2011 Year in Review: Intern Austin Has His Take

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Each day this week, someone from the Destination Vinylmation staff will give their Top 10 list from 2011. The lists can include just about anything from figures to sets to headlines to personal moments. Please feel free to comment with your favorites and memorable stories from the past year as well.

Austin
Intern / Writer / Photo shoot assistant

10. Meeting new people
I have loved getting to know a lot of the regulars from the Walt Disney World trading circuit. What would have seemed like forever waiting for the Disney Afternoon sets by myself was a lot more fun with all my friends there. I have had so much fun hanging out with Nick and going to the parks on a regular basis. I would like to thank them for making me a part of Destination Vinylmation. I look forward to meeting tons of new and exciting  people in 2012.

9. Park 7 and the announcement of park 8
I have never been to Disneyland but I have come to Walt Disney World every year growing up. Which, of course makes me a huge Disney World fan and I absolutely love the fact that come next year we will have two sets that are exclusively Disney World.

I also love the designs of park 7, with the LE sets and the 9″s being utterly breathtaking. I can only assume that we will have just as breathtaking LE sets and 9″s for park 8.

8. Becoming Vinylmation Obsessed
In 2010 I just wanted Beaker from Muppets 1 and the toy story series. Since I love the Muppets and collect anything and everything toy story. In January 2011, my mind set had changed from “who would ever want to collect these 3″ toys” to becoming one of the biggest Vinylmation collectors out there. Wanting just about every vinylmation under the sun, going to every trade event, waiting in line for over 7 hours, and waiting online all night. I can now proudly say I have truly become obsessed with Vinylmation.

7. Accesories
Oddly enough more than the figures themselves I love accessories. We had great accessories this year from hats and tails to skateboards and candy canes. I love how far vinylmation has come in the past year with accessories. In 2010 we had sorcerer mickey’s hat, nbc mayor’s hat, evil dr. porkchop’s hat, Woody’s hat, Jessie’s hat, buttercup’s horn, buzz lightyear’s dome, and the giraffe’s neck. In 2011 we had so many hats there’s too many to list. There are quite a few in villains 2.

A majority of afternoon sets had hats. Park 6 and 7 chasers both had hats. We had lightsabers, nerds glasses and wands. Mushu, Pinocchio, and Cheshire cat all had tails. The skateboard from goof troop (which I always love to mention because it is my favorite accessory). And rafiki’s staff (which is a very close second for me).

6. Awesome Selection of 9″s
If I had to start cutting down on buying vinylmation I’d probably stop buying 3″ altogether. I just love the detail that gets put on a 9″. Also I love to keep all the vinylmation I buy in mint condition which majority of the time unless it’s open window, means I can’t display 3″. I love the fact that all 9″ are open window and can therefore be displayed very easily. They also came out with a lot of interesting and very cool 9″s this year. If I had to pick a favorite it’d be a tough choice because we have had everything from animation 1 to park 6 and muppets 2, not forgetting jafar from villains 2, rafiki from the lion king, and the Florida project 9″. When it comes right down to it i’d have to say it’s a tie between Sam the Eagle with his tail and Hyacinth Hippo with her tutu. By the way, come on Disney. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who wants a fantasia set, not fantasia 2000, just Walt’s fantasia.

5. More Detailed Juniors
I’ve never really been into juniors, because until the past 6 months they were never very detailed. All we have to do is compare mini Minnie from villains 1 and junior genie from villains 2, to see how in a 6 month span juniors have become so much more advanced and detailed.

With junior 6 snow white and the seven dwarfs coming out next year, I might have to start collecting juniors.

4. The Florida Project
This was by far my favorite event of the whole year. It was a lot of fun even though like many others i spent the majority of the day in line trying to get orange birds. Even better than an orange bird I finally got one of the highly sought after Hong Kong pirate mickeys.

3. Park Photo shoots
My first three are very closely tied together. This is by far the most fun I’ve had in the parks. I love how many of you love the photo shoots because they are so much fun to do.

I love thinking up great ideas for pictures, and going around all the parks explaining Vinylmation to potential collectors and getting strange looks.

2. Park Starz
Like the majority of people in the vinylmation universe I am not a big fan of new mold. So this was a nice refreshing breath for me, I absolutely positively love all the characters. And more than anything in the upcoming year I am looking forward to park starz 2 and the variants of park starz.

1. Disney afternoons
My all time favorite vinylmation to date is the Disney Afternoon series. My favorite among them is a tie. I love the way that scrooge and launchpad look but my favorite accessory to date is the skateboard in Goof Troop. I think what makes this my favorite instead of park starz is the experience more than the figures, waiting in line as early as 3 am, playing games and chit-chatting. I am looking forward to gummi bears and would love a second line of Disney Afternoon starting with Monterrey Jack and his sidekick Zipper.

