Cars: Piston Cup 500 Track set

 Here is a trackset/ playset from the original Cars to go along with your diecasts! It originally came out in 2006 with the first few waves of merchandise  and became very rare not long after that. Luckily, Mattel released this again last year as part of the Toys R Us "Radiator Springs Classic" re-release collection! It comes with two cars (Lightning Mcqueen and The King) and can still be found at Toys R Us so head over there if you're looking for one.

 

Some features include lane change and there's a crashed car that pops out sometimes so you need to change lanes to avoid it! There is also a stand to put four fans or four commentators, a waving flag and a "winner's circle" to place your winner. 

 

Cars: Deluxe Lightning Storm Mcqueen

Happy 4th of July! My wife Brita gave me such a fun present this morning that is very appropriate for the 4th! It's red, white and blue and and has firework-esque missiles...it's the 2013 re release of the Deluxe Lightning Storm Mqueen! I never got him originally so I was happy to see him out again. Brita has been saving it for months to give it to me today because of the perfect color scheme : ) Thanks so much!

Monsters University: Soundtrack

Here's my copy of the Monster University soundtrack! It's fantastic. I've always been a huge soundtrack (musical score) fan and I love when Randy Newman does the score for a Pixar film. He really captures the Pixar magic with his style that has been there since the first Toy Story. This album doesn't disappoint! 

It has some great, catchy new themes and even some familiar ones. The actual CD is a limited edition so get one while you have the chance! 

P.S. The incredibly catchy (what I like to call) "end credits theme" is not on the soundtrack because it turned out that it wasn't Randy Newman. It's a group called Marchfourth Marching Band and the song is called "Gospel" if you want to track that down on iTunes. You know I did! 

The Blue Umbrella: Soundtrack

Supposed to be released on iTunes July 9th, The Blue Umbrella Suite (by Jon Brion) came out today! Surprise! I was very excited to see this news and bought it right away. It's a beautiful, catchy song that went along with the short so perfectly. The music really stood out to me the first time I saw the short film and my wife and I have been singing it since. Go get it if you haven't already...it's great! 

 

Cars 2: Quick Changers Oil Rig Playset

Ever since I can remember, I've enjoyed collecting playsets to use along with my action figures/toys to re-create key scenes from the movies I love. As a kid, I always had fun using them as display pieces as well; plus the fun action and play features that come along with them were always a plus. Well, since then, not much has changed. These days I still continue to collect fun playsets that go along with my different collections—in this case, Cars 2! Here we have the Mattel Cars 2 Quick Changers Oil Rig playset that comes directly from the opening of the movie! 

It's big, fun, comes with a "Quick Changer" Finn McMissile car and has lots of different areas of play. I enjoyed putting it together to show here on this blog.

 

Here are front and back pics of the box/packaging and then the assembled playset:

The Mattel "Quick Changers" collection of cars from Cars 2 is a series of plastic 1:55 scale characters that change in some way (whether it's "crash damage" or a weapon coming out, etc...) when you press the back of the car. Here's an example of a Quick Changer car with the exclusive Finn that comes with this playset and some of the action that takes place as Finn goes down the getaway ramp:

 

 You can have Finn scale up the side of the rig just like in the movie!

Here is the "crush and dump" play feature. As the quick changer car goes down this ramp and hits the barrier, you then press a button that "quick changes" or "crushes" the car, then you pull the lever to "dump" the character into the ocean!

There are other fun features that work best with other diecasts and quick changers (including a rotating pad with a missile launcher for the bad guys), but these are the basics on how the playset works! Fun stuff.

Toy Story 1 2 & 3: Funko Pop

Here are my Zurg and Alien bobble heads from the Funko Pop Collection!

UPDATE 2/22/14:

For Valentine's Day last week, my parents made the perfect choice for one of the presents they sent me in their care package (since it's pink)...the Lotso POP Vinyl bobble head to add to my collection of Toy Story Funkos! It has been a while since I've gotten a Toy Story Funko, but there has been just so much great stuff out there lately that collecting is going slowly but surely. I'm glad I finally got him and that I only have three more to go: Woody, Jessie and Buzz.

Find this Lotso Funko on Amazon here and also a non-bobble head version here.

  In addition to this Lotso, Funko also made a limited edition (of 480 pieces) "fuzzy" Lotso that was exclusive to the 2011 D23 convention. I can't say I'll be rushing off to get that one though because of the steep price tag on eBay. It's selling for $65-$90.

