Disney Store Luca Plush REVIEW

Soul: Complete Plush Collection from Mattel

From Mattel, here we have their complete core plush collection inspired by Disney·Pixar's Soul! This assortment of four adorably designed and incredibly soft 8" plush— featuring Joe Gardner (soul), 22, Mr. Mittens and Mr. Mittens (soul)— is available now on Amazon (direct affiliate links below) and Target online HERE. A big thanks to Mattel for sending these my way to share with all of you! I don't think these ever hit brick and mortar stores (at least I've never seen them) so I wanted to help spread the word of their existence for people who may be looking for more Soul toys/merch. These are perfect for kids and collectors of any age and retail for $9.99 each.

I've really been enjoying Mattel's Pixar plush over the last year (see my review of their Onward plush collection HERE). I like that they're smaller than the Disney Store's medium plush (which saves space and money), but not quite as small as a mini bean bag plush (which doesn't allow for as much detail). They're a great size and feel quality made overall. The most important thing is their likenesses are spot on and a tad stylized! We've all seen some goofy looking plush before that just aren't quite right, but these look fantastic and true to the characters. 

Let me know your thoughts below! If you're interested, there are also some "feature plush" of 22 and Mr. Mittens that include lights and sounds. I've included links to purchase them as well.

Onward Plush Collection (by Mattel)

Hey all! I hope everyone had a fantastic and safe Thanksgiving weekend. Tonight I just wanted to document and share my brief thoughts on the Mattel Onward plush collection that was released early this year! I received these for my birthday back in May and have been meaning to get to this post ever since. I sure wish I wasn't so behind on many of my posts, but man have things been busy around here. 

These were some of the first Onward products to hit shelves clear back in January and their cuteness stood out to me immediately. As soon as I saw the film and loved it, I was like, ok I'm gonna need those Mattel plush now. I actually favored these ones over the Disney Stores ones since 1.) they're smaller/more compact for storage 2.) they're less expensive and 3.) I really love the more overly cartoony/stylized designs! They're just too cute and super soft to cuddle.

 

This assortment includes five characters: Ian Lightfoot, Barley Lightfoot, Manticore (tavern mascot), a trash unicorn and Dewdrop the sprite. I do wish they had included Wilden Lightfoot (dad), but it's no big deal. They're between 9"-10" tall and each retailed for $9.99. These were originally available at Target, but I'm sure most stores are sold out at this point. Luckily Amazon still has most them (minus Dewdrop; unfortunately she seems sold out everywhere) in stock and I'll include the links to buy below! If you're interested in adding these plush to your Onward collection, I'd go ahead and snag them before they're gone. 

Let me know your thoughts down in the comments and be sure to check back weekly for more from my ever expanding Pixar collection! 

 

Up: Disney Store 10th Anniversary Plush Collection

Can you believe it's already been over a decade since we first heard the now classic line "Adventure is out there!"? Today marks the 11th anniversary of one of Pixar's most beloved masterpieces, Up. I wanted to celebrate here on the blog tonight by finally posting on the Up "10th Anniversary" plush collection released last spring at the Disney Store! This assortment includes medium core plushes of Carl Fredricksen, Russell, Kevin and Dug—you'll notice Dug is missing here though (I decided not to get him since I already have three other Dug plushes around this same size; you can view what he looks like HERE).

These plush are absolutely fantastic and a must-have for any fan of the film, especially if you're a collector. The details are so great; nothing went unnoticed (Carl even has his hearing aid and wedding ring). I love Russell's Wilderness Explorers sash and the accuracy of each patch (there's even empty spot where the "Assisting the Elderly" badge is missing). These are sturdy, quality plush made from some very nice fabric and other materials. I expect nothing less from the Disney Store at this point!

Each character stands at about 14" tall and originally retailed for $19.95. Check them all out down below!

CARL FREDRICKSEN

RUSSELL

KEVIN

If you're looking to add any of these to your Pixar collection, you can track them down on eBay HERE or on Amazon using the direct links below! Be sure to let me know your thoughts on these (and the film if you'd like!) and/or any questions you might have down in the comment section.

Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one!

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Up: Young Carl & Ellie Plush Set (D23 Expo 2019 Exclusive—LE 300)

Adventure is out there! Speaking of, attending last year's D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA was quite the adventure indeed. If you've been following along with my posts, you know that one of the most adventurous things we did was stay up in line all night long in order to get into the convention's show floor Disney Store and purchase the exclusive items we wanted. I went in only planning on buying one or two things, but then there was so much irresistible Pixar merch that I had no idea about—like this Up Young Carl & Ellie Plush Set for example (Limited Edition of only 300)! How could I pass this up? Exactly. And here we are.

