February 27, 2010

Disney Trading Night 2/26 Report

Greenhpper is back with what seems to be a weekly photo report of some pin or vinylmation trading event, today she is back from the Disney Trading Night with a buck load of pictures previewing the Dateline Disneyland 1955 Merchandise catalog, to be released this Wednesday March 3rd, when registration opens.

The set of gold pins at the bottom of this picture are pins to be released in the Pin Trading 10th Anniversary LE 100 Frame Set.4390841333_44816d6b34

This set is from attractions (and shops) that were around in 1955, the pins also feature a sliding feature were the 55 yrs slides to move 55 over and reveals 1955.4390844585_7bc2478605 4390845225_18f1b05927 4390846377_e8f130d266

These two are Ambassador Pins.4390847435_e1ae7c1015 4391614788_8ab74dc114

4390848479_e283297ff0 4390850097_7d9c8453ff

Here is a mystery pin set featuring Press Passes. 4390850575_2aedd10d75

For a closer look at the press passes, here they are, we previewed them a couple months ago.DSPF10_pressdopey DSPF10_presslittle DSPF10_pressmickey DSPF10_pressminnie DSPF10_pressmrtoad DSPF10_presspeterpan DSPF10_presspinocchio DSPF10_pressranger 

DSPF10_pressaurora DSPF10_presstink 4390853283_f713349e00

4390854845_9d897a76c5

A new Pin Trading Bag for the event.4390853755_a381d891a3   4391609518_a25a1feafa 4391610048_68195287be  4391617700_b7e3821331 4391619310_1e2a1ee98a  4391622428_908788be28

She also has a few vinylmation pictures. First, the Flower and Garden Festival Vinylmation. It will be released on Wednesday March 3rd, with the start of the event, then on March 18th will be distributed throughout WDW locations. It will also be one of the LAST Special Edition ones to come with a tin.4390837047_4e19c12cfc

We also have two more previews of the Nightmare Before Christmas set, last night they previewed Santa and the Doctor (sorry not an NBC fan, so I dont know their names)4390837541_2e3c9a9ddb

Finally, we have Park Series 4 Preview as well as Urban Series 4 (below).4391606760_850881cae1

4390839639_34aeac78ed

Thank you once again Greenhpper for the pictures! She deserves a Global Disney Pinvestigation nickname… Field Reporter?? Well im off to WDW within the next hour so no updates from the blog until tomorrow afternoon, BUT follow me on Twitter for the latest information, and TwitPics!

February 26, 2010

Vinylmation Connection: SMRT-1

Today we continue our monthly Vinylmation Connection series as we connect a vinylmation figure to a post or series from the past month. Last week we did a Retro Lookback: CommuniCore, a retro Epcot Center attraction, which was housed in the buildings that are currently Innoventions. Inside CommuniCore East, was the Computer Central was located, and this was the house of our featured character today, SMRT-1.

SMRT-1, a purple and chrome robot set on a rotating pedestal surrounded by telephones, involved a never-ending stream of guests in trivia and guessing games.  When your turn came up, SMRT-1 asked you (in its synthesized voice) to speak your answer loud and clear through the phone.  It also spent some time ad-libbing and singing between games: "If I keep this up I might graduate from Solid State."  SMRT-1 was probably related to BIT from the WorldKey Information System and ORAC-1 of the Magic Kingdom's WEDway Peoplemover, all congenial, genderless electric beings that seemed to want their digital faces slapped for being super-cute.  Of the three, SMRT-1 was definitely the least sugary and accordingly the most enjoyable.  SMRT-1's shell, long silent, could be seen for several years in the Contemporary Resort Hotel's Grand Canyon Concourse as a piece of restaurant decor.

Par1-11

Par1-11

Par1-11

smrt1 (2)

smrt1

cmcrpostcard

communicoresmrt1 (2)                wdw-guide-page34

pin12146

pin62405 pin75180

Pictures and Information from Lost Epcot, Widen Your World, and Vinylmation

February 24, 2010

Wonderful World of Weenies: Graumen’s Chinese Theater

The Grauman’s Chinese Theater was used as the ‘weenie’ of Disney-MGM Studios, as it was an icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and in a perfect state, was the Hollywood that never was.

When opening in 1989, the theme park featured the largest Hidden Mickey, pictured below in concept art. Can you find it?mgm_0

Before 2001’s addition of the Sorcerer Hat, the Disney-MGM Studios promenade in front of the Chinese Theater (housing the Great Movie Ride) was expansive, it was a relaxing and well groomed plaza area.

The%20Great%20Movie%20Ride%2001

great-movie-ride The_Great_Movie_Ride_02

The%20Great%20Movie%20Ride%2003

The%20Great%20Movie%20Ride%2021

pin91 pin4002

I know this was a short post, it is more of a pictorial view of the Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Hope You Enjoyed! Be sure to vote in our Weekly GDP Blog Poll, What is your favorite Great Movie Ride scene?