The Collector's Space - My Marvel Collection

Recently I posted the bulk of my Vinylmation collection and how I display them (check that post out here). I also mentioned that I have many, many more vinyls than that and I collect in subcollections. The bulk of my Vinylmation are Park figures because that's what drew me to Vinylmation, but other figures started to catch my eye and so began my collecting of other series. Today I want to share one of those subcollections - my Marvel collection.

I grew up reading Marvel comics my whole childhood, which is part of the reason why I love the movies so much. I get to see these comics come to life and remember my happy childhood days reading the comics. My favorites were Spider-Man and X-Men, which were the two I read the most, but I also read Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Captain America.

When Disney released Mavel Vinylmation I had to get some! The series received some criticism because the figures didn't look like the movie characters, but I was pleased that they didn't. I loved that these vinyls were taken straight from the comics I knew and loved! Later duplicate figures were released of some of these characters that were designed to look like their movie counterparts. I passed on those.

I have (left to right) Captain America, Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Doctor Octopus, The Green Goblin and Electro. I love these vinyls because they're comic accurate, they remind me of reading those comics as a child, and they also remind me of Marvel Superhero Island over at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure, where all of my vinyls except Iron Man feature. I think these vinyls are expertly designed by artist Thomas Scott and I love the perfect accessories three of them have!

So that's one of my subcollections that I'm very proud of and is currently sitting on my desk at home.

The Collector's Space - My Vinylmation Displays

I've said in many previous posts that I would share my Vinylmation collection and I never have. But today I finally am! I have over 200 Vinylmation (excluding Jr. and 9" figures) and I don't display them all at the same time. I have sub-collections if you will and my vinyls are organized that way. I don't just mean the series that they are, such as Park or Pixar, but instead by the theme that I'm going for with those figures.

You can also see in this article the main way in which I display my Vinylmation, which is through custom made shelves. 

Magic Kingdom Collection

This first sub-collection is all of my Magic Kingdom themed figures. The first shelf is Fantasyland and Liberty Square, the second shelf if Adventureland (with the exception of the Vulture who with his hat doesn't fit in any other place on the shelf), the third shelf is Tomorrowland and Frontierland and then Frontierland continues on the bottom shelf. You will also see Haunted Mansion Mickey and Friends on that shelf which I placed there to fill the space, along with the "miscellaneous figures" The Colonel, Wet Paint Donald and the Mickey Bar. I probably could have arranged these better, but so far I haven't.

I also have a couple more Magic Kingdom figures not on the shelf, because what I didn't realize was painting the shelf was a TERRIBLE idea! The paint has transferred on to pretty much every figure. If the back of the figure has touched the back of the shelf there is now silver paint on the back of that vinyl's head. Pretty much every vinyl has it stuck to their feet also. I don't want to ruin any more figures so the ones that are already ruined are staying put and I won't add any new figures to this shelf. Thankfully you don't ever see the feet and you rarely see the back, so it's not noticeable, but I know it's there and I paid a lot of money for some of those figures, so it still makes me angry. I can't get the paint off without further damaging the figure.

Animal Kingdom & EPCOT Collection

This shelf houses my Animal Kingdom collection in the ears, and my EPCOT collection in the head. As those of you with a keen eye will see, some of these vinyls are not Park Series figures. The Yeti is from Myths and Legends but there hasn't been a 3" Yeti figure in the Park Series (only 9" and Park Starz, with the exception of the Yeti Mouse, which is ugly) so I got him to represent Expedition Everest since there's not a Vinylmation of that attraction either.

Next to Buzzy is an Urban figure but he looked so much like the guy from El Rio Del Tiempo that I got him and added him there. Finally Nemo is from the Pixar series but he's perfect in this collection given his EPCOT attraction. The first shelf in the head is the Tapestry of Nations parade and the Troll from Norway, the middle shelf is Future World and the bottom shelf is a mix of the two.

Hollywood Studios Collection

This shelf is mostly my Hollywood Studios Collection. The first two shelves are just a mix, with an Urban figure in there (Popcorn) because I always get popcorn there so it makes me think of Hollywood Studios. The middle shelf is my Hollywood Tower Hotel row with the elevator and ghosts. The fourth shelf are not Hollywood Studios figures but I wanted to display them on a shelf and they fir perfectly there. There's Lagoona Gator from Typhoon Lagoon, Summer Santa and the Snowman from Blizzard Beach, and a DVC Member vinyl that looks like Old Key West. My brother got me that one.

