My Thoughtful Spot: Vinylmation Chasers vs. Funko POP! Chase

I'm back with another My Thoughtful Spot article, this time comparing Vinylmation Chasers and Variants with Funko POP! Chase. Let me start by defining these terms for those who aren't familiar with them.

Vinylmation would be sold in "cases" of either 16 or 24 boxes, depending on whether there were 8 or 12 figures in a set. In each case, there would be 1 figure called a Chaser, which was more rare than all the other figures - either 1 in every 16 figures or 1 in every 24 figures. Typically Disney would share images of all the vinyls in the set, except for the Chaser, which would remain a mystery until a collector discovered what the vinyl was. And so the Chaser got its name, it was the one figure collectors would keep chasing after.

Every Vinylmation series had a Chaser, and many series (though not all) would have a Variant. A Variant was a duplicate of a figure already in the series, but with a twist. For example in one Marvel Vinylmation set there was a figure of Iron Man, as well as a variant of Iron Man with his mask off, revealing Tony Stark's face. Variants, unlike Chasers, were randomly seeded in cases and their exact quantities were never known. In a similar fashion to Chasers not being revealed, Variants were never advertised, they were a mystery to be discovered by collectors.

Funko POP! have a similar concept to the Vinylmation Variants, but their figures are known as the Chase. Chase figures are almost a duplicate of a POP! figure already in a series, but like Vinylmation Variants, the Chase vinyls have slight differences. For example in the Snow White Funko POP! set, there is a Chase of the Dopey figure without his hat, with a lipstick kiss on his bald head instead. Chase figures are also labelled with a circular yellow sticker saying "Chase". Again, like Vinylmation Variants, the frequency and quantity of the Chase POP! is not known. One store could receive 3 Chase vinyls, while another store receives none. However, unlike Vinylmation Variants, the Chase is announced by Funko so you know they're out there somewhere.

What's appealing about Vinylmation Chasers is that you know in every case there will be a Chaser. Where ever Vinylmation are sold, including online, you have a shot at getting the Chaser. If you were to buy two cases, you would know you're getting 2 Chasers. By comparison, you never know if a store will have a Funko Chase and if so, how many they'll have. But if you're buying individual Vinylmation blind boxes, you could still leave empty handed without a Chaser just like you could visit numerous stores searching for a Funko Chase and come up dry. With Vinylmation Variants, once you know they exist in a series, you're almost playing the same game as trying to acquire a Funko Chase. You never know when you'll come across either.

The main difference between the brands is how to identify a Chase, Chaser or Variant. If you're trying to get a Vinylmation Chaser or Variant, all you can do is try your luck, purchasing blind boxes at the risk of getting duplicate figures you don't want over the coveted Chaser or Variant you desire. Funko POP! are the opposite, they are sold in open window boxes so you can see instantly if the figure is a Chase and immediately purchase it if so, without wasting money on figures you don't want. The act of the "chase" doesn't exist in the same way for Funko as it does for Vinylmation. Sure you can run around to different stores looking for the Chase figure, but it's a little different to opening mystery boxes and seeing what you pulled.

The open window format definitely saves Funko collectors money when trying to hunt for Chase figures, but it also has a drawback for the collecting community at large. Vinylmation collectors were always taking a risk when they purchased blind boxes hoping to get a Chaser or Variant. They were putting money on the line. There is no deterrent for Funko flippers who could see multiple Chase figures on a store shelf - across several stores even - and buy them all as soon as they see them. There are always flippers when it comes to collectibles, but I think Vinylmation blind boxes make it a lot harder for flippers to do what they do. If they insist on flipping, they will be spending a lot of money to do so, which may not be worth it in the end. The open window format of Funko Chase figures only aids and encourages flippers because it's much cheaper and easier to flip Funko POP!

I do like that with Funko POP! you know if there's a Chase figure to chase after or not. It can be a while after a Vinylmation set is released before anyone knows there's a Variant to look for. It also seems that because Funko Chase figures are easier to acquire, they're not all outrageously priced on the secondary market like Vinylmation. Years after their release, many Vinylmation Chasers and Variants still sell for around $100 or more on the secondary market. While some Funko POP! are similarly priced (or even higher) there are still many Chase figures for purchase at more realistic prices in the $30-$50 range. Yeah that's still a lot for a plastic figure that may have retailed as low as $8.99, but it's not as out of reach for collectors as many Vinylmation figures are, some of which have been dubbed "holy grails" due to their elusiveness.

I know I seem to sit on the fence a lot, but it's really hard to say which I think is better: Vinylmation Chasers and Variants, or Funko POP! Chase figures. What I like most about the Funko Chase is that you know what you're looking for before you find it. However I think they're just as difficult to find as Vinylmation Variants. Vinylmation Chasers in theory are much easier, but in practicality are still very difficult to come across.

My Thoughtful Spot: Does Accessibility Help or Hurt the Hobby?

Hello humans! It's been a long time since I've posted an article like this and I'm excited to share new content with you! As Vinylmation production has dwindled and I've moved toward collecting more Funko POP! figures, it got me thinking about the difference in accessibility of each of these collectibles and what that means for the hobby. I am not debating whether accessibility caused the demise of Vinylmation, but instead looking at the affect accessibility has on Vinylmation and Funko POP! collecting.

Let's start with what I mean by accessibility. Vinylmation began as a Disney Parks product. They were sold at numerous locations across Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and then there were separate Vinylmation lines that were available at Disney Stores and the DisneyStore.com, including Disney Stores overseas. Outside of that, Vinylmation could not be purchased anywhere else, unless you were purchasing from the secondary market like eBay or Amazon sellers. Therefore, Vinylmation had a more limited accessibility for collectors.

