Olszewski update

[cstephens]

MUST...HAVE..MALEFICENT pokitpal!!!

Did they have a specific date in November for its release and is it limited edition or anything like that??
I just may have to rethink canceling our Xmas trip this year

thanks for the updates

There are generally no hard release dates for pokitpals. The only one I know of that has a hard date is the Haunted Mansion plaque because it's being released at the Haunted Mansion event.

Not limited edition.

Yeah, she's pretty, isn't she?

[AVP]

I'm not sure, but I think it's some kind of delay on Enesco's part. That's been happening on several other pieces (not just Heirloom Boxes) as well.

I'm waiting for a backorder report from Enesco so I can see just what the status is of my holiday shipments. Some of the scheduled May shipments were late and some have not arrived at all. We're already more than a month late on the scheduled June shipments, and from something I heard at show yesterday. it sounds like the scheduled July shipments may be coming in September.

There were no new Disney Gallery of Light or Heirloom boxes introduced this season, but Enesco did announce the Elvis Gallery of Light and the Nativity and Noah's Ark Heirloom boxes.

Jim Shore has three new Ariel pieces for September - I posted some cell phone photos of them yesterday (link). (If you subscribe to the MousePlanet Twitter feed these images will come directly to you as they are posted; otherwise you can keep an eye on the linked thread)

AVP

[mechurchlady]

I was at Disneyland for the Marty Sklar post event pictures and for the birtday stuff. That is the sign that was in front of the shop about 8:30 or 9 am on the 17th. I have the pictures for that day in two albums on photobucket by the way.

[cstephens]

For anyone who might be interested, I've updated the site to include the most current release information.

Click on the "latest update" link, and then click on the link for the September 9 - 13, 2009 update, which includes the results of the PeopleMover car color poll, a quick update from Bob Olszewski's appearance at the Haunted Mansion 40th anniversary event, an update on the Mr. Toad/Alice piece as well as further information about the Fantasyland (and platform) to come, extensive pictures of the Magic Kingdom Main Street platform prototype and Main Street pieces (including hidden surprises), pictures of the new Autopia car pokitpal, how the D23 Expo pokitpal was not readily available, and information and pictures from Olszewski Studios' presence at the D23 Expo.

Thanks!

[Dr. G]

Great update--thanks for the info! I was at the Expo all 4 days. Since I'm out of state, I was especially grateful to finally meet Bob and visit with him. I've had to have all my Olszewski sculptures shipped to me. I also really enjoyed visiting with Travis.

I, too, was EXTREMELY disappointed at the lack of availability on the D23 Olszewski pokitpal, and I certainly let Disney know it on my D23 Survey. That was the souvenir I was most looking forward to. The 500 coupons were gone sometime before 8:45 that day. I wanted it so much I overpaid for one on ebay, but I would have loved to have Bob sign it for me.

Anyway, I really appreciate your updates!

[cstephens]

For anyone who might be interested, I've updated the site to include the most current release information.

Click on the "latest update" link, and then click on the link for the January 17, 2010 update, with notes from the NFFC show that include updated release dates, pictures of new Gallery of Light pieces, pictures of new PokitPals, restrictions on items brought for signature, and the discovery of a tradition.

Thanks!

[Dr. G]

Thanks for another great update. I'm very excited for the Alice/Toad piece

[KarenW2]

Hi CS,
Did you get the email about the ELVIS pieces Bob has done? Were any of those available to be seen at the NFFC show? We're not Elvis fans, but I'm sure there are a lot out there!

I'm still hoping to see Bob do a Gallery of Light box to commemorate the opening of the Little Mermaid attraction in DCA, with the "Kiss the Girl" scene inside it! I think that would be great to see in that kind of box!

[cstephens]

Did you get the email about the ELVIS pieces Bob has done? Were any of those available to be seen at the NFFC show? We're not Elvis fans, but I'm sure there are a lot out there!

