Changeables: The BEST Happy Meal Toys.
McDonald’s Changeables may very well be the best Happy Meal toys of all time. At the very least, they’re tied with those old Halloween pails.
Between 1987 and 1990, McDonald’s released three sets of Changeables — aka McRobots — for a grand total of 22 unique action figures, plus a few more if we’re counting the non-transformable “Under 3” toys.
We were wild for them as kids, and adulthood has done little to diminish our collective affinity. While it’s accepted that most Happy Meal toys will cut a few corners, Changeables seemed downright retail-ready. These figures were sturdy, well-detailed and just so damn imaginative.
As you’ll gather by watching that absolutely kickass commercial, Changeables were conceived as a sort of Transformers ripoff, but in some ways, they actually outclassed them.
It was thrilling to see robots turn into cars and jets, sure, but a robot that transformed into a pack of Chicken McNuggets? If you were a kid in the late ‘80s, that shit was relatable. Read More…
Six Snacks I Want Back, Volume 6!
It’s time for another edition of Six Snacks I Want Back, celebrating the varied fuels of our long forgotten sugar rushes. Read and get hungry!
Butterfinger Ice Cream Nuggets!
Remember when Bart turned us all into Butterfinger fans? Don’t get me wrong — I’m sure some folks already liked the bars, but I don’t recall seeing any of my friends with them before The Bart Era.
Personally, I never went for a Butterfinger until that ad campaign. The flavor, texture and infamous oiliness didn’t really appeal to me, but for a year or two in the early ‘90s, Butterfinger was the only candy bar that made you cooler by association.
I was, however, a tried and true fan of Butterfinger Ice Cream Nuggets — even if I still needed The Simpsons to act as the middlemen. These were like the kid-friendly versions of Nestle’s Bon Bons, and what’s more, they came in little tubs that resembled the curious offspring of movie theater popcorn buckets. Read More…
Adventures in Atlantic City!
We celebrated Independence Day in Atlantic City, joining Mr. and Ms. Sexy Armpit for two days’ worth of tequila and gambling and fireworks. (In that order, come to think of it.)
Between the blue skies and the straight flushes, it was an amazing weekend. Of course, we spent many hours on the famously infamous Atlantic City boardwalk, searching for post-worthy treasures. Here are some of the highlights: Read More…
Dino Drac’s July Funpack is available now!
($25 / MONTH SUBSCRIPTION. AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. ONLY!)
Dino Drac’s July 2015 Funpack is available now!
This is the twelfth Funpack, which means I’ve been at this for a full year. (It also means that subscribers who’ve stuck with this from the start have also been at this for a full year. WOW.)
Suffice to say, I never expected this to go on for so long. The Funpacks began last August, out of pure need. The Halloween Countdown was approaching, and I was faced with the cold truth that I had no way of gutting through the site’s most expensive and prolific months while making zero dollars. The Funpacks were and remain a lot of extra work, but in the grand scheme of things, I felt they were the least offensive way to make a little cash from the site. I never would’ve predicted that I’d still be doing this, a year later!
It’s been a real adventure, I’ll tell you that much. Coming up with a decent mix of items for twelve months straight has taken more than a few minor miracles. Our apartment, already resigned to its eternal clutter, had to somehow make room for a constantly evolving stock of weird goodies. I’ve learned more about packing and shipping this past year than over the three previous decades.
Thanks so much to every subscriber, past and present. These have been a tremendous blessing for me. If you’ve enjoyed Dino Drac — especially Dino Drac as it’s been since last summer — know that the Funpacks are absolutely responsible for my ability to keep doing it. God knows how long I’ll be able to keep this nonsense going, but if it ever stops, it won’t be for lack of trying!
Now, what’s in store for July’s Funpack? Take a look!
There are over twelve items in this baby, covering everything from toys to cards to Kool-Aid. If you’re new to this and haven’t paid attention to my previous Funpack pitches, here’s the short version:
Every month, I mail out boxes of goodies to all subscribers. Subscriptions are $25 a month — shipping included — and handled via automatic billing through Paypal. You can cancel at any time without penalty, and no matter when you cancel, you’ll always get what you paid for. For as long as you remain subscribed, you’ll keep getting monthly Funpacks!
I’ll walk you through the ordering process at the end of this post. First, let’s talk a closer look at July’s highlights! Read More…