious stars who attend.

Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” had its world premiere at the Carthay Circle Theatre on December 21, 1937. Sadly, it was demolished in 1969 and replaced by an office block.

An homage is now part of Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort, in the form a wonderful new Restaurant.

Look for a review coming soon to Disney Musings.

Paradise Pier at California Adventure Desktop

The view of Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure from the Villas At the Grand Californian Hotel, room 6504.

Lambert the Sheepish Lion

Yesterday I shared a few of the Whiskers and Tales Vinylmation series.
How I got the Lambert the Sheepish Lion Vinyl has a story.

I visited my local Disney Store, and they were having a sale, buy 1 Vinylmation and get a Robots 3 Vinylmation free. I picked up a Whiskers and Tales, and a Brave set, which was marked down to $7.99!

I opened up the boxes right there. The two Robots I got were Grumpy Bot and the Alien Bot from Toy Story. The Whiskers and Tales figure I got was the Baby Pegasus from Hercules.

Now, in the photo above, you can clearly see I do not have the Baby Pegasus pictured. That's because when I opened up my box to reveal a Baby Pegasus, a young lady standing nearby gave out a little gasp. "I've been trying to get that forever! I've bought 7, and still didn't get it!" I told her I'd be more than happy to trade for whatever figure she had. She pulled out Lambert, the Lion pictured above. She was almost in tears, and gave me a hug!

Who's Lambert?
"Lambert the Sheepish Lion" is an animated short film released in 1952, narrated by Disney Legend Sterling Holloway, the original voice of Winnie the Pooh,  about a lion cub mistakenly left with a flock of sheep by a stork. It's a fish out of water story about how Lambert comes into his own. It's a wonderful cartoon which I haven't seen in several years.
I brought it out this past weekend.
It can be found on YouTube, but I have it on the Walt Disney Treasures, Disney Rarities, Celebrated Shorts: 1920s-1960s DVD Set.

Lambert is pictured on Disc 2 (which is odd, as his cartoon is actually on Disc 1).

And he can also be found in the booklet which accompanies this outstanding set, pictured with his adoptive mother.

 

So the trade at the Disney Store turned out to be very fortuitous. I was able to make someone happy, and in return was reminded of an animated treasure, and have a wonderful momento as well.

Whiskers and Tales Vinylmation Series

One of the newest offerings from Disney's Vinylmation line is the Whiskers and Tales Series, and over the last few weeks, I've picked up several.

 

I started off with 3, and was lucky enough to get the very awesome chaser, Timothy Mouse! Timothy is, of course, from the animated classic, Dumbo.

I also got Figaro from Pinocchio...

...and Bolt, from...Bolt.

Last week I traded a Robot Series 2 figure for Flower from Bambi at a local Disney Store.

Other figures in the series are Tito from Oliver & Company, Baby Pegasus from Hercules, Lucky from 101 Dalmatians, Nana from Peter Pan,  Dinah from Alice in Wonderland , Lady from Lady and the Tramp, Lambert from Lambert the Sheepish Lion, and Lucifer from Cinderella.


Tomorrow I will share another Vinylmation figure I traded for at the Disney Store.

Jammin' at Epcot

Guest Writer Wednesday

Jammin' at Epcot!
By Gaylin

If you look on the Epcot daily schedule, it will have a listing for the Jammitor's, if you haven't watched this trio, make sure you do next trip.

If you like really good percussion and really bad puns and jokes, these guys are for you!

(Note: During the Food & Wine Festival they may be listed as the Jammin' Chefs and trade out their garbage cans for stoves!)

They will be listed as playing outside either East or West Innoventions, I think it depends on the time of the year so they can get a little shade.

In all their glory - The Jammitors!!!

Time for some crowd gathering.

Dude's got the bling going on.

He noticed me taking photos and struck a pose, isn't he cool.

Time to bring the noise.

Solo time.

Second solo, gee, where did he get that awesome hat . . .

The drum kit logo. The trio hangs around for a couple of minutes after they are done to talk to kids and hand out stickers that match the Jiminy Cricket logo on the front to encourage recycling.