Finally the bottom shelf is another mix of figures most of which are not Park Series. Indiana Jones is from his own series but he's included because I love the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Lightning McQueen and Mater are a two pack from a Pixar series but they're there because of their Hollywood Studios meet and greet. And then there's Chernabog who's from Villains #3 but I love his scene and Fantasmic and that's what he reminds me of so he's there too. I actually have one more to add to this shelf but as you can see, I don't have space.

So there's some insight into how I display my collection! I will be showing off other sub-collections in future Collector's Space posts.

The Collector's Space - The Rise and Fall of D-Street

Today I've decided to reminisce about the holy grail that was D-Street. D-Street opened in Downtown Disney's West Side on April 16, 2010, with the Disney Parks Blog describing it as, "The premiere location for all things Vinylmation – 3” and 9” figures, apparel, accessories, and a brand new Create-Your-Own-Vinylmation Experience, the “Vinylmation Creation Station".

The atmosphere inside D-Street was unique. It had an underground basement type feel, but it was filled with all kinds of eclectic Disney items, largely Vinylmation. Merchandise Communications Manager Steven Miller said in a November 2010 interview with Kissimmee Insight, "Vinylmation is our mothership", just like with Disney Pins, there was now a whole store dedicated to all things Vinylmation.

(Outside of D-Street)

Vinylmation fans were really excited for the store to open. D-Street took really great care of Vinylmation collectors in the beginning. Not only could you buy Vinylmation, Vinylmation apparel and accessories, but you could also pick up stickers, markers and other items for designing your own figures. You could even try your hand at the Vinylmation Creation Station within the store and see several examples of creative Vinylmation works throughout the store.

Furthermore, at D-Street you could trade your Vinylmation with Cast Members and other collectors. There was a preview box (the clear box underneath the black question mark Vinylmation in the foreground of the below picture) where fans could take a look at upcoming figures in person before they were released. This got collectors excited about what was to come, knowing what the series would be, what the figures would look like, and the date they'd be released. A big deal was made about upcoming releases, so much so that people would line up outside ready to get their Limited Editions or to be the first to pick up a long anticipated blind box.

(Vinylmation Conveyor Belt)

The shelves were filled with every type of Vinylmation: Limited Edition sets, 3", 9", Jr. figures, Create Your Own, and of course there was every type of Vinylmation merchandise you could think of: bags, phone cases, USBs, clothing, journals, hats, the list goes on. I'm not sure in what order the following occurred, or what the reasoning was, but slowly the prominence of Vinylmation declined. Disney stopped updating their Vinylmation blog promoting releases ahead of time, leaving the releases a surprise and preventing fans from getting excited about future releases. There was no more queuing outside of D-Street, no more online parties where collectors would stay up all night waiting for the online release.

(Inside D-Street)

Disney also slowed down on the number of Vinylmation releases. While they needed to scale back somewhat (in the very beginning a new series was released every Monday and Friday!) there was no consistency to releases. Would there be a release just on Fridays? Just on Mondays? Once a week? Once a month? It was anybody's guess and still is. Trading was removed from the Disney resorts, then the Disney parks and D-Street.

Vinylmation trading nights also became a thing of the past. This separately ticketed event was a weekend extravaganza celebrating all things pin and Vinylmation. There was previews of what would be released over the next year with pictures and even prototypes. There were event exclusive Vinylmation for purchase, Vinylmation trading and even a breakfast for fans to get together.

As the Vinylmation world began to shrink, less Vinylmation were being produced and the stacks of shelves at D-Street couldn't be filled solely with Vinylmation anymore. Other Disney merchandise began to creep in. When I visited D-Street in the fall of 2013, only about half the store was Vinylmation compared to the whole store back in my spring 2011 visit.

The new merchandise was largely Marvel and Star Wars. Initially I was sad to see less and less Vinylmation sold in what once was the "Vinylmation mothership" (to quote Steven Miller) but I was happy that there were still some Vinylmation and I love Marvel and Star Wars so it could share my beloved Vinylmation's space.

