General

Angela’s Orlando: Disney World’s snazzy new souvenirs

After spending last Saturday prowling around WDW’s “World of Disney” & “Once Upon a Toy” store, JHM contributor Angela Ragno returns with a report on several snazzy new souvenirs that she recently found at the resort.

Published

20 years ago

July 18, 2004

Angela Ragno

Hey, gang!

It’s Angela Ragno again. You know? Your gal-in-the-know in Orlando. And — this past weekend — I spent a few hours prowling around Downtown Disney’s shops. With the hope that I’d be able to uncover a bunch of cool new WDW souvenirs that I could then tell you about.

Now — before we get started here — let me state for the record that neither JHM or I are receiving any financial consideration from the Walt Disney Company for talking about these items today. Nor does this site have a store that just coincidentally happens to be selling the very same stuff that I’ll be talking about in this article.

No, this column at JHM doesn’t work that way, folks. Jim just asked me to go around Walt Disney World and find fun things to write about. So that’s what I’m doing here. And — given that I love Disney almost as much I love to shop — I figured: Why not combine my two passions in one article?

The only guidance that Mr. Hill gave me on this matter is that he wanted JHM readers to hear about the new stuff. The items that people would read about and then say: “Oooh! I gotta get one of those the next time I’m down in Orlando.” So that’s what I spent this past Saturday doing: wandering around Downtown Disney, looking for cool new items to tell you about.

And I’ll say this much. Walt Disney World’s merchandising department has finally gotten its act together. For the past few years, it seemed like everywhere you went at the resort, you saw the same tired merchandise. No matter whether you were shopping at the parks or back at your hotel or Downtown Disney, it was always the same stuff — over & over. Particularly Pooh. There was WAY too much Winnie the Pooh stuff.

Well, over the past few months, there seems to have been a significant change within WDW’s merchandising department. Now — wherever you turn at the resort — there seems to be great new merchandise. As well as a lot less new Pooh stuff. (Which personally makes me very happy. Why? Because I hate that bear with little brain. Whenever I see him, Pooh gives me a pain … Hey, that was almost a poem. I think I’m really getting the hang of this writing stuff.)

Okay. Enough with the I-hate-Pooh comments. Let’s get shopping, shall we?

First up is the absolutely perfect shirt for the obsessed Disneyana collector in your family. I found a Disney themed camp shirt in the Men’s department at Downtown Disney’s “World of Disney” store. But it looked so nice that I just had to buy one for myself. And I’ve found this shirt to be extremely comfortable for the ladies as well.

“So what’s so great about this shirt?,” you ask. Well, for starters, it’s covered with all these signs for different WDW attractions that it has on it. Like — on the front of the shirt — You’ve got Cinderella’s Castle (lining up between the buttons) as well as “Rock n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith” on the shoulder. And the backside of the shirt is fun too. What with all the images of Space Mountain, Grumpy, World of Disney, Hollywood & Vine sign, etc.

This shirt is really a MUST for the hardcore Disneyana collector in your family. A word of caution, though: This shirt DOESN’T seem to be available everywhere at the resort. By that I mean: I purchased my shirt at Downtown Disney. And I’ve also seen them for sale inside Epcot’s “Mousegear” store too. But — though I searched high and low — I couldn’t find a single one of these shirts available in the Magic Kingdom. So please keep that in mind if you’re out to snag one of these snazzy shirts.

“Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me …” I think that it’s great that the Walt Disney Company has begun producing “Mickey Mouse Club” merchandise again. As you stroll around the “World of Disney,” you’ll find “MMC” clothing (Featuring that retro Mickey Mouse logo from the 1950s. NOT anything related to the late 1980s version of this same show which featured Britney & Justin. Yuck!) for all ages including T-shirts, golf shirts, baby doll and camp shirts.