The main concern I had when I made this purchase was how I was going to get it home on the plane (especially considering all the other items I bought). I told myself I would figure it out when the time came and, well, I did it! Not sure how it ended up working out, but I did it. This box is huge and very sturdy! It measures 14" H x 16" W x 5.5" D. Its large size and the "My Adventure Book" themed packaging is part of what makes this plush set something really special though and I appreciate all the little details. I love that it's in celebration of the film's 10th anniversary last year as well!

Original retail price was $79.95.

Above is the back of the box, which features an image of the plushies found inside and the film's iconic logo. What's really cool is that the front, seen below, is actually a door (with magnetic closure) that opens up to reveal a window showcasing our two favorite little adventurers! Aren't they just too adorable?

All the "scrapbook" details on the backside of the door (South America, Charles Muntz, Paradise Falls, etc.) is the icing on the cake. You can tell how much thought was put into this product.

These are authentic Disney Store/ShopDisney plush, so they have all the quality you'd expect! One of my favorite aspects is Carl's aviator hat; all the materials used to bring it to life here are fantastic. There are so many great stitched and embroidered details overall here across the board! Just look at all Ellie's badges and patches—so well done. And how could I not mention her wild hair which captures her character from the film perfectly?

Take a closer look at each plush below. Ellie measures around 13" tall and Carl measures about 11.5" tall.

YOUNG ELLIE

YOUNG CARL

Unfortunately the only way to get these plush at this point is through a third party seller. There are a few eBay listings currently (direct link below), but the price ranges anywhere from $250-$500. If you're a diehard Up fan/collector willing to drop that much, I absolutely recommend getting this set! You will not be disappointed.

eBay listings direct link: Carl & Ellie D23 Expo 2019 Plush Set

Let me know all your thoughts and any questions you might have in the comment section down below! Which plush is your favorite?

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Toy Story Tiny Big Feet Complete Collection

The Disney Store/ShopDisney exclusive "Tiny Big Feet" collection, which began around this time last year, really took off in 2019 with the release of many, many Disney/Pixar characters—the bulk of which (19 to be exact) were from the Toy Story films! Today I'm taking a look at the complete Tiny Big Feet Toy Story line, which was released gradually over the course of the first six months of the year.

Now normally I would take a detailed photo of each plush, but at this point I just wanted to get this assortment documented here as part of my collection and give you a brief rundown. Time is limited this week with our first baby right around the corner and things won't get any less busy! He's due on Thursday, so you can imagine we're incredibly excited around here.

The first wave of Toy Story Tiny Big Feet (inspired by the original film) was released on February 23rd (the start of the "Road to Toy Story 4 Event") and included Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex and [Classic] Bo Peep. The next few waves were as follows:

• Wave 2 (Toy Story 2 themed) released on March 23rd and included Hamm, Wheezy, Stinky Pete, Bullseye and Jessie 
• Wave 3 (Toy Story 3 themed) released on April 27th and included Lotso, Trixie, Buttercup and Mr. Pricklepants 
• Wave 4 (Toy Story 4 themed) released on May 25th and included Duke Caboom, Gabby Gabby and [TS4] Bo Peep
• Wave 5 (Again, Toy Story 4 themed) released on June 22nd and included Ducky, Bunny and Giggle McDimples 

I have to note, anyone else think it's odd that Forky's missing? He would have looked so great in this style! 

Each micro plush sits at about 3 3/4" tall and retails for $5.95. They're adorably stylized, soft, squeezable and feature some nice embroidered details. I've mentioned this before, but I wasn't originally ever going to collect the Tiny Big Feet plush when they were first released last fall. But once I couldn't resist Sulley from Monsters Inc., that was it! I had to collect all of the Toy Story related ones as well. It's a slippery slope.

These are perfect for young kids, from baby to toddler. They also make a cute little display item for collectors/older kids as well. Let me know all your thoughts down below! Did you collect any of the Tiny Big Feet plush this year? Which ones are your top faves? 

Toy Story 4: Signature Collection Ducky & Bunny Review (from Thinkway Toys)

In late 2009, leading up to the release of Toy Story 3 in theaters, Thinkway Toys had serious Toy Story fans/adult collectors in mind when they launched their "Toy Story Collection" line of full scale replicas (later renamed "Toy Story Signature Collection"). Each toy came complete with a certificate of authenticity, was designed using Pixar's own digital data used for the films and was promised to be the most authentic, movie accurate version of the character out there (which turned out to be more or less true for the most part).

