From the Disney parks, it's R5-P8 (Droid Factory)! It has a gun, lots of painted dirt, and a cartoony monster face on it. It's brilliant. You should get one. Read on!
It's new! (Thanks, Shannon!) The CZ Series Communications Droid (White, Droid Factory) is up for grabs at Disney parks, provided that you can find the pieces. It's similar to Hasbro's CZ-4 a few years ago, which is similar to CZ-3, which is what I'm saying this is for my display purposes. Read on!
More! It looks like D-23, Halloween, Christmas, and whatever season BB-8 represents will be getting more exclusive figures at Disney parks and events. According to Vinylmation World, D23 will get R5-D23. Halloween gets a killer clear green R3-B0017. BB-8 will show up at Disneyland during D-23. R3-H17 is this year's Christmas Day of the Robot. Vinylmation World has more in a tweet.
Upcoming Astromech droids coming to Disney Parks #swco #disneyparks #StarWarsCelebration pic.twitter.com/ydlsOjxhjL
— Vinylmation World (@vinylmationworl) April 13, 2017
Adam gets another ulcer! New Protocol Droid Factory announced at Hollywood Studios! Vinylmation World posted some interesting stuff in the last day, including this tweet showing a new series of Protocol Droids launching, apparently, today! Exactly how many and which parts are there remain to be seen, so if anyone can catalog everything available so we can beg friends to help us out, that would be greatly appreciated.
Build a Protocol Droid launches tomorrow at Hollywood Studios #waltdisneyworld #swco #StarWarsCelebration #disneyparks pic.twitter.com/tNapHwzRyy
— Vinylmation World (@vinylmationworl) April 13, 2017
The less I say, the better - because there are 4 items to buy with a grand total of 8 new robots. The good news: there's finally going to be an easier way to get Chopper, and that super-articulated C-3PO you like is coming back in style. With blessed little competition from Hasbro these days, you'll probably have the scratch to pull these down. From the Disney Parks article:
This month, Cody is part of a team rolling out a limited release, boxed set with four Astromech droid action figures inspired by characters from the animated series, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
Additionally, three limited release action figures are making their debut including C1-10P “Chopper” from Disney XD’s animated series “Star Wars Rebels;” a two-pack featuring R2-D2 and C-3PO celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope; and a red Protocol droid, R-3D0, that was briefly seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
And finishing up the 4-pack, it's R3-M2! This one has a new dome sculpt with a big silver band on the bottom which, unfortunately, helps highlight the inaccuracies of the Hasbro domes for the R3 droids over the past few years. Well. I guess we can look to redoing the rest of them. It's a great figure with wonderful deco, so check it out and read on!
It appears Lucasfilm and Disney are going long on C2-B5 - at least three known action figures are available or are in the works so far. This 3 3/4-inch action figure is available now as part of a Disney parks exclusive Rogue One boxed set - one you can actually buy outside the park in the Downtown Disney compound. Should you get it? Read on!
It took me longer to grasp than it should have, but I'm pretty sure R5-SK1 is a nod to Skippy, the Jedi Droid. If you don't know what that is, you missed Star Wars Tales - and that was a fine comic. This new droid is one of four figures in a new Disney parks exclusive droid pack for Rogue One, where one droid looks like one you probably have, another is coming with a big vehicle later, and the remaining two are seemingly brand new for this set. If you like droids, this is a good week to be you - we're going to examine the entire set. Read on!
Hot - or cold - on the tail of last year's robot is the new R2-H16. This festive fellow has a hat with ear flaps, which is reason alone enough to buy one as 3 3/4-inch scale droids seem to have become the new Vinylmation as our hobby as concerned. The official Disney Parks site has a feature on this and other new items, including a Bluetooth Stormtrooper Commlink for your phone, new plush Ewoks based on the 1980s cartoons - seriously!, and other goodies.
If you're planning on being at Disneyland or Disneyworld soon, a whole slate of Rogue One theme park products have been announced for September 30! The pricing is unknown, but click here to see everything. A new Droid Factory 4-pack brings you C2-B5 (new), R2-BHO (new), R2-M2 (new), and R5-SK1 - which looks a lot like R5-D4. I'll have the skinny for you when I (hopefully) pick up my set in October along with (hopefully) R2-B00.
If you love droids - and let's be honest, if you don't, we can't be friends - you'll be excited and/or irritated to know that another in an ongoing series of cute Disney exclusive carded droids is up for grabs. Only the second new one this year, R2-B00 is up for grabs at or near Disneyland now - check the stores in that general area and this green, purple, orange, and black droid can be yours for about $12.95. For those keeping track - so far - as of right now - no new parts in the make-your-own-droid bins have surfaced, saving you all from mild heart attacks for a litle longer.
As I write this, auctions for R5-M4 are popping up. This may well be the first-ever action figure labeled "Star Wars Day: May the 4th Be With You" and is being reportedly sold in Orlando's Disney theme park(s). I don't have prices, I don't have specifics, I don't know if it's in Anaheim, and I don't have one yet myself. But I do know you can see one if you click here.
UPDATE: Long-time reader TotallyRawe left a comment indicating this is indeed showing up in Anaheim. Buy one! Or two, send me one. Happy hunting droid junkies!