The New Mold : Good or Bad for Vinylmation?
More Ponderings of Xero's Mind
The New Mold
So I had a little free time tonight and it got me to thinking. I always get into trouble when I find myself alone to think. Anyways, got to thinking about the new mold. I know how I feel about it, but how does everybody else feel? I mean really feel about it.
Will the new mold be a positve move for vinylmation or will it end up being a negative?
Does anyone actually like it?
Does anyone actually think that it is an improvement over the original?
Does anyone really know why Disney made a change?
Well there were a handful of reasons that I remember being explained (sold) to us. Let me go through and dissect each of those with you. One at a time.
Better designs ?
Sure we have been told that the new smoother design will allow the artists to improve on their designs. Making future new mold vinyls more detailed and intricate. Really? We have seen Sea Creatures and Cutesters Like You thus far and I fail to see anything spectacular. Sea Creatures may be the blandest series to date. Just look at the amazing detail on this guy.
Nothing screams detail more than a big purple blob head.
Better translation into the human form ?
Please.Oh Please. Look at Capt Jack.
Notice those cheeks. Nothing human looking about those cheeks. And if you have seen any Cutesters Like You in person, you know that the new mold is no more suited for the human form than the original. At least we still had the Mickey form to fall back on. What do we have now? Some would still say Mickey. I say fine, it still may be Mickey, but not Vinylmation Mickey
Better quality ?
OK. The jury may still be out on this one, but I still hear rumblings of paint application errors. Hello. Of course there will be errors. These are not Faberge Eggs. They are massed produced $10 toys…errr collectables. That is not a reason to change a mold. Unless it is more cost effective (oops. Did I just say that?)
Better adaptability for future designs?
So the feet are removable. OK. What vinyl design has utilized that thus far? We have had 2 released series and a previewed one. The feet look normal to me. So I guess we will have to wait until there is a Mermaid set before we really see something cool there. I for one, don’t care to see the feet any different. And can’t imagine there are that many designs that would benefit from “special feet”. I am one for uniformity in my collection. That will just throw me off
Better use of accessories?
The right hand is more cupped. Allowing Mickey, or whatever the new mold is supposed to be, greater freedom to hold on to stuff. As I look around my room at my collection, I find the original mold right hand holding on to accessories just fine. Fairy Godmother is holding her wand just fine thank you very much . Now if I threw her across the room to see if she would fly, I guess she may lose her wand. Maybe the new mold will alleviate this issue. Can’t wait to throw one across the room to find out. I fail to see how the new mold will really make that much of a difference
Anyways. Just a quick look into my how I see things.
Agree? Disagree?
Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing?
A step forward? A step backward?
My 7 year old daughter X-Girl says that the Mickey Ears are still there but it no longer has the MIckey Face. You know the line. From the mouth of babes.
That’s what she thinks. What do you think? Let us know
And I really want to know if anyone really thinks that Mickey actually looks better on the new mold? Take a look
I really want to know what you all think of this mold. Like it or not.
Don’t be shy
New mold, hate it, hate it, hate it! Did I mention I hate it? This new mold has lost everything that makes it Mickey. It’s not Mickey, it’s everything but Mickey! It’s a chipmunk, it’s a bear, it’s a mickey fetus, it’s a blob with ears. Disney has made a huge mistake with this mold. I think there will be people that go out and buy it still, but if you are a true collector of vinylmation you will pass
I do NOT like it either. It makes them look cheap and it kinda reminds me of a beer belly. I agree with Josh too it doesn’t look like Mickey AT ALL ant that was the whole point. I’m to the point now where I’m not sure if I will even buy any more because of the new mold. Plus if they do come out with another Muppets set and it doesn’t match I will be highly perturbed.
I, especially, agree about the beer belly on Mickey. Just today, I was wondering if Mickey will have a Bud or Miller Light beer can accessory to hold in his redesigned right hand? It seems he just gulped the first one and is still holding it in his cheeks!!! LOL
I hate the division that the new mold is creating in the community. I also hate that each time a new design is released, the discussion (over all, through-out the community) zooms right back to being about the mold and not about the design applied to it. I get that lots of folks hate it. I respect that. So don’t buy new mold VMs. Disney understands dollars. If it hurts enough in the bottom line, they might make a change. However, drawing lines in the sand over who is and who isn’t a “true collector” isn’t productive. One of the great things about the VM collecting community is how civil it is. Let’s keep it that way.
