Toy Story: Green Army Man Tank Buddy Gift Pack (by Mattel)

My collection of the Toy Story Buddy Pack figures from Mattel (see my full post HERE) has been almost complete for a long time now—it's close, just not 100%. There are just a few that I still need to finish up the collection! At least I'm one set closer now that I just picked up this Green Army Men w/ Tank Buddy Gift Pack recently through eBay. I can finally check this one off my list!

Back in 2010 when this was released, I think I originally passed on it because I don't usually get movie-based toys where the primary concept of the toy is based off something that doesn't ever appear in said movie. You know what I mean, toy companies do this all the time (perfect example: something like this "Space Mission Woody"). So yah, as you probably know, a green army men tank vehicle doesn't appear in any of the Toy Story films or shorts. However, after seeing this for a great price on eBay last week, I finally just decided to add it to my collection for the additional army men in the set; plus I'll admit that the tank does make a really neat addition to this already extensive assortment.

As seen on the back of the package, there were two other gift packs like this at the time: the Western Train with Buzz & Woody and the Evil Dr. Porkchop's Spaceship with Evil Dr. Porkchop and a Two-Eyed Alien. The train set doesn't have any exclusives (the train is from one of the "Action Links" sets and the Buzz & Woody are repacks), but the Dr. Porkchop set does have one exclusive—the Two-Eyed alien (which is another one I'm still trying to get my hands on).

Take a look at this surprisingly really awesome set out of the package below!

The tank measures about 5.5" long and 2.5" tall. The soldier figures are approximately 1.5" tall.

The green army man standing on the top of the tank (binoculars; hand up) and the one with the rocket launcher were previously released in THIS standard pack. The two additional soldiers here with the goggles and walkie talkies (both are identical) are the exclusives to this set.

The tank's turret can move 360 degrees and there are wheels underneath the tread for rolling action.

I'm so glad I went for this! It's always nice to have a hole in my collection get filled. Did you pick this up for your Buddy Pack collection back in the day? Or maybe you're just learning about this set now? Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Be sure to leave a comment or any questions you might have below.

Find this on eBay HERE (using this affiliate link).

Toy Story: Woody & The Troops Multipack (7" Scale Action Figure Collection by Mattel)

Code Red, repeat, we are at Code Red! Recon plan Charlie. Execute! Let's move, move, move, move, move!

Guys, it's finally here. The "Woody & The Troops" multipack (as part of Mattel's epic Toy Story 7" scale action figure collection) has arrived on Amazon in the US at long last. For the few of you diehard collectors out there like myself who have known about this set since [at least] March, I'm sure you're just as thrilled with this release as I am. Images have been floating around the internet for ages now and it seemed to be only available on the Walmart Canada website. I was so close to ordering from there and paying the extra money, as I had my doubts it would even be distributed here at this point. I'm glad I held off! Amazon US got this in stock a week or two ago, so I ordered it right from there and it came in just a couple days. I'm not sure if it will also be available in-store soon at Walmart and/or Target, but I'll keep you updated here if I see anything.

I think it's so cool to have the classic Toy Story "Bucket O Soldiers" and army men in this scale. It's a great addition to this already expansive line of figures! Between getting these soldiers and Lenny this year, one can only hope we'll be getting more of Andy's secondary toys in this scale in 2021 or beyond (Wheezy, Rocky, Snake/Robot, Shark, Hocky Puck, etc...). Who would you like to see made?

I continue to really love the clean Pixar banner packaging that's been used for all of Mattel's Pixar figures this year, as well as the use of the 25th anniversary icon for the Toy Story ones like on this one here.

Of course with any of these multipacks that get released, I do wish I didn't have to get characters I already have to get ones I don't (I must have four or five of these Woody figures at this point). Again though, that's collecting for you! Including Woody with this set makes sense (I get it), but heck, at least a new variant of Woody would have been nice (like how they produced the scared Woody for the Benson 2-Pack); but alas—this is the same Woody figure that has been released countless times over the past year. So in today's review, I'll be only focusing in on the green army men and their Bucket O soldiers.

There are 20 army men that come inside the bucket and they all look fantastic and very screen accurate! Each soldier stands at about 1 3/4" tall, while the bucket itself has a 4" circumference and is 2 3/4" tall. In a surprising (yet not surprising at all) move, Mattel decided to not include any soldiers holding guns/weapons. 

