With Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue opening in theaters there’re lots of toys featuring Dusty and his new friends appearing on shelves at the Disney Store and other retailers. We’ve only read the storybook so far and look forward to seeing the film soon but high-flying adventures are already taking shape in our backyard.
Talking Dusty says 16 phrases when you press the fin on his back. While the fin is thin its doesn’t seem delicate, however I wonder how well it will hold up to a rough little hand pressing it over and over. We loved the way Dusty says different phrases depending on whether you have his pontoons (firefighting phrases) or wheels on (high flyer phrases). The wheels are free-spinning and the pontoons have little wheels underneath so you can still roll him. Another neat detail are the working red and green lights on Dusty’s wings. I must admit I enjoyed hitting the button on his underbelly to make the prop spin and when you move him around he makes engine sounds.
The Disney Store has also released some of the smokejumper characters from the film in talking pairs. We got Pinecone with 12 phrases and Drip who has 8. Buttons on the vehicle operate their firefighting tools. Push on their roof and you’ll activate the LED highlights and one of their phrases from the film. While Pinecone has rolling wheels, Drip has working treads and rolling either of the pair along the ground starts their engine sounds. They also have light-up LED headlights.
The talking toys even come with an off option which this mom greatly appreciates.
Given Gideon’s new found interest in stop-motion animation he was most excited as he opened the Deluxe Playset which includes 10 plastic figures – Dusty with his firefighting pontoons, the air tanker – Lil’ Dipper, the Propwash Junction fire truck – Mayday, the fire fighting helicopters – Blade Ranger and Windlifter along with the entire Smokejumper team – Dynamite, Avalanche, Blackout, Pinecone and Drip. The playset figures are quite small. The Smokejumper bodies are about the same size as Luigi from the diecast Cars series. We were happy to discover that unlike the CARS 2 playset figures we purchased the Smokejumpers wheels roll (Drip and Avanlanche have tiny wheels by the treads). And you manipulate their various firefighting tools – raise Blackouts saw, Pinecone’s rake, Drip’s and Avanlanche’s shovels. The wheels on the planes and helicopters don’t spin but their propellers do even the small ones on Dipper. This was nice surprise as the plastic Cars 2 playset figures we purchased did not have spinning wheels which was disappointing.
The die-cast locomotive Muir is also a beautiful item and while Gideon will enjoy playing with it, it is nice enough that it feels less like a toy and more like a collectible similar to some of the Cars die-cast sets. It’s one of three deluxe detailed die-cast items currently listed for Fire & Rescue.The other include Blade Ranger & Windlifter. The Muir locomotive is quite hefty and surprisingly detailed with working drive wheels although the front wheels do not pivot so it wouldn’t travel well along a railroad track. As with many of the other Fire & Rescue toys the Muir is packaged with a majestic forest backdrop suitable for display.
And they’ve announced Planes: Fire & Rescue Chutes & Ladders for later this summer so we’re excited about adding it to our growing collection of board games.
Toys from this article include:
- Muir Deluxe Diecast Train $19.95
- Disney Fire & Rescue Deluxe Figure Playset $19.95
- Talking Firefighter Dusty Vehicle – Planes: Fire & Rescue $24.95
- Talking Pinecone & Drip Vehicles – Planes: Fire & Rescue $24.95
— Rebekah Moseley