Disney Vinylmation – A Look at One Disneyphile’s Collection
Back in late 2008 a new Disney collectible was introduced to disneyphiles everywhere. Vinylmations! As an avid Disney Pin collector, I pondered the question…. Will Disney Vinyls take off the same way that Disney pins did back in 2000? The answer…yes. Vinylmations are here to stay.
What is Vinylmation you ask? According to the official Disney Vinylmation Website…
Vinylmation is about expressing creativity and the mysterious thrill of the chase. It’s a thrill for Disney Artists who see the Vinylmation figure as a blank canvas. Their inspiration comes from everywhere… Disney Park icons, urban landscapes and even holidays. With each figure having a distinctive art style and personality, there’s a Vinylmation figure out there for everyone!
There are a variety of figures to collect from 3″ limited releases to 9″ limited edition figures. For 3″ limited releases, there are typically 12 figures per series. Eleven figures are known while the twelfth is called the mystery chaser. Each 3″ Vinylmation is packaged in a blind pack which means you won’t know which figure you’re getting until purchased. The 3″ figures are sold individually or you can get a whole tray. Buying an entire tray guarantees you the entire set of Vinylmation figures from that collection, and also gives you additional duplicate Vinylmation figures to trade. Some Vinylmation figures have additional items in the boxes as well, such as cards featuring the original artwork. 9″ figures are sold sans mystery in a window box. In addition, many commemorative Vinylmation figures and collections are sold individually and are also not a mystery.
There are also blank Vinylmatioms for purchase that can be custom designed like this Hathaway Browne from the now defunct Adventurer’s Club… This Vinyl started out as a blank white canvas and was transformed with a little creativity and a lot of patience into a custom piece that fit the collector’s personality perfectly.
I was lucky enough to get a peek at a major Disneyphile’s Vinylmation Collection recently and wanted to share it with you. This collector has been adding Vinyls to their collection since the hobby’s inception and they frequent Disney Trading Nights at the Walt Disney World Contemporary Resort monthly to meet up with other Disney Collectors and swap Vinyls, meet friends and Disney Design Artists, and add to their collection. Here’s a look at what this collector has amassed so far…
Here’s a mix of the 3″ and 9″ Vinylmations…
These are part of the Cutester Series…
Here are some of the elusive “chasers” from previously released series…
The Balloon Chaser from Park Series 1 is probably the hardest Vinyl to get your hands on. Be prepared to shell out over $200 for one of these now. They regularly sell on the secondary market for that.
Haunted Mansion Wallpaper Vinylmation…
Epcot Center “Old School” Logo Vinyl…
Limited Edition WALL-E and Eve Vinylmation Pack…
There’s a fantastic fan site out there with extensive info on Disney Vinylmations called Vinylnation.net. Check them out for all things Vinyl.
What do you think of the Disney Vinylmation Craze? Do you own any?
Until Next Time,
P.S. This post is a part of the Disney Blog Carnival, where you can find a variety of other fabulous Disney articles.
P.P.S. Now you can wear Vinyl….Well, at least you can show your love with these Vinylmation Threads spotted at The Emporium on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.
