Idiot Blogger forgets camera

Journeyed into the Animal Kingdom today for my Mom's 71st birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!). While there, I found 3 snowglobes I had not seen before. Unfortunately my camera stayed home.
There are two Expedition Everest snowglobes that probably have been available since the ride opened but this is the first time I've seen them. There is a mini that costs $15 and a medium sized with blower and lights that costs $50. Both are very nice.
There is also a new line of Animal Kingdom merchandize that features the Fab 5 in a hot air balloon soaring over the park. There is a snowglobe that is part of that line of merchandise that features the characters in the basket of the balloon.
I believe all three are only available at Animal Kingdom.
Wow, the park was crowded today. Amazing how much Expedition Everest and the Finding Nemo musical have added to the attendance of this park. We were awarded the Year of a million dreams lanyard and pins. Technically I'm not supposed to win since I work for an operating participant but I gues they dont check on the smaller prizes.

Ratatouille update

Another seller has posted the new Ratatouille dome on ebay and the auction information reveals that it is from the Disney Store. I kind of like the old fashioned plastic domes and hope they will continue to do more of them as well as the large deluxe kind.

work gets in the way

No posts for a few days. Sorry about that. The new job is getting in the way of everything. If you haven't allready, you may want to check out moukavision for some clips and vidios about Ratatouille. I think the trailer and tv commercials make the film look dumb but then I watched a long clip that was presented by Brad Bird and think it looks like it will be quite good.

Auction Watching - Mary Poppins Snowglobe

The feebay auction we were watching for the Mary Poppins globe has closed at $750.00.

Cha-Ching! Not bad for something that cost $60 in 1999-2000.

Ratatouille Arrives - Disney Snowglobe

The first Ratatouille snowglobe has arrived on ebay. It's the old style plastic dome souvenir type which makes me think it is from a promotional event. Unfortunately the ebay listing is scarce on details. Anybody know where it's from?

Book Progress

Just for fun, I counted how many globes I have preliminary information on. I'm up to 849! If this book ever does get published it's going to be pretty big.

The New Job

Yes, I did start my new job on monday and I wish I could tell you all about it but I'm afraid it would quickly become me griping about it after working only two days. Instead I will just say that I am working and that is better then not.

I had hoped to get a part time at Disney since the new job is at a lesser pay but that doesn't look like it will be possible due to scheduling. I'm toying with the idea of starting a shopping service for merchandise at WDW. In the past, I have helped Dizpins Ohana get pins they needed at cost. I'm considering doing that again plus getting anything else anyone wanted at cost plus $1 per item. If anyone has any input on that idea, I'd like to hear it.

Things I've Learned

Since starting my snowglobe book project I've learned many things. Here are some of them

• There are many many more Disney snowglobes then I thought there would be.
• There can be two of the same snowglobe that play different music.
• Mary Poppins is a good investment.
• Ebay is bad. Hibidder.com is good.
• Some people take pictures for their online auction that are so bad, you have to wonder why they bothered.
• People on ebay buy snowglobes even though they are broken.
• Often, snowglobes that are listed on ebay are missing the finial on top of the globe.
• Air bubbles are caused by atmospheric changes. Or so they say.
• airport security will not let you carry on snowglobes.
• Many snowglobes listed on auction sites sell unless they are being sold by me.

Auction Watching - Mary Poppins

Remember that most valuable Mary Poppins snowglobe we were talking about that plays "Feed the Birds". One has shown up on ebay again, it still has 4 days to go and is up to $202.50.
http://cgi.ebay.com/MARY-POPPINS-SNOWGLOBE-St-Paul-Cathedral-Feed-the-Birds_W0QQitemZ230141989383QQihZ013QQcategoryZ13846QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I'd expect it to go quite a bit higher then that but it won't go as high as it could of because the seller posted only 1 picture with no close up to really showcase the globe.

not a snowglobe - animated Pirates of the Caribbean

Also from GentleGiant Studios, coming this October are statues based on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies done in a animation style. Disney has done quite a bit of merchandise in this style and I really hope it doesn't mean they are going to do a pirates cartoon series. Although, I have no doubt such a series would be successfull, I'd prefer they stuck with movies if they are going to continue. On the other hand, being a comic book fanatic, why the heck isn't anyone doing a pirates of the caribbean comic book?

not a snowglobe - Disney Dragonkind

Came across this on the internet and remembered reading a product announcement sometime last year but never saw the finished product or realized they were available.

GentleGiant Studios has created a line of Disney figurines based on different Dragons from the Disney films. I'm usually against new styles for classic Disney characters. That Bratz style princess look? Ugh! Cuties? Double Ugh! No thanks, please keep your cutie cooties to yourself! That said, however, I really like dragon statues. Always have. Always will. So while I dont like the idea that these are reimagined disney characters, I do like the statues themselves. At $300 a dragon, I wont be buying them but they are still fun to look at. I am not aware of anywhere on Walt Disney World property where these can be seen, which is a shame. Seems like they'd have them on display somewhere.

The beast pictured is Mushu from Mulan. There are two others in the series Elliott from Pete's Dragon and Maleificent from Sleeping Beauty. Each one is limited to 1000. Click on the link to see more, there are also brief descriptions of each dragon's back story.