By contrast, Funko POP! are available on a much wider scale and are therefore more easily accessible. Funko POP! can be purchased online, at smaller independent locations such as comic book stores, as well as several big chain stores including: Walgreens, Target, ThinkGeek, Wal-Mart, GameStop, Barnes & Noble, Hot Topic, Books A Million, Vintage Stock, and Box Lunch. (Funko POP! were also sold at Toys R Us).

You don't have to go to a Disney Park, live near a Disney Store, or cough up shipping costs for an online purchase, in order to buy Funko POP! vinyls like you had to do with Vinylmation. Each selling strategy has both advantages and disadvantages. Limited accessibility made Vinylmation a more special, exclusive collectible, but it also meant collectors who weren't able to purchase vinyls from Disney directly were giving their money to secondary market sellers - their only option. I imagine this made it hard for Disney to accurately gauge the popularity and profit generated from the Vinylmation collectible.

For Vinylmation, I think the limited accessibility definitely helped and hurt the hobby at the same time. I really liked how special Vinylmation were because not everyone had them. I enjoyed stocking up when I did visit Disney parks, I am fortunate enough to live 20 minutes from a Disney Store, so at times I could purchase vinyls there, and I reveled in mail days when I purchased Vinylmation online. I probably wouldn't have gotten into Vinylmation if they were sitting on a shelf in Wal-Mart. However, I can see how that also drove people away when they could pick up other collectibles at a cheaper price with less effort. On the flip side, I've heard a few Vinylmation collectors refuse to get into Funko POP! because they think they feel like cheap collectibles, in part because of the mass production for these numerous retail locations. (I've spoken more about that in this article).

I think the wider accessibility of Funko POP! has definitely helped that hobby because they can reach a wider audience and market. I will say it has been a nice change of scene for me after experiencing the limited availability of Vinylmation to be able to purchase POP! vinyls with ease. I had been anticipating the release of the Doug Funko POP! set and was excited when I received an email from Hot Topic saying the Doug Funko POP! were now in-store. I decided the next day to visit my local Hot Topic where I was able to purchase the entire set of three vinyls, plus the two Hot Topic exclusives. It was great to want something and be able to immediately acquire it.

However, the wider accessibility of Funko POP! doesn't automatically mean you'll be able to instantly pick up what you want. Many stores sell POP! vinyls but they each have different lines on offer. In my area, ThinkGeek, Hot Topic, Box Lunch and GameStop have the widest variety of lines, with my local Target stores selling mostly Star Wars and Stranger Things with the occasional Disney POP!, my local Wal-Marts sell only Marvel and Star Wars, and Walgreens stores around me sell only Star Wars vinyls. For those who don't want collecting to be too easy, you can still experience a challenge without Funko POP! feeling almost out of reach.

I recently enjoyed hunting down Roz from the Monsters, Inc. series as well as Rosie from The Jetsons series. I tried to find them at ThinkGeek, Hot Topic, Box Lunch and GameStop (since these stores have the widest variety of lines) before finally finding both Roz and Rosie at my local Vintage Stock. You can't beat that feeling when you finally find the POP! you've been searching for!

I think it's great to have a nice mix in the levels of accessibility with vinyls to keep things interesting but not impossible, and I think there are notable pros and cons to both wide accessibility and limited accessibility with vinyl collectibles.

My Thoughtful Spot - Disney Vinylmation vs. Funko Pop Vinyls

What better place to start as I begin adding Funko Pop articles to Vinylmation Isle than with a post comparing Pop vinyls to Disney's Vinylmation?

A quick summary if you're not familiar with Funko Pop, Funko is a company that produces numerous lines of collectible figures. I would say the most popular and well-known line is their POP! vinyls, which are vinyl figures from various aspects of pop culture including movies, television shows, cartoons, and music icons. Disney is very prominent in the Pop vinyl line.

I held out on buying Funko Pop for the longest time because I really didn't need yet another collectible item to swallow all my money. If my memory serves me correctly, the first Pop vinyls I remember seeing were The Big Bang Theory characters and I just didn't get it. They had weird square shaped heads, no mouths, and didn't look like the characters from the show at all. Later on I came across WALL-E and Eve Pop figures and realized Funko made Disney figures too. I still wasn't into it because I didn't like the WALL-E and Eve designs, they were also too boxy and square, but the Disney characters definitely got my attention.

So what made me jump right in to Vinylmation and why didn't Pop vinyls grab me in the same way? Are both collectibles created equal?

The whole concept of Vinylmation seems to me to be artistic representations of various Disney characters and Disney parks attractions, all in the shape of Mickey. It's in the name "vinyl" and "mation", taken from animation. Fans therefore collect these little pieces of art and nostalgia and form a beautiful collection of different designs all with the same uniform shape, which makes them look amazing on display. Funko Pop vinyls don't have the same alluring concept to me as Vinylmation. They don't have a unique purpose in the way Vinylmation do. In the same way that Vinylmation have the common factor of each figure holding a Mickey shape (with the exception of Park Starz), Pop vinyls have a common factor too, which is big, round, black eyes on every figure. But Pop vinyls are just vinyl figures of icons from pop culture. They don't tell a story, they're not uniquely designed. There's somewhat of a theme to them (pop culture) but it's a very broad theme, unlike Vinylmation, with numerous sub-themes.

What drew me to Vinylmation was the personal connection. Each figure is a 3" piece of art that holds Disney memories for me. Sure there were seemingly random sets like High School and Wrestlers that were ugly as sin, strayed from the main idea of Vinylmation, and were sorely unsuccessful. But I focused my collecting efforts on the strong Parks series line. I loved to collect these small representations of my favorite Disney attractions, places and characters. I have a Vinylmation of the Empress Lilly to remember my third birthday party held there, I have Colonel Critchlow Suchbench who represents my many happy nights at the Adventurers Club. I have gorgeous figures of Carl and Ellie from Up, the first Disney movie I saw with my husband. The personal connection to these figures is part of what makes Vinylmation a true collectible in my opinion.