The line ran from the end of 2009-2011 and featured 14 characters from the first three Toy Story films (seen HERE). For a while there, it was a dream come true for Toy Story fans such as myself as we got amazing new versions of characters we hadn't seen for a decade...but of course it didn't last forever and us diehards were super bummed when the assortment didn't continue on. Well, flash forward to eight years later and the Toy Story Signature Collection (TSSC) is back featuring several new characters from Toy Story 4! Collectors rejoice.

Now that Toys R Us is gone, this new wave is now exclusive to Target stores and features Ducky, Bunny, Bo Peep with Sheep and (coming later this year) Duke Caboom! Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Bullseye, Green Army Men and the Aliens were re-released as well (but are virtually the same as the original releases). Today I'm taking a detailed look at Ducky and Bunny specifically and will explain why I feel these are the best versions of the characters you can buy.

BUNNY

Let's start with Bunny. To me, Thinkway Toys totally nailed it here; it's just undeniably the most movie accurate out of all the Bunny plush out there! His face, his soft plush material, his shape, his size, his colors...it's all just spot on to me. And he even has his whiskers, velcro on one hand (to attach to Ducky) AND a plastic hook on his head—three details the Disney Store version failed to get right. Sure, if you really want to get picky and compare this toy to the one in the movie, it's not 100% perfect (but I feel it's the closest we'll get).

His plastic eyes with the clear, glittery purple irises look amazing (some versions out there have the purple either stitched or painted). These ones are movie accurate, as well as his blue plastic (not plush) nose.

For both Bunny and Ducky, I love the carnival inspired packaging and how the "Star Adventurer" game is featured. Great work on the designs!

Now as far as the talking feature goes, it's loud and clear! His voice is right out of the film and sounds great, not to mention he apparently has over 50 sayings. Just press the button on his chest or squeeze him to make talk. It's amazing how much better his voice sounds when compared to the Disney Store version, which is very muffled and mostly made up of grunts and silly sounds (rather than words and phrases). 

Here's some of what he says:

• "I want your honest opinion. I look good in green fur, right?" 
• "Hehe Thanks, pal."
• "Don't worry! You are adorable...in your own way."
• "You haven't seen my friend Ducky have you?"
• "He's yellow and fluffy, but not as fluffy as me of course."
• "Ducky and I go back a long way."
• "Me and him have like this special bond, you know?"
• "Oh yah! We're the best buddies there are! When we're not fighting."
• "And sometimes, we don't even know why we argue."
• "You have a kid?! Like a kid kid?"
• "No way! Wow!"
• "You are a very lucky toy."
• "Have you heard? There's a stealth mission coming up."

The only main thing I'd say is not the most movie accurate is Bunny's ear length. They should be a bit longer, but that's a small nitpick. Again, I do love that plastic hook detail! Remember this is part of his design, so don't remove it.

Bunny requires/includes 2 AA batteries (the compartment can be found under his foot). I was actually surprised to unbox this to find that he has hard plastic under his feet! This, of course, is also not movie accurate, but I really like it so that he stand and be displayed on his own (something that wouldn't usually be possible with a plush like this). I can see though that it could bother someone who wanted a full plush toy here; if that's the case, there are plenty of other versions out there that don't have these plastic feet. 

Lastly, Bunny is 16" tall, about 10" wide and retails for $59.99. Yes, that's pricey, but that's just the Thinkway Toys TSSC for you. Expect high prices; these are deluxe film replicas after all and are extremely well made!

DUCKY

For Ducky, I'm going to echo a lot of what I said about Bunny. He's just about perfect! He's soft, squishy and looks completely movie accurate. He's made of all the right materials (again, love the sparkly eyes), is the right shape, the right colors and the correct size. 

I love the fluffy hair atop Ducky's head. So well done and looks straight out of the film! As mentioned earlier, Ducky also has velcro on his hand to attach to Bunny.

 

Just a reminder, both Bunny and Ducky come with certificates of authenticity—just like the original TSSC characters did! These can be found inside the base of the boxes. Don't forget them if you're going to be throwing this packaging away.  

Speaking of the packaging, I have to give it another shout out. Once again, great designs! Really captures the fun of carnival games (and of Toy Story 4 in general).

I was super excited to see that Ducky's legs/feet are soft yet sturdy enough that he can stand on his own too! Only he doesn't have any plastic under is feet, which is nice. His battery pack can be accessed via a velcro pouch underneath him. Like Bunny, he requires 2 AA batteries (included). 