No, there really wasn't much non-Disney stuff available. There's so much Disney stuff now that I don't think there's much room for anything else. I really wanted to see the Noah's Ark heirloom box in person.

[AVP]

I really wanted to see the Noah's Ark heirloom box in person.

I have it at the store - I can show it to you the next time you're down. Karen, I also have the non-Disney pieces. There's a new Normal Rockwell series coming out.

AVP

[cstephens]

For anyone who might be interested, I've updated the site to include the most current release information.

Click on the "latest update" link, and then click on the link for the March 13, 2010 update, which includes extensive pictures of the Alice in Wonderland/Mr. Toad's Wild Ride piece as well as pictures of the upcoming set #3 of floats in the Main Street Electrical Parade, information about upcoming attractions and accessories, minor updates regarding Walt Disney World releases, and upcoming pieces in the Gallery of Light series.

Thanks!

[KarenW2]

I was very surprised and somewhat disappointed to see that Bob didn't include the Caterpillar on the inside of the Alice storybook, outside of the Alice attraction on this latest piece. It was part of the original design and part of the attraction for a long time. All he has there are the empty shoes!

Because of the price point of this piece, I thought it would definitely be included.

Did he say why he didn't include the Caterpillar? Political correctness or something else?

[Dr. G]

As always, thanks a ton for these updates! They are very helpful to those of us out-of-state. I'm looking forward to receiving my Alice/Toad piece. It's supposed to ship this week.

[spectromen]

Thanks again, Cindy, for your coverage. This is the first piece release I completely missed due to other obligations that morning. I WAS in the park that evening, and by then had too many people with me that I knew wouldn't "get it" if I wanted to stop and purchase a collectible. Sounds like they may still be in stock, though.

[cstephens]

I was very surprised and somewhat disappointed to see that Bob didn't include the Caterpillar on the inside of the Alice storybook, outside of the Alice attraction on this latest piece. It was part of the original design and part of the attraction for a long time. All he has there are the empty shoes!

OK, I only had a chance to see the attraction again yesterday to double-check before I responded. There is no caterpillar on the mushroom, just the book and the shoes. If there was a caterpillar there sometime in the past, that's irrelevant to the piece because except for the nostalgia pieces, the pieces are supposed to represent the present-day versions of the attractions.

[BunnyCups]

IIRC, there was never a caterpillar on top of the mushroom, just his shoes! It's always my favourite part of the attraction to peer over the edge of my moving caterpillar down at his shoes!

I'm not very educated on how to BUY these pieces, and I'm SUPER interested in buying this alice/mr.toad piece!

How would I go about getting it?! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I tried looking all over his website to no avail. Does this mean it's sold out? =\

Thanks in advance!
^.^

[cstephens]

I'm not very educated on how to BUY these pieces, and I'm SUPER interested in buying this alice/mr.toad piece!

How would I go about getting it?! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I tried looking all over his website to no avail. Does this mean it's sold out? =\

I don't believe the piece is sold out. These miniature pieces are only sold through Disneyland, so you could get it either at Disneyana or the Disney Gallery at Disneyland, at Off the Page at DCA or at World of Disney at Downtown Disney, depending on who has it in stock. You can also contact DelivEars to have it delivered to you.

[KarenW2]

Actually, there USED to be a caterpillar on top of the mushroom, behind the book, but because he was smoking a hookah, he was taken out some years ago, the reason I heard being that Disney did not want to be viewed as supporting smoking illegal substances!!

I think when they took him out, they should've taken his slippers out as well, but they didn't. It really looks dumb the way they've left it all this time, a mushroom with a book and empty slippers!! It would be better to have it just be the mushroom with the book.

If I only had the home movies my parents took when I was a child, I could post it and show you, but unfortunately, I don't have access to them.

Does anyone remember what year the caterpillar was removed? Seems like it was in the late 70's/early 80's maybe.