By contrast, Pop vinyls are much less personal. They're not made to reflect places and attractions, they're not even artistic representations of characters, they're just pop culture icons in plastic form, which to me feels more like a toy than a collectible. There's no thought process or concept art from an artist behind each Pop. What made Vinylmation unique was the challenge of having artists paint a design on a Mickey shaped canvas. Sure the vinyl could be Cinderella and have no deeper meaning than that, but it would be that artist's vision of what Cinderella looks like, drawn on a set canvas. Furthermore, in the early days, you'd even get a small card showing the Vinylmation's concept art along with the artist's signature. Just like certain items of memorabilia come with certificates or artist autographs, that's how Vinylmation felt with this awesome little card - a true collector's piece. Pop vinyls have no creativity or deeper meaning. They are simply cutesy looking figures of well known characters. They don't come in a beautifully designed box, they come in more standard looking boxes with plastic open windows that I think, again, make them look more like toys.

Vinylmation always felt like a collectible to me because of their exclusivity. They were available at Disney Stores, the Disney Parks, and on the Disney Store's website, enough locations that they were accessible but still not everyone had access to them. Pop vinyls are much more easy to access. They're sold at Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Toys R Us, Barnes and Noble, Game Stop, the list goes on. The easier level of access to Pop vinyls once again made them feel like a toy to me and they felt less special. Walt Disney World vacations had increased hype as collectors looked forward to stocking up on the latest Vinylmation releases while they were there, people made special trips to the Disney Store purely for Vinylmation, and we would stay up late throwing online release parties as we waited for new releases on the Disney Store's website. Collectors had such a sense of pride that they finally acquired the figure they wanted through these means. It doesn't feel as special to pick up a Pop vinyl along with your groceries.

There are some instances in which Pop vinyls are more exclusive. There are convention exclusives and other event exclusives, just like Disney had with Vinylmation. In that sense they are the on par by having limited releases. But when Disney had Vinylmation event exclusives for things like the Food & Wine Festival and trading events, they meant exclusives. You would not find those pieces at the Disney Store, or online. Conversely, Pop vinyls often have "exclusives" such as convention exclusives available at stores like Hot Topic and ThinkGeek, removing their convention exclusivity by being available outside of the convention they were designed to be exclusive to. That to me removes the reason to have the vinyl and the point of making it an exclusive.

Another similarity between Pop vinyls and Vinylmation is the rare figures. In the Vinylmation world there are "chasers", that one figure in every series that is more rare than the others, but with known odds. There's also "variants", an alternate version of a known figure with unknown odds, the rarest of them all. In the world of Pop vinyls, there's a "chase", an alternate version of a figure with known odds, similar to Vinylmation variants. The difference here however is that with Pop vinyls always being open window, it's easy for collectors to sift through a store's Pop vinyl offerings and snap up every chase in the store. With Vinylmation, they were sold in blind boxes, so the only way to get a chaser was to buy these boxes and try your luck. For me this made chasers and variants far more special as you opened your blind box not knowing what was inside, leaving you in pure amazement when you pulled that rare figure. Sure you can feel pretty special when you arrive at a store and spot a chase, but driving around from store to store until you find one doesn't have the same magic in my opinion as opening a blind box.

Then there's the production quality differences between Vinylmation and Pop vinyls. Disney were very strict on their production quality when it came to Vinylmation. If paint jobs were pretty bad, Disney would recall those Vinylmation, pull their product from the shelves, and start over. They would not sell what they considered to be a sub-par product. There were still occasional minor defects that I felt couldn't be helped, but for me those were few and far between. Pop vinyls however have much higher production levels than Vinylmation, which means they have much lowered quality. I can count the number of Vinylmation I have with minor defects, but I can count the number of Pops I have that don't have defects. The paint job on Pop vinyls is pretty bad on what seems like 98% of their figures. They feel more like a toy with low production quality like that.

Another highlight of Vinylmation was that with so much Disneyana out there, it felt special when something you loved became a Vinylmation, because Disney would only work on select licenses at a time. I remember my excitement when Disney made a Cranium Command 2-pack because I LOVED that attraction! But Funko work on tons of licenses at once, which means whatever you can name probably already has a Pop vinyl version in existence. It's not as special to be able to pick up a Pop of whatever you want just like that.

For those on a budget, Pop vinyls are much kinder on your bank account. 3" Vinylmation started at a $9.95 price point, but soon reached $12.95 to $14.95 depending on the line, with some more limited figures reaching $16.95, and Park Starz retailing at $18.95. Pop vinyls however are as low as $8.78 at Walmart - cheaper than Vinylmation ever were - and the highest price I've seen them reach has been $12.99 at ThinkGeek and Vintage Stock. (The super size Pops retail higher of course, just like 9" Vinylmation do). Vinylmation can get expensive pretty quickly, especially if you're blind boxing and don't even end up with the figures you want after dropping all that money. An advantage of Pop vinyls is that you know you'll get what you want and you'll pay a lower price for it.

Pop vinyls often looked more like toys to me because so many of them looked like plastic figures. Vinylmation rarely looked like that to me. They were designed and painted in such a way that they never looked cheap and plastic-y. The DC Comics line of Pop vinyls look especially bad to me, I don't like the chunky stance the characters have and how plastic they look. I also hate bobble head Pop vinyls and I'm not sure I'll ever buy one. Bobble heads to me are cheap and gaudy and reinforce Pops being toys. I make ONE exception to that rule, which is Baby Groot. Since Groot dances in his flower pot, a bobble head is warranted, but not for every Marvel figure. Even when I personally didn't like, or want a Vinylmation figure, they still looked like collector's pieces over toys to me the majority of the time.

