Saturday, October 31, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

Haunted Mansion #2 Release


The Haunted Mansion Series #2 has been released today at Disney Pin Traders in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort, and at the Disney Store Online. This is an 8 figure blind box set with 7 commons, 1 chaser, and 2 known variants. The series was designed by Casey Jones and John Henselmeier. Each blind box retails for $12.95

2015 Holiday Eachez Release

The 2015 Holiday Eachez has been released at Disney Pin Traders in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort. The common figure (9 in 10 odds) is Mickey, wearing a Santa hat and holiday sweater. The variant (1 in 10 odds) is Minnie, wearing a red Christmas bow and holiday sweater. Each blind box retails for $14.95

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Throwback Thursday - Vampire Stitch

Series: Halloween 2013
Artist: Caley Hicks
Released: September 2013

Friday, October 23, 2015

2015 Christmas Minnie & Mickey Set Release


The 2015 Christmas set has been released today at Disney Pin Traders at Disney Springs in the Walt Disney World Resort. The set has two 3" figures: one of Minnie and one of Mickey each dressed as Santa. The set retails for $29.95

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Throwback Thursday - The Pumpkin King

Series: The Nightmare Before Christmas #1
Artist: Casey Jones
Released: September 2010

Friday, October 16, 2015

The End of D-Street As We Know It...


Effective today, D-Street will no longer sell Vinylmation merchandise. New Vinylmation releases will be sold at Disney Pin Traders in Disney Springs instead. No reason has been given of course, but I can tell you that I am extremely heartbroken to see this happen. D-Street was created as a Vinylmation store, like Pin Traders is a pin trading store. I don't understand why Disney is making these changes. I feel like I'm being discriminated against for choosing to collect Vinylmation over pins.

UPDATE: I can confirm having been to Walt Disney World this month, that there are absolutely no Vinylmation sold at D-Street. The majority of the store is now Star Wars Merchandise. All of the Vinylmation decorations are gone, with the one exception of the conveyor belt that used to spit out Vinylmation. That is still there, with Vinylmation on it, however it no longer moves.

Pixar #3 Release


The Pixar #3 series has been released today at the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disney Store Online. This is an 8 figure blind box series with 7 common figures and a chaser. The figures were designed by Maria Clapsis, Ron Cohee, Caley Hicks, Chris Gardner and Thomas Scott. Each blind box retails for $12.95.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Throwback Thursday - Evil Queen

Series: Villains #2
Artist: Gerald Mendez
Released: October 2011

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

My Thoughtful Spot - Vinylmation Still Isn't Dead


Back in April, I posted about why Vinylmation isn't dead, and I still stand by what I said in that post. However, there have definitely been some changes in the Vinylmation World. Disney really seems to have given up on the Vinylmation page on the Disney Parks Merchandise website. There used to be a time when we would have detailed information on upcoming Vinylmation released about 2 months out. Now we're lucky if they post about a release the week before. The information often lacks edition sizes, artist information, and sometimes even the retail price.

Of course, there's the removal of the trade boxes too, and I'll admit I still don't understand that. It potentially makes people less likely to buy an unknown product when they can't trade it. Then again, I guess it could be argued that after the contents of the trade boxes declined so drastically, perhaps there really weren't that many people trading anyway. (I personally would still trade for the fun of it).

The Haunted Mansion Series #2 - to be released October 30

I think there are still collectors out there who take all of this to mean that Vinylmation is on its way to extinction. Online forums have closed, other Vinylmation websites have stopped posting, there are more figures available at cheaper prices on eBay... but I'd like to reiterate why I think Vinylmation isn't dead.

Like I said in my last post on this issue, my honest opinion is that Disney is always going above and beyond trying to promote their latest craze. At one time it was pins, then it was Vinylmation, then I think you could even say it was Duffy The Disney Bear, and now it's Tsum Tsum. There was a time when all you saw was pins, then all you saw was Vinylmation, and now all you see is Tsum Tsum. Pins never went away, and so I think Vinylmation will be here to stay too.

Pixar Series #3 will be released October 16

I think Disney lacks the energy to promote Vinylmation because they're using it all to promote Tsum Tsum instead. All this leads to my main point which is: Vinylmation are still being released and the series being produced are still strong. While we aren't getting many previews - and that is made much worse by not having a trade event this year - at least we still have some great releases. Aladdin was just what fans called for, the Designer Series was beautifully done, and now we have some other fantastic series on the horizon: The Haunted Mansion Series #2 and Pixar Series #3.

While we don't know much (of course) at this stage, Pixar #3 will be released on Friday this week, and The Haunted Mansion #2 will be released October 30. I'm sure collectors will love both! I'm already excited to see the other Haunted Mansion figures, and I will be picking up two figures from the Pixar series for sure!

Overall, I think the proof that Vinylmation is still going strong lies in the constant stream of releases (we've had at least one a month), and the popularity of the series that are being released. I believe the artwork is great, and the figures that have been chosen will be gladly received by collectors.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Mail Day!

I'm so happy that I finally own this set!

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Throwback Thursday - Bad Apple

Series: Park #1
Artist: Randy Noble
Released: December 2008

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

The Backside of Vinyls - Haunted Mansion Constance Portrait

(Unfortunately she has some paint transfer on her head from my new Vinylmation shelf)

Welcome to another episode of The Backside of Vinyls! As Halloween is fast approaching, this installment will be Halloween themed. Today I'm looking at the back side of the Constance Portrait Vinylmation from the Park #12 Stretching Room Portraits set.

I think the back of this figure is absolutely fantastic! Just like the stretching portraits themselves, you can see the the "mortal" portraits by looking only at the front of the figure, but turn it around and as if the portrait is stretching, and you can see the end of the portrait on the back.


In the backs of the ears we can see the foliage surrounding Constance, along with the rose she holds in the painting. On the back of the figure's body is the tombstone from the portrait. While it doesn't have all of the inscription, the beginning is abbreviated as RIP. You can see the bust on the back of the vinyl in pretty accurate detail, with the axe in his head also of course.

I love that all of the necessary elements of the stretching room portrait have been included in this figure, and I think it works fantastically having the second half of the painting being portrayed on the back.

Saturday, October 03, 2015

Friday, October 02, 2015

Vinylmation Designer Series #1 Online Release


The Designer Series #1 designed by Miss Mindy has been released at the Disney Store Online. This blind box series has 7 commons, a variant, and 1 chaser. Each blind box retails for $12.95

Mickey and Minnie Halloween Eachez Online Release


The 2015 Mickey and Minnie Halloween Eachez has been released at the Disney Store Online. Each blind box retails at $16.95. These figures have a limited edition size of 2,500 with 2,250 being the common Mickey figure and 250 being the variant Minnie figure. Both Vinylmation were designed by Maria Clapsis.

Thursday, October 01, 2015

Throwback Thursday - Ghost Mickey

Series: Holiday #1
Artist: Rachael Sur
Released: September 2009