Hi there! I have baked the 3D bear several times. You will bake it upside down-fill it 3/4 full-I fill the core-some people don't. I think it gives back the cake stability and fills the hole-who wants to cut into that much icing--unless of course you fill it with a fruit filling or something that won't run out when you set it up. When you cool it, cool it upside down- I don't take out the core and cool it seperately until ready to take out of the pan. When you do lay it on it's side and remove the clamps-I let it sit there for a bit and continue to cool inside before I take the other side off. Be sure to use stiff cake recipe-I add dreamwhip to mine to give it a poundcake effect-you and others may have another way of doing it. But if your cake is too moist it will crumble before you even get it completely out of the pan-had that happen and had to redo-learned that the hard way! Check on the link above with Wilton Cake pan instructions-if they don't have the instructions, let me know and I will email you a copy. Hope this helps. I am sure there are other ideas out there-this is the best "encyclopedia" for cake decorating!! 
Yes, 325 on the lowest rack ...or it wouldn't fit in my oven. I just used the betty crocker cake mix with pudding, then added an extra egg and decreased the water to 1 cup. It comes out great. As for the bake time...I can't remember. I just used the cake tester but I think it was about 1 hour and 45 mins. give or take. Good luck! I loved making mine.
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