History of the Mickey Mouse Watch: Abridged

In this image taken off of Hollywood Boulevard is a classic Mickey Mouse watch used as the illuminated street sign to entice Guests inside the shop.

In 1933, the first Mickey Mouse watch was made by Ingersoll Waterbury Clock Co.  During this time, the company’s financial condition was very poor, but they released their Mickey Mouse watch for $3.25 and later for $2.95.  The popularity of the watches brought Ingersoll Waterbury Clock Co. out of their debts.  Production continued through to the 1960s when the company became US Time and later Timex.

Skipping the Marshmallows and Campfires

It sometimes amazes me the things I never noticed in the parks despite the amount of time I spend in them.  And needless to say, I don’t spend a ton of time in Camp Minnie-Mickey.

But here are the signs for the meet and greets with some big names without the big lines.  This is a great place to meet some of your favorite characters if you are waiting for the next Festival of the Lion King show.

Retro Reminders- The Boneyard

The Boneyard Fossil Fun Site

Est. 1947

According to the Dinoland USA back story, dinosaur bones were first found in 1947.  In this Retro Reminder, 1947 was significant because of a lot of cartoon releases, but one of its largest was Fun and Fancy Free. Some of the shorts are sold separately now, such as Mickey and the Beanstalk, but in the original Fun and Fancy Free, Jiminy Cricket hosts numerous shorts that include Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy.

Deserted Ping Pong

As mentioned in my post yesterday, Mickey, Goofy, and Donald seem to be distracting themselves.  Not sure if it’s from the work in the kitchen or their game in the rec room that shows Mickey leading with a score of 25.

Ping Pong Scoreboard

Ping Pong Table

 

Goofy's Ping Pong Paddle

Donald's Ping Pong Paddle

Mickey's Ping Pong Paddle

Looks Like Donald is Much Better at Darts

 

Give a Penny…

Mickey Mouse Wild Waves

A relaxing time with friends could bring you over to Disney’s Boardwalk Inn for some exploring and time in the rocking chairs.  If you wander to the lounge deeper into the resort, you will continue to find hidden treasures.  

This viewer features a Mickey Mouse Wild Waves cartoon.  The viewers can be found numerous places on property and are fun and rewarding to try.

The Art of Vinylmation

After a clumsy beginning, it seems as though the Vinylmation series are continuing to be popular throughout the Disney Parks and with the online community.

Park Series #1

Park Series #1

Park Series #1

Park Series #1

Urban #1 Series

Urban Series #1

Urban Series #1

Urban Series #1

Cast Exclusive By Randy Nobel

Vinylmations were first released at the end of 2008. The whimsical characters are original vinyl collectibles that stand 3″ and 9″ tall. The base of the creation is a Mickey Mouse body which gets painted over with various designs.  These products are sold in blind packaging, with no guarantee of which animated figure you will receive. The 3″ Vinylmations are displayed in trays which contain 24 figures. Within the tray is one fully complete set which includes a mystery chaser while the other 12 figures consist of 11 different characters and one repeat.

This new collectible is fun for the frequent visitor with high Disney affinity along with a first time guest. If you plan on getting the full set, it is recommended that you purchase the Vinylmation tray and possibly split it with someone else (or sell the remainder). The randomness of the figures can get costly at $9.95 a piece for the 3” sets.  Be prepared to spend about $238.80 plus tax on a full tray.  The 9″ figures are fully displayed in their case and are around $40 a piece.

Currently, two Vinylmation series are on the market. The first was released in late 2008 and was called the Park  Series #1. This included figures inspired by the Disney Parks, such as Kermit the Frog and the Yeti from Expedition Everest. The second series was released more recently on March 17. This was titled Urban Series #1. Although filled with some interesting creatures, the Urban series might be a little harder to connect to because of its abstract creations. Following both releases was an artists’ signing over at the Art of Disney store located in Downtown Disney.

Along with the mainstream Vinylmation sets, the artists’ are also releasing Cast Exclusives. The first in the series was a Mickey Mouse which has an old time face with cut out pupils in his eyes, while wearing his colorful wardrobe.

The future of Vinylmation looks prosperous and after meeting with Randy Noble during a Cast Member signing, he said that he has currently designed between 30-40 Vinylmation figures that he plans to run through next year.

The current rumors throughout Walt Disney World about the release of new Vinylmation series include a Park Series #2 coming out in June, Holiday Series #1 in August, and the next Cast Exclusive, a Guest Relations Cast Member, to be released in the Fall.