Well I guess the Vinylmation section eventually became too small to justify the brand having its own store. I would also imagine that what they were selling the most of was the Star Wars merchandise because in December 2015 D-Street closed and re-opened as the Star Wars Galactic Outpost. All the Marvel merchandise moved to the nearby Superhero Headquarters. D-Street was no more.

(Photo Credit: WDW News Today)

The Star Wars Vinylmation remained at Galactic Outpost, the D-Street artwork moved to the Marketplace Co-Op store in Downtown Disney's Marketplace, and the other Vinylmation figures moved to Disney Pin Traders, also in Downtown Disney's Marketplace.

I don't think any one factor caused D-Street's demise, I think it was a combination of all of the above. However, all the items on that list fall on Disney. I truly think D-Street could have remained just as popular in 2017 as it was in 2010 if Disney continued to put the time and energy into D-Street that they once did. Instead, that focus has shifted to promoting Tsum Tsum like there's no tomorrow. I see a lot of similarities there in the merchandise they're producing and the way in which they're previewing and promoting the new releases. I guess they didn't have the time or didn't think it was worth it to keep promoting Vinylmation in the same way.

(D-Street on the way out)

(Photo Credit: WDW Magic)

It upsets me that while Disney doesn't really market pin trading from what I've seen, there still seems to be a steady flow of pin merchandise released, albeit you don't always know what's in the works or when it will be available. The same could be done with Vinylmation, but that's a whole other story. At the very least, if D-Street was too big to solely house Vinylmation, split the store in two and create two stores. Keep D-Street and only sell Vinylmation and have the other half of the store as the Star Wars Galactic Outpost. That would have been my plan.

And so D-Street is no more, but I will always remember how incredible it was way back when. D-Street is still in existence at Disneyland, but what that looks like I can't say having never been. Feel free to educate me on that in the comments below and share any of your D-Street memories!

6 Year Anniversary

Today is the anniversary of the day I bought my first Vinylmation back in 2011. I joined the hobby and started collecting Vinylmation 6 years ago exactly. Here's an update on what my collection looks like after 6 years...

I currently own:

3" Vinylmation - 184

9" Vinylmation - 11

Jr. Vinylmation - 15

Park Starz - 9

Making a grand total of 219 Vinylmation!

My collection hasn't increased by all that much over the last year. There are still quite a few more that I want to add to my collection, but now that most vinyls are no longer available at Disney Stores, I haven't bought a blind box since 2015. Prices on the secondary market have therefore increased because vinyls are harder to acquire than they were previously, and so the market isn't nearly as flooded. I don't think much of dropping $10 on a Vinylmation, but $20-$25 on the secondary market means I'm buying one figure for almost the price of what 3 cost just 2 years ago. It's slowed me down, but it hasn't stopped me! We'll see how much has changed a year from now!

If you're interested in seeing how much collection has grown in the past year, check out my 5 Year Anniversay update from 2016.

Happy 4th Birthday Vinylmation Isle!

Today is my blog's 4th birthday. How time flies! To date I've published 865 posts! I still love voicing my thoughts on the world of Vinylmation, sharing my pictures, dreaming of future releases, and keeping track of new Vinylmation offerings.

Sometimes life ramps up and I'm not able to post here as much as I'd like to, or as much as I have done in the past. Thanks to everyone who's been patient and stuck with me during the "lulls" on this blog. I appreciate your understanding. Knowing people read keeps me coming back when I do go through those dry spells here.

I'd like to give a huge thank you to all my readers! Whether you visit once a week or once in a blue moon, I appreciate that you took the time to stop by :) thanks also to everyone who comments, I love hearing your thoughts! Unfortunately due to tons of spam I was getting, I do have to approve every comment before it's published. Don't be upset if it takes a little while for your comment to appear, like I said, life gets busy. I read every comment (because I have to approve it) so if you don't see a reply, that's just an oversight. I read what you said ;)

I hope you'll stick around with me for another year!