Hate it! its horrible! os there any way that we can get the new mold.
i dont play with the vinyls and they can hold things just fine! and look at the new D23 3″ vinyl. They did the outline of the old vinyl.
if they did that same design on the ORIGINAL vinyl it would be an awsome vinyl! AND the Davy Crocket looks chinese! im related to Davy Crocket.. he wasnt chinese! theres got to be a way to go back to the old vinlys.. and it sux that they out the pirates on the new mold its like their making you buy the new mold by putting it on the pirates.. so im just ganna suck it up and say im not getting any pirates unless its threw trades then just MAYBE..
my typing was a little bad sorry wrote that in a rage
Lauren, I hate that there is uproar in the community too but changing the design for financial reasons (and believe me that is the major reason it was done) shouldn’t just be glossed over and accepted. I think big companies like Disney make core changes to things and don’t seem to understand the point of view of their customers. I can deal with the hands, feet, and torso changes but the Mickey head change is downright horrible.
Changing the mold is going to hurt Vinylmation in the long run. Now notice when I say hurt I am not implying that the Vinylmation brand will start failing. They are going to lose a lot of their longtime fans and collectors. That is what will hurt. It’s nice to have a large, loyal fan base. But just like how they pins became less special, so will Vinylmations. Disney will make a ton of money off of pins and Vinylmations but they will no longer be as “special.” They are now everywhere. haha
And I see the other person’s “true collector” line and I see your response to it. Since he wasn’t attacking anybody and was just “monologueing” as Syndrome would say, I wouldn’t take it as a “You’re either with us or against us” statement.
Now as for my opinion, there are sets that the new mold won’t bother me with. They don’t bother be with the D23 Expo. However where they bother me are Park and Urban, combo toppers, muppets etc. Changing the molds especially in pre existing sets is very irritating. I want all my Park combo toppers to have the same design. I don’t want a 3rd Muppet sets to be on a different mold either.
Those things matter to collectors. I just don’t particularly think collectors really matter to the bottom line.
Exactly they are no longer collectible even the very limited editions will start to suffer
I completely hate the new mold. The figures made in the new mold look more like generic toys than variations on Mickey. There is a loss of depth and character in the new figures. The nose, eye, and cheek lines in the original mold really give a uniqueness to each figure that attracted me in the first place.
I would rather pay a little more per figure and keep the old mold. I made the decision that I will only be collecting figures made in the old mold. If they ever go completely to the new one, they will have lost an avid collector.
as someone who has cast his own vinyl, and collected vinyl for many years, the new mold is welcomed and HIGHLY understood. I remember when Vinylmation first launched a few years back, Disney was skeptical about it, and as they should be, they were nearly 6 years late to the game, and when we collectors got ahold of that first run, we were shocked and impressed that they went with a textured mold as opposed to the typical smooth body most companies use. The problem with the nose/buttons, is alot of times in casting, those lil things have errors, or don’t come out at all. IT IS MORE COST EFFECTIVE, but first and foremost, DISNEY is a business. This is and will be easier on the artists and artisans, and in the long run, it made sense.
hate me all you want.
No one hates you Bear. It’s just that someone, like yourself, will have to buy those new mold vinyls because it WON’T be the 85% of we collectors that voted in the poll!!
The list of collectible items that have become worthless in the last 10 years is huge. The mold Change and the fact that it is easier= excessive volume and an inferior product. Almost anyone can do easier
That is what we were told as well. But the proof is in the pudding. And maybe it was the detail that set Vinylmations apart from the mass of other vinyl products. Disney had something special. Now they have something common. Sure it has a Disney twist on it. But that something special has been lost. To me that is just sad.
I can live with a lot of change. My problem is that Mickey doesn’t look like Mickey on the new mold. Trim the cheeks and add a bit of definition to the nose and I think we could be back in business with a happy medium.
I don’t like the new mold. I don’t like the look of pirates, cutesters like you, and sea creatures. I agree they are ugly. But I can see that some designs would show better than on the old mold. Having said that it doesn’t mean they should switch to the new mold. If Disney completely phases out the old mold I’ll stop collecting. As a whole I don’t like the chipmunk look of the face. I agree with Baltar that I can deal with the feet, torso, and arms. The face however is just too far from Mickey and awkwardly shaped. I actually don’t mind the duck and the blue shadow Mickey designed for D23. But think about it, that’s 2 out of how many that they have created in the new mold that I like. I’m trying to keep an open mind about the new mold. I even went so far as to buy 2 of the cutesters like you in the hopes that they would grow on me. So far I still think they are ugly and am going to trade them away on my next trip to DL. It makes me sad to think that they sucked us in with great designs and an awesome mold only to get us hooked and then cheapen the product. And the fact that they started out by taking a huge risk with the more expensive and harder to work with mold only to switch to a product most would have STARTED with is even more upsetting. Is that the thanks we get??? They took a chance we loved it, supported it and made it work for them by loving it. It’s a sad for collectors who loved the Mickey look that got you started.