In my opinion, if you are a Disney Parks fan wanting a collectible, Disney's Vinylmation are far superior to Funko's Pop vinyls. If you simply want a collectible figure, Pop vinyls are a good way to go. They reach a wider audience: fans of movies, video games, cartoons, TV shows and music, for the Disney and non-Disney fan. But having said all this, I do collect Funko Pop figures now. Why after everything I just said? Because I've settled. Vinylmation is no longer what it was and I miss that. I can't get it back, so I'm settling for the next best thing. It doesn't change a lot of what I've said in this article, but like I said, I'm settling.

I think it's sad, Vinylmation would have had me as an exclusive collector and I never would have bought a Funko Pop if the Vinylmation hobby was the same now as it was in 2011 when I started collecting. Maybe they felt they were already losing too many collectors to Funko and that played a role in why Vinylmation fizzled out? We'll never know. But despite my new Funko additions, Vinylmation will always mean far more to me and will remain the superior collectible.

The Collector's Space - Long Live 9" Vinylmation

I've written before about the decline in production for 9" Vinylmation figures and how I want them to still be made but in a more realistic and appropriate manner. I have been extremely happy to see 9" figures accompany the Star Wars Weekend Vinylmation for the past 3 years, especially last year's Death Star 9" combo. This week Disney Parks Merchandise announced that although Star Wars Weekends are gone for good, there will be another Star Wars 9" Vinylmation released this May! 

The upcoming 9" Vinylmation is Wicket from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. We don't know yet which artist created this figure, but I think this vinyl has been designed wonderfully! Wicket looks almost fluffy, with his cute little expression and adorable eyes! What I love the most is the nighttime Endor scene in the ears. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you're probably sick of me griping about artists wasting space in the ears of Vinylmation - not the case here! Absolutely beautiful detail! 

I hope this is a sign 9" Vinlmation will continue to be released. Even one 9" figure a year prevents the platform from becoming extinct, although this will be the second 9" released in 2016 after Hipster Mickey. Plus, one or two figures a year will create a higher demand, and prevent 9" figures from being moved en masse to outlets. Due to the higher price point of 9" vinyls coupled with the bigger size, there's just no way collectors can keep up with numerous releases a year, leading to 9" figures becoming outlet fodder, which is what caused their withdrawal in the first place. It seems as if Disney are moving in the right direction by keeping the 9", but keeping releases very low. 

Retail price of the Wicket 9" is being advertised as $59.95, the same price as last year's Death Star 9". This is a more realistic price to entice collectors to buy. Go too low and you'll find locals stocking up to resell on eBay, go too high (some 9" have been priced as high as $99.95) and you'll still find 9" going to outlet, with sellers refusing to pay no matter how amazing the figure. 

The only downfall I can foresee with this figure, is the Limited Edition size. I assume there will be one, given that the last few Star Wars 9" figures were LE 1000. However, it didn't appear that Hipster Mickey was a Limited Edition so we'll see. If the size is too high to meet demand, there may still be the outlet issue. 

The artwork on Wicket is fantastic and I'm happy to see a 9" figure designed with a purpose. With artwork this good for such a popular brand, I can see this figure being a success. If we only get Star Wars 9" for a while, that's fine with me! It seems as thought, for the moment at least, Star Wars might be what's keeping 9" figures alive, I am all for it!  

My Thoughtful Spot - Park Starz

I remember when Park Starz were first released. I read about the upcoming release of the Park Starz line in a copy of the Disney Files Magazine. The article explained that they were an extension of the Vinylmation brand and previewed the Yeti and Figment. I thought the character choices were awesome, but I wasn't sure about the way they looked. I like how Vinylmation are the same but different, and Park Starz literally broke the mold.

For a long time (even when Park Starz #2 was released) I didn't want to collect them. I loved their unique design and shape, and how they seemed to be a more nostalgic series. They contained many characters from extinct attractions, which meant a lot to me as a Walt Disney World veteran. I missed those attractions and loved how the characters could live on in Vinylmation form. But what drew me to Vinylmation in the first place, as opposed to other Disney collectibles, was how perfectly a collection came together, and I didn't feel like Park Starz did that.

(Not my Vinylmation collection)

I'm a very Type A person - I plan, organize, alphabetize, everything has its place. Displaying certain mixes of Disney collectibles to me would just look like a mess. The great thing about Vinylmation is that each one has a different design, but they are all the same shape, making them easy to display neatly. You can line them up and they look organized and orderly, all the same, but all different at the same time. Your shelf doesn't look like a clutter of Disney themed junk. I love how at first glance, your collection just looks like a bunch of Mickeys. But look closer and you get lost in the individual designs and uniqueness of each figure.

But with Park Starz, I was worried that since they all look different, lining them up on a shelf would look like a messy, confusing mixture of Disney looking objects, which is exactly what I was wanting to avoid. Then of course there was coughing up an extra $6 per figure. Regular 3" figures cost $12.95 a blind box, but Park Starz retail at $18.95 per tin. You can almost buy three 3" figures for the price of two Park Starz. Did I really want to gamble with that extra money?

(Park Starz Display)

Eventually I gave in. I was so excited by all the different Park Starz figures, that I decided to finally get some. However, I didn't really want to gamble with $20 (after tax) to see if I'd get the figure I wanted. It was also harder to trade Park Starz, as when the trade boxes existed, they were only for 3" vinyls. I ended up trading 3" figures for Park Starz with other collectors through trading forums to initially start my collection. Then I moved to eBay to fill in the gaps and got some figures cheaper than their original retail price.

As for displaying them in a way that doesn't give my Type A personality anxiety - I haven't got there yet. My Park Starz are still in their tins waiting for me to figure out a good place to put them. For some reason I expected them to be bigger in person, even though they're still 3" tall. They just looked bigger in all the pictures I saw.

Overall I think Park Starz are a great addition to the Vinylmation hobby, I definitely would not want them to replace Mickey mold figures, but they are fun to compliment and stand alongside the original Vinylmation figures collectors have come to love.