 Also, if you're more of an eBay user, check eBay below and compare prices of all three versions:

Pop Funko Lotso Figure

 Look for more Toy Story Funkos right here soon as I add them to my collection in the coming weeks and months!

UPDATE 6/17/14:

My Toy Story POP Funko collection is complete! I know there are a few more, which are convention exclusives, but I just wanted to collect the main series since the "exclusive" ones are just variations on these anyway.

A big thanks to my sister's family who got me these for my birthday! They look great on display and with the Zurg, Lotso and Alien vinyls as well.

These, unlike the Zurg, the Alien and Lotso I have, are not "bobbleheads". However, you can get Buzz, Woody and Jessie in the bobblehead style if you choose.

Again, I'm a big POP Funko fan. These are great for young kids to play with but are also fantastic display pieces for adults. I love the quality and stylized look to these, and you will too! I would definitely recommend  picking these up if you're any kind of Disney, Pixar or Toy Story fan. You can snag all six of them on Amazon or on eBay using the link below:

Toy Story: Funko

Cars 2: Kmart Deluxe Ivan

Yesterday, I was super excited to have received my free Kmart exclusive mail away Ivan from Cars 2! The promotion was to download/print an order form from Mattel's website and then send it it with a Kmart receipt with $25 or more spent on Cars toys and then they sent this free Ivan available only through this offer. 

It also came with a giant poster depicting the entire 2013 collection of Cars; Very cool little addition. The promotion goes until August 8th if you want to get one...but hurry! 

Visit the promotion HERE.

Toy Story 1 2 & 3: Zing Ems Wave 1

Here are the Toy Story "Zing Ems"! There are nine total right now: Buzz, Woody, Trixie, Zurg, Rex, Slinky, Jessie, RC and Alien. There are two playsets I don't have and those are the Rocket Rumble Playset ($14.99) and the new Pizza Planet Astro Arena ($24.99). Both can be found on Amazon. 

 These Zing Ems come in double packs and single packs (the singles though are exclusive to Target stores). You can find these at Toys R Us, Target, Walmart, Amazon and other stores like those. Toys R us has a pack of 8 if you want to get almost all of them with one set. Happy hunting!

See Wave 2 HERE!

Cars 2: PEZ Collection

The Cars 2 PEZ assortment includes: Finn, Pit crew Mater and Lightning McQueen. These were available in stores in 2011 and still can sometimes be found at stores like Walmart or Toys R Us.

Wall·E: PEZ Dispensers

Wall·E and Eve PEZ dispensers!

Finding Nemo: PEZ Collection

Finding Nemo PEZ! This full set includes Bruce the shark, Dory and Nemo.

Brave: PEZ Dispenser

Here is the Merida PEZ dispenser...The only character released from Brave in PEZ form! This was released in 2012.

Wall-E: Funko POP

Wall-E and Eve POP vinyl figures from Funko!

Monsters Inc. : Funko POP

Monsters Inc. Funko Pop line: George Sanderson, Sulley, Mike and Boo!

The Incredibles: Funko POP

Here are the four characters from The Incredibles released in the Funko "POP!" collection.

Pixar Collection: Pixar Series 1 Vinylmation

Here is the full set (minus the Luxo Ball Chaser that I hope to get) of the Pixar Series 1 Vinylmation! You can find these currently at Disney Stores.

(from left to right)- Heimlich (was released as a box topper with blind box and was not included in the standard 12 of the series), Chuckles, King Fergus and Filmore:

 

Mr. Incredible, Flik, Nemo and Mike:

 

 Captain McCrea, Dug, Remy and Jackalope from the Boundin' Short Film:

 

UPDATE 1/09/14-

Fantastic! Finally, after a little over a year, I got the Pixar Vinylmation Series 2 chaser- the Luxo Jr. Ball! My Pixar Series, 1 & 2, is now complete. Who's ready for a Pixar Series 3? 

 

I love this design...such a creative idea for a chaser! One of Pixar's most famous icons. As you can see from the picture above, it actually looks even better from the back as it's more round and ball shaped! This chaser was designed by artist Ron Cohee as seen on the bottom of the figure.

 

These three below- Francis from A Bug's Life, DJ from Cars and Crush from Finding Nemo are not from the Pixar Series 1 collection, but are from the California Adventure Park series (representing the  Cars Land, A Bug's Land and Turtle Talk with Crush). I put them with the Pixar Series 1, as I feel that, besides the little icons on the ears to represent the attractions, these fit in perfect with the others!

 

Also included in this series is a Toy Story Alien 3-pack, A Bug's Life Tuck and Roll 2-pack and the young Carl and Ellie 2-pack from Up