The Collector's Space - Cubeez: A Useful Vinylmation Accessory

In today's Collector's Space post, I'll be talking about how I found Cubeez to be a very useful Vinylmation accessory. I had not heard of Cubeez until I stumbled upon them one day while visiting my local Hallmark store. Initially, I didn't understand the appeal. They're square shaped tins with different designs, many are Disney characters, but equally you can find the Muppets (not technically Disney) and Peanuts characters also. You can put stuff inside them, and stack them, but what would you put in them? Where would you stack them?

Not knowing what I would personally use them for, I left the store without buying any Cubeez. I was definitely drawn in by their cuteness, the Disney character designs, and their bright colors, but I didn't think I really needed any.

Time passed and I noticed a couple things in my Vinylmation collecting. First, I had a bunch of Vinylmation collectors cards from my figures that I didn't know what to do with. Being an avid collector, I didn't want to throw them out, but I had no idea where to keep them, so they were scattered everywhere: in drawers, in boxes with figures, in Ziplocs, the list goes on.

(The bottom slides out of the tin to allow for inside storage)

Second, I was starting to collect more Jr. figures and again, I didn't know where to keep them. They're pretty small and I didn't want them to get lost or damaged, so I needed a good place to keep those. Thirdly, I had purchased some 9" figures that came with buttons - where would I keep them? That's when Cubeez returned to mind. They would be perfect for keeping all of these Vinylmation accessories, the cards and the buttons, along with Jr. figures.

(Nemo holds my Vinylmation buttons)

I visited my local Hallmark store again and I was in luck, they had an offer on Cubeez! They had a wonderful variety of designs and if you bought 3, you'd get one free. So I got 4 Cubeez. I decided I would use one for my Vinylmation Jr. figures, one for my Vinylmation buttons, one for my Vinylmation collectors cards, and one for my Vinylmation pins.

(Dory holds my Vinylmation Collector Cards)

As you can see, I chose Nemo, Dory, Sulley and Mike. The Cubeez have worked out perfectly so far as a Vinylmation accessory! They're cute, I love their colors and how the designs look 3D from a certain angle, and they look really cool all stacked together. If you've been wondering what to do with some of your Vinylmation paraphernalia like the buttons and collectors cards, I highly recommend them!

(Mike Wazowski holds my Jr. Vinylmation)

A word of caution though, as I've covered in a previous post, Vinylmation are incredibly fragile and that's often overlooked with Jr. figures especially. If you do plan on using Cubeez for your Jr. figures, I would recommend wrapping them before putting them all together in the tin. The vinyls could rub against each other, and/or the inside of the tin and cause scratching, chipping, and paint transfer between figures. As you can see from my picture, I have one of my in a small Ziploc. I also wrap them in bubble wrap.

(Sulley holds my Vinylmation pins)

A similar word of warning if you put Vinylmation pins in your Cubeez as I have in the above picture. It's possible that they may scratch the inside of the tin, especially if you don't have rubber backed clasps. You may want to put your pins in Ziplocs to avoid this. If you are interested in using Cubeez yourself, they are available for purchase in-store and online, at a retail price of $7.95 each.

The Collector's Space - My 9" Collection

When I started this blog, I said that I didn't collect 9" Vinylmation. At the time it was true. They retailed between $44.95 and $74.95 compared to the 3" figures at $12.95, and there was the issue of space. Where would I keep a collection that big? I couldn't live without the 9" Land figure, so I purchased that one and called it quits on 9" Vinylmation.

Fast forward 4 years and now I have eleven 9" figures in my collection. So what changed my mind? I wrote previously about some of my favorite 9" figures and I was finally able to find many of them at a reasonable price as people started to sell off their collections following the announcement of trading ending at the Disney Parks. And so my 9" collection took off and grew.

I had always wanted the Crossroads and Mine Mine Mine Vinylmation, but I never thought I'd be able to own either of them, since their secondary market price was sky high being some of the first 9" Vinylmation figures produced. The Up house was another coveted piece. There are many 9" figures that I like and can admire, but this small collection features my top favorites. There are a couple more that I want to get my hands on, but I have yet to see them being sold at a good price, or being sold period.

I still haven't figured out the space issue. I am not able to display all 11 figures at the same time. I rotate the figures I have on display periodically and the rest are sadly stored in a closet. But, I am extremely happy with my 9" collection!