But what’s also great about this “Mickey Mouse Club” related merchandise is that WDW merchandising department didn’t limit itself to clothes. You also find fun things like snowglobes, coffee mugs and glassware. All with that smiling Mickey Mouse face logo. Personally, my favorite piece in this new merchandise line is the Mouse Ears alarm clock. Which looks just like the set of Mouse Ears that Annette Funicello used to wear — right down the black felt that covers this faux chapeau. But — in place of the “Mickey Mouse Club” insignia — you’ve got a clock face … as well as an embroidered version of Mickey’s name on the back of the clock.

Admittedly, this Mouse Ears-shaped alarm clock is a bit on the pricey side. It retails for $35.00. But — that said — I still think that it would make a snazzy addition to any Disney-themed bedroom.

Purses, purses, purses!!!! Disney merchandising must really be having some success with this line. Because — every time I turn around — there seem to be new ones lining the shelves.

I myself have purchased four different bags from this new Disney merch line so far. My favorites are the wristlets. These small purses carry keys, small cell phone and money — just the essentials.

Others items in this line include larger handbags that can be loaded up with lots of non-essential items. These larger handbags feature poster art from the original 1950s releases of “Alice in Wonderland” & “Peter Pan” as well as Classic Mickey. They’ve also recently begun selling a brand new line of humorous canvas totes for $24.00. Which feature a “Missing Dog” dog ad that Mickey wrote about Pluto, a “Found Glass Slipper” sign that Prince Charming supposedly wrote about Cinderella as well as a “Wanted — A Housekeeper and Cook” ad that the Seven Dwarfs reportedly wrote for Snow White.
Here’s a “Heads Up” for all of you “Lilo & Stitch” fans out there: To coincide with the upcoming opening of the new “Stitch’s Escape” attraction at WDW’s Magic Kingdom, new Stitch merchandise has begun popping up at Tomorrowland’s “Merchant of Venus” shop as well as “Mickey’s Star Traders” (which — FYI — has finally completed its renovations for this new TL attraction’s exit). And — for some odd reason — we’ve also been seeing this merchandise pop up over at Disney MGM Studios too.
Anyway … There are T-Shirts, Baby Dolls, Kids shirts and baby one-pieces too. There is also this rare T-shirt that shows Stitch riding around on other attractions at the Magic Kingdom (Though — from what I hear — these shirts may have already been pulled from the park for some reason or another). There’s also this new Stitch picture frame — where Experiment 626 actually seems to be holding the picture frame in his mouth — that should appeal all you Stitch fans out there.
Speaking of picture frames … How about those great new Disney bobble head frames? These appeared on property for the very first time this week. Mickey and Dopey are the inaugural characters in this merchandise line. Though — I’m sure — other Disney favorites are soon to follow. These colorful and whimsical photo frames retail for $16.00.

And — finally — while I was strolling through “Once Upon a Toy,” I came across Disney cast members demonstrating a new line of products that I’m sure will appeal to Disneyana fans of all ages: remote control WDW attraction vehicles. Retailing for $16.00, these nifty new toys include a “Magic Kingdom Railroad” train, a “GM Test Track” car, a “Dinosaur” time rover, a “Monorail” train, a “Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin” rocket, a “Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” hunny pot as well as a “Tomorrowland Speedway” car.

As soon as guests (who were walking through “Once Upon a Toy”) saw these remote control theme park vehicles, they’d quickly snatch them up. This Downtown Disney store actually ran out of the “Tomorrowland Speedway” RC car while I was watching them being demoed. So you can bet that — once word officially gets out about these new toys among Disneyana collectors — demand for them is going to be hot, hot, hot!

And — speaking of “hot, hot, hot!” — I find that I’m all tuckered out from my big day of Disney related shopping. So I think that I’ll go get myself a beverage in my new “Mickey Mouse Club” club mug.

That’s it for today, folks. If you’ve any Orlando-related questions, feel free to fling them my way, okay?

Wishing you magical memories, I am …

Angela R.

Discuss Article

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015