My son and I recently attended the Disney Parks Blog meet-up for “Oz The Great and Powerful” at Epcot. It was wonderful seeing several Disney Parks Blog readers and friends in person. We both enjoyed the film, along with some challenging trivia before the show (must study next time). My son was a big fan of the winged monkey Finley, while I was delighted to see Bruce Campbell make a brief cameo appearance in the film (he’s one of my favorite actors). With the motion picture arriving in theatres on March 8, Disney Theme Park Merchandise will be offering a variety of merchandise at Disney Parks. I peeked behind the curtain to see what new items are coming soon to stores.

Similar to other major film releases like the award-winning “Brave” or “Wreck-It Ralph,” the merchandise team partnered with the Disney Store to offer select “Oz The Great and Powerful” items at Disney Parks. You can currently find some of those items we will also carry on DisneyStore.com, including incredibly detailed dolls. We have created, however, a few items especially for Disney Parks.

I visited The Land of Oz Garden at Epcot the other morning to capture an image of four new Vinylmation sets coming to Disney Parks on March 8. Each set contains one 3-inch figure paired with one 1.5-inch Vinylmation, Jr. figure. Disney Design Group artist Ron Cohee created these figures. If you are in Florida on March 8, you can meet Ron from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at D Street in Downtown Disney West Side.

March 8 will also see the release of a commemorative opening day pin in select locations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. This limited edition pin will have an edition size of 1,000.

The soft lines team will release four new shirts for women and one shirt (“Fragile by Feisty”) for girls. I thought the “Good” and “Evil” shirt was a fun design.

Finally, we will be releasing two D-Tech on Demand cases for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S.

I hope you enjoy the show!


Check out these posts for more about “Oz The Great and Powerful” at Disney Parks:

• ‘Oz The Great and Powerful’-Inspired Art Coming to Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort
• Disney Parks Blog Readers Enjoy the Fantastical Land of Oz
• Off to See the Wizard: ‘Journey to Oz Balloon Tour’ Visits the Disneyland Resort

Tagged: DLR, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

In honor of Valentine’s Day on Thursday, Disney Parks is celebrating True Love Week as part of its “Limited Time Magic” surprises. For some of you, there is a limited amount of time left to find that special someone a memorable gift. While I still believe that personalization adds extra magic to any gift, here are a few additional ideas from Disney Parks.

Disney Parks offer a great selection of jewelry with hints of Mickey or Minnie Mouse (see my recent article about necklaces by Petra Azar for an example). I think my two favorite necklaces have owls wearing a Disney ear hat or Minnie’s iconic bow.

If you want some breathtaking options, take a look at the Disney Dream Collection on the Disney Parks online store. This fine jewelry assortment contains gorgeous diamond rings for women and men, 14-Karat gold necklaces, and earrings featuring Mickey Mouse or Tinker Bell.

If you want to add a special accent to a Valentine’s Day gift, check out the two limited edition Valentine’s Day pins or the three-inch Vinylmation figure designed by Maria Clapsis.

Finally, the softlines team shared with me four striped shirts with Mickey and Minnie Mouse that would be perfect for February 14.

For me, I dream of chocolate-covered strawberries from the Main Street Confectionery in Magic Kingdom Park or a Citrus Swirl from the Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland (hint, hint).

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tagged: DLR, Pins, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

I admire those who participate in marathons. I tried running once but didn’t find as much enjoyment as I do with taking photographs. My girlfriend likes the runDisney events, so I think I’ll stick with taking pictures of her while cheering at the finish line. Soon, thousands of fans will be cheering for those participating in the 20th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna on January 10-13, 2013. There will be a variety of 20th Anniversary merchandise items available during the weekend. A few items, however, caught my eye due to their unique designs.

Vinylmation is no stranger to the Marathon Weekend. This year, Disney artist Maria Clapsis designed one 3-inch figure that resembles Mickey Mouse in running attire. The figure has a space where a participant can write in her or his finishing time. The things I loved the most, however, are the new mini-medals for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge that can be added to the figure. Each medal is sold separately from the figure.

Maria will be meeting with guests during the Downtown Disney Cool Down Party being held on Sunday, January 13, 2013. She will be at D Street in Downtown Disney West Side from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Two new Dooney & Bourke handbags will make their debut at the Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo located at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. I spoke with Disney Design Group Artist Susan Foy who created the artwork for these bags.

