PIXAR All-Star Rivals Minis (from Mattel)—with BLIND BAG CODES!

Just a few days ago, I was checking the Pixar section at Target like I always do (not really expecting to find anything new) and, well, I found something new! Not only something new, but something I had no idea was coming (which doesn't happen very often)—this brand new Pixar "All-Star Rivals" blind bag series as part of Mattel's ongoing collection of "Minis"! Just when I thought this line was coming to a close, we get this. So will it be continuing on? Will we finally get the final Toy Story and Pixar Minis shown at the 2020 Toy Fair last year that never got released? Time will tell, but right now I'm thrilled we even got these. You know I love the Minis!

This series is made up of 12 characters spanning several different Pixar films—Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 4, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo. Some characters are completely new, some are repacked from previous Minis series and some are retooled variants. 

Here's the breakdown:

• Sulley (repack from Pixar Series 1)
• Randall (retool of Randall from Pixar Series 2—he now has "invisible"/clear legs and tail; same overall sculpt as original)
• Laser Firing Buzz Lightyear (retool—same sculpt as the Laser Firing Buzz which has been released numerous times, but now has an updated face with both eyes open instead of him winking)
• Scud (NEW)
  
• Bo Peep (repack from Toy Story 4 Kroger Series; it's subtly different from the Toy Story 4 Series 1 Bo)
• Benson with mouth open (repack from Toy Story 4 Series 2)
• Quick Draw Woody (retool—same sculpt as the Quick Draw Woody from Toy Story Series 5, now with an updated face) 
• Stinky Pete (repack from the 2020 Al's Toy Barn Toy Story 2 Series; I haven't found that series yet though, so I got him here)
• Flik (NEW—was supposed to be in Pixar Series 3, but that hasn't happened yet)
• Hopper (NEW)
• Stern Expression Nemo (NEW)
• Darla (NEW)
  

 

Below is what the CDU (counter display unit) looks like. Fun design with the Pixar skee-balls! Of course the "rivals" aspect is that they've paired select Pixar heroes with their antagonists (I should clarify that there is only one mini per blind bag; $3.49 each). On the packaging and CDU, Randall and Scud are highlighted as "Top Prizes". Does that mean they're harder to find? From what I remember, I think there was only one each of those in the full case I found—so yah, I believe they're the rarest of the characters here. 

And now what everyone is here for—the blind bag codes! Here you go, so you don't have to stand in the Target isle for 30 minutes deciphering each one like I did (I've circled where to find the code in my photo above):

 

A- Sulley

B- Flik

C- Woody

D- Buzz Lightyear

E- Stinky Pete

F- Scud 

G- Benson

H- Nemo

I- Randall

J- Darla

K- Hopper

L- Bo Peep

 

Now let's take a close-up look at each character! I only picked up the Minis I didn't have of course. I didn't need Sulley, Bo Peep or open-mouth Benson (since I purchased their original releases and reviewed them), but that may be different for you if you missed any of those previously. Who's your favorite here??

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR (LASER FIRING)

SCUD  

WOODY (QUICK DRAW)

STINKY PETE
 

RANDALL (DISAPPEARING)
 

DARLA

 NEMO (STERN EXPRESSION)

FLIK

 

 HOPPER

Well that just about covers it. So what do you think!? Were you able to find these at Target as well and were you just as surprised as I was? What other characters do you hope get made in future Pixar Minis series? Let me know all your thoughts and any questions you might have in the comments below!

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Toy Story 2: Stinky Pete & Woody 7" Action Figure "Classic Pack" (by Mattel)

"Oh, we've waited countless years for this day!”

Ever since Stinky Pete The Prospector was introduced in Toy Story 2, countless fans everywhere (myself included) have been hoping and waiting for a full-scale replica release of the character. Woody, Jessie and Bullseye have all been made at this point, so why not Stinky Pete to complete the Roundup Gang? Well, almost 22 years later and we still don't have one. That's the bad news. The good news is at the very least he's now a part of Mattel's ongoing and award winning 7" scale Toy Story action figure collection—and man does he look absolutely incredible! This is the first of many new Toy Story 7" scale figures scheduled to be released in 2021 (others include Stretch, Rocky, Spanish Buzz & Jessie, Combat Carl, Evil Dr. Porkchop and more). 

Note for collectors: As I've mentioned before (like in THIS post), I'm fully aware of the "Young Epoch Stinky Pete" from Japan that was released in 2001 (which sells for thousands of dollars on eBay). When I say "they haven't made a full-scale replica of Stinky Pete", from my perspective, I mean a wide [dare I say "official"] release of the character—an accessible version for fans here in the U.S. (from Thinkway Toys, Disney Store/Parks, or the like). That is something that has never been made.

From the figure's near-perfect sculpt, to the amazing movie-inspired packaging (plus the general scarceness of Stinky Pete merch out there), this has got to be my favorite 7" figure Mattel has done. When I first saw this revealed, I'm pretty sure I let out an audible gasp. 

Stinky Pete here also comes with Woody, but I won't be focusing on him in this post since it's the same exact 7" Woody that has been released many, many times since the line was introduced in 2019. I do wish a new/unique Woody was included here (like one with a ripped arm and different expression?), but that's just the way of things. I'm not convinced a Woody needed to be included either way as I think The Prospector would have sold just fine on his own, but that would have at least been a little better. 

Stinky Pete's side of the packaging—his box—is attached to Woody's side (it's all one piece), but I've seen it can be removed pretty easily with a razor blade if you just want to display The Prospector in his box on his own. As you can tell, it's not exactly the same as his box seen in Toy Story 2, but it's pretty close. Overall, the striking packaging design is definitely one of the coolest aspects of this set! Kudos to the team involved. I feel like they really had us fans in mind and put a lot of thought into it.

 

Speaking of the packaging, I'm certainly keeping it! There's no way I could throw this out. I did take Stinky Pete out for some loose photos (I know, I know...), but I was able to carefully put him back in with very minimal damage to the cardback. 

Here he is out of his box! Yup, now I can't say "he's mint in the box, never been opened." What a fantastic figure; the sculpt/likeness, the paint application, the articulation—this is Mattel at the top of their game. The pick is obviously removable, but his hat isn't. This figure is a HUGE improvement on the last Stinky Pete figure Mattel did back in 1999 as seen in my post HERE.

 

What do you think!?

Now as far as the release, it's been odd. Over the last couple months, this set has been released sporadically on Amazon—seemingly only listing a few at a time as a pre-sale saying that it would be in-stock at some future date; then it would ship much sooner than the posted date. It happened to me that way and so many other collector friends of mine. It literally goes in and out of stock several times a week. One second it'll be there and then the next second it's gone. It's super weird! It's never been straight up "in stock". Right now it's "currently unavailable" once again, but keep checking my direct link below daily (even several times a day). Retail price is $19.99. 

Note: I've also heard reports that this is showing up in Walmart stores, so be sure to check there as well. I'm not sure about Target, but I'll update this post if I hear anything.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts and/or any questions you might have for me down in the comments. Are you as happy about this release as I am? Who would you like to see made next in this line? 

Happy hunting!

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Bumkins Baby Toy Story Mealtime Collection Review (Bibs & More)

Last February at the 2020 New York Toy Fair, I happened to stumble across the Bumkins booth (which really caught my eye since Aidan had just been born a couple months prier and I was on the lookout for Pixar baby merch) and knew right away that I would need their adorable new Toy Story mealtime collection. Not long after that, I was so honored to have Bumkins reach out to me asking if they could send me the collection to review! I couldn't believe it and I'm still super grateful to this day. A huge thanks to them! 

Aidan was only 6 months old or so at the time (so he didn't totally understand what was going on), but he, my wife and I still had so much fun uboxing the package in the backyard and were in awe of all the cuteness (check out my original coverage on my Instagram story highlight if you missed it). We were sent the Pizza Planet Alien Silicone Grip Dish, the SuperBib 3-Pack (art my the amazing Joey Chou; one of my fave Disney artists), the Woody Caped SuperBib, the Buzz Lightyear Caped SuperBib and the Purple Spoon + Fork Set. Such a generous box of goodies! 

Note: Something that we weren't sent, but I wanted to mention here, was the Reusable Snack Bag 3-Pack (see & purchase HERE).

Flash forward to present day (Aidan is 15 months old) and he is still loving all this—now more than ever! Especially now that he's eating mostly all by himself in his highchair and continuing to perfect using utensils. Not to mention now he actually knows the names of and recognizes the Toy Story characters! Last year he didn't know much about Buzz, Woody and the gang, but now he certainly knows who they are/what what they're from. He gets excited about being Buzz or Woody at mealtime and eating off his favorite alien plate. I have fun asking him who certain characters are and find joy watching him be able to point them out. Proud Pixar dad moment! 

