FROM: Vinylmation 360 Published Mondays

A (Vinylmation) Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Kelly wishes for her favorite "missing" vinylmations and her dream series if she had a fairy godmother taking care of business. What would you ask for?

- by Kelly Firth, Oct 18, 2011

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Let’s play “What if” for a moment. What if Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother appeared on your doorstep and offered to grant you three, specific wishes. Make that Vinylmation wishes! The first wish? For one 3” vinyl you don’t already own. The second wish? For one 9” vinyl you don’t already own. The third wish? For your dream vinyl or vinyl series to be designed and produced. What would you wish for?

Two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow…

If I could have any 3” vinyl I do not already own, I would have to go with Park 1’s Figment, aka Figmouse. If you are an Epcot fan like me, then you know all about Figment from the Imagination ride and pavilion. I have the Dreamfinder and Tuxedo Figment 9”/3” combo pack from Park 5, and I intend to eventually get the 3” Park 7 Spacesuit Figment and the Jr. Series 2 keychain Figment. However, my favorite Figment is the original Park 1 version.

Back when I started collecting, Park 1 had already sold out at the parks. This was also back in the days before Vinylmation was sold by Disney online. So, I turned to eBay. At the time, most of the Park 1’s (aside from the Balloon Chaser) hovered between $15 and $30. Figmouse averaged about $40 or a little higher. In my not-so-great foresight, I thought $40 was way too expensive for a 3” vinyl, and that the price would eventually drop. I made the mistake of assuming that the same general rule for price trends that my then-top collectible line (WDCC) followed would be true for Vinylmation as well. I thought the prices would spike and then drop down after maybe a year. I was wrong! The price kept going up, not down. So many other things were also released after that, and before I knew it, here we are in late 2011 and Figmouse with artist card goes for $100 or more. On the upside, his going price had been even higher than that! Maybe my wish will come true one day without Fairy Godmother’s help!

A Safari not of the Kilimanjaro variety…

If I could have any 9” vinyl I do not already own, I would without question choose Park 1’s Safari Mickey. He rarely shows up on eBay, and when he does, he sells for hundreds of dollars. Unless I hit the lottery at some point, a wish being granted by someone with magical powers (or just a large wallet!) is the only way I will ever own Safari Mickey.

This particular vinyl also taught me a collecting lesson as well. I actually saw one of him for sale in late Spring 2009 in Walt Disney World. At the time, Park 2 wasn’t even for sale yet, and all of the Park 1 and Urban 1 blind boxed vinyls were sold out. I really liked him, but I thought $39.95 for a 9”, seemingly hollow, vinyl was crazy. Compared to the prices it goes for now, I was crazy for not buying it then! Alas, live and learn. If there is something you really want and it is limited, buy it when you see it if you have the means to do so.

To dine is divine… To shop AND dine? Even better!

If there was ever a Vinylmation series I would love to see made by Disney at some point, it would have to be a parks table service restaurant series. Part of the fun of WDW for me is the food and, more specifically, the truly fun and memorable dining locations throughout the World. Park 4’s Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre 9” vinyl is one of my all-time favorites (even if the food at said establishment is not). I would love to see a Chef Mickey’s vinyl, a Coral Reef vinyl, and a Tony’s Town Square vinyl, for starters. One reason I like the idea of this series so much? By and large, there is no merchandise available for most of these locations. There is usually a Chef Mickey’s pin for sale, and some other places may have a pin as well, but it is not common. I would guess the same problem is faced by Disneyland Resort restaurants fans. It sure would be nice to have a souvenir of my favorite restaurants other than just memories and pictures!

What would you wish for?

If you were granted those three wishes, what would you wish for? Dream as big as you dare! Share with us your wishes in the comments section below.

On the last Monday of every month, I'll devote this column to your questions and my answers. You can leave questions here as comments or else send them directly to me.

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