“I enjoyed mixing the Mickey Mouse silhouettes with a variety of patterns for these new bags,” explained Susan. “The navy ground color really makes the design pop. I even added a silhouette of Mickey running as a nod to the marathon. These two items will also have a special leather hangtag attached with the marathon logo.”

If you already ordered these bags when you registered, don’t forget to pick them up at the Playstation Pavilion at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex starting January 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Additional quantities of bags will be released at the Expo for those who missed the pre-order.

I wish all participants the best of luck!

Tagged: runDisney, Vinylmation, Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, WDW

Filed: Special Events, Walt Disney World Resort

One fun part of being an author for the Disney Parks Blog is interviewing Disney Design Group artists. These talented women and men create artwork found on merchandise at Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line and even Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa at Ko Olina. Each artist has a distinctive art style which has been captured in a new art program for 2013. I spoke with artist Dave Keefer, whose posters, shown above, served as a catalyst for this project.

“Before we created the ‘Believe in Magic’ program, we had many ideas for the direction of the 2013 dated merchandise,” explained Dave. “During the development process, we played off the idea of lucky versus unlucky. For some people, the number 13 is an unlucky number, but I thought the opposite. I drew a quick sketch that had an ‘always lucky’ number 13 emerging from an upside down Sorcerer Mickey’s hat. The poster concept was well received, so other artists submitted their takes on 2013.”

Thirteen artists submitted posters which became a part of an over-sized 13-month calendar. Artists created two slightly different versions of their posters for Disneyland park and Walt Disney World Resort. Patty Landing selected the lucky “Baker’s Dozen” for her poster.

“I’ve been supporting the consumables department, so it was natural for me to design a sweets-themed poster,” said Patty. “I enjoy a vintage art style, which I tried to capture with the colors and design for my poster.”

Thomas Scott used the phrase “lucky duck” as the inspiration for his poster.

“I used ‘lucky duck’ as no other artist claimed the phrase,” explained Thomas. “I wanted my posters to look unique and happy, so I designed them using my favorite high-contrast art style.”

For 2013, a new monthly pin and Vinylmation collection will also use this artwork. We recently released a set of 48 paper coasters and a set of four mini serving dishes with the art. Look for some limited edition D-Tech on Demand covers for the iPhone next year, and some online exclusive apparel items are coming to the Disney Parks online store in the spring.

Finally, you can meet artist Dave Keefer on Friday, January 4, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at D Street in Downtown Disney West Side. Additional artist meet and greet events will be held throughout 2013.

Tagged: DLR, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

I’m looking forward to the return of the Festival of the Masters presented by Michaels event at Downtown Disney. This open-air art festival has been offered at Walt Disney World Resort since 1975. Being a photographer by hobby, I love being inspired by wandering through the beautiful displays by amazing, award-winning artists. I caught up with the Disney Theme Park Merchandise events team, who gave me a look at what you can expect this year.

The main signature art was created by the talented Disney Yellow Shoes Creative Group artist Joe Kaminski. Titled “Patriotic Pal,” the vibrant image features Mickey Mouse in festive red, white and blue. The original image will be offered along with a giclée, deluxe print and a limited edition pin.

Joe is just one of the many artists we are featuring at this event. We will also offer original works by Noah (who recently created the main artwork for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival), Don “Ducky” Williams, Katie Kelly, Bil Shannon, Greg Trombo, Will Gay, Randy Noble and more. One of my favorite pieces features a stunning image of Dumbo by Disney Design Group artist Darren Wilson. (It reminds me of the Storybook Circus area of New Fantasyland.) Darren wanted the image to resemble a vintage poster that would have advertised Dumbo appearing in a small-town circus.

There will be plenty of opportunities to meet artists at the Disney Artist Village starting each day at 10:00 a.m. Additionally, William Silvers will be creating original works in front of attendees at select times throughout the weekend (his art will be for sale following his performances).

In 2008, Vinylmation was introduced to the world at this annual event. We will be offering a variety of custom one-of-a-kind figures from artists like Noah, Miss Mindy (the Caterpillar figure is incredible!), John Henselmeier, Darren Wilson and others.

We will also hold a signing party at D Street with Eric Caszatt from Disney Design Group, who designed the Classic Collection mystery series. This black-and-white series was inspired by classic Disney animated shorts and follows Eric’s Have-A-Laugh series released in 2010. You can meet Eric from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9.

I hope to see you at the event!