For a while, Aidan did not keep bibs on and would rip them off immediately (mostly why I'm doing this post a bit later; that and so Aidan would be old enough to actually use all this), but he's getting a little bit better about it. The bibs—and everything here for that matter—are quality made and exactly as described (though not exactly "tug-proof" for this strong little guy ;)! Plus is that not the cutest art ever? Heck I'd buy that art and hang it on my wall, it's that cute. 

Here's a closer look at each product and the official details from Bumkins:

Pizza Planet Alien Silicone Grip Dish ($17.95)—Inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story, we shaped this plate like a Toy Story alien. Little ones and parents will love setting the table with this friendly face. Our Silicone Grip Dishes are perfect for little ones learning to self-feed. Our dishes are perfectly sized for toddler portions. A strong suction base ensures they stays put – even with the most aggressive toddler! Great for use on highchair trays or tables. Silicone can withstand low and high temperatures, easily transitioning from the refrigerator or freezer to the oven or microwave. Made with 100% food-safe silicone that’s durable, stain and bacteria resistant.

• BPA-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free and lead-free
• Oven safe up to 400°F/204°C
• Dishwasher-safe (top rack)
• Measures approximately 7" tall x 9" across x 1" deep
• For ages 6 months and up

SuperBib 3-Pack ($17.95)—These SuperBibs feature Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and a variety of other toys from the toy box. The bibs attach over the back of the shoulder with hook and loop closure for a quick, adjustable and tug-proof fit. With a handy crumb catcher / catch-all pocket for containing spills. Made from Bumkins lightweight, waterproof, easy-wipe, stain and odor resistant fabric. Single ply construction means no worrying about icky stuff growing between layers of fabric. Without a cotton layer, stains and smells don't stick. A pack of 3 ensures there's a clean one handy!

To extend the life of our bibs, we recommend hang drying our quick-dry fabric.

• Machine or hand wash; air dry completely before storing
• BPA-free, PVC-free, vinyl-free, phthalate-free and lead-free
• 100% polyester with TPU coating for waterproofing
• Measures approximately 10” across and 9” from neck down
• Sized to fit ages 6 to 24 months

 

Woody Caped SuperBib & Buzz Lightyear Caped SuperBib ($9.95 each)—For little ones who would like to dress up for mealtime, the Woody bib looks like the toy sheriff’s outfit with his hat as a snap-on cape on the back. The Buzz Lightyear bib features the space ranger’s signature uniform, complete with snap-on jet pack cape. Our SuperBibs attach over the back of the shoulder with hook and loop for a quick, adjustable and tug-proof fit. With a handy crumb catcher / catch-all pocket for containing spills. Made from Bumkins lightweight, waterproof, easy-wipe, stain and odor resistant fabric. Single ply construction means no worrying about icky stuff growing between layers of fabric. Without a cotton layer, stains and smells don't stick.

• Machine or hand wash; air dry completely before storing
• BPA-free, PVC-free, vinyl-free, phthalate-free and lead-free
• 100% polyester with TPU coating for waterproofing
• Measures approximately 10” across and 9” from neck down
• Sized to fit ages 6 to 24 months

To extend the life of our bibs, we recommend hang drying our quick-dry fabric.

Purple Spoon + Fork Set ($14.95)—Little ones can dig into mealtime with our Purple Spoon + Fork Set. Stainless steel fork and spoon heads are sized and shaped for toddlers. The concave heads help keep food on the fork or spoon, helping promote self-feeding with solid foods. The outer fork tines are bent to help spear foods and keep food on the fork. Handles are textured silicone so they’re easy-to-grip. Safe to use – made from 100% food-safe silicone.

Do not leave child unattended with product. Discard if damaged or torn.

• BPA-free, BPS-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, cadmium-free and lead-free
• CPSIA compliant
• Dishwasher-safe (top rack)
• Measure approximately 5.5” long x 1.25” wide
• For ages 18 months and up

The quality, the artwork, the theming...it's all pretty much perfection. For all you parents out there who are Toy Story fans just like me (and are trying to get your kids into it at an early age ;), I can't recommend this collection enough! It's just so fun that us fans who grew up with these films now get to pass them on to our little ones—and we can do it in style thanks to Bumkins! 

Be sure to let me know all your thoughts and/or any questions you might have in the comment section below. Did you pick up any of the items here for your mealtimes? What has been your experience with them? I'd love to hear it!

Up Wilderness Explorer Baby Onesie

 

The wilderness must be explored! Inspired by the iconic Wilderness Explorer uniform as seen in Pixar's Up, here we have this adorable baby onesie exclusive to BoxLunch! I got this for Aidan a few months back (because how could I not?) and was finally able to take him outside recently for some photos now that it's been warming up a bit. He's gotta be the cutest little Wilderness Explorer I've ever seen! 

 

This one-piece bodysuit with snap button closure is 60% cotton / 40% polyester and is such a cute representation of Russel's WE outfit at the end of the film when he receives "the Ellie Badge" (or grape soda pin) from Carl. I love the accuracy of the patches on the sash as well—it's just all around adorable.

 

This comes in sizes 3 Month, 6 Month, 9 Month. 12 Month and 18 Month. You can pick it up for your little one on BoxLunch's site HERE for $14.90. Let me know your thoughts down below! 

 

Note: The Dug plush in these photos is the 2014 Cuddle 'N' Talk plush from Thinkway Toys. Full blog post HERE. 

Onward Light-Up Guinevere Popcorn Bucket (Disney Parks)

Released last August at Walt Disney World within Hollywood Studios, here we have this super cool Onward inspired light-up Guinevere van popcorn bucket! I'm certainly not an avid collector of the Disney Parks souvenir popcorn buckets like some fans are, but once in a while there will be one that really stands out to me...and this is one of them. After resisting for a while, I finally broke down and ended up snagging one on eBay a couple months back. I paid only $25 for it, which isn't bad considering the original retail price was $18. 

Honestly, the real reason I got this was to use as a toy (even the tag says "not a toy") with the Mattel Onward 7" figures. Though I know it's not even close to being in scale with them, it's good enough for me considering there aren't any other options out there that are closer. In fact, the only other Guinevere toy that was produced is the Mattel Minis one (seen HERE). An official 7" scale Guinevere toy/playset from Mattel (with lights and sounds/music; maybe even an RC feature?) was always my dream, but at this point I'm almost certain that never happening. This is no doubt the next best thing.

It's actually very well done and surprisingly detailed/movie accurate for a popcorn bucket. It really does seem more like an actual toy. Check it out in more detail below!

This van opens up to a relatively spacey compartment (originally intended for popcorn, of course) and an attached Onward lanyard (for walking around the parks and snacking on popcorn at the same time). I tested it out and you can actually store both the Ian and Barley 7" figures in here at the same time. The van measures roughly 10" long x 4" tall x 5" wide and has rolling wheels.

The best feature though is that the headlights light-up as seen in my action shot and brief video below (just press the small button on the van's front grill)! My only big complaint—and it's a bummer for sure—is that there doesn't seem to be any way to replace the batteries. So once it's out, it's out and the best feature will be gone. That'll be a disappointing day, but I'll enjoy the lights while they last. 

If you're interested in grabbing one of these for your Onward collection, be sure to check out THIS direct link to current eBay listings. Let me know your thoughts and/or any questions you might have in the comments below!

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Toy Story Pizza Planet Minis Mania Playset (by Mattel)

Released last year as part of Mattel's Toy Story Minis collection and in celebration of the film's 25th anniversary, here we have the Pizza Planet Minis Mania Playset/Carry Case! If you've been following my content for some time now, you know that I'm a big fan and avid collector of Mattel's Pixar/Toy Story "Minis"—so of course I needed to pick this one up. Not only for the playset, which is super fun, but also for the exclusive and unique alien mini! What can I say, I'm a completest.

This playset is loosely inspired by the iconic Pizza Planet crane game seen in the the original Toy Story. Play is simple! Slide open the top hatch, drop some minis into the rocket (up to 2 minis per slot) and close up the hatch. Pull down the lever and watch them spin! Press the gold button on the front of the case and it will drop down and dispense your prize (or "double prizes" ;). Pull out the little drawer to store a couple mini figures/accessories or whatever other tiny items you'd like.

The playset is entirely plastic and measures about 11.5" tall x 9.5" wide. Retail price is $19.77. This was never released in stores, but it can be found online on Walmart's site HERE and Amazon (direct link below).

Check it out unboxed below!

The exclusive alien mini is very similar to the alien found in last year's blind bags (Andy's Toy Box Series, seen HERE), but it is in fact unique to this set. This one is also mostly translucent and has a neat iridescent paint job with glitter.

If you or your little one collects the Toy Story Minis, this is a fun addition to the line and something I can totally recommend. It's simple, fun, works as it should and adds some needed play value to the mini figures. Great for play and/or display. Check out my brief video below to see it in action! 

 

 

Be sure to let me know your thoughts down in the comments and come back here each week to see more from my ever expanding Pixar collection!

