“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.

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.”

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!

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!

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.)

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.

Listen in Popup Player

Download podcast

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.

Celeste Offers New Custom Blind Box Spellbound Series

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Destination Vinylmation: What is the Spellbound set?
Celeste: The Spellbound series is a magical based theme consisting of magic users and mystical creatures. It includes Genie, Merlin, Malecifent, Evil Queen, two versions of Tinker Bell, Blue Fairy, Chernabog, Mushu, Figment, Old Hag, Ursula and the Cheshire cat.

DV: How did you choose the characters to include in this set?
Celeste: It actually was a difficult and involving process to choose who will be included in the set. There are alot of great magical characters out there and I wished I could of made them all, but after weeks of figuring it all out I choose the ones I thought would best balance out the set.

DV: Half the figures in the set are female characters. Many times, when an artist attempts to translate the female form onto the Mickey platform, it comes across as “chubby”. Yours seem perfect. Can you share some tips for other custom artists? Is it all about proportion? Placement?
Celeste: Female characters are always tough to design on the mold itself. But you are correct, for me personally it is about proportion and placement of facial features and if the character has hair it does help out in the design of it all. I personally think they are always going to be slight chubby regardless of how you design them but a little pudginess adds a cute factor into it so I have no complaints about it lol.

DV: How will this series be sold?
Celeste: The Spellbound Series will go live this Friday Feb. 8th at 8pm (PST) It will be sold as individual blind boxes. The series includes 12 figures and 1 variant which will be a total of 13 figures. Each blind box is priced at $70 shipped in the U.S only. There will be a limit of 1 per person. You will be able to purchase them on my website here.

You can always check out more pics of them and other customs on my Facebook page.

Spotlight On: Karen Turner’s Bedazzled Customs

WDWNT on January 9, 2013

Destination Vinylmation: What is your background in art?  
Karen Turner: I have always been interested in art.  As a child I took classes in drawing, painting with watercolors, and painting with acrylics.  I was in art in high school and majored in art in college for a while.  I then changed my major to history, but art still remained important to me.  After working as an office manager for several years I came back to art and opened an online shop selling my work.  In the end I just kept coming back to my love for creating and painting.

DV: What other non vinyl things have you done?
KT: Lots!!  I paint ceramics, create trinket and treasure boxes, make jewelry, create decorative pieces for the holidays (not just Christmas, but Easter, Valentine’s, Halloween…)  As you can see in my shop – custom Vinylmation make up one section, but there are lots of other sections as well – I like doing lots of different things – nothing ever gets dull or flat that way – everything remains fun and challenging for me!!

DV: What’s your favorite Disney designed vinyl?
KT: Just one? That’s too hard!!  My favorites that I have are: It’s a Small World 3″ from Park 3, Squares from Urban 4, Mardi Gras, and Love 9″ from Urban 6. My favorites from the ones I don’t own (yet) are Magical Stars from Park 1, It’s a Small World 9″ from Park 1, Teacups from Park 1, Birds on a Wire, Red Scream, Railroad from Park 9, Skyway from Park 9, Living with the Land from, and the Gumball Ear hat set.  I’m not really good at narrowing things down!!

DV: What inspired this Bedazzled line of customs?
KT: In November I was at the Magic Kingdom for my birthday (and to check out the new Fantasyland), and was looking at the different figurines in the glass shop on Main Street that are jeweled with crystals and I thought I Vinylmation covered with crystals would be really awesome, so I decided to give it a try.

DV: What was the most difficult part of making these?
KT: I used the new mold for these, which made it a lot easier because of the smoothness of the surface – no buttons of noses to work around. For the Miss Mouse figurines I used Minnie’s Fly Girls from the Park Series #11, which gave me the bow on her head.  The hardest part was just getting the crystals to fit in everywhere – not having any open spots that were too small for a crystal but too big to leave blank.  I quickly realized that I had to work quickly so if I needed to move some crystals I could before the glue dried.  Working quickly doesn’t mean these were quick to make though.  These were the most time consuming customs I have made yet, but I am super pleased with how they turned out – I think I am going to have to make one for myself, since these are for my shop!!

DV: What do you think about the upcoming Minnie platform?
KT: I can’t wait for it!!  When I saw it Mickey’s Circus I was so excited – all sorts of ideas were going through my head on what I could do with that mold.  I have all sorts of things planned to do with those as soon as I can get my hands on them.  Having a Minnie mold just furthers the idea of what Vinylmation started out as to me – whatever design I put on a Vinylmation, it comes back to the fact that I am putting it on Mickey Mouse – Mickey (and soon Minnie) are at the heart of it all – which is like what Walt Disney said – “It all started with a mouse.”  That mouse is still at the heart of all things Disney, and I try to keep that idea in mind when creating my custom Vinylmation.

DV: Where can people find out more about your and your artwork?
KT: You can see all of my work at my shop www.flightsoffancydesign.etsy.com and even more photos on my Facebook Fan Page Flights of Fancy Design. I am delighted to take custom orders as well. My email is flightsoffancydesigns@gmail.com.

I have lots of new ideas I am working on for custom Vinylmation – right now my work table has five Vinylmation that are in various stages of creation.  I have a 9″ Custom in mind that I think is really going to be spectacular – as soon as I finish it I will share it with you.  So, there will be lots of new things coming in the next few months – and I am super excited about it all!!