Raving Toy Maniac

Meijer Drops Prices On More Than 400 of Season's Hottest Toys In-store and Online

Retailer also releases its Top 25 Toy List for the holiday season

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 1, 2012 -- Meijer will continue to be a toy destination this holiday season, offering customers the lowest prices on the hottest toys and brands by slashing prices on more than 400 popular products in-store and online.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer on Sunday will also issue its Holiday Gift Guide that includes 18 pages of holiday toys, as well as an online release of its Top 25 Toy List for the holiday season, which features national brands like Fisher Price, Mattel and Leap Frog. The holiday gift guide will be available in stores and online.

"Meijer understands that our customers are continuing to keep a close eye on price tags this holiday season, which is why we're once again offering price drops on a variety of the hottest toys," said Adam Whitney, toy merchandise manager for Meijer. "Our ultimate goal this holiday season is to help our customers save money while still enjoying the tradition of gift giving."

Help Wanted: Dream Job Requires Long Hours Of Fun, Play

WINTER HAVEN, Fla., Oct. 31, 2012 -- LEGOLAND® Florida announced it is seeking qualified applicants for a new, in-house Master Model Builder to join its team. Essential job responsibilities include envisioning, designing and building unique LEGO® creations.

"Master Model Builders are royalty here at the park," said General Manager Adrian Jones. "They enjoy celebrity status and when they're not being interviewed by reporters and paparazzi, they spend eight hours a day playing in the model shop. Who in their right mind wouldn't want this job?"

Would-be builders must first submit a short video clip of themselves and a home-made LEGO® creation. Candidates will be culled through Facebook voting, then invited to the park December 1 and 2 to participate in a series of skills tests. Details on the video submission and the search are available at http://Florida.LEGOLAND.com/MMB.

New Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Limited-Edition Statue

Statue Reveal & Pre-order on November 2nd

Tempe, Ariz. - October 31, 2012 - McFarlane Toys has teamed up with Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries to bring you a new iconic collectable from the Halo universe.

Leading up to the highly anticipated release of Halo 4, Microsoft created the live-action digital series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. This online epic live-action digital series delivers an exciting story of heroism and sacrifice taking fans back to the beginning of the Human-Covenant War, leading into the events of Halo 4, the biggest entertainment event of 2012.

To commemorate this riveting action story, the McFarlane Toys Collectors Club is offering the first-ever Halo resin statue exclusively on the McFarlane Toys online store. This highly detailed, hand-painted, cold-cast resin statue depicts a pivotal scene from Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn that is a MUST have for Halo fans.

Diamond Select Toys Celebrates Halloween ComicFest with a Horde of Horror Toys!

November 1, 2012 - Happy Halloween! Over the past few years, Diamond Select has established itself as the preeminent purveyor of horror toys, and this Halloween they're pulling out all the stops! In addition to a black-and-white Walking Dead Minimates two-pack that's exclusively available at comic stores participating in Halloween ComicFest, they have a horde of haunted merchandise that's available in comic shops everywhere!

At comic shops and specialty stores now:
Alice: Madness Returns Select Figures Series 1
Mad Monster Party Figures Series 1
Munsters Select Eddie and Marilyn Figures
Muntsters Family Black-and-White Figure Box Set
Munsters Minimates Black-and-White Munster Koach with Hot Rod Herman
Universal Monsters Hunchback of Notre Dame Minimates Box Set

November 1, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - a variety of cool new items have just been listed this morning:

2013 Marvel 3.75" Wave 01
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=2013+marvel+3.75

New Bandai:

King Robo Mickey & Friends Combiner - Please Note - Pricing will be reduced if a domestic source is found
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BAN14770&mode=re...

Godzilla, Gundam, Saint Seiya, Ultraman, One Piece & More
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=11059

Metal Gear: Revengeance - Raiden
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SEP10382&mode=re...

More new WWE Cases
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=wwe

K'NEX Announces November Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20 Contest

Contests Run Monthly Through December, 20 Chances to Win Each Month!

Hatfield, PA, November 2012 – K'NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, announced its eleventh in a series of twelve contests, Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20, monthly "hunts" for secret codes on various K'NEX related web pages.

Every month on the 20th day, through December 2012, K'NEX will be giving away K'NEX products to lucky fans! On the 1st weekday of every month a prize will be revealed and a new "mission" is assigned. Missions can be found on the K'NEX website: http://www.knex.com/20thanniversary/Mission20on20/ which directs participants how to find secret codes. Once a code is found, participants must return to the K'NEX site and enter the code. If correct, they are eligible to be entered for a chance to win a prize. On the 20th of each month, when the contest closes, winners will be randomly chosen from those eligible entries.

Toys"R"Us Children's Fund Donates $500,000 to Save the Children to Support Initial Relief Efforts in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy

WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012 -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, today the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund announced it will make a $500,000 donation to Save the Children, a global humanitarian organization, to support its initial work and assessment of needs for children and families in evacuation shelters. These funds will also help the organization distribute much-needed items, including hygiene kits, diapers, and baby wipes.

MGA Entertainment Sees Accelerated Growth in 2012

Dollar Growth Up 41% in 3rd Quarter

VAN NUYS, Calif., Oct. 31, 2012 -- MGA Entertainment, the largest privately held U.S. based toy company, posted 41% dollar growth in Q3 2012 versus year-ago, according to leading market research company The NPD Group. Despite declining sales in the toy industry, MGA has again become the fastest growing toy company among the top ten toy manufacturers, with sales that continue to accelerate at a steady pace.

Within the US, retailers continued to see explosive growth with Lalaloopsy™, a global toy powerhouse driven by robust product, entertainment and licensing programs. Interest in the brand continues to develop as seen with the strong sales of Lalaloopsy™ Silly Hair Star- Harmony B Sharp: (Toys R Us "FAB 15", Walmart "Top Toys 2012") the first-ever talking, singing and dancing Lalaloopsy™ doll.

November 1, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

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NEW PREORDERS
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NEW BATTLE TANKERS – BATTLE SENTINEL SG SPECIAL, INTERSPACE ARMY COMMANDO EXCLUSIVE
Maketoys has announced two new versions of the Battle Tanker Armor set. The purple and black Battle Sentinel SG Special version makes a perfect add-on to the Shattered Glass Optimus Prime, and the blue and black Interspace Army Commando Set is a throwback to the Diaclone Powered Convoy and works with Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus. These sets convert into armor sets, battle bases and more, and are listed at $139.99 each.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=2810&category=8156

TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS 2012 VOYAGER SERIES 01 - CASE, SET, SINGLE

Prize #19 of the 20 Big Prizes From K'NEX®

Enter for your chance to win a bundle of K'NEX Building Sets!

Hatfield, PA – October 2012 – K'NEX Brands, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, is pleased to announce the launch of K'NEX'S "Win a Bundle of K'NEX Building Sets" Sweepstakes. From October 31, 2012 at 9:00 am EST through November 15, 2012 at 3:59pm EST, K'NEX fans can enter for their chance to win a bundle of K'NEX building sets!