My wife and I may be done as well if the original mold is phased out entirely. Buy since I helped start this siye, you all will get to continue to hear my opinions. LOL
I talked with Randy Noble this past weekend at WDW. I took over a bunch of his vinylmations to have him sign them for me. He was explaining early on how difficult it was to make the print work out and if you look at one of his first creations, the 9″ E Coupon, it was very simple because they were in the learning stage at that point. I didn’t specifically ask him about the new mold but he did talk about the challenges and time consumption that the designers have to put in for their newer designs to fit on the original mickey mold. You can look at the flat design of the Alien Encounter 9″ to see how much work must have gone into that design. So I think the reason they have gone to the flatter design is to make it easier on the designers to get their work done quicker and more efficiently. And there probably will be some designs they have dreamed up in the past that just wouldn’t work on the older mold. I am with you, I have almost a complete collection of vinylmations. I do like the older design much better and wished they could have continued to put in the extra work to stay with this figure.
Don, the Alien Encounter is on the old 9 inch mold. With the 9 inch designs, they have subtlety changed it but it still is Mickey. And look at the two new Disneyland pass holder Vinylmations that are on the old 3 inch mold. Those are two of the best looking vinyls ever. It isn’t a design issue. It is an economic issue and a production issue. If Transformers and hot wheels can apply paint to their designs then I think Disney can apply paint to the old mold.
Amen. Baltar. Amen.
WELL SAID!!!
I think the REAL test will be if Disney has the b***s to put out a Park or Urban series in the new mold. Hopefully that day never comes.
Unfortunately, Josh, it is coming.
I know it will eventually be here. I know from pics that Urban 7 will be old mold so I would guess that it will be the final urban series on the old mold. Well one good thing is it gives me a stopping point. It’s almost like a finish line. I will know that I have from Urban 1-7 to collect from.
does any body even like the new mold
Some don’t see what the big deal is.
I know that we haven’t gotten a really good glimpse at the upcoming Astrology series. But the one figure that they show on the “Sneak” page of Vinylmation.com has some really good detail. I can’t tell if it utilizes the old or new mold though.
Cameron, I kinda wonder if the reason we haven’t seen more of the Astrology series is due to it being on the new mold. Maybe they made a last minute change? I’m ready to see it though!
They also have the Steam Park Series that look Really good and have a really complex design.. that i believe are on the original mold.
I just Hope disneys profit goes down and they go back to the original mold..
I was at Disney World in May and the zodiac, Big Eyes and astrology series were at the character outlet @ 5 for $10 – Disney outlet near Me Charlotte NC has Tron, Celebrations,Sea creatures and occupations $4.99 ea.
I don’t like the mold but like some of the art work – Think they should have tried to improve on the application and kept the much more accurate mold
If this is any consolation if you look at the hand of the astrology figure it looks just like the hand for the pics of Urban 7. So the hand tells me old mold. Let’s hope so I think if the whole set looks like the first one it will be a neat one to collect.
I am RESOLUTE in the fact that this new mold head piece is atrocious, horrible, rotten, no good, very bad… detrimental! At least the old mold vinyls were ‘tricky’ to produce quickly we could justify the cost of 9.99 for a piece of plastic classified as art. Skip to present day were 3″ vinyls are 12.95 and on a new mold that takes all characteristics of mickey (save for ears) away and looks terrible, makes designs look terrible, and makes this vinyl collector turn away to something else… oh say a churro. Yes, I would rather have a churro that I can only enjoy for a short time than a long lasting piece of plastic with the new mold. Nuff Said.
I can only hope that sales (or lack there of) will enforce our preference.
Vinyl sales go down. Churro sales up. I feel as you do docbrown. Nothing appealing at all with the new mold.
You know why I like Disney? They go the extra mile. The new mold is just a knock off cheap looking figure. Disney rarely cuts corners. That is just what they are doing with this mold. Cutting corners.
I think we should start referring to the OLD mold as the CLASSIC mