History Of Vinylmation

Welcome to DisKingdom’s History of Vinylmation which takes a look at the major points of Vinylmation history.

2008

  • Vinylmation was in development for approximately a year and a half with the first Vinylmation figure introduced being a blank, white Create-Your-Own figure, which was released on November 7, 2008 at the annual Festival of the Masters event held in the Downtown Disney Area at Walt Disney World Resort.  This figure was originally released in a clear bag rather than in the Open Window form that we know today.
  • However before that figure was released, A mystery pin collection featuring artwork from Park #1 and Urban #1 was the first Vinylmation branded item released at Disney Parks on July 11th 2008.
  • The first designed series released was the Park #1 which was introduced on December 18, 2008 in Florida.

2009

  • Vinylmation – Urban #1 Series Released on March 17th March 2009
  • Vinylmations become easily found in many stores in the Parks and at World of Disney.
  • On May 22, 2009, Disney released Park 2
  • Urban 2 was released on 24th July and Urban 3 on the 17th December.
  • The first and only Clears series was released on July 16, 2009
  • Also released during 2009 was the Park 3 on 20th November.
  • The first Holiday blind box series was released
  • Vinylmation debuts at the D23 Expo (10th September 2009) held in Anaheim, California. An artist named Noah created a five-foot Vinylmation figures that was sold at auction during the event.  Vinylmation trading was first introduced at the D23 Expo held in September 2009 in Anaheim, California.
  • The Disney.com/Vinylmation Website is Officially Launched on 13 November 2009
  • D-Street Officially Opens in the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort on 19th December 2009
  • Vinylmation – Cutesters #1 Series Released on 21 December 2009

2010

  • Muppets #1 Series Released on 8 February 2010
  •  Vinylmation, Jr. #1 Series Released on 3 April 2010 Featuring 1.5-inch Keychain Designs
  • The fourth Park series was released on the 2nd of April with the fifth Park set released on 22nd of October.
  • First Online Exclusive 9-inch Figure Released Featuring a Design Inspired by Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room on 8 April 2010
  • Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Vinylmation Series Released on 10th September 2010
  • Vinylmation Trading Officially Launched at Disney Parks on 16th April 2010
  • D-Street Officially Opens in Downtown Disney West Side at Walt Disney World Resort on 16th April 2010
  • Big Eyes Series Released on 14 May 2010
  •  “Have-A-Laugh!” Series Released on 2nd July
  •  Toy Story #1 Series Released on 27 August 2010
  • Two Urban sets got released in 2010 with Urban 4 on 4/24/10 & series 5 on 11/5/10
  • Other sets released during 2010 included Juniors series 2, The Animal Kingdom, Holiday #2, Sports, and Oh Mickey.
  • One Millionth Vinylmation Figure Sold on 29 August 2010,  A Vinylmation Showcase was held during Trade City, U.S.A. event in World Showplace at Epcot. The one millionth Vinylmation figure was sold at 10:17 a.m. during the event.
  • The condiment box set was released on 6/25/10
  • Two Different Vinylmation Ear Hats Plus 3-inch Figures Released on 24 September 2010
  • A Limited Edition Pool Boxed set was released on 7/25/10
  • Vinylmation Officially Arrives to the Disney Parks Online Store on 8 December 2010

2011

  • Vinylmation Kingdom Launched
  • Animation #1 Series Released – The First Series to Include Variant Figures on 7th January 2011
  • Star Wars #1 Series Released on 14 January 2011 during a midnight release party held at D-Street in Downtown Disney West Side at Walt Disney World Resort
  • Villains #1 Series Released at the Disney Stores on 31 January 2011 and  Villains #1 series released at the Disney Stores marking the first series designed by the Disney Store art team.  Villains 2 was released later in the year.
  • Also released during 2011 was the Tron open window series.
  • Sea Creatures Released on 22 April 2011 and was the first series to introduce the new mold figure which was much smoother and didn’t feature Mickey Mouse’s features.
  • The Romantic Treats blind box series was released in Japan, this was the first blind box series not to be released in the United States and was exclusive to Japan.  In another twist, each figure had a scent of that treat.
  • In May, the United Kingdom’s first exclusive’s got released which saw a 9″ Black Taxi and a 9″ Red Bus released in stores around London before eventually being released online through .co.uk later in the year.
  • Vinylmation Officially Introduced at Hong Kong Disneyland on 18 June 2011
  • Park 6 was released.
  • Spooky #1 was released in the summer.
  • Vinylmation Officially Arrives at the Disney Stores on 29 June 2011 with the grand opening of the Disney Store in the Shops at Montebello located in California
  • The first Exclusive figure for the Dublin, Ireland store was released in May.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean Released on 1 July 2011
  • Robots #1 Series Released at the Disney Stores on 22 July 2011
  • Urban Series 6, 7 and 8 all got released during 2011.
  • There was lots of Open Window series releases during 2011 including the 40th Anniversary of WDW, Nerds Rock, Astrology, 2011, Celebrations, Occupations and the Flag’s series.
  • Vinylmation Showcase held during The Florida Project event in World Showplace at Epcot on the
    11th September 2011
  • Park Starz #1 Series Released on 21 October 2011
  • The Sushi boxed set was released
  • Holiday Series 3 was released and this was the last Holiday blind box series to be released.
  • Series 1 of the Afternoon twin packs were released throughout 2011.

 2012

  • 2012 kicked off with Furry Friends which was recalled following problems with the paintwork that lead to this series becoming very popular and one of the most expensive sets to get on the secondary market due to their limited availability.
  • Park 10 was released and was the first set to be entirely set on Disneyland Paris and not designed by the Disney Parks team.
  • Disneyland Paris also had its first Open Window series created for the 20th Anniversary, there was a set of 4 3″ figures along with some Junior sets.
  • Urban 9 was released in 2012 which was the last full set of Urban’s before being re-branded Redux.
  • The Classic Collection was released in November
  • 2012 saw the release of the “Around the World Magic” series which included “exclusives” for Dublin, London, Rome, Paris and Tokyo, with most of these figures except for the Rome figure were later made available in selected US stores.
  • Pixar #1 Series was released in the Fall
  • The Haunted Mansion blind box series was released in September.
  • Robots 2 got released in the spring and featured a new twist, Mix & Match, which meant each figure (arms, head, body, feet) were split up and spread out amongst the 12 figures in the blind box series.
  • Robots 3 was released and was the first time Disney characters were brought into the Robots series.
  • Park Starz Variants were released, each figure was released individually with the Ghost Bride being a instant sell out.
  • Spooky #2 was released in August.
  • Vinylmation made its Comic Con debut with a display of new figures and saw the release of the Pixar #1 Up twin pack along with the AIW King and Queen, Park Star Squid Variant and Urban Super Heroes twin pack.
  • The So Tasty Open Window series was released and there was also a special Limited Edition number of other figures released at Comic Con.
  • The Color Block open window series was released which was a “re-release” of a previous Junior Series.
  • The Monorail Cars blind box series was released which saw the debut of the Monorail shaped mold.
  • There were lots of Open Window series released during 2012 including 2012, D-Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides, John Carter I Love MM, Mascots, Mechanical Kingdom, Phineas & Ferb Series was released.
  • More sports themed Vinylmations were released in 2012 including MLB, NCAA, NBA, NFL
  • Cutesters at the Beach was released.
  • In September at Epcot, the Mickey’s Circus trade event took place which laid out most of the releases for the next year.
  • The Disney Store started its own brand of blind box series which weren’t based on any Disney characters which saw a new series released almost every month, including Under the Big Top, Nursery Rhymes, Extreme Wrestlers of Vinylmation and Zooper Heroes

