When I first got into collecting, I didn't know what was out there. I had no idea what vinyls had already been released, what was currently being sold, or what would be released in future... but it seemed like every other collector in the Vinylmation world already did. Without this knowledge, it was hard for me to decide what my collecting strategy would be. What would I collect? How would I prioritize and how should I set a Vinylmation budget? I didn't know over the next few months if I'd be interested in 1 or 100 figures!
So for this post, I'd like to offer my advice on how to learn what's already around and what's coming your way in the near future. This info should help you establish your collecting habits and budget and help you prioritize what you want to buy first.
If you get on top, you also won't be caught out by sudden instant sell-outs of a Vinylmation you really want, or be cheated by vinyls advertised on the secondary market as "sold out" or "retired" when there's still plenty in existence.
A past and retired release from 2010 - Urban #5 3-D Mickey
Past Releases - for every series that has already been released (both active and retired) I would recommend heading over to Vinylmation World and taking a look at their checklists. They have a text and visual checklist that notes every series already released, from the first year of Vinylmation's existence in 2008 right up to today. The list also includes when each series was released, which will give an indication of the status of that series, either active or retired.
Currently active - Park Starz #2 was released in May 2013
Current Releases - to check if a series is still an active release or whether it's been retired, I would recommend heading over to Chasing Vinylmation and typing the figure you're interested in into the search box. By clicking on the figure, you'll see several stats about it, including whether it's active or retired. If the figure is retired, it's possible that it's still being sold in stores or outlets, but has definitely stopped being produced. If it's no longer being sold in stores, that means the retired figure has stopped being produced and has sold out. Your only option then is the secondary market such as Amazon, eBay or trading. However, if the figure is active, this means it's still in production and being sold in stores/online.
Future Releases - learning about future releases is a little precarious, as Disney have been to known to give little to no notice on a series' release date, to change release dates (mostly pushing them backward with little or no warning), to be wrong about how a series will be sold (such as advertising that a series will be available online when it isn't), and being wrong about retail prices (like with the Park #12 sets). I'm not trying to be negative about Disney here, just warning you to expect surprises.
Park #13 is coming soon
There are several ways to learn about what to expect in the world of Vinylmation:
- Visit Disney Parks Merchandise Vinylmation page, this is a Disney official website that lists information on Vinylmation series including release dates, limited edition sizes (where applicable), retail prices, retail locations (e.g. in store, at the parks, online) and also includes 360 images of the figures. The only downside to this website is that notice on upcoming series is anywhere from 6 weeks in advance to 1 week in advance, so check back often
- Check out the Disney Parks Blog for sneak previews of Vinylmation series. We've been teased with the Marvel #1 series and the Park #13 Tower of Terror series by merchandise manager Steven Miller
- Visit unofficial Vinylmation websites created by fans, like this one right here! I strive to bring Vinylmation news and previews as and when I find it. I follow several news outlets on Twitter, I visit numerous Vinylmation websites daily, and I keep tabs on the Disney Parks Blog and Disney Parks Merchandise websites. You can see links to recently released series and upcoming releases in the sidebar on the right hand side of this page. You can also search for my posts on releases by clicking the tag "Releases" in the could on the right hand side of this page, which will bring you to a list of posts highlighting a new figure/series release, complete with date of release, retail price and retail location
I hope this has given you a great place to start with researching Vinylmation releases both past and future. For more info on starting your collection, you can also check out my post on How to Collect Vinylmation, my post on where to buy Vinylmation and how much they cost, and for more information specific to new collectors, search the tag "Vinylmation Beginner's Guide" in the cloud on the right of the page.
Until next time... collect what you love!
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