Hello fellow collectors, have some updates since my last newsletter and
the 1st Annual WDAC Convention. Many of us were awaiting the Long Beach
Collectibles Show held in April to find out what the 1st Gold Circle Limited
Edition piece was going to be. WDAC held a special breakfast on Thursday,
April 22nd and unveiled the new piece featuring Winnie-the-Pooh, entitled
“Hooray, Hooray, for Pooh Will Soon Be Free”. This piece has an edition size
of 5,000 pieces and will be available in August 1999 with a SRP of $525.00
US. Another announcement was the release of a new series in October 1999
from the 1944 animated short, “First Aiders” featuring Minnie Mouse, Pluto,
Figaro and Opening Title.

There were no retirement announcements, but the much anticipated Fall
Event piece, Maleficent was unveiled. The event piece features Maleficent
with her ever-faithful pet, Diablo with a SRP of $185.00 US. The Maleficent
events will run from Sept. 18th thru Oct. 17th in the US, dates will vary
outside the US. With purchase of Maleficent, your “gift” will be the third
charm in the bracelet series which will be the spinning wheel. The wheel
will actually spin. There will also be available a purchase-with-purchase, a
Willet’s Design Lenticular featuring Maleficent going up in flames. This
will be a Limited Edition of 7,500 pieces with a special 40th Anniversary
seal. It will have a SRP of $25.00. If this wasn’t enough, there will also
be in-store drawings for an opportunity to purchase a special numbered
limited edition (NLE) whiteware sculpture of Maleficent accompanied by a
specifically designed resin base. Matching the castle flagstones, the base
holds both the whiteware and final sculpture of Maleficent to show the
production process. Maleficent is sculpted by Kent Melton.

The first in a series of WDCC annual logo-dated ball ornaments will be
available beginning in July/August. It will be a purchase with purchase
offer for the 1999 holiday season. The ornament is made of porcelain. It
has Mickey & Minnie skating (from On Ice) on the front surrounded by a
wreath. The wreath is in bas relief. On the back is the WDCC logo. The piece
has a SRP of $40 US, but with purchase of another WDCC piece (excluding the
usual Title, Miniature and Ornament) it can be purchased for $19.95 or $20.00
US. There will be a major mailing that each dealer can take part in.

We are fast approaching the Rosemont Collectibles Show that will run from
June 24-27, 1999 in Illinois. Special guest will be Mary Costa, the voice of
Sleeping Beauty. Strong rumors are the unveiling of a new piece from
Fantasia2000 and a retirement announcement.

Be watching for the next newsletter with an update from the Rosemont
Collectibles Show which I will be attending and the release of the WDCC
Tarzan pieces and WDAC Maquettes which are featured currently on my website.

Previous WDCC News Columns
WDAC 1st Annual Convention ,March 19-21, 1999