2013

  • Disney launch the Poster Art series which are released at the start of each month with a Limited Edition of 2013.
  • Disney announced that they would be reducing the amount of trading locations at Walt Disney World and Disneyland California.
  • Mickey & Minnie Mouse Aulani Exclusive released at the Disney Resort and Spa at Ko ‘Olina, Hawai’i on February 15, 2013
  • The rule breaking, Urban Redux #1 is released featuring a unique mini set of 5 figures with more variants and the debut of the hand drawn Super chaser which only saw 24 spread out amongst all the sets along with 3 different combo toppers.
  • Cutesters Series 5 – en Vogue was Released on March 29, 2013 at Disney Stores, Online and at DLR, WDW & DLP.  This is the first set featuring a case size of 16 figures with 7 regular figures and a chaser.
  • Park Starz 2 was released on May 3rd
  • Star Wars Series #3 – Return of the Jedi and Droids Junior series was released at the Star Wars Weekends in May.  Along with the Han Solo in Carbonite and 9″ Jabba the Hut.
  • Behind the Mask’s was released in Disney Stores and later recalled/destroyed due to a Japanese symbol on one of the figures.
  • The Mystery Bakery Open Window set is released on July 12th which mixed up the idea of Open Windows with a element of a blind box experience.
  • Afternoon Series #2 was released in the Summer of 2013.
  • Disney’s D23 Expo Event took place in August 9th.
  • The Villains 13 – Reflections of Evil even took place on September 13th.
  • Silly Symphonies was released at the end of September.
  • October saw the release of the MARVEL #1 series. This is the first series of 24 that uses the thinner blind box and case design.
  • Disney Stores saw the release of Jingle Smells 3, Holiday 2013 and Villains 4 in October.
  • November saw the 5th Anniversary take place with a special 3″ Eachez Vinylmation released.
  • November also saw the release of the Pixar 2 blind box series which moved from the Parks team to the Disney Store team.
  • In December the Park 13 Tower of Terror boxed set was released and was the first time a boxed set was also a blind box as there was a limited edition variant edition in one tenth of the boxes.
  • The first single blind box open edition figure was released in December, 2014’s Sorcerer Mickey was released featuring a different figure for DLP, DLR, WDW and HKDL, each with a variant edition, marking a change from the usual open window yearly figure.
  • The first twin pack Star Wars pack featuring Emperor Stitch & Jedi Mickey was released in December.

2014

  •  January saw the release of the Aladdin Junior Series, Cutesters Snow Days and the first Indiana Jones themed series.
  • Feburary saw the release of the Vinylmation animated short, Blank.  This award winning short featured Vinylmations used as characters in a stop motion movie.
  • A eight piece blind box featuring characters from the Jungle Book were released.
  • Disney re-released many classic open window figures under the Theme Park Favourites brand including some older figures being converted onto the new mold such as the Mickey Mouse Nerd.
  • Robots 3 were also released in Disney Stores in March plus the first holiday Eachez featuring Oswald was released.
  • Disney launched a new concept for Vinylmation, called Conceal and Reveal which featured a blind box series with a combo topper figure.   The first series was the based on Topiaries and a second series based on the Haunted Mansion were released in the summer.
  • The first Trading Night Eachez were released, these LE500 with a variant of 50 were the biggest story of the year and each figure was a super hot item which sold out quickly.  However the majority of the trade nights that these items were supposed to sold at, never appeared.
  • Disney released a second blind box series for the Pirates of the Caribbean in April.
  • The first Theme Park Favourite Eachez figure was released, featuring a Dragon.
  • May saw Disney release lots of Star Wars themed figures including a full blind box series, the first Eachez figure plus the only 9″ to be released in 2014, the Rancor and keeper combo.
  • Ink & Paint was released and it was Enrique Pita’s first full series by himself in May.
  • June saw the release of the Park Starz series 3 plus variants.
  • Finding Nemo Juniors were released in July and were the first Junior series to consist of a smaller set size.
  • The first blind box series for Duffy the Disney Bear were released in July.
  • August was a bumper month for releases which included Park 14, Sleeping Beauty, Haunted Mansion – Mickey & Friends, Animation 5 and Marvel Series 2.
  • The Imagination Gala took place in Walt Disney World in September where we discovered all the new series coming in the year ahead.
  • Disney re-launched the Popcorn series with a mystery Eachez element.
  • September also saw the release of the Toy Story Series 2 blind box series.
  • November saw new characters come into Vinylmation with Big Hero 6 & Gravity Falls blind box series being released.
  • December, Disney released the first Marvel themed Eachez.

2015

  • DisKingdom.com Launches
  • Trade Boxes are removed from Walt Disney World & Disneyland
  • Disney announce Vinylmation won’t be at yearly trade event
  • Disney announce new regular trade events but with a small entree fee

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2 comments

  • Aaron

    Was down in Orlando this past weekend and noticed that there is not that many vinylmations around to buy. D-Street used to have tons, they were down to a small section in the middle of the store and most other stores had little to none or the same as the other stores. It seems like new vinylmations are being released constantly so why the shortage of supply? Is it just bad timing on my behalf? Are they just being released in smaller numbers and once they sell out, that’s it? Was really hoping to find Gravity Falls and Spiderman, but not a trace to be found. I know they are older releases, but thought for sure I might find some. Just an observation

  • Sadly Aaron, Disney have reduced the amount of new releases of Vinylmations which is why you won’t find as much in the stores.

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