D-Street in Downtown Disney, Disneyland.  I was there, by chance actually, on opening day!

D-Street in Downtown Disney, Disneyland. I was there, by chance actually, on opening day!

When I first saw a Vinylmation figure on-line, almost two and a half years ago, I thought, how silly!  Who would ever want something so strange? When I saw them in person about a year later, I thought, well, those are actually kind of cute, maybe I’ll get one.  At the end of that trip, I had 12 “cute” figures tucked nicely in my suitcase… I guess the rest is history.  My collection is now nearing triple digits.  Sometimes, I think those little vinyl Mickeys must be infiltrating my brain because I can’t stop buying them! :D

So, what changed my mind?  Before I had seen them in person, I just didn’t “get” it.  But, the detail on the real things is really quite astounding.  Who would think that three inches of vinyl could capture the entire essence – the magic – of one very specific snippet of the world of Disney?

That’s what they are for me… a tiny piece of Disneyland that I get to take home.  Every time I look at one in my collection, I am transported to a tiny place where the magic lives – put them all together and it’s a snapshot of all of my favorite pieces of a Disney puzzle.

Vinyl SignMy favorite new tradtion in the Parks is buying one vinyl to open at every meal while at Disneyland.  I shared that on a Disney forum once and was promptly blasted for having such a “ridiculously expensive” tradition.  Maybe… but when my anxious breath catches in the instant before pulling that little Mickey from its temporary foil home, I not worried about ridiculous or expensive (at $9.95-$12.95 per piece they are rapidly becoming one of the least expensive collectibles in the park, by the way).

Opening a vinyl during a meal has even become a staple tradition at home.  I try to keep a few vinyls on hand from DisneyStore.com and we open them from time to time – at breakfast before a long day or at dinner after a particularly tough day.  It’s the ultimate way to bring the magic home.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, I would love to hear your Vinylmation thoughts!  Do you have a favorite piece, a favorite tradition, or maybe a reason why you just don’t “get” it?  Share it in the comments below!

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