Opinions about the future of Vinylmations?

[100AcreWood]

Just curious to hear opinions out there. Do you think vinylmations are here to stay?

My 3 kids are really into vinylmations. They buy and love to trade. I don't see the appeal. I don't ruin it for them, I help them find the ones they are looking for. But I wonder if this will eventually fade out. I don't see it having the staying power as pins.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

I collect vinylmation (have about 300). I have noticed in the last couple years it is very hard to collect unless you go to WDW or DL, as they release at D-Street store (or buy through resale). The Disney Store gets very limited stock of them, but some they don't even get. Online, they don't even really have anything and when they do it sells out very quick (minutes!), some aren't even released online.

I think they're here to stay but they are forcing you to get them at the parks.

 

[JimmyV]

An unpopular view here, I am sure, but they can't disappear fast enough for me. I find them creepy and very "un-Disney". Mickey Mouse should look like Mickey Mouse.

 

[Nine]

I think it's just a matter of wait and see... I remember Pal Mickeys being a big thing, and now it's almost like they never existed.

I do like a lot of the earlier series, but the later ones have a lot of scary looking or ugly ones in it.

I am a fan of the trading aspect of them- but I also adore the pin trading as well.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

I do like a lot of the earlier series, but the later ones have a lot of scary looking or ugly ones in it.

I am a fan of the trading aspect of them- but I also adore the pin trading as well.

I'm with you. I like Park Series the best, at least they keep releasing those. Some of the ones released in the past few years are horrible! The wrestlers, then some series that has high school kids.

I still do pin trading as well.

 

[RAPstar]

They've been around for quite a while and keep having new series coming out. I doubt they're going anywhere.

 

[100AcreWood]

Thank you for your opinions. It sounds like they are here to stay!

 

[figment_jii]

I think Vinylmations themselves are here to stay for a while, based on the number of sets being released. As mentioned, most are released directly to the parks and the DisneyStore.com gets a limited amount. Local Disney Stores also seems to carry some (not a wide amount and none of the park specific or special event ones). Still, they're being sold at enough outlets that I think they're here to stay, at least for a while.

When you ask about eventually fading out, I think it all depends on what time line you are thinking about. The first Vinylmations were released in December 2008 (at least that's when Park Series 1 was released). So, at this point, they've been around for about 6 years. I do think Vinylmations will last for another 5 to 10 years, but after that, I can see them starting to fade out. I don't think they have the staying power of pin collecting/trading, which I think will still be here for the next 10+ years. So, I don't think Vinylmations will be something that will last for decades, but I do think they'll be here for the next several years.

If you're asking about Vinylmation trading, I am less sure that will last beyond the next few years. They drastically reduced the number of trading locations a few years ago (or maybe last year), so now it is harder to find places to trade.

 

[Micca]

Disney loves to market items they can produce for pennies on the dollar, that are inexpensive to ship & store, and can be stocked in large amounts without taking a lot of retail space. Things like pins, & tenna-toppers are a fantastic revenue generator and very much fit the criteria. If vinylmation is selling, and there is some reasonable growth, Disney will keep making them. These species become endangered when growth slows, and someone develops an item that will be even more cost effective. If someone comes up with a way to make drinking straws collectible, something will have to go away. (And that person will get a big promotion.)

 

[Jenny-momof3]

I think they're hear to stay for awhile... But the value of them has gone down significantly.

We collected from the beginning because I fell in love with them! When the first couple park series and urban series started going through the roof on resale sites, we sold off part of our collection... Paid for quite a few trips .

Now the market had really died down along with trading. We used to bring 300 or so with us each trip along with spreadsheets of what sets we were trying to fill. Now with hardly any trading spots left, we bring only 25 or so and usually end up trading for junk. But we love putting a few good ones of ours in hope that a kid will come along after us and find a little treasure.

 

[DisneyDetective]

They are a strange thing like Marmite ie people either like them or don't. I keep thinking about collecting them then change my mind. Might do pins instead.

 

[100AcreWood]

Are they selling the 9" vinylmations at D Street or the pin shop? We haven't been to Disney in a couple years or more (we've been cruising).

 

[figment_jii]

Are they selling the 9" vinylmations at D Street or the pin shop? We haven't been to Disney in a couple years or more (we've been cruising).

I've seen them at D-Street, so they do still have some.

 

[bigmac5]

An unpopular view here, I am sure, but they can't disappear fast enough for me. I find them creepy and very "un-Disney". Mickey Mouse should look like Mickey Mouse.

LOL I thought I was the only one creeped out by these.

 

[RAPstar]

My collection, I've added a few more since then (I got Maleficent and Dragon Maleficent from the recent Sleeping Beauty one). And yet I still don't have an Ursula one

 

[100AcreWood]

My collection, I've added a few more since then (I got Maleficent and Dragon Maleficent from the recent Snow White one). And yet I still don't have an Ursula one

That's a big collection! We don't have nearly that many.

 

[Emma1987]

I love collecting Vinylmation but unfortunately they stopped stocking them in the Disney Store here. London stores don't seem to stock many either.
Only disadvantage for me, of buying online, is the ridiculous postage costs from the USA.