My Thoughtful Spot - The Current State of Vinylmation

It's been 1 year since trade boxes became a thing of the past at the Walt Disney World Resort, hot on the heels of an announcement that there would be no annual Vinylmation trade event last year, this amalgamation of news caused many collectors to proclaim that Vinylmation was "dead" and gone. I want to reflect on the current state of the hobby with that in mind.

I've written before why I disagree that Vinylmation is nearing the end, and how I think they're simply moving the focus of their marketing and promotions to Tsum Tsum - the latest Disney craze, instead. (You can read that post here). Obviously there has been change in the hobby, but for now I think it's mostly good.

While I'm sad that there are no trade boxes at the parks (and I do worry about the long term effect that will have on the hobby) part of me thinks less reputable collectors are at least partly responsible for that change. I won't go too deep into that because I've said it before, but to recap briefly: the majority of collectors had only bad things to say about the trade boxes because the quality of the figures in them was so bad. Collectors complained about outlet figures, damaged figures, figures missing their accessories, and being forced by Cast Members to trade their $12.95+ figures for these undesirable vinyls. I can see why Disney would think "no one likes trade boxes anyway, it's more effort than it's worth, let's get rid of them".

Having said that, I did enjoy trading at my local Disney Store, where I never saw outlet figures. It was great to be able to buy new release figures in store, and trade them there too. I would visit a couple times a month or more. The opportunity to trade Vinylmation brought me to the store when I wouldn't otherwise have gone. The Cast Members seemed very knowledgeable on Vinylmation and I had a great time. It still upsets me that the trade boxes were removed from Disney Stores too, without notice.

So trading has gone, but Vinylmation hasn't. We are still getting consistent releases - at least one series each month since trade boxes were removed, plus other releases like twin packs and combo toppers. Thinking back to the horrors of series like Behind the Mask, High School and Nursery Rhymes, I would like to think that Disney are learning from their past mistakes and releasing more appropriate Vinylmation series, on a more realistic schedule. We can't have a release every single week, or several sets a month, because collectors can't keep up, and even the most brilliantly designed sets will become outlet fodder.

I am still not too concerned by the changes in the Vinylmation. They're just changes. Depending on the day, there are equal or fewer pin products on DisneyStore.com than there are Vinylmation products, yet pins still seem to be going strong. I think Vinylmation will continue also. Duffy isn't being pushed as hard anymore either. The Duffy the Disney Bear social media pages seem to be abandoned, fewer Duffy items are being sold online, Duffy had his Epcot meet and greet removed recently, yet in October the ShellieMay line was released, which goes to show that Duffy is still an ongoing and viable product.

There have been huge success with Vinylmation, such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty And The Beast series, plus collectors still go nuts for Eachez. While it's profitable, Disney will continue to do it, and I think that goes to show that Vinylmation is still popular, in demand, and therefore profitable. Sure, some will go to outlet, everything does. Disney mugs, plush toys, clothing items, backpacks and accessories all go to outlet from time to time - but Disney doesn't stop making them just because they go to outlet. Why should Vinylmation be any different?

And that pretty much sums up my current feelings on the Vinylmation hobby a year on from 2015's announcements. I think Vinylmation will be sticking around for a while longer and I will be sticking around too.

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.

My Thoughtful Spot - Vinylmation Series Repeats

Recently, the Aladdin series and the Toy Story Jr. series were released. I don't know about you, but when I first saw these new series they looked pretty familiar. Upon closer examination, I noticed that it looks like both series are identical to previous releases, as if the exact same artwork was just printed on to a bigger or smaller figure. I think the Aladdin series definitely looks like more convincing evidence of this theory.

Arguably, there are only so many ways you can translate Rex, Buzz, Woody, Jasmine, Abu and Iago on to a Vinylmation, and the Toy Story Jr. series does seem to have more of a "cutesy" spin on most of the characters. But with Aladdin, things could have been done to spice up the figures, such as positioning Jasmine's hair differently, or have Abu hold something instead of have he same jewels in his eyes. When you look at the pictures below, you'll see that the figures are not in the slightest way different between the 3" and Jr. molds.

(Left: Rex from Toy Story #1. Right: Rex from Toy Story Jr.)

The Aladdin series was recently released as a 3" series, but before that we had an Aladdin Jr. series released in January 2014. With Toy Story, it's the reverse. The most recent release was a Jr. series, but before that a similar 3" series was released in September last year and June of 2010.

In a way, this seems like Disney are being lazy, regurgitating previous releases as a different size - maybe because they knew it was popular before, so it will be a success again, or maybe because they're not sure what else to do and these themes at least tie in with DVD releases. I'm not sure what the reason is for these series "repeats".

(Left: Jasmine Jr. Right: Jasmine 3")

I don't think it's all negative though. For starters, something is better than nothing in this age where many people think Vinylmation is "dying", soon to become a Disney past. At least it's a Disney series, and not a terrible, unappealing set of the Medieval and High School ilk. Secondly (with Aladdin at least) I remember hearing and reading many collectors express their desire to own Aladdin as a 3" series. Now their wish has come true.

There are a few differences between these series: Toy Story Jr. has 2 new characters that are not featured in the 3" series - Sid and the Alien. The Aladdin 3" series has a different chaser to the Jr. series - Genie instead of the Cave of Wonders and Genie Jafar.

(Left: Abu Jr. Right: Abu 3")

Ideally, I would love to see fresh, new series produced. There are still plenty of collectors out there who haven't thrown in the towel (like me, and I assume like you since you're reading), with new collectors still joining the hobby. I think it's less likely that people would want a repeat. Partly because if they bought it the first time around, they probably don't want multiples in their collection. On the flip side, if they didn't like the series the first time, what would change their mind now? But of course, that's not always the case, as I mentioned with Aladdin.

However, these repeats so far have been very well designed, and are still great Disney sets. It could be a lot worse, and at least there have still been recent Vinylmation released. What were your feelings when you saw another Aladdin and Toy Story set?