5 Year Anniversary

Today is the anniversary of the day I bought my first Vinylmation back in 2011. I joined the hobby and started collecting Vinylmation 5 years ago exactly. Here's an update on what my collection looks like after 5 years...

I currently own:

3" Vinylmation - 167

9" Vinylmation - 11

Jr. Vinylmation - 14

Park Starz - 9

Making a grand total of 201 Vinylmation!

I can't believe I own that many Vinylmation! I know I have nothing on some collectors with hundreds of vinyls, but I really don't want my collection to get too big or out of control. As it is I don't display all of those vinyls at the same time, which is probably why it doesn't feel like I have as many as I do. There are still more that I want to add to my collection and I'm sure there are still more releases on the horizon! 

If you're interested in seeing how much collection has grown in the past year, check out my 4 Year Anniversay update from 2015.

Happy 3rd Birthday Vinylmation Isle!

Today my blog turned 3! I've published 691 posts and had tens of thousands of visitors. I still love sharing my Vinylmation reviews, ideas, pictures, and the Vinylmation related musings in my head. So far, we as collectors have survived the ups, downs and uncertainties of the Vinylmation universe, and I hope it stays that way! I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to visit my blog, whether that's been once a month, once a week, or once a day. I appreciate each and every one of you! I also want to thank everyone who comments on my posts too. I really enjoy hearing your input!

Here's to another great Vinylmation year! Happy collecting!

The Collector's Space - Free Your Vinyls

There is a popular opinion in the Vinylmation community that vinyls should be kept in their boxes. Not every collector thinks this, and it's all down to personal choice whether or not to take Vinylmation out of their boxes. Many collectors like to preserve how their vinyls were when they bought them. Others keep them "mint in box" in the hopes that they will hold their value, or even increase in value, so that they have the option to sell them later. Some collectors just find it easier to display Vinylmation by being able to stack them in their boxes.

Personally, I'm an advocate of taking vinyls out of their boxes. Firstly, I think it can be hard to see the figures in all their glory when they're boxed. You miss out even more by keeping Vinylmation in their boxes when they have amazing detail on the back. It's harder to see the front, but you miss out on half the design completely by keeping them in the box.

I also think Vinylmation display more nicely when removed from the box. While you can easily stack Vinylmation by keeping them in their boxes (like the picture above) I personally think that can look cluttered and untidy. I also think keeping Vinylmation in their boxes can remove the personal nature of a collection. A display of boxed figures looks more like a generic store display than a hand picked collection of sentimental artwork. The boxes can also blend together in appearance, taking away the individualism of each figure by preventing them from standing out.

Beautiful artwork on the packaging can definitely be a motivation to leave Vinylmation in their boxes. You like the box because of the art, and if you take the Vinylmation out, then what will you do with the box? Despite everything I've just said, recently I've been struggling to take some of my Vinylmation out of their boxes for that very reason.

For the most part, I love the boxes, and by keeping my vinyls in there I get to look at both. But, I display my collection on custom made Vinylmation shelves, which means new additions can't be displayed on my shelves unless they're unboxed. Most of my 9" figures are still in their boxes so that I can stack them in a closet. Regretfully I do not have the space to display all of them all the time.

(Some of my boxed Vinylmation)

As for my boxed 3" figures, I love the artwork on all of the boxes pictured (with the exception of the Dr. Facilier set) which makes it hard to take the figures out. The Dr. Facilier set box is nothing special, so I still don't know why I'm reluctant to unbox him. The packaging is so dark that I know I'm missing out on seeing his incredible design by keeping him in there. I don't know what's stopping me.

In that sense, it would be nice if Vinylmation could easily slide in and out of their boxes like POP Vinyls do, so that you can switch between displaying your Vinylmation in and out of their boxes. Usually I'm able to unbox my vinyls when I think of a way to re-purpose the boxes I like, so I don't have to throw them away.

I'd love to hear if you keep you Vinylmation in their boxes of if you take them out. If you do the former, have you regretted unboxing your figures? If you never take a Vinylmation out of its box, what's your reason?