 

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Cars: Lightning McQueen as Easter Buggy

Straight from the 2012 Disney·Pixar Cars expanded universe book, Mater and the Eater Buggy, here we have the brand new 1:55 scale diecast of Lightning McQueen as Easter Buggy from Mattel! This one just hit shelves recently as part of the 2021 singles Case D and is the first ever release of this character.

Back in early 2017, Mattel released four festive diecasts in specialty Easter packaging based on this Cars inspired Easter themed children's book: Easter Mater, Easter Lightning McQueen, Easter Ramone and the Easter Buggy himself! You can read my two-part review HERE and HERE. I always thought an Easter Buggy Lightning McQueen should have been made as well, so I'm glad that wish has finally come true! Apparently this was suppose to be released back in 2017, but was cancelled.

 

You can find this diecast at Target and Walmart right now, just in time for Easter! Not to state the obvious, but this would make the perfect Easter basket gift. And good news for those who missed the Easter Buggy back when he was first released—he's back as a 2021 single in this case as well (seen HERE)! If you'd rather just pick up either of them online, visit this direct link to current eBay listings or any of the Amazon affiliate links down below. 

What are your thoughts?! 

Cars 3: Ducky Fauntleroy

Hey all! Tonight I'm taking a look at yet another one of Mattel's newest Cars 3 1:55 scale diescast releases...Ducky Fauntleroy (racing no. 42)! Ducky just hit shelves just recently as part of the 2021 singles Case D and is the first ever release of this character. Gotta love these 1950's era Piston Cup racers; like I mentioned yesterday, I can't get enough of them!

As shown in the screen shot above, Ducky can be spotted very briefly (essentially only from the side/back) in the old Fireball Beach race video of Doc crashing (the one McQueen watches in his garage after his own crash). He was sponsored mainly by Cheerio Old Toots, Blowie Belsoms Safety Horns with additional side sponsoring by Catmull Oil, Dinoco and Southern Gold Gasoline. I love the design and overall color scheme of this guy! 

Ducky is currently brand new, so you should be able to find him in stores at your nearest Target or Walmart. If not, no worries! You can purchase him online by searching eBay HERE or by searching Amazon in the coming weeks (he's not on there as of this post).

See you again right here real soon for another Cars diecast review! Have fun out there and happy hunting.

Cars 3: Heyday Leroy Heming & Heyday Junior Moon 2-Pack

Hey Disney·Pixar Cars fans—I'm back with another Mattel 1:55 scale Cars 3 diecast review! Tonight I'm taking a quick look at this newly released 2-pack featuring Heyday Junior Moon and Heyday Leroy Heming. Both of these characters have been released previously, but I missed them both when they were available so this 2-pack works out great for me. This set just hit Target shelves a few weeks back and I was able to snag it in-store. 

Heyday Junior Moon has an interesting history. He was originally available in—according to the name on the package— THIS 2017 "Racing Legends 4-Pack"; however, that was not truly Heyday Junior Moon included. It's essentially just a slightly different variant of the regular old standard Junior Moon. Mattel corrected this two years later in 2019 when they released an accurate representation of Heyday Junior Moon in THIS 2-Pack with Eli Turnpike (which I was never able to find). Now the correct version of Heyday Junior Moon has been released once more in this 2-Pack with Leroy Heming. 

Now speaking of Leroy Heming, he was first available in late 2018 as a single (seen HERE), but I unfortunately never found him either. He was really hard to find in my area and ended up being kind of pricey on eBay. So yah, I'm super happy Mattel brought him back this year. I'm not sure why they call him "Heyday" Leroy Hemming here though, since that's the only way we ever see the character in the film. This is the same exact diecast as the single carded release, so don't let the name here through you off.

 

As shown in the screen shot above, both Junior Moon (in his prime, or "heyday") and Leroy Heming were seen during a Thomasville Speedway race flashback sequence towards the end of the film's second act. Smokey and all the Thomasville "legends" gather with Cruz and Lightning at the Cotton Pin Bar & Grill for drinks, while also sharing some stories about Doc and the glory days. Junior is briefly shown racing side by side with the Hudson Hornet, Louise Nash, River Scott and many other neat looking 1950's era Piston Cup racers. Leroy is "the rookie" that Doc goes up against and ultimately defeats in the race after being slammed into the wall. 

 

These are both excellent looking cars. I'll take any retro style character Mattel gives us—love them! Be sure to check out your nearest Target for availability or eBay HERE if you'd rather just order online. I've also included an Amazon affiliate link below. Be sure to let me know your thoughts down in the comments and best of luck on the hunt!