My Thoughtful Spot - Now Is The Time to Join the Hobby

I saw some pictures of older Vinylmation series today, namely Toy Story #1 and Have A Laugh! which were both released in 2010. These were the first two Vinylmation series I ever saw and I did actually buy a Toy Story blind box at my local Disney Store. It got me thinking about how I felt like I joined the hobby pretty late in the game. Vinylmation were released in 2008 and I bought my first vinyl in 2011 - three years later.

3 years might not sound like that much later, especially compared to the 7 years Vinylmation have existed for today. But to put that in perspective, at that time: six Park series had been released, along with six Urban series, two Jr. series, Muppets #1, Toy Story, Have A Laugh!, Star Wars, Animation #1, Villains #1, and probably others that I'm not remembering right now.

It was a strange position to be in. On the one hand, I came in when over 20 series had been released, plus their 9" counterparts. Park #1 was already in to crazy money and more sets were being released on a frequent basis. I wanted so many figures that I didn't know where to start. But at the same time, being only 3 years in, many figures were holding their value and were not as cheap to buy on the secondary market as they are now. (I'm talking $15-$20 a vinyl over $7-$10 now). Many of the figures I own are much cheaper now than they were when I bought them, even though many figures were over a year old a the time I got them back then.

Fast forward to 2015 and now there are more series released than I could possibly list for you in this post. Vinylmation has been in existence for 7 years. So where does that new collectors? It might seem even more overwhelming to join the hobby now then when I joined in four years ago. But here's the good news about that:

So many figures are dirt cheap
I hate to say it that way, but it's true. It's not because figures are bad, it's just because with many more collectors, there's always someone willing to part with their figures. In 2011 there were probably fewer collectors, and people were still trying to build up their collection and trade over selling. Getting the figures you want is pretty easy now, provided that they're commons.

Usually (although there are exceptions) figures decrease in price the longer they've been out. That's basic supply and demand. When new sets come out, the focus of collectors shifts from what was previously new, to what is brand new. Something that's $25 on the secondary market now because it's a new release, will soon drop to $15, then $10, maybe down to $7, $6 or even $5.

Star Wars #1 Chewbacca released in 2011

The figures are getting better and better
I don't want to sound critical, improvement typically happens when something is repeated over time. More recent figures compared to early figures from 2008-2010 look so much better! Now that Vinylmation has found its stride, newer collectors can skip over older figures they might not like as much, and go right in with the newer figures. I've heard of collectors with the older Star Wars sets wanting to get rid of them in favor of the newer Star Wars sets that have more impressive designs.

You can be more picky with your collection and choose the best of the best
Thankfully this didn't happen to me too badly. I started buying a few figures that I liked at the time, but now compared to what else is out there and the improvements in design, I would prefer to get rid of some of my earlier figures to make way for the newer figures I like way better. Joining the hobby later saves you this chore, and sometimes heartache, of falling out of love with and selling/trading off some of your collection.

Star Wars #5 Chewbacca released in 2015

It can be sad not to have the same blind boxing opportunities, not to get the chance to attend Vinylmation events, or be able to trade in the parks, and that's all very sad. I'm glad I got into Vinylmation when I did and got to experience in park trading. But having said that, there are many benefits new collectors today can appreciate that were not the case for earlier collectors. So if you're a relatively new collector, think of this list the next time you're feeling down about joining the hobby late.

My Thoughtful Spot - Why Vinylmation Isn't Dead

Not too long ago, we received news that trade boxes were to be removed at the Disney Parks. Ever since then, rumors have been circulating that the trade box removal marks the beginning of the end for the hobby. Trading is the foundation of Vinylmation. Blind boxes were created to be a thrill, an adrenaline rush, but also a tool that made you get involved in trading. The theme parks were also the hub of Vinylmation. You could buy endless sets at the parks, including some Limited Edition and exclusive sets that were not released online. To remove the ability to trade at the center of the Vinylmation universe was just incomprehensible to many, including myself.

I still don't know the reason why, but I have speculated in this post. I can see why this move would lead you to believe that the hobby is dying, but let me give my thoughts on why I believe it isn't.

Reason #1 - The Popularity of Eachez
This concept was created in 2013 to breathe life in to the hobby after many unpopular series were released and sent to outlet. It worked and it's still working. Every Eachez sells out online (with the exception of one) and is very popular at the parks. This has got to be profitable for Disney. For starters, they retail $4 higher than a regular Vinylmation, coupled with the fact that the 1 in 10 chance of pulling a variant means collectors typically buy at least one.

Reason #2 - Strong Upcoming Sets
The Marvel Avengers series is right on the horizon, there are plenty of Vinylmation scheduled to be released throughout Star Wars Weekends, Park #15 and Park #16 were announced at the Imagination Gala, and Vinylmation have been previewed to accompany the Disneyland 60th Anniversary merchandise. Not to mention that some recent releases have been fantastic too! I think the Villainous Duos sets have all been awesome, the Animation sets were well done, D-Tour #2 was appealing and with the popularity of Marvel, the Red Hulks set that was released last week was a fantastic addition too. Apart from Frozen, Disney have not dropped the ball or given up on the quality of Vinylmation.

Reason #3 - The Demand is Still There
There are so many collectors who still want to buy Vinylmation and I'm sure Disney knows that. Not everyone is giving up. Trade Events have been popular, Vinylmation are still selling, secondary market values are holding overall - the market still exists for Vinylmation. Yes some will go to outlet, lots of things do: mugs, t-shirts, phone cases, but Disney hasn't stopped producing that merchandise just because they've gone to outlet. Obviously people will still buy them, but there is only so much a collector can and wants to buy. Part of that is on Disney to figure out supply vs. demand and produce accurately in accordance with those levels.

