Update: 8/28/11 Ten Rafiki’s were released at the SF Disney Store on Saturday along with the 3″ SF Golden Gate Bridge exclusive. So… 690 for the rest of us at stores scattered across North America and some warehouse waiting to be shipped to a few lucky online buyers.
This is an exciting combo set that makes a ton of sense. A 9″ Rafiki with a baby Simba Jr will be released at select Disney Stores across the country on August 29. This Jim Valeri designed set is limited to only 700 and will retail for $59.95. This is the same day the Lion King 12 figure series is released across the country (and Canada) exclusively to Disney Stores as well.
The catch, just like the Villains 9/Jr combos, is that only select stores will have a limited quanity of these, as will the Disney Store Online. Here is the list of stores:
US
Chandler Fashion Center – Chandler, AZ
Mission Viejo, CA
Montebello, CA
Fashion Valley – San Diego, CA
Santa Monica, CA
Stockston Street – San Francisco, CA
Westfield at Culver City, CA
International Plaza – Tampa, FL
Perimeter – Atlanta, GA
North Michigan Avenue – Chicago, IL
State Street – Chicago, IL
Roosevelt Field – Garden City, NJ
Freehold Raceway – Freehold, NJ
Times Square – New York City, NY
Palisades – West Nyack, NY
Cherry Hill, PA
Northpark – Dallas, TX
Northstar – San Antonio, TX
Bellevue Square – Bellevue, WA
Canada
Metropolis at Metrotown – Vancouver, BC
Square One – Mississauga, ON
Good luck on grabbing one of these. Rafiki is my favorite design in the 3″ Lion King set, and this 9″ looks great as well. I really like the background in the ears.
And baby Simba has the markings on his head. I like how they put a 3″ Rafiki in the set even though they are putting out a 9″ as well. I hope we eventually get a 3″ Animal from Muppets for example. I do question the LE 700 on a piece that’s spread around the Disney Stores when a figure that’s produced to 1000 or 1500 sits on the shelves of two D-Street stores for months. What are your thoughts on the LE, distribution and figures themselves?
Interestingly, the Orlando store is not getting any. The flagship for the state isn’t getting any? Why? It’s open again.
And another thing, Why couldn’t this 9″ have been the Spirit Musfasa we didn’t get as the chaser? Perfectly good opportunity for a 9″/3″ SM and Simba….
The 700 edition size is pretty bad… I don’t mind some of the 9 inch figures being limited to smaller numbers but they shouldn’t do it with a set that so many are going to want. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it will pop up in the online store but it looks like I may just have to accept not being able to get my hands on this. It’s a shame since I was literally the generation that grew up with lion king, aladdin, little mermaid, and beauty and the beast.
The boxed picture looks like Rafiki is going to chomp down on little Simba!! :-( Poor choice in display Disney.
The idea of rafiki and simba together isnt bad but rafikis look is very creepy. There are many other things that they could of done with the two of them.