 

When you first open up the bucket, you'll find the soldiers in a little plastic baggie.

There are six different solider variations included with this set:

• Arms out (x4)
• Binoculars (x3)
• Arm up (x3)
• Metal detector (x3) 
• Laying down (x4)
• Saluting (x3)

Currently the price on Amazon for this is around $30, but that's not the actual retail price. So if you want to wait until the price goes down, I totally get it (should end up being around $17 I believe).

What are you thoughts?? Will you be picking this up for your Toy Story Mattel action figure collection? To me, these are such classic characters that I can't imagine passing this up if you're invested in this line (even if you do have to get another Woody figure). Looking forward to the conversation down below!

You can help support my site by using the Amazon affiliate link here:

Onward: Guinevere Van Mug (ShopDisney)

Behold, your chariot awaits! What's a quest without a mighty steed, right? Now as you start your day and prepare for its gauntlet of challenges, you can do so by sipping your favorite hot beverage from Barley's iconic van from Disney·Pixar's Onward—Guinevere!

This epic ceramic mug was released at the Disney Store (and ShopDisney.com), as well as the Disney Parks, at the beginning of the year when the Onward merch was first released. I waited too long to get it though and, by the time I went to order it as a birthday present for myself back in May, it had sold out online and Disney Stores were shut down at that point. Luckily my nearest Disney Store was frozen in time for the last five months, so when they reopened a couple weeks back, they still had plenty of these mugs left—and at an incredibly low sale price too! A huge thank you to my good friend Gabby who ended up purchasing this and gifting it to me as a late birthday present.

The mug has fantastically detailed screen art, is microwave & dishwasher safe, measures 3 1/2'' H x 4'' W x 6'' L (including handle) in size and holds 18 oz. Original retail price was $19.99. Instructions, as usual, state to wash thoroughly before first use.

Check it out in more detail down below! 

I honestly didn't need another mug in my collection (I have wayyy to many), but this one was too cool to pass up—not to mention I ending up loving how the van was portrayed on screen in the film. It was not only a mere vehicle, but a crucial character as well! The mug is perfect for obvious practical purposes (like drinking from), but it also makes for a super neat display piece on a desk or shelf as well (that's what I mostly got it for).

If you're interested in adding this to your Onward collection, be sure to visit your local Disney Store ASAP now that they've reopened to check availability! They just may have it still in stock, like mine does. You can also pick it up through third-party sellers on Amazon using the direct affiliate link below or eBay HERE.

Let me know your thoughts!

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Onward: Behold! The Majestic Unicorn (and Other Not-So-Magical Beings) Book Review

Behold! The Majestic Unicorn (and Other Not-So-Magical Beings) is a fun little Disney·Pixar Onward inspired book that holds true to one of the main themes of the film—that times have changed and that, while some things have stayed the same, "magic" has become something rare to be rediscovered.

Each spread features one of the film's many magical species; a page or two showing them and what they were like "before" (times of old) and then a page or two depicting them "now" (modern day). The creatures it touches on are: unicorns, elves, dragons, trolls, centaurs, merfolk, whispering trees, sprites and gnomes. This is not a long book or necessarily a storybook (a couple sentences per creature; 32 pages), but it's nicely/simply written with a touch of sarcasm (no author is attached) and with some really cute and colorful illustrations by Pixar's own Jeff Pidgeon and the Disney Storybook Art Team. It makes for a nice and quick book to read at bedtime, especially if your little ones are captivated by the fantasy world of Onward.

This hardcover book is also smaller in size, measuring only 6.8" x 6.8". I really like that, but was surprised when I saw it in person! I just figured it was more of a standard book size.

Enjoy my exclusive peek inside below!

I really liked seeing one of the whispering trees here, a classic fantasy creature that never made it to the final cut of the film (but can be spotted in the Art of Onward book and in a deleted scene on the Blu-Ray). I think this is such a hilarious and clever idea—to have them as some kind of a supermarket associate stuck in the ground outside the store handing out flyers. I do wish there was a bit more world building/gags like this in the movie. The teaser trailer had some great moments like this that were also cut, such as the garden gnomes doing actual yardwork.

For young fans of Onward, I can totally recommend this book. For under 10 bucks on Amazon, you can't really go wrong here! If you're interested in snagging this for your collection, you can help support my site by purchasing it on Amazon using the affiliate link below. Be sure to leave your thoughts and any questions you might have down in the comments!