So what is happening? Here's what I think. Disney has shifted their focus to other things. That doesn't mean they've given up, or are ending Vinylmation, it just means they are putting more effort in to other areas. Where? Tsum Tsum. The latest Disney craze is Tsum Tsum and Disney is trying hard to get the message out and promote them. There are bags, purses, t-shirts, mugs and phone cases with the Tsum Tsum brand, as well as three sizes of plush toy.

It's the circle of life. When Vinylmation were released, I had no idea pins were still around. Everywhere I looked was Vinylmation and Disney tried hard to build the brand with a website, events, and of course merchandise. Pin trading wasn't replaced, it was just pushed into the background by a new craze - Vinylmation. Pin trading continues to exist now and I think the same will happen with Vinylmation. Vinylmation isn't being replaced or discontinued, it's just being pushed to the background while Disney promotes a newer craze. Vinylmation looks like it's going downhill because Disney has shifted it's focus, but just like with pins, that doesn't mean a nail in the coffin for Vinylmation.

There have been some much needed changes with Vinylmation that might also look like it's dying. For example, fewer sets are being released. But believe me, that helps the hobby. We don't want more than we can handle, and we don't want more Zooper Heroes and Nursery Rhymes. But like I said before, take a look at some of the upcoming releases - just awesome! The state of the hobby has been turning around.

I wouldn't panic Vinylmation fans! I for one am not giving up.

My Thoughtful Spot - 9" Vinylmation

I've been thinking a lot recently about 9" Vinylmation. I'm not going to talk in this post about the reduced production of 9" figures, which I know has happened, but instead I'm going to write about how I view them as a collector.

Right now I own one 9" Vinylmation from Park #9 and a Create Your Own Vinylmation that my wedding guests signed in lieu of a guestbook. What I love about 9" Vinylmation is how much more detail can be added to them. Several 3" figures have an incredible amount of detail that shocks me on a much smaller canvas. Sometimes that detail can be overlooked because of their smaller size, other times it's just not possible to do as much on a 3" figure. I think for example the detail on the Sci-Fi Dine-In 9" from Park #4 would be extremely difficult to have done on a 3". So I think 9" figures are a great addition to the hobby and popular with fans. However, the nature of them being bigger and more expensive means they need to be released in a different way to 3" figures in order to keep fans interested.

Which brings me to what I don't like about 9" figures. This is two fold. The first aspect is the price tag. Let's compare some of the more recent 9" prices. The Park #8 Contemporary set that was released in 2012, retailed at $89.95. Yes it came with a 3" figure, but I'm not paying $90. Strangely, Toy Story Mania was another combo set released that same year but for the cheaper price of $74.95. I said I wouldn't pay $90 and I wouldn't pay $75 either. I guess I'm not the only one because this set went to outlet. It's easy to pay $12.95 for a blind box, but it's not easy to spend 6 to 7 times that on a 9" figure, especially regularly.

Crush and Squirt from Pixar #1 was a 9" and 3" combo that was released in 2013. It cost $64.95, which is $25 less than the Contemporary set and $10 less than Toy Story, so getting better in price, but still leaning toward the expensive side in my opinion. I would pay $45-$55 for a 9" and 3" combo, depending on the LE. As for individual figures, The Animation #3 Chernabog 9" retailed for $59.95 upon its release in 2013. Only $5 less than the Pixar #1 combo set.

The most recent Park 9" (released in 2012) retailed for $44.95. In terms of 9" vinyls that's cheap! I think $39.95-$44.95 depending on the LE is a fair price. Of course it's still not cheap when you think back to 3" figures, and it definitely affects my ability to purchase 9" figures on a frequent basis. But no 9" price is as crazy as the Animation #3 Dumbo combo set which retailed for a whopping $99.95 when it was released in 2013. I am not at all surprised it went to outlet. I didn't think it was a very impressive figure to begin with, but there's only one 9" figure in existence right now that would make me part with $100.

The second reason for my small collection of 9" Vinylmation comes from a lack of space, not a lack of love for the bigger figures. There are several that I wish I owned and even more that I admire for their concept and creativity.

There are some 9" figures that I just had to have from the first minute I saw them because the artwork blew me away. Then there are figures that are still fantastically designed, but appeal to me more for the memories they encompass, as opposed to exceptional artwork.

I'm secretly happy that I can count the number of 9" figures that are a must-have for me, because I currently don't have the space to display even that handful of figures! I would have to rotate what I display and that makes me sad. But at the same time, I still really like the 9" line and hope it stays in the hobby.

It's great to have a variety of figures out there. Some people love Jr. Vinylmation because they can put them on their keys, their small size makes it easy to collect more of them, and some people think they're cuter than 3" and 9" figures. Other collectors prefer the 3" because they're arguably the easiest to display, they're big enough to get plenty of identifying artwork on there, without taking up too much room in your home. But there are also staunch fans of the 9", who love them for the incredible amount of detail they can hold.

The 9" vinyls that I love (for the most part) include more intricate detail than a 3" ever could (although the artists are really pushing that boundary right now!) However, 9" figures are undeniably more difficult to house and display than their 3" counterparts, so I have to limit myself personally to 3" figures, unless a 9" comes along that I cannot live without. I'm glad to see that contrary to popular belief, the 9" has indeed gotten much more rare, but is not extinct. We will see the release of another 9" combo set for Star Wars Weekends 2015 and for a much more attractive price than some of the sets I've mentioned in this post.

My Thoughtful Spot - Walt Disney World Vinylmation Trading

Given the recent news on Vinylmation trading being removed from Walt Disney World, I've been gathering my thoughts on this executive decision, and I've been trying to process and make sense of it. In this post, I'm writing that all down.