His voice sounds excellent as well— a "quality sound system" if you ask me (; Here are just a few of his "over 50 sayings":

• "You know what I like about me me? Me!"
• *beatboxing sounds*
• "Another exciting day at the carnival!"
• "Hey buddy! How are you?"
• "Hm hm...uh huh...sounds good!"
• "Uh oh, are you alright? What happened?" 
• "You look kinda different! Did some of your fur rub off?"
• "Oh interesting! Well it's all good. You still look very nice!"
• "Hey! Do you have any plans for today?"
• "Oh ok, sure. Whatever you say."
• "You and me, we make a great team. Did I already say that? Man!"
• "Man I love me some balloons!"
• "Step right up man! Win yourself a prize."

Ducky is about 11" tall and roughly 8.5" wide. He retails for $42.99. Again, pricey, but completely worth it.

 

Well everyone, I think those are all of my detailed thoughts surrounding these guys! If I had just one last "criticism", it would be that I wish they included some of their classic quotes from the film. They have so many hilarious and amazing lines and I don't think there is one featured here with either of these guys. So yah, just a bit of a missed opportunity I feel. Also, it would have been cool if they had an interactive feature where they could talk to each other...but really, that's it! Other than that, these are incredible and do not disappoint. I can't recommend them enough!

These are Target exclusives and can still be found there at the store (I had to ask a worker at mine to get them from the back for me though, so definitely ask if you don't see them on the shelves; distribution has been a bit wonky). You can also still get them online (HERE for Bunny; HERE for Ducky).

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What are your thoughts? Have you picked these up for your collection? Do you feel these are the best versions of the characters you can buy? I'd love to hear what you think! And stay tuned as I'll be reviewing the rest of the Toy Story 4 Signature Collection characters right here soon.

Toy Story 4: Hallmark Itty Bittys Assortment

Back in 2014, Hallmark introduced their exclusive collection of cute stylized mini bean bag plush called Itty Bittys. Five years later and the line is still going strong with now hundreds of pop culture characters (from Disney to Pixar to Marvel to Star Wars to Harry Potter and beyond)! I think of them as kind of the Funko POPs of the plush world. I was so thrilled recently to see that new characters would be introduced to the line based around Toy Story 4 and even more thrilled to have had these sent to me by Hallmark to review! I'm very grateful and super excited to share my thoughts.

It's been a hot minute since we've had any Toy Story Itty Bittys (the 2015 Buzz and Woody were the last and only ones). It's fun to finally have some additional characters—both old and new faces! Here we have Jessie, Gabby Gabby (a brand new character from Toy Story 4), a Pizza Planet Alien (marked as a "Hallmark.com Exclusive"), Buzz Lightyear and Woody (both marked "Special Edition"). And for those wondering if these versions of Buzz and Woody are different from the originals...yes they are! In fact, they're brand new. I know at first glance they may look the same, but there are quite a few differences (namely size and materials used). I'll be posting a video soon comparing the four of them. UPDATE 5/31—Bo Peep has been added! I had no idea she was being released until I found her at Hallmark last night. Very exciting and very cute!

Each Itty Bitty measures about 4"-5" in size, retails for $6.99 and is made up of a variety of soft fabrics/materials with some nice embroidered details. The beans/pellets inside the bottom half of the plush help give some weight to them so that they can stand on their own. And have I mentioned how absolutely adorable they are? Perfection. Take a closer look down below!

JESSIE

GABBY GABBY

ALIEN (ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR (SPECIAL EDITION)

WOODY (SPECIAL EDITION)

BO PEEP

Unfortunately I don't have a release date for these at the moment (they haven't appeared in-store or online quite yet), but I did hear it could be Monday the 20th. I'll update this post with a direct link to buy as soon as they drop. UPDATE 5/31- You can find these at your local Hallmark NOW or online HERE! And, as shown in my Hallmark in-store photos below, I also found a few brand new Itty Bitty baby items (blankets and a plush stacking toy). How cute?! I hope the Rex gets released as a regular Itty Bitty as well.

To wrap things up here, I absolutely love these and you will too! Young or old, if you're a Toy Story fan, you will no doubt appreciate this assortment. I'm not sure I can even pick a favorite, but I will say I was the most surprised about Gabby Gabby! I knew Jessie and an Alien were coming, but when I opened the box these came in, I literally gasped and said "What?! Gabby Gabby??" My wife can attest, she said I looked like a little boy on Christmas morning. I guess these things really bring out the kid in me and I look forward to giving them to my future kids soon as well. They're perfect for cuddling!

I'm looking forward to hearing all your thoughts. Shout out your favorite characters and details in the comments below! Who would you like to see made next? Will you be picking these up for your collection?