The Collector's Space - Vinylmation: The Best Disney Collectible

In this post, I want to talk about why I think Vinylmation are the best Disney collectible for a Walt Disney World fan. Let me preface by saying, this is more about what draws me to Vinylmation over other types of Disney collectibles. I'm not trying to convince you to stop buying whatever you're in to and start buying vinyls instead. I'm also not trying to disrespect other Disney collectible items. I also own a few Itty Bittys, a small pin collection, several Disney plush toys, and a Marvel Funko POP! Vinyl. I just want to explain why in my mind, if you're looking for something to collect and you're a huge Walt Disney World parks fan, I would suggest going with Vinylmation.

Vinylmation to me are a unique collectible. When you buy Disney plush toys for example, you see what's available, choose the one you like and go buy it. The end. Vinylmation are not just merchandise to pick up and buy, they're an event, a ritual... a hobby. Yes there are open window boxes where you can do just that: pick one up and buy it. But now there's been a paradigm shift in the Vinylmation world, where almost all of the figures are sold in concealed, "blind" boxes that give the element of surprise.

That's what makes it more of an event. You spend time looking at the boxes, wondering what's inside each one. Which one should you get? You finally decide and buy one. Then there's the anticipation before you open it. What did I get? What's inside the box? When you finally get to open the box, it's an adrenaline rush, almost like the feeling you get on your favorite Disney ride. You just can't take the suspense anymore! Then there's that indescribable feeling when you finally get that special figure. Maybe it's the last one you needed to complete a set, or that one figure that's always eluded you. Now it's finally yours! Perhaps it's the mysterious chaser, or better yet, a variant!

If you end up with a figure you don't want, or a duplicate of a figure you already have, that's okay because now you're hooked! It's an addiction and you have a great reason to buy another box and start all over again! You also get to move on to another fun part of Vinylmation - trading. Trading is another aspect that makes this line of merchandise more than just merchandise. Again, it's a hobby. Something you can take home with you and continue after you leave the parks.

At this point some of you might be thinking that some pins come in mystery packs, and the whole point of pins is to trade too. You'd be right, but let me explain what I think sets Vinylmation apart from pins. In my opinion, Vinylmation are more personal. There are many Vinylmation figures that represent a theme park ride or other attraction, theme park events like Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Food and Wine Festival.

With Vinylmation, you can aim to collect the figures that have significant sentimental value. The year of your first visit, your favorite ride, a tribute to an extinct attraction you loved. They're like little 3" memories. I know that there are plenty of pins that reflect aspects of the World in the same way, but Vinylmation, to me, do it that much better. There's so much more detail on Vinylmation, and sometimes that detail is what causes you to fall in love with the figure in the first place.

The personalized nature of Vinylmation is increased even more by the artists' signatures. Almost every figure is signed by the artist who created them on the bottom of the feet. This signature reflects their individual design by artists who are also huge Disney fans. (Just check out Maria Clapsis and Casey Jones on Instagram). Vinylmation are by the fans for the fans. Even though you know Vinylmation are massed produced, this reminds you of the roots. They're not just some generic product churned out again and again. They've been personally designed by enthusiastic artists.

Finally, I think Vinylmation display much better than pins. And they look so awesome when they're displayed! The uniform shape makes the display look tidy, and easily identifiable as Vinylmation figures. (Excluding Park Starz of course). Yet their different designs are intriguing. So many people stand at stare at my collection, trying to take it all in and figure them out. You can display them proudly, like an award, after all your hard work getting the ones you want.

Overall, I think Vinylmation are the best Disney collectible for the memories and reflection of Walt Disney World, through the personal artwork of other Disney fans who created them. They're more than just a one off purchase, they're a ritual, a hobby you take home after your vacation. They're not just a toy like Tsum Tsum, or a standard item like POP! Vinyls. They have meaning. I think they're more detailed and special than pins, and they make a fantastic display item. After all, it's this personal aspect that got me to buy them in the first place.

