Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2018/19/20/21/22/23 Finds

[boogity]

well football didnt come home, lads, it pains me to say

[VANDANCE]

Hey Nigel, glad you got tickets to the game and what a result! Must of been amazing to be there as the atmosphere sounded awesome on tv. Yes, I had read that Disney were closing all stores bar one. Quite sad as I managed to fill a few gaps over the years with Disney store finds. Back in the day they had Mattel exclusives like cars-toons and final lap (never did find race damaged mood springs!) I guess this just reflects the state of the high street today, with more and more big house hold names pulling out of physical shops and going on-line. It’s all about money!! On a slightly different tangent, dropped by Smyths this week, new DXV29 case code 96AF and scored racing red Sally, and Joe Don Jackson as well as the Saludos Ramone.

[niftynigel]

On my way to Wembley for the England v. Denmark game, I popped into Disney Store Oxford Street.
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Mattel Disney Cars were down to £5. I asked the staff if that was to make room for new stocks. They said that due to store closures, Mattel Disney Cars is now a discontinued line and no new stocks, apart from anything that's in the warehouse will come into stock.
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They confirmed that the current position was that all other UK stores will close. Although the Oxford Street store is being retained, they did question it's long term viability. They need the store for brand awareness, but given the rent (and probably the loss of some profitable stores), they probably can't afford to run Oxford Street store as a huge loss leader.
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It's a few years ago now, but most main towns had a Disney Store.

[rossibutton]

A week after the 2021 2-packs showed up at The Entertainer for £12.50 each, toytown now has them at £7 each, same case

[boogity]

yep, u right there nifty. bout them going on line ...not sure bout belfast branch,, i bet it a wee goldmine and its always worth a dander round when youre in the mood for walt
meanwhile,,,,looks like footy could be coming home......

[niftynigel]

Disney Stores UK
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I had noticed that Romford and Bromley stores had closed earlier this year. I guessed it was just that leases had run out in shopping centres that have thrived - bucked the recent trend and have none / few empty stores.
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A fellow collector informed me that Westfield (Stratford) had recently closed and that Lakeside (Thurrock) is also due to close. A retail magazine reported that Disney Stores are in the process of closing all remaining stores except the flagship Oxford Street store. All the closures should be completed by September. The company is looking at enhancing their online shopping offer - they need the flagship store for brand awareness.
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This would explain why some stores have not received new products recently.
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Given that they don't currently sell Mattel Disney Cars online, it's unclear whether they would continue to do so from just one store? Maybe they could start to sell Mattel Cars online?
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Smyths UK/Ireland have managed to sell individual cars online, but then they have over 100 stores in UK and Ireland - Smyths don't sell Cars online in France or Germany!

[niftynigel]

Scavenger Hunt Metallic Snot Rod has been added to the Smyths website. A fellow collector found the case he was in, over-stickered 963Y.

There appears to be a quite a few around, whilst Smyths wait for their next case. It looks like all the 96AG cases have been distributed, so Smyths could be in line to get 96AH.

[boogity]

found nothing new in the entertainer today, passed disney shop, didnt go in , dandered home , well cycled home

[niftynigel]

I’m hoping that’s the case although there’s no Asda’s near me with the entertainer,

It was the first 2021 case,

DXV99-963G
2x Mater & Lightning McQueen With Racing Wheels
2x Jackson Storm & Laura Spinwell
2x Ryan “Inside” Laney & Eric Braker
2x Bobby Swift & Brick Yardley
1x Heyday Junior Moon & Heyday Leroy Heming
1x Hit & Run
1x Erik Lanley & Alex Carville
1x Rusty Rusteze & Dusty Rusteze

Nothing totally new but first Thailand variations of Rusty & Dusty and unibody variations of Ryan “Inside” Laney & Eric Braker

I‘m hoping they get the previous case being the last case of 2020 for Jackson Storms crewchief and pitty

Thanks, there's a couple in there I wouldn't mind getting, but at £12.50 a pop, I think I'll give them a miss (for what maybe a single car)!

I think there was a similar US case (957H) that had Double Dutch Daley & Fabulous Hudson Hornet and Speedy Comet & Parker Brakeston in it?

It would be nice to think that The Entertainer (and Toymaster) might get the NASCAR singles at some stage!?

[cac1959]

Great finds, rossibutton! The 2 packs have not been as widely distributed as in previous years... I found Faregame in a local store months after it first appeared.

[rossibutton]

I’m hoping that’s the case although there’s no Asda’s near me with the entertainer,

It was the first 2021 case,

DXV99-963G
2x Mater & Lightning McQueen With Racing Wheels
2x Jackson Storm & Laura Spinwell
2x Ryan “Inside” Laney & Eric Braker
2x Bobby Swift & Brick Yardley
1x Heyday Junior Moon & Heyday Leroy Heming
1x Hit & Run
1x Erik Lanley & Alex Carville
1x Rusty Rusteze & Dusty Rusteze

Nothing totally new but first Thailand variations of Rusty & Dusty and unibody variations of Ryan “Inside” Laney & Eric Braker

I‘m hoping they get the previous case being the last case of 2020 for Jackson Storms crewchief and pitty

[niftynigel]

Wow! What great finds in the 2-Packs! Does that mean that ASDA are going to be selling them, or at least the experimental ones with The Entertainer in them?

Apart from Mater and Lightning McQueen, what other 2-Packs were there?

[rossibutton]

Had a good surprise today... 2021 2-packs in The Entertainer! First time I’ve seen any 2-packs since last year at Toytown with the Eli Turnpike case! Just need the deluxe’s now...

Also a faregame from the Disney Store

[cac1959]

After the flurry of new cases, it's gone a bit quiet in the UK!

I was out and about over the weekend. I went to a Smyths. They had plenty of the AF case plus plenty of the final 2020 case.

I was about to pass on the cars, when I noticed something odd about Snot Rod!

Yes, it was the 2020 Scavenger Hunt Metallic Snot Rod. I've never seen it in store before.

Metallic Snot Rod was in the US 946N (N29A) and international 962D (N31A) case, but he was missing from the UK 962F (N32A) case.

Instead of Metallic Snot Rod and 2no. Raoul CaRoule (silver), there was only one Raoul in the 962F case. Mattel UK substituted them with two regular Snot Rods!

Congratulations on finding the Scavenger Hunt Metallic Snot Rod in a Smyths, niftynigel! That case was very limited in the US - I never saw it in a store... I got one from Get Me Collectibles, and another from my friend Scott (BigMOCats).

[niftynigel]

After the flurry of new cases, it's gone a bit quiet in the UK!

I was out and about over the weekend. I went to a Smyths. They had plenty of the AF case plus plenty of the final 2020 case.

I was about to pass on the cars, when I noticed something odd about Snot Rod!

Yes, it was the 2020 Scavenger Hunt Metallic Snot Rod. I've never seen it in store before.

Metallic Snot Rod was in the US 946N (N29A) and international 962D (N31A) case, but he was missing from the UK 962F (N32A) case.

Instead of Metallic Snot Rod and 2no. Raoul CaRoule (silver), there was only one Raoul in the 962F case. Mattel UK substituted them with two regular Snot Rods!