New Job - Hi Ho, Hi Ho

I start my new job on monday. I'll be working in the game rooms at Walt Disney World, fixing the arcade equipment. I'll be working for an operating participant, so unfortunately won't be getting any Disney benefits like discounts or admissions. The company I was working for that I got laid off from used to do this for Disney a few years ago so I will actually be going back to doing what I used to do but for another company. I know many of the people that work there because they used to work for the company I was working for. The pay is $1 an hour less and I'll have to start paying for my own gas to and from work (no company vehicle) and I'll have to pay something for health insurance (the old company paid for all of it) so its not quite as good as the old job in that respect but has other things that are better.
I was hoping to get a part time at Disney to make up the loss in pay and get the Disney benefits but with the new work schedule that may not be possible. It will be a couple of weeks at least before I have a better idea.
My first two week work schedule has me listed as being extra most of the time so I don't know where I'll be working. I'll be at Magic Kingdom one day and Pop Century twice but I think the Pop position also takes care of some of the other resorts.

Disney snowglobes - Mickey & Minnie Wardrobe Trunks

These two mini globes are $15 each at Walt Disney World. The spring that is on the Minnie one is supposed to have a flower on the end of it.

Disney Snowglobe - Walt Disney World

This is a new globe, I think. I haven't seen it before.

An icon from each of the four WDW parks form the base and it lists the name of a park on each side. The snow type used is glitter and it plays "It's A Small World" I kind of thought Mickey would spin when I wound it, but he didn't. Cost is $45.

Disney Snowglobe - Sorcerer Mickey

This is one of my favorites of the current crop of snowglobes. It has a blower and inside along witht he glitter, foil stars and foil moons are toy icons from the parks that go whipping around the globe when the blower is on. The whole effect makes it look like Mickey might really be conjuring up something. This is a large globe that sells for $85. I purchased one and it is currently on ebay. Click here to see the auction. I prefer Hibidder.com over ebay but their just aren't very many buyers there yet. If it sells (and my mom is hoping it doesn't so she can keep it) I will be putting a letter in with the globe urging the buyer to check out Hibidder.com . I'm also hoping that putting the auctions on ebay will drive more traffic here to this blog.

Disney Christmas Snowglobe

I found this cheerful globe at the 12 Days of Christmas shop at Downtown Disney, WDW. I don't know what it plays because someone had broken off the wind knob on the bottom. It had an on/off switch so I assume it lights up.
It is $25.

There is another, more deluxe globe in the Christmas shop as well but I didn't take a picture of it because someone had broken off the Mickey & Minnie figures. It has been broken for over a month without being replaced.

UPDATED: I found out the pictured globe plays Jingle Bells.

Vintage Toy Snowglobes

A very nice ebayer named Janice has graciously granted me permission to share with you her photos of these two older Disney snowglobe toys. They were manufactured before 1984 because they are stamped Walt Disney Productions and were made in Hong Kong. They each have a fill plug so more water can be added when it is needed and inside Mickey's globe is a castle. Inside Donald's is his house and Pluto. I don't know for sure, but they appear to me to have a late 1960's- early 1970's look to them. Janice's ebay handle is kendallkreations2006, she is a power seller with 100% positive feedback and she has some wonderful things up for auction and doesn't gouge you on shipping. These snowglobes have been sold for 20.50 and 28.61 but she has some other Disney items up for auction right now including some wonderful Pirates of the Caribbean toys at what I think are extremely good prices. Please check out her auctions and you might want to add her to your favorites list, you never know when she might come up with some more wonderful snowglobes.

Walt Disney World Snowglobe

Lots of characters on this one! The monorail moves around the base and it has music but I don't yet know what. anyone know?$85 at WDW.

Disney Peter Pan Snowglobe

Peter Pan flies around inside this $85 globe from WDW. It plays "You Can Fly" and is very similar to another Peter Pan globe. The easiest way to tell the difference is that this one has Mr Smee in the Crow's Nest.

Disney Bambi Snowglobe

This Bambi globe is at WDW and costs $85. It features two movements; Flower spinning amongst the flowers and Thumper rocks back and forth as if he's thumping the log. Nice globe with lots of cute lil forest critters. Bluebirds attached to the outside of the globe, the butterfly is on a long bobble spring and Bambi's mother is on the back. It has a blower and the "snow" is glitter, butterflies and flowers. Music is "April Showers"

Mary Poppins Disney Snowglobe

A few posts back, we discussed the most valuable Disney snowglobe. You can find the post in the May archives about half way down the page. I have now found a picture if it during my catalog research. If you see one of these at a rummage sale, grab it. I've seen a few sell on ebay with them selling from 350 to over 1200.

Disney Villians Snowglobe

This wickedly attractive globe is $85 at WDW. The villians eyes and the bubbling cauldron light up. For music, it plays "Grim Grinning Ghosts.

Disney Finding Nemo Snowglobe

This comical globe made me smile as soon as I saw it. Nemo swims around inside the top of the globe and members of the Tank Gang rotate around the base. It plays "Tiny Bubbles" and sells for $65 at WDW.



Next time your at WDW, check out the new Finding Nemo attractions at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I highly reccomend both.