The Collector's Space - My Favorite 9" Vinylmation

Not too long ago, I posted about the figures that I thought represented the best of 9" Vinylmation. Today I want to talk about my personal favorite 9" Vinylmation. These are Vinylmation that I love for various reasons, which I'll briefly summarize. In approximate chronological order of release, here are my all-time favorite 9" figures:

    

Park #1 Mine Mine Mine / Park #4 Enchanted Tiki Room / Park #4 Sci-Fi Dine-In

I'm a huge Finding Nemo fan, it's one of my absolute favorite movies! I love this figure because I think it captures both the movie and The Seas pavilion perfectly. I love the tropical feeling of the Enchanted Tiki Room and I love getting a Dole Whip. The tropical feeling and the bright colors of the attraction are captured in an amazing level of detail here on this 9". Again with Sci-Fi, everything you would want to be on a vinyl is there with this figure. It's spot on in design and color. I think it's incredible! I feel like I'm there just looking at it.

    

Park #5 Barnstormer / Park #5 Tree of Life / Park #5 Dreamfinder

I love the Barnstormer because I think it is another incredibly detailed figure. Just look at the roof shingles, Goofy's silhouette and the colored fencing on the feet. I love he bright colors too. The Tree of Life is just beautiful! I love staring at all the animals accurately carved in the tree. Dreamfinder goes on the list of figures I love because of how well done he is. His expression is cute, his shoes are shiny and his hot air balloon vehicle can be seen in his ear. Just perfect.

    

Park #6 Up / Florida Project Empress Lilly / Muppets #2 MuppetVision Kermit

Up is another of my favorite Disney movies. I love that this figure captures what's at the heart of the movie - the balloon house. It looks exactly how it does in the movie. I love the pale blue sky, the clouds, and of course the colorful balloons. I love the Empress Lilly because to me it screams classic Disneyana. It's beautifully detailed and I love the bronze color used. MuppetVision Kermit it so fun! I love his t-shirt, how his glasses really look 3D and the adorable touch of his name stitched in his Mickey ears!

  

Park #9 The Land / Star Wars #5 Death Star

I love The Land pavilion at Epcot, I could spend days in there! I love this figure because it represents the pavilion perfectly. The detail is just beautiful and I love the colors and the seasons. I love the Star Wars Death Star because I think it works very well on the new mold. I love the detail, the use of the ears, the stars, the TIE fighters and the X-Wings. 

So those are my favorite 9" Vinylmation and that's why I love them so much! Now I just need to try and own them all...

The Collector's Space - I Want More Vinylmation!

Do you ever feel like sometimes your want list looks out of control? There are so many amazing figures that you dream about owning, that you desperately want and chase after. You search for them on eBay, you look for trades on Instagram and Facebook groups. But you can't always find the right price or the right trade.

Do you look at your collection on occasion, see a series you own, and get reminded of all the other vinyls in that series that you want, so you can finally complete that series? Or do you look at a character (like Piglet for example) and think about their movie companions you don't own yet, but wish you did, because they would look just perfect next to the figure you already have? (In this case Rabbit, or Tigger perhaps).

Maybe not. Maybe these thoughts are all just my own. Recently I've been getting a little frustrated because there are so many figures that I still want, but I don't have the money to buy them all at once. (I'm sure you can relate!) I've been feeling an itch if you will to complete my collection. But as I thought about it more, I started to change my perspective. If you feel this way too, here's the upside I try to look at:

Mail days! How fun and exciting are they?! Yesterday I got a surprise in the mail. A Vinylmation that I ordered only 3 days before. It had arrived already and was such a wonderful surprise after a very long Friday at work. You can look forward to many more mail days while there's still vinyls you want out there.

Remember how awesome it feels when that vinyl you've been eyeing and searching for is finally yours. Those days will come to an end when you complete your collection. You have the ability to fill in those gaps in your collection between releases now that releases have slowed down. Instead of these feelings getting worse when it seems like you will never get the figures you want because your want list just keeps growing with all the new releases, and you can't keep up with the purchases.

You have time to re-organize your collection. Maybe there are some figures you've fallen out of love with. You might be able to negotiate a trade, or sell them to add more money to your Vinylmation fund. You could even re-arrange your displays to make them look neater, or just make room for your upcoming purchases.

Finally, another benefit of not buying everything all at once is that many figures (with only some exceptions) will inevitably drop in price and become cheaper. You will save money in the long run buying figures at a cheaper price later down the line. It hurts to admit but I've made this mistake when I just had to have a vinyl when it was released.

I hope these thoughts help with feeling like you just have to have more.