Exclusive: Art of Animation Aerial Construction Photos

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

by Nick LoCicero

Construction on Disney’s new Art of Animation resort is well underway. We took a look from above this week to see just how far along it has progressed. The resort consists of four themed areas… Cars, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo and The Lion King.

The Cars buildings are some of the most far along.
Finding Nemo
Squirt adorns these sketch pads.
A closer look inside the courtyard.

For more pictures, check out the full article at Orlando Sky Radio.com

For aerial pictures of the Fantasyland construction, click here.

WDW 2012 Marathon Vinylmation Release

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Just a few more days left until I run in my first Half Marathon… ever. Disney or anything. I’m excited. And what better way to commemorate the occasion, well except for this medal:

than a few commemorative vinyls. We saw these on display at the Florida Project and they will be released on Thursday, January 5th and 6th at Disney’s Wide World of Sports during the kickoff to the 2012 WDW Marathon weekend. The 3″ figures are $14.95 and the 9″ is $44.95. After the WDW Marathon this weekend, the left over stock will most likely make its way over to D-Street.

The WDW Half Marathon 3″ features the race’s mascot Donald Duck. All three vinyls are in the stopwatch design with a space to write your time on the back. (I actually get to do that this year!) In my opinion the best design of the three years of these. The date is on the stopwatch as well as a nod to Donald’s birthday in the “time”. The figure itself is clear in color.

The WDW Marathon 3″ features Mickey with the mouse’s birthday in the time.

As always, the Goofy Race vinyl is a 9″. The Goofy race means running both the half and whole in the same year. Any other Vinylmation fans running this weekend? I’ll see you at the race!

First Releases of the New Year

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Ah, it’s a brand new year in Vinylmation. Time to get a fresh start. 2011 saw many changes in our hobby and 2012 will hold many surprises I’m sure. So as we enter our first release day of 2012 I ask, do you collect differently now, than when you purchased your first blind box? I know I do. I began by collecting only a few from each of the Urban and Park sets. Then I branched out into Have a Laugh. Then MC came along and before I knew it I was splitting cases and filling in my sets. I became a completest. Even buying sets I didn’t fully like, but they came out, so I grabbed them. That started to change around Occasions, Celebrations and Sea Creatures for me. With the flood of different products hitting the market, I have made a resolution to be more picky about what I buy. It starts with the 9 inchers. There are many I would have bought 6 months ago that will not see my shelves. I’ve noticed a lot of collectors change their habits as 2011 came to a close. MC would not longer jump at a case with me. I’ve seen many people begin to sell off some of their collection. Our friend Matt over at Vinylmation Kingdom gave himself a $1000 budget for 2012! Good luck with that one buddy. And I’ve also seen some collectors swing the other way. I’ve seen them catch the fever over the course of 2011 and become completionists. I also think Disney has recently shown their hand and many collectors are now just going to sit back and take a chance that the figures they want go deeply discounted online.


Where are you as a collector as the 2012 release schedule begins in earnest? 


Technically the release week began yesterday at the Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL with the two 3″ WDW Marathon/Half Marathon vinyls and the 9″ Goofy’s Challenge. 

Goofy 9″ for sale at Disney’s WWOS
Today, some great looking Park 7 LEs hit the D-Streets:
Horse and Trolley. LE 2500. $26.95

Read all about the history of River Country

Also on the schedule for today at D-Streets are four 9″ Urban 8 figures.
Boxer, Fish Bites, Sabertooth and 50’s Girl. Check them out in full detail here.

Then this weekend is the release of the much anticipated Furry Friends. (Saturday at the Costa Mesa, CA Disney Store and Monday at all Disney Stores). This blind box set retails for $10.95.
For more info, check out Furry Friends Explained

Release Day! A New 9″ Park 7 Revealed and New Years On Sale

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Today was a big release day at D-Streets and the parks. First, 9″ Park 7 Goofy River Country went on sale and a look at the back of the box showed us the four 9″ LE figures for Park 7.

MK 7 Adventures, Goofy River Country and 2 Main Street Electrical Parade figures. All figures are LE 1500. Not surprising there are only four with Disney’s announcement of more types of LE sets besides 9″ and 9/3 combos. We had seen 3 of these at The Florida Project, but the new one was a second Main St. Electrical Parade design featuring the train.

The train is one of the most recognizable floats in the parade because it carries the sign of the name of the parade.

Photo from LaughingPlace.com

The back will be interesting. Do they take an artistic approach and paint the sign on? Or just more lights like its the rear of the train going by? As I said, we saw the other figures at The Florida Project.