[BunnyCups]

I don't believe the piece is sold out. These miniature pieces are only sold through Disneyland, so you could get it either at Disneyana or the Disney Gallery at Disneyland, at Off the Page at DCA or at World of Disney at Downtown Disney, depending on who has it in stock. You can also contact DelivEars to have it delivered to you.

Awesome! Thank you so much. I will check ALL THREE tomorrow

[cstephens]

For anyone who might be interested, I've updated the site to include the most current release information.

Click on the "latest update" link, and then click on the link for the June 12, 2010 update, which includes full details on the long-awaited Fantasyland platform, the layout of the remaining Fantasyland attractions to come, updates on many changed release dates, extensive pictures of the platform and the mock-up of the Storybookland/Casey Jr. attraction, a surprise involving the Skyway, pictures of the upcoming Gallery of Light pieces of Sleeping Beauty Castle and Cinderella Castle, and links to two videos that you don't want to miss.

Thanks!

[Dr. G]

Thanks for another great update.

[cstephens]

For anyone who might be interested, I've updated the site to include the most current release information.

Click on the "latest update" link, and then click on the link for the July 18, 2010 update, which includes pictures of the Snow White miniatures attraction piece to be released in November, extensive pictures of the Fantasyland platform connected to the Main Street platform, extensive pictures of developments to the Storybookland/Casey Jr. miniatures attraction piece, and information about new Gallery of Light and pokitpal pieces.

Thanks!

[spectromen]

Thanks, as always for the great update - will you be posting a report on the 55th merch event from Sunday, too?

[cstephens]

Thanks, as always for the great update - will you be posting a report on the 55th merch event from Sunday, too?

Thanks. Nope, no report from that, and you mean Saturday right? There was one item I wanted but decided I didn't want it enough to get there that early and wait in line so figured I'd just see if there was any left over afterward. The Disney Gallery thoroughly confused me as throughout the day, it was open and then closed and then open. There was randomly a line outside the Gallery, sometimes with the doors open, sometimes when they were closed, and sometimes, there wasn't a line. I finally had a chance to go in around 5:30pm, and they still had the map dinner plates, so I got one of those. They're really cute and a good price to boot, but heavier and bigger than I thought. For some reason I thought they were smaller appetizer plates, but nope, full-size plates.

[disney_leonard]

Thanks. Nope, no report from that, and you mean Saturday right? There was one item I wanted but decided I didn't want it enough to get there that early and wait in line so figured I'd just see if there was any left over afterward. The Disney Gallery thoroughly confused me as throughout the day, it was open and then closed and then open. There was randomly a line outside the Gallery, sometimes with the doors open, sometimes when they were closed, and sometimes, there wasn't a line. I finally had a chance to go in around 5:30pm, and they still had the map dinner plates, so I got one of those. They're really cute and a good price to boot, but heavier and bigger than I thought. For some reason I thought they were smaller appetizer plates, but nope, full-size plates.

I couldn't figure it out either. The lines were huge all morning. The signings were over at 11:00 and the lines continued well past that time. I kept checking back during the day and thought I hit pay dirt when I came back a little after 3:00 only to find that they were closed until 4:00. I came back a while later and waited in a short line until they re-opened. I was interested in checking out the limited edition items and the Aloha shirts. They had the limited edition items in the back so I waited in line again. I took one of the replica coffee cups and my DD picked up the plates and a tea cup. I had seen the shirts on a rack in the front so went back there to look them over. There was a CM helping a guest with which patterns were available in which sizes. I asked her for a shirt and she said the shirts were in the back and to get in line. When I explained I had already done that she was kind enough to help me. The CM's in the back made no mention of the shirts and unlike the other LE items they were not visible. I would have liked a popcorn box but they were gone. They also kept Great Moments closed until 3:00 so I guess that they were using the lobby for something connected with the LE sale. I think part of the problem was the number of items released and signed the same day. It was overwhelming for the CM's and guests trying to check out the items before they buy plus having three different shirt patterns in different sizes to contend with.