Approximately a year ago, I didn’t get Vinylmation. Approximately eight months ago, I began to understand. Since then I may or may not have accumulated approximately 18 more figures. Approximately. Yes, I am officially obsessed, so I now feel semi-qualified to teach you about these figures and give you Vinylmation: The Learner’s Guide.
What is Vinylmation?
Vinylmation figures (Vinyls for short) are Disney collectibles. Vinylmation stands for Vinyl, the material the figures are made out of, plus animation, the designs on the figures themselves. All Vinyls are in the shape of Mickey Mouse, and they have various different designs. There are hundreds of different figures, from Disney park inspired to movie inspired to decorative and more. They come in three sizes: 1 1/2 inch, 3 inch, and 9 inch. 1 1/2 inch figures (also called Vinylmation Jrs) cost $8.95, 3 inch figures range from $9.95 to $16.95, and 9 inch figures are usually around $39.95. Special edition figures can sometimes cost more, and some come in combo packs with figures of more than one size.
But you can’t tell what figure you’re getting?
Nope, most series come in blind boxes, meaning you don’t know what figure you have until you purchase it. You know what series it’s from, but you don’t know the exact figure. This is what turned me off to Vinylmation in the first place, until I learned about trading. Once you’ve opened your figure, you can trade with Cast Members all around Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or at your local Disney Store until you find the perfect figure for you! Or if you’re lucky, you’ll get the one you want right out of the box!
So what is a chaser? And what’s a variant?
This is best understood if you know how Vinyls are packaged. Each series comes in a case of 24 figures. There are 12 different figures in each series, so there are two of each in the case. EXCEPT, there is three of one figure and only one of another. (So there are two of ten figures, three of one, and one of one. 20+3+1=24) The figure that there is only one of is the same in each case, so it is the rarest figure by approximately 2:1. That figure is the chaser, and you can often find chasers on eBay for quite a bit more than retail. As for a variant, some figures come in more than one version. For example, I have a Pinocchio variant. The “official” figure has donkey ears and a tail, but one figure in every few cases has blue ears and no tail. That’s the one I have, and it’s rarer than the regular figure. Disney never releases how MUCH rarer though. A variant on a chaser is sometimes called a super chaser. One of the most desired super chasers I’ve heard of was the Ghost of Obi Wan in the Star Wars series. It was going for several hundred dollars on eBay at one point. If you get a chaser or a variant from a blind box, you are very lucky.
Why do people get so obsessed with collecting Vinyls?
The thrill of the hunt, and the “gotta collect them all” mentality. You won’t get it until you buy one. Then you’ll be hooked forever.
Where can I buy Vinylmation figures?
Some series are only available in the Disney parks and resorts, some are available online at disneystore.com, and more still are available at your local Disney Store. I’m actually amazed at how many different series my local Disney Store has. Definitely great when you need a Vinyl fix but don’t live near Walt Disney World or Disneyland. If you’re looking for a specific figure and don’t mind spending a little more than it’s worth, eBay can be a great place to find them, especially if the series isn’t in stores anymore.
What is the best figure to start with?
This is really up to your personal preferences. You can see all the different series at Vinylmation.com, and you can decide that way!