Read more news from Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort in these posts:

• Phineas and Ferb & YOU: Free Fun at Downtown Disney West Side at Walt Disney World Resort Now Through December 1
• Living Statues Bring Guests Into the Show at Downtown Disney in Florida
• A Refreshing Spin on Alley Eats at Downtown Disney

Tagged: Downtown Disney, Festival of the Masters, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Downtown Disney, Special Events, Walt Disney World Resort

With the release of Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Nemo 3-D” in theaters, Disney Movie Rewards launched the “Just Keep Swimming” sweepstakes for Disney Movie Reward members (see their website for all the details). The grand prize includes a five-night Walt Disney World Resort vacation for six with a stay in a family suite at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. After recently seeing a link to this sweepstakes on Walt Disney World’s Facebook page, I visited the Ink & Paint Shop at the resort for a look at some current (and upcoming) “Finding Nemo” merchandise offered at Disney Parks.

Dude (I couldn’t resist)! I begin with an upcoming two-figure Vinylmation set that will be released in spring 2013. Part of the Pixar Series #1, the set contains two of my favorite characters from the movie – Crush and his son, Squirt – as designed by artist Maria Clapsis. You will see several limited edition sets released in the coming months as part of this new Vinylmation series (think Little Green Men from “Toy Story” or Tuck and Roll from “a bug’s life”).

We will kick off this Pixar-themed Vinylmation collection on November 16 with the release of a limited release mystery series containing 12, three-inch figures (Nemo is naturally part of that series). Look for the series at the D Street locations in California and Florida once released.

I “found” a collection of other Nemo and friends items that are currently available in the Ink & Paint Shop. I liked the Nemo-shaped bucket, which made me want to visit the beach. I also enjoyed two T-shirts that featured quotes from Dory and Marlin.

To round out the assortment, I spotted items such as figurines, antenna toppers, toys, plush and shirts. One of the most unique items I found was a shower curtain similar to the curtains that are used in guests’ rooms at the resort. Look for three additional curtains including Ariel, characters from “The Lion King” and Mater with Lightning McQueen from “Cars.”

Here is a gallery of some additional items I found during my visit.

Read more about Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in the posts below:

• Part of Your World: ‘The Little Mermaid’ Wing of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Opens September 15
• Walt’s Legacy of Protecting the Environment is Part of the Story at New Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Hakuna Matata: ‘Lion King’ Finds a Home at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World Resort

Tagged: Gallery, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

One of my earliest articles for the Disney Parks Blog was introducing an art program called “The Mechanical Kingdom.” This steampunk-inspired artwork was created by the talented Disney Design Group artist Mike Sullivan. Since that first article in March 2010, steampunk designs have found their way to pin collections, Vinylmation figures and a D-Tech case for the iPhone 4/4S. I’m delighted to share that a few additional steampunk items are coming to Disney Parks, including some recently released Vinylmation figures. I asked Mike about the design process for these new open edition figures.

“I’m happy to finally see the Disney characters as Vinylmation figures wearing their steampunk attire,” explained Mike. “I created this artwork in 2009, and it’s been wonderful to see that it has inspired a variety of collectibles in recent years. For these new figures, I added a few accessories like Mickey Mouse’s ‘Steamboat Willie’ hat. Goofy was probably the most challenging figure to design, since he is tall. I created a stylized version of him in order to fit the three-inch, Mickey Mouse-shaped canvas.”

These figures were recently introduced in select locations at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. The series was also released via the Disney Parks online store, which is the only place to get the Ludwig Von Drake online exclusive figure. I think my favorite figure is Donald Duck (mostly due to his awesome pith helmet).

There are two steampunk-inspired open edition pins arriving at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort in November. I love the green jeweled attachment on the Mickey Mouse icon (which reminds me of the Port Discovery area at Tokyo DisneySea – how I want to visit there again!).

Steampunk fans will need to wait until spring 2013 to acquire some of the most amazing ear hat ornaments I’ve ever seen. You may recall that we introduced several beautifully detailed ornaments this past summer. These seven new steampunk ornaments were designed by Disney Design Group artist Costa Alavezos. The details on each limited edition ornament are incredible (some even have light up options). In the image above, you can see the fronts and backs of three different ornaments. I’m going to need a bigger tree!


Read these posts for more news about Vinylmation at Disney Parks:

• Captivating New Villains Collection to Launch at D Street in Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort
• Happy Haunts Come to Life in New Haunted Mansion Vinylmation Series at Disney Parks
• Mickey’s Circus Trading Event Delighted Guests of All Ages at Epcot

Tagged: DLR, Pins, Vinylmation, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort