Disney Channel Game: Toy Story Jessie The Yodeling Cowgirl Review

Average Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars

(More customer reviews)After the partially botched job they did on their last Toy Story Collection/Certificate of Authenticity release, Mr. Potato Head (giving him legs, unlike in the film, not to mention connected eyes and eyebrows and the forgivable loss of the storage hatch; but at least he's very entertaining *sigh*), they're back in good form with their latest releases, the presumably hard to botch Lotso Bear and this gorgeous recreation of Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl.

Now, before picking up this still hard to find new release (at the time of this review), I had already heard a few minor complaints, such as she doesn't have a tiny enough waist and her braid isn't long enough. But, sitting here with the doll standing before me, I have to say that these complaints, correct as they may be, are somewhat nit-picky (unlike the Potato Head complaints). And don't get me started on how much better this Jessie is than any previous Jessie dolls, especially the most film accurate one before the Toy Story 3 crop, which I owned prior to this one. That one looks down right scary in comparison. This new doll is absolutely gorgeous, and for the collector, well-worth the higher price tag. This beautifully crafted doll looks almost as if she stepped right out of the movie, right up to her soft plastic hat. Yes, her braid is thicker and a tad shorter than in the film, but it's less noticeable out of the box (the length anyway, the girth is admittedly a difference, but she still looks great and definitely like Jessie. She definitely has a slimmer waist than my old Jessie doll, and a more petite form over all, and I wouldn't have even noticed that she is even more petite in the film if I wasn't really looking for it while holding the doll and watching the film at the same time. For me, she's totally satisfying, and she comes with a great horseshoe-base stand that is a vast improvement over Woody's (with that awkward/clumsy folding part and the grip that actually leaves indentions in his neck). Jessie's battery pack, with the on/off/try me switch, is more accessible than the Woody doll's too, thankfully. That one is a real pain to mess with. And you'll appreciate this, since you want the switch in the off position when you're not planning on having Jessie talk. And yes, she talks and sings beautifully. I don't know if Joan Cusack really provided the voice for this doll, but if not, she sure sounds like her.

When you want to hear Jessie say things a Roundup Gang toy is supposed to say, just pull her string on the back (batteries included!). If you want to hear her being herself, just talk to her or have her talk with some of the other Toy Story Collection dolls. It's great fun to listen to them interact, especially Jessie and Woody! Jessie comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, of course, like all the toys from the high-end Toy Story Collection line that uses actual PIXAR data for the sculpts. And, also true to the TSC line, she comes in a real "Woody's Roundup" box, which would be a great collectible in itself if it weren't for the big Toy Story Collection logo in the lower left corner. Oh well, I wouldn't have the heart (or space) to keep her in the box anyway. One more inaccuracy I'll mention for the nit-pickers is that her expression isn't PRECISELY the same as her doll-form expression in the films, if I remember correctly. They did the same thing with Woody, giving both dolls friendlier expressions. Woody's in the film is more deadpan, and Jessie's I believe was more wide-eyed. I have to say, while I love accuracy too, I think I'm glad they went this route. My one, personal nit-pick would be that her tush tags are not in a spot where they can be tucked in, and that kinda sucks since I don't like to cut them off. Engraving the Disney name on the battery pack would have been a more aesthetically pleasing choice. Nevertheless, for the hardcore Toy Story, Disney, or Jessie fan, this doll is a MUST HAVE. Of course, if you're just buying it as a play thing for a kid, you might as well go the cheaper route, but for an older toy lover, this is definitely the way to go! I can't wait till Bullseye comes out now!

And, as a tip for other people building a Toy Story collection out there, I recommend heading to your local Disney Store, if you have one, and picking up their Hamm piggy bank. Word is, the Toy Story Collection Hamm was canceled due to lack of retail interest, but the Disney Store has a truly authentic Hamm piggy bank for only 19.99, with a real cork, accurate size, and everything! Only nit-pick anyone can come up with for him is that his head is turned, which is in keeping with the Toy Story Collection line's capturing of "alive" expressions rather than toy-mode ones. As for the strawberry-scented teddy bear, Lotso, I have yet to pick one up. He smells great and I'm tempted, but I've got no space and will be back on the job market as of tomorrow evening (relocating to Austin, TX), so I'm having to be more choosy of what I buy lately. Lotso is one character I will probably hold out on since he's not part of the Andy's Room gang anyway. Oh, and I have two more recommendations for collectors, especially fans of Woody's Roundup. First, if you haven't seen them yet, there are some gorgeous Woody's Roundup toy guitars out there that make wonderful display pieces, and their retro boxes don't even say Toy Story on them anywhere (don't be confused by the more common Toy Story 3 Woody guitars, you'll know these retro ones if you see them, and they're a tad more expensive, which is harsh, but what can you do...). There was also a Woody's Roundup harmonica prototype made, but I haven't seen those in stores yet. And if you don't have it yet, you may want to seek out the Woody's Roundup CD for some great Woody's Roundup songs. It's out of print now and hard to get, I'm still trying to land one, but if you're a fan I think you'll really like it as background music for when you're admiring your collection. Funny, I think I have a Buzz Lightyear CD somewhere too that came on a cereal box... I'll have to look for that one. Anyway, don't just sit there! Get one of these Jessie dolls now so the folks at Thinkway will follow-up with Mrs. Potato Head, Zurg, Stinky Pete, and more! I'd love to see them do a Bo Peep lamp, but I just don't think it's likely...

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Product Description:
OVER 33 SAYINGS! ORIGINAL MOVIE SIZE!! Jessie stands over 1 foot tall and is soft plush and hard plastic. Also has a pull string on his back for over 33 sayings. 2 modes of play-pull string to hear Jessie's signature cowgirl phrases or talk to Jessie and she'll respond to your voice. Includes stand, hat & certificate of authenticity!!!