9″ Park 7 Main Street Electrical Parade Dragon
9″ Magic Kingdom 7 Adventures Retro Ticket Book

Also released today was the 3″/3″ Horse and Trolley combo that celebrates a Magic Kingdom Main Street USA staple.

It is for sale behind the D-Street counter… and also at the Emporium inside MK where our friend Chris took the above picture. 9″ Urban 8 figures The Boxer, Fish Bites, 50’s Girl and Sabertooth also made their debut today.

D-Street display
D-Street Display
Upcoming 9/3 Urban 8 Archaeologist and Demon that will be sold Online
And in a semi-surprise the 4 open window New Years 2012 Vinylmation hit the shelves. We knew they would be released in early January, just not specifically today. They can be found at D-Street and throughout the parks.
Here is a look at the individual figures. The hat looks like a hard plastic accessory. If you bought them, let us know if it comes off and whats underneath!
Blue 2012
Black 2012
Pink 2012
White 2012

Did you/will you add any of today’s releases to your collection?

UK Vinylmation Update with Sophie

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Sophie, who usually brings us some great graphics (like the one above), has written an article on the state of Vinylmation in the UK.

In response to Susan’s Facebook comment about Vinylmation releases in the UK, I decided to write up what Vinylmation are and what might be available via the Disney store website.

Firstly, good news Furry Friends is coming this month as annnounced on the most recent Disney store newsletter. Might there be donations to RSPCA I wonder? Hopefully these can be brought not only from the website but from stores as well.

Regarding other series Animation 2 will most likely be purchasable in the UK as we’ve already seen Animation 1, which sold out online a while Iago. I’m really hoping for the 25th Anniversary series to make an appearance. In contrast Cutesters on the Beach I’m not looking forward to, but will probably be purchasable as Cutesters Like You are no longer on the website and have not returned suggesting that stock is low in stores. Furthermore Robots 2 should come over sometime this year, as Robots 1 has previously been available.

When these series will be released in the UK (and if) is hard to estimate judging by previous releases. With newly released sets they can be just a few weeks after the US release such as the case with
Villains 2 (which is still up) and the Jafar Genie 9″. Or a month later as with robots. But unfortunately there can be an even longer wait… a.k.a. Lion King. However, recently released set have been pretty good with Alice in Wonderland being available rather quickly, and with plenty of stock as they’re still up on the website. Although regarding Alice In Wonderland you still need to search Alice In Wonderland rather than Vinylmations in order to to purchase them.

Other vinylmations that are on the Disney store website today include the UK Flag 3″, Have a Laugh and Villains £8.00 each ($12.30), Jafar and Genie 9″ £40.00 ($62) and the Peter Pan Kidada £50.00 ($77.50). Also the UK exclusive 9″ Taxi and Bus have been reduced down to a further £5.99, originally £29.99, down to £20.00 down to £9.99 and now this! Yes that’s correct, a 9″ figure is now cheaper than a single 3″. Either because there were too many produced, or they weren’t selling or even the Disney store need to get rid in order to stock a new UK exclusive vinyl, I’m hoping for the latter. What would you like to see as a UK Vinylmation?

The Gloves are Off! 9″ Urban 8 Boxer

WDWNT on January 18, 2012


Don, one of our awesome readers, sent in these photos of the Urban 8 Boxer by Casey Jones. When we talked to Casey at The Florida Project he had mentioned that the gloves would come off. Well here’s what it looks like with the gloves off!

Great details! Wonderful work Casey!

What do you think of the newly released 9″ LEs for Urban 8? We think they are some of the best 9″s ever!

First Opinions: Cutesations by Mike Boon

WDWNT on January 18, 2012

Contributor Mike Boon talks about Disney’s news blind box product, Cutesations. This plush mystery series released on Friday, January 6 at the Disney Store and online for $6.50 per box or $79.50 for set plus mushroom display. Read Mike’s review below and check them out here.


Did you love the Alice in Wonderland Vinylmations series but wish they were, well, a lot softer and more traditional in shape? You’re in luck because Disney is now offering a new 5″ plush series called Cutesations, now available at the Disney Store. Alice and the Wonderland gang make up the first Cutesations series, no doubt with more to follow.

These are a treat for rabid Alice fans. It’s nice to see Caterpillar, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in there along with the usual suspects (Alice, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts). The designs are cute, though I would expect some odd disfigurements on things like the Mad Hatter’s nose in such a small plush and the Queen should have looked a little less cheerful and more sinister.
Ultimately though, I do wonder about appeal of the series as a blind box offering without any suggestion of a chaser and unknown options for trading. If you really wanted whole series, you may as well splurge for the full set of 8 with mushroom pillow.

Mike Boon