Onward: Funko "POP!" Collection Review— PAGE UPDATE

Hey what's up gang?! Tonight's post is a page update to my Onward Funko "POP!" collection review. Even though I was originally going to pass on getting this Hot Topic exclusive "Limited CHASE Edition" version of the unicorn (which has a blue horn instead of the standard purple horn), I decided my collection felt incomplete without it and thought "why the heck not". Yah, it's not the most exciting Funko Chase out there—I mean, it's almost the exact same at the standard version—but it was the last one I needed and doesn't sell for too much these days anyway (only around $15-$20 on eBay). I actually asked for this for my birthday from my parents in-law back in May, so it was no skin off my back regardless ;) A big thanks to them for hooking me up!

Be sure to check out the original post featuring the [now] complete collection HERE. What are you thoughts?

Toy Story Mattel Buddy Packs Collection PAGE UPDATE—Running Buzz Lightyear Added!

Well this was a surprise! Most of you won't find this as exciting as me, but I'm still thrilled to share this. After all these years, I stumbled upon a Buzz Lightyear variation that I had no idea about—Running Buzz Lightyear! I don't know how I managed to miss him, but I'm so glad I stumbled upon his image while doing some research recently as I try to complete my collection here. Luckily there was one on eBay for $20 that I snatched right up!

Sure, his pose isn't too different when compared to all the other Buddy Pack versions of Buzz out there, but it's certainly it's own unique sculpt and not a repack. This Buzz is inspired by Toy Story 2 when Buzz is running through the airport baggage system to rescue Woody. Given that the back of the package mentions the "Butte" sticker that Buzz has stuck on his rear during that moment, I fully expected this figure to have that. Sadly, I was disappointed (that would have been brilliant)! No Butte sticker here, but I'm happy to have him regardless since I've been determined to find every last Toy Story Buddy Pack figure out there.

To make sure my original "Toy Story Buddy Packs Complete Guide" post is as comprehensive as possible, I've added this info there as well with more photos. Check it out HERE and be sure to share your thoughts down below!

Monsters University: Disney Parks Exclusive Limited Edition "Opening Day 2013" Dangle Pin

Check out this scare-riffic Monsters University "Opening Day 2013" dangle style pin—a Disney Parks exclusive, limited edition of 2,000! This commemorative pin was released on June 21st, 2013 (the day MU arrived in theaters). My good friend Gabby was nice enough to gift this to me recently and I was SO excited when I saw how cool it is. I'm not a huge pin collector, so it wasn't on my radar to track down or anything all these years later, but man am I happy to have it now as part of my collection. It went right on my Pixar pin board and looks fantastic.

I love the character art here (which ended up being on many MU products at the time), designed by the amazing Eric Tan at Disney Consumer Products. He's one of my absolute favorites! All the characters on this pin— Mike Wazowski, Sulley, Don, Art, Squishy and Randall— are adorably stylized.

What are your thoughts? Do you have this pin in your Disney/Pixar pin collection? If you're wanting to snag it, you can find it very easily on eBay for almost nothing these days. Let me know any comments or questions you might have down below and stay tuned for more right here on the blog daily!

Cars: Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen (2020 "Welcome to Radiator Springs" Version)

Following my post from Saturday, today I'm looking at another Mattel Cars 1:55 scale diecast as part of the new "Welcome to Radiator Springs" series now available at Target—Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen (with video phone accessory)!

I had no idea this was even coming this year, since this "Welcome to Radiator Springs" assortment wasn't even on this year's poster; so when I saw it at Target a week or so ago, I was SO excited! Not because of the Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen diecast (I already have him), but because of the video phone accessory. That phone was previously only available in THIS 10-Pack and I wasn't about to fork out all that money just to get that little accessory (especially since I already had all the other cars in that set). I'm glad I held off and got it here with this McQueen for a couple bucks!

This release also comes with a brand new "I'm not speeding, I'm qualifying" bumper sticker.

Here's the weird thing though... "Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen" is from the first Cars film (the very end) and the video phone appeared only in Cars 3 (screen shot above). It's weird they would combine the films like that, but hey, it works for me since I just wanted the phone anyway.

You can see Rusty and Dusty on the video phone, just like in Cars 3.

