MouseStation 125 – Robert Olszewski
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Run time 0:27:29
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Our thanks to Jonathan Dichter from the All About the Mouse Disney Podcast for his great intro.
Featured Topic – Robert Olszewski’s first podcast interview
In this week’s feature, Steven Ng conducted the first-ever interview with Robert Olszewski for any podcast. (Our originally-scheduled interview with Jennifer and Dave Marx will run next Wednesday.)
Gallery of Light
For his Gallery of Light series, he has selected key scenes from Disney movies, recreated them in 3-D, then lit them with LEDs. This allows him to light the boxes appropriately for each scene. They have been on sale since last May at Disneyland and Walt Disney World has just beginning to sell them. Bob has just signed with Enesco, which has been distributing his work since the beginning of January, and Enesco will start distributing the Gallery of Light boxes internationally starting this June. They should start showing up at retailers that carry Disney collectibles, perhaps even Hallmark.
More information about the individual Gallery of Light boxes is available at the Olszewski Studios Web site. Additional pieces can be seen at the Disney Gallery Web site (below the Heirloom Boxes).
Pokit Pals
Pokit Pals are resin boxes that have hidden catches. Steven looked at the Haunted Mansion stretching room and the Matterhorn (though for some reason Steven identified Harold the Yeti as “Bigfoot”). He also saw Tinker Bell dancing on a mirror.
Other pieces that Bob showed to Steven are a baseball bat toothpick holder, Cape Hatteras Light House and more.
They should become available at the Disney theme parks around the March time frame.
Main Street, U.S.A. models
Bob is probably best known for his Disneyland models. He started the Main Street project about seven years ago. He finally finished all of the Main Street buildings, and has started with the accessories. The Electrical Parade will debut on March 29, when Bob will be doing a show at the park.
He has also started Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, on same scale as Disneyland. (You can set the two castles next to each other and compare the relative sizes.) Walt Disney World started with Castle & Town Square Exposition Hall. He has a June show coming up in Florida to promote the next three pieces. Doing WDW’s Magic Kingdom should be a 5-year process, the same as Disneyland took.
Bob talked about nighttime lighting for piece, where the piece will look as it’s illuminated in the park at night. Due to positive reactions to the Main Street pieces has allowed him to start doing other attractions, including the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mad Tea Party and Astro Orbiter.
He doesn’t have a deal to do the whole park yet, though he is now working on Fantasyland. He has already laid out Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and determined that the whole park would fit in small to medium-sized bedroom. He’s also working on some historical pieces, like the Monsanto House of the Future.
Have you seen the Olszewski pieces? What do you think about them? Let us know by sending an email or calling our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278) and let us know what your favorites are!
Wrapping up
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