Unboxing PowerA's FunPlayHideAway Skylands

This thing is EVEN BETTER than I anticipated!  Having seen it first hand at E3, albeit within the safe confines of a display case, I knew this was going to be a big hit come Christmas time for Portal Masters of all ages...I see no reason to change that prediction.

It is hard to peg down exactly who is best suited to PowerA's FunPlayHideAway Skylands.

Most folks will likely think of it is a playset for kids.

Some will view it is a handy way to store and display a few favorites.

Hard core collectors will likely view it as the perfect display piece for their growing collection.

The funny thing is, the FunPlayHideAway fits all of those needs.

It is durable enough to serve daily use at the hands of even the youngest Portal Masters.  Purists and Collectors alike will love having something so close to the game to both store and display figures.  The purely practical will likely see it is a combination of storage and display.  Families with younger Skylander fans will no doubt hit upon the maximum uses...It will look great and serve as a conversation piece at a dinner party, holds figures for quick cleanup, and brings the world of Skylanders even more into your living room.

I have to admit, I'm in my late 20s and I have had fun just staging pics for this article.

Let's take a look at why I'm having fun with it.

First off, you can display your personal favorites.  For my Nephew and myself this would mean featuring Slam Bam and Terrafin.  Second, the Cannon actually shoots!  I don't care how old you are, this is ALWAYS a plus!  The "cave" access and hidden door are added perks I was unaware of...

The other thing I didn't know from E3 is that the Portal is sitting on a TRAP DOOR!  Yep, you read correctly...And the catch is, it is fully functional!  PowerA includes a Tiki Statue, which I thought was cool, but wasn't sure why it was included...After reading the instructions it became clear...The Tiki Statue fits over a plastic button that actuates a trap door...This is a very, very cool feature! 

Something minor, is that the "small island" isn't attached to the "big island."  This is a big deal for the simple fact it reduces the overall footprint and let's the end user select where and how to display the small island.  You can place the big island on a coffee table or end table near the TV and then put the small island up on a higher shelf, or even in a different room.

While the Stackable Tackle Box remains the best solution for bulk storage, no one can deny how cool this is to add to the collection.  It looks great and truly is just like having a piece from Skylands in your home.

The FunPlayHideAway Skylands is available for $69.99 from Toys'R'Us.  Stores should be getting stock any day now and I expect this to be a big hit come Christmas time.  Collectors may want to get in early to avoid having to jump stores looking for stock etc.

The quality is great and that is apparent just from the way the item was packed.  I know my videos are a bit longer than some, but that is because I put a lot of time into the details and intricacies of the product.  I want to err on the side of giving you all the facts as opposed to skipping them.  There is a LOT to see with this one.  The FunPlayHideAway will make the perfect gift for any Skylander fan and serves multiple purposes on several fronts.  It really is a must have for anyone interested in expanding their playing and showcasing their collection!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will do my best to help you out.