There are five other (six total) single cars in this little sub-series (like McQueen here, they all come with a brand new/unique bumper sticker): Blowing Bubbles Mater (with hay bail), Sally with Tattoo (with dinner table), Ramone (with oil can), Doc Hudson (with Piston Cup trophy) and Sheriff (no accessory). You can see them all HERE. There's also a Sarge (with traffic cone) available in THIS "Welcome to Radiator Springs" 4-Pack. Again, all of these are available at Target right now, so be sure to get them while you can!

What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think and any questions you might have in the comment section below.

Cars: Blowing Bubbles Mater (2020 "Welcome to Radiator Springs" Version)

As a longtime Disney·Pixar Cars collector, I'm absolutely thrilled with this re-release! Mattel has finally brought back their 1:55 scale diecast "Blowing Bubbles Mater" for the first time since 2010 (when he was available as a single in the "Final Lap Collection" and as a lenticular release in THIS 3-Car Gift Pack). I missed out on him originally and have been trying to track him down for a decade now. He got up there in price on eBay, typically selling between $30 and $50, so I could never justify it. I'm glad I didn't have to!

I had no idea this was even coming this year, since this new "Welcome to Radiator Springs" series wasn't on this year's poster—so when I saw it at Target a week or so ago, I was so excited! If you compare this one to the 2010 version though, it's not 100% the same (there are some minor updates to his eye expression and coloring), but it's close enough. What's really cool is that he even comes with a hay bail accessory now (which seems to be the same as the one that was available in THIS 5-Pack; good for me since I never got that set) and a brand new "Tow Mater Towing·Salvage" bumper sticker.

As shown in the screen shot above, Mater can be briefly seen blowing a bubble while getting bored listening to Sally's long spiel about the importance of Radiator Springs during Lighting's court sentence scene.

There are five other (six total) single cars in this little sub-series (like Mater here, they all come with a brand new/unique bumper sticker): Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen (with video phone; I'll be showing that one here soon), Sally with Tattoo (with dinner table), Ramone (with oil can), Doc Hudson (with Piston Cup trophy) and Sheriff (no accessory). You can see them all HERE. There's also a Sarge (with traffic cone) available in THIS "Welcome to Radiator Springs" 4-Pack. All of these are available at Target right now, so be sure to get them while you can!

What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think and any questions you might have in the comment section below.

Soul: Funko "POP!" Collection PAGE UPDATE

Tonight's post is a quick page update to my Soul Funko "POP!" write-up! I've just added the last three characters I needed—Mr. Mittens, Moonwind (Soul World) and Mr. Mittens (Soul World)—which complete my collection as of now. Check out the original post HERE for more details!

Disney·Pixar Bao Little Golden Book Review

Just released on July 28th from Random House Publishing, here we have Pixar's latest Little Golden Book—Bao, based the 2018 theatrical short film! This is only the fifth time (after Presto. Mater and the Ghost Light, Your Friend the Rat and Jack-Jack Attack) that a Pixar short has gotten the Little Golden Book treatment. More please!

Synopsis: In Bao, an aging Chinese mom suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy. Mom excitedly welcomes this new bundle of joy into her life, but Dumpling starts growing up fast, and Mom comes to the bittersweet realization that nothing stays cute and small forever. This beautifully illustrated Little Golden Book retells the short film from Pixar Animation Studios and director Domee Shi, which explores the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the rich, colorful lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada.

This particular Little Golden Book was wonderfully Adapted by Aimee Murata, Illustrated by Sophie Li, Designed by Winnie Ho and based on the film's story directed/written by Domee Shi. It's hardcover, 25 pages long and retails for $4.99. 

What I really enjoyed while reading this for the first time is having words associated with what's happening in the story, since the film doesn't have any dialogue or exposition (not that the film needs that, it's perfect visual storytelling, but it was still interesting here). It also may help some younger kids understand things better if they were confused about certain aspects while watching the short. 

The illustrations are, once again, outstanding and really capture the classic and timeless Little Golden Book feel with a bit of that retro flair. Take an exclusive look inside below and see for yourself!

What are your thoughts? Anyone else out there as excited as I am about this release? Will you be adding this to your Disney/Pixar library? Shout it all out down in the comments and hopefully we can get a conversation going.

If you're interested, you can pick this up today at Barnes & Noble HERE or Amazon using the link below (available as a hard copy and as a digital book).