All About PLAY! - Special Moments is exactly what the title says, a collection of special moments produced by The Toy Man® Product Guide, that were all about PLAY!
The details and imagery here are all about PLAY in a variety of forms to remember and appreciate. This includes unique experience with consumers, industry professionals, Disneyland staff and park guests, Amtrak train staff and passengers!
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In November 2011, in Disneyland, Anaheim, CA, is where "The Toy Man® Disneyland Experience" was first held. The Toy Man® had toys, games, toddler products and cash prizes given away to Disneyland guests every hour.
This is but just one of the many events where The Toy Man® provided hands-on experience with products that were recipients of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval. These products provided an entirely different form of PLAY never seen before.
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There was nothing like the experience of watching Disneyland staff and park guests being photographed with our sponsor's products, or being actively engaged playing with the them. This was hands-on experience taken to an entirely new level! Just imagine people playing with products given by The Toy Man® while waiting in lines for rides simultaneously!
QR Codes @ Disneyland In 2011!
The Disney MagicMobile service, which utilizes QR codes for various park features like park entry and attraction access, started in 2021. The Toy Man® Product Guide used QR Codes for "The Toy Man® Disneyland Experience", 10 years earlier! QR Codes were used for people at Disneyland to go to an Online "Hint Page" were provided to locate where "The Toy Man®" was in the park, with a product or cash prize for the first person to find him.
What really added challenge to the hunt for "The Toy Man® Disneyland Experience" was that there was a deadline. If no one was able to locate him before the deadline time, a new QR Code and hints would then be posted with The Toy Man® being at a new location!
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One of the most unique projects is "PLAY Across America". The Toy Man® travels from Los Angeles, CA to New York City and back on Amtrak, with products from the event sponsors. Hands-on consumer evaluation and product giveaways occurred on every train! Articles were published Online throughout the trip as the train ride progressed, featuring images of the passengers playing with and examining the products!
The train portion of "PLAY Across America" arrives at it's final destination in NYC for Toy Fair New York. Everyone from the guests on Amtrak to the staff of the trains participate in playing a game and/or checking out one of the many products The Toy Man® has available. Everyone wants an opportunity to PLAY. |
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"During Toy Fair, NY, The Toy Man® used a power wheelchair equipped with a 27" flat screen TV on the back, along with a Bose speaker. It was designed to provide a video on the screen, featuring the products from each of the sponsors for "PLAY Across America" while at Toy Fair NY.
Several of the sponsors where exhibiting at Toy Fair NY yet there were others who used this as a more convenient way to get their product exposed at Toy Fair NY without being there." |
The final element of "PLAY Across America" for that year was putting a large portable Bose speaker to use in Times Square, blasting carefully arranged music in sync with the video on the screen on the power wheelchair. This approach even drew the attention of NYPD officers in Times Square, who stood there applauding to such an unusual experience.
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Event details and applications for consideration of products to be featured in "PLAY Across America-2026" will become available in December 2025! |
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The Toy Man® Product Guide Pavilion
In 2012, The Toy Man® was responsible for the development and operation of The Toy Man® Product Guide Pavilion at the ABC Kids Expo 2012 in Louisville, KY. The Toy Man® carefully reviewed the products of each of the companies on the show floor.
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"Certificates were issued to each of the products that The Toy Man® judged as finalists for The Toy Man® Certificate of Recognition, with awards for the winners." |
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Both guests and employees participated in hands-on experience with toys, games and loads of other products that were recipients of The Toy Man® Seal of Approval!
As you can see from this glimpse of all of the projects our editor has created and/or been involved in. These additional details provide you with a glimpse of what The Toy Man® Product Guide has been a part of over past decades and the creative vision that willl influence the future.
* Announcements and calendar for 2026 will be available in December 2025. |
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