The Why:

Why has Disney removed the trade boxes? They haven't said. I think there could be a number of reasons. Many people complained at the quality of the figures in the trade boxes and rightly so. Many people would buy vinyls at outlets for less than $5 a piece, that were unpopular (hence their presence at the outlets), and trade them in to the boxes where instead they'd pull out a more desirable $12.95 figure. BUT - that doesn't mean all the figures were bad. I saw people pull out much more desirable $12.95 figures that didn't go to outlet, even variant figures.

The outlet issue was also mostly Disney's fault. If they didn't produce so many undesirable sets (which has stopped now I'd like to point out) we never would've had that problem. Another issue was figures moving to the outlets quickly, not because they were undesirable, but because Disney had so many releases it was out with the old, in with the new, to make room. Again Disney's fault. It seems Disney's answer to this problem was to remove trading boxes at resorts, so you at least needed Disney park admission to dump your crappy vinyls in exchange for better ones.

Now Disney have stopped with the horrendously unappealing sets, but they can still be too quick to send things to outlet, so that part of the problem remains. But I think if this was the reason for the removal of the trade boxes, the correct answer would be to give it more time for the bad figures to filter out, or just take them out of the boxes.

Another reason I think the boxes may have been removed is because of the inconsistency in the trading rules. This was another complaint among collections, and I too have experienced it. When I traded at Disney Traders in EPCOT, I got to pick 3 times and the Cast Member kept all 3 on top of the trade box for me to choose at the end. He also said I didn't have to trade if I didn't want to. Over at D-Street, I had to keep the figure I picked, and I only got to call 2 numbers.

This inconsistency didn't bother me that much though, I knew what I was in for, and I still just wanted to trade. I can see why this would be discouraging if you have to give up your figure potentially for something you have already or don't want. However, I don't think this issue is reason enough to remove the boxes. I'm sure Pin Trading faces the same issues. How many times can you trade with a CM? Does the CM have to agree to trade with you? Yet Pin Trading continues.

The Impact:

I don't think Vinylmation is headed to the grave. Maybe I'm wrong, but it still seems hugely profitable for Disney. They retail at $12.95 and I bet it costs them pennies to make. Even when tons go to outlet, I bet Disney have not lost much. If they have, it's easy to just reduce the quantities produced. Not to mention that every new release this year of a combo set or Eachez has sold out the same day online. People are still going crazy for Eachez - and those retail for $16.95! Plus there's rumors of popular sets like Frozen on the horizon.

Having said that, if Disney are concerned by the previous state of trading and merchandise is going to outlet, the decision to remove the trade boxes is only going to make problems worse. I can tell you right now that the days of me buying blind boxes are over. I found it a little hard to trade in the first place with most people wanting the same thing and getting it quickly to avoid crazy secondary market prices. Now I'm thinking it will become near impossible. Especially with some people giving up on Vinylmation and selling off their collection.

The parks were by far my favorite place to trade, where I knew I always could, and where I met some great people and had some fantastic interactions. Now that's gone. How am I supposed to trade? I am not spending $12.95 to be stuck with a figure I don't want that Disney won't let me trade any more. It's unacceptable. Trading is the linchpin of Vinylmation - that's why you buy blind boxes. It's fun not knowing what's inside, it's amazing when you get what you want, but you can always trade. Well, not anymore. If others like me are going to stop buying blind boxes, Disney really will think no one cares about Vinylmation anymore. Apparently it's too difficult to make the connection that it's because of the removal of the essential trading outlets.

The knock on effect of removing trade boxes is big enough to warrant its own post, and I will be posting that. Suffice to say, removing the trade boxes will make collecting and buying blind boxes a lot more difficult for people. It also sends out an ambiguous message that many are interpreting as the hobby is coming to an end.

I have so much to say on this topic, that I will draw the line here and pick up in another post. Thanks for reading!

My Thoughtful Spot - Variants

I've been thinking recently about variants and how I feel about them.  My overall, summarized opinion is that I think they're a fantastic idea when they're warranted. If there's a legitimate reason to have them in a series, I'm all for it. I think it adds to the appeal of the series and can expand a series to include almost completely different figures.

To illustrate my point, the Dapper Dans are a wonderful idea for a variant! The Dapper Dans each wear a different color (red, orange, blue, purple and green) and to own each of the variants, plus the common figure, creates a complete Dapper Dans set. They make sense because the Dapper Dans actually look like that and there's reason to want to collect all of the variants, aside from wanting them just because they're variants.

On the other hand, the 100 Years of Magic variant from Park #8 was not really necessary in my opinion. There's no reason to have that same figure in red and white. It's not a new character like the Dapper Dan variants are. It's not the same character in a different scene like Spacesuit Figment, where the common figure is Figment in the original ride and the variant is Figment in the present ride version. The 100 Years of Magic "variant", I think, is a variant for the sake of a variant. It's designed and added to the series to make people want it because it's more rare, not because of the figure's design or what the figure represents. It's those types of variants I don't really like and will not make an effort to collect.

Sometimes variants are just fun. There was no real need to have two, or even one Wet Paint Donald variant in my opinion. I'm not sure many collectors want all three figures, but it would be cool to pull a variant if you wanted the original. Changing the color in this example makes sense and doesn't ruin the original common figure either. I wouldn't have minded which color I got, I just wanted that figure in some form. But since I didn't pull a variant, I am not forking out extra money to get an orange or purple figure instead of green. Green is fine with me.

Even if the variant is a good idea, like the Dapper Dans, I usually don't chase after them because they're just too much money. A quick search for the Dapper Dans variants shows a set of all 4 with a starting bid of $289.95 plus shipping. Spacesuit Figment is going for over $100. There's not a single variant I want enough to pay that kind of money for.

I can still appreciate a lot of the variants with meaning behind them, when they are more than just a color change, or Indiana Jones with "pit stains" (as he's being dubbed). Variants like that bring back the chase. They're almost always more coveted and worth more on the secondary market than chasers. Variants can be great for the hobby. I don't think bad variant choices can hurt the hobby, I just think they're a waste of a figure and are very disappointing.