Online Petition to Save Park Trading Boxes

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

On Episode 107 of the Destination Vinylmation Podcast, we interviewed Bryan Forsberg. He is a WDW Annual Passholder who began a dialog with Disney and started an online petition to save the trading boxes at the parks. If you believe in saving the trading boxes, there are two things you can do about it right now.

1. Send an email with your position to Bryan at: disneyvinylmationcollectors@yahoo.com. He is collecting these emails and forwarding them in bulk over to his contact at Disney. He remarked how Disney had no idea so many people felt this way about the trading boxes. Sending all the emails to one centralized location helps to increase the impact.

2. Sign Bryan’s online petition here.

Episode 107 XP-37 Space Cruiser

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

Ep. 107 XP-37 Space Cruiser

This week we discuss Cutesters en Vogue, Oz, Fantasia and more. We also have a discussion about trading at the parks and welcome two solutions. We talk to Bryan Forsberg who has opened a dialogue with Disney and has started a petition. We of course have the latest release dates as well.

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Oz Figures Shown

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

Today Disney put up the details of the Oz figures. First off, they are designed by Ron Cohee (one of Nick’s Top Things of 2012). Second they will be released as two pack sets on March 8, 2013 and each set will cost $24.95. Each set will contain a 3″ and a Jr Vinylmation. The sets are
Wicked Witch and Baboon, Oscar Diggs and Finleyl, Glinda and China Girl, Evanora and Knuck. We first saw some of the these figures at Mickey’s Circus. What do you think of them now? (Picture not to scale, I wanted to show more detail on the Juniors.)

Spotlight On: Mike Vetrone’s Sparky Custom

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

Artist Mike Vetrone wanted to share his latest custom… a 3 inch Sparky from Frankenweenie custom using the Whiskers and Tales platform.

“Sparky is one of my favorite characters and I had a ton of fun sculpting the bolt and working with the arms. This is absolutely one of my favorite 3 inch pieces I have ever made.”

Mike also told us that he is planning something “HUGE” to enter into DV’s March Vinylmadness contest. Everyone has until February 14th to enter, so keep those customs coming!

Spotlight On: Jesse Bowers’ Samuel L. Jackson Custom

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

Artist Jesse Bowers from Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada has only ever painted one Vinylmation. But it caught our eye immediately and inspired me to run out and get a Royale with cheese.

Destination Vinylmation: So this being your first custom Vinylmation, what made you decide to choose this medium for the Samuel L. Jackson Pulp fiction design?
Jesse Bowers: My brother’s girlfriend gave me a vinyl and told me I could paint it however I wanted. I had recently watched Pulp Fiction and I thought a mini Samuel L. Jackson would be a cool idea.

DV: Thanks to you, I now want a 12 figure Samuel L. Jackson set from all his movies. Why did you choose him as your subject? 
JB: That would be a good idea. Pulp Fiction is probably my favorite movie and Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are the two most hardcore people in that movie. I wanted to paint them both but I haven’t gotten around to painting John Travolta yet.

DV: Have you painted other vinyl toys before Vinylmation?
JB: No I haven’t. I’ve only ever painted on canvas or paper and such. I thought a small toy would be a fun challenge.

DV: Do you plan on designing more custom Vinylmation?
JB: Yes, I thought it would be cool if I continued and painted a 12 figure set of Pulp Fiction characters.

DV: What was the most challenging part about painting on a Vinylmation? 
JB: I would have to say the face. Especially the eyes because they’re so small.

We hope to see more from Jesse in the future!

The Disney Store’s Response to Whiskers and Tales

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

We contacted the Disney Store about the production mishaps guests were experiencing with the recently released Whiskers and Tales series. Here is their response:

“Quality of our products is of the utmost importance, so we apologize to any of your readers who might have found issues with their Whiskers and Tales Vinylmation Series.

For any guest who has an issue with the Whiskers and Tales Vinylmation they purchased at a Disney Store, we advise that they return to the store where it was purchased and ask a Cast Member for assistance. For those guests that made their purchase online at DisneyStore.com, they should call DisneyStore.com Guest Services where a Cast Member can best address their questions and concerns. The phone number for DisneyStore.com Guest Services is: 1 (800) 328-0368.”

“Trading in the Park” Returns to Disneyland

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

OC Vinyl Don, our friend over at VinylmationTraders.com, sent us a wonderful announcement that is sure to help many Vinylmation collectors in the Disneyland area.

“In light of the reduced Trading in the parks. Starting Sunday, February 17th “Trading in the Parks” is coming back to the Picnic area at DLR from 11am-1pm. Then starting in March, it will be on the 1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of each month. If you collect Vinylmation, Pins or Pop come on out, meet with new friends, see old friends and lets make some trades.”



This is a wonderful idea! I look forward to hearing from everybody about how these events go. The Vinylmation (and Disney) community has so many great people, events like this make the hobby fun. I’d love to see someone organize events like this at WDW as well.

Spotlight On: Mike Vetrone’s Snow White

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

Mike Vetrone is always coming up with great pieces of custom Vinylmation. We spoke to him recently about his latest Snow White figure.

“Thanks guys! This piece was commissioned by someone as a gift for their mother’s birthday who has a huge Snow White collection. I was told her favorite scene was the wishing well. I wanted to make sure that went on front.”

“As I brainstormed and did some research in watching the movie over again I realized I could easily blend the scene into a brick wall that I could put the magic mirror on. The Old Hag is one of my personal favorite villains and I thought it would be interesting to have the Evil Queen looking into the mirror to show the Old Hag. There was an immense amount of work that went into this piece, but I feel it really paid off. I am extremely happy with the way it turned out.”

Find more of Mike’s work at Facebook at facebook.com/customsbymikevetrone. And email him at Michael.vetrone@gmail.com.

Fantasia 6 Announced

WDWNT on February 6, 2013

MC just missed his prediction with Cutesters 5 being shown after the podcast, but his prediction for this week came true. Today Disney showed us Fantasia combo 6: Harpy and Demon from Night on Bald Mountain. (Careful, the Harpy might not be PG.) Thomas Scott designed this set releasing on March 15th, 2013. This (like the other Fantasia sets) will cost $24.95 and there will only be 1,500 of them. Here are some examples of what these characters looked like in the movies.

Have you gotten any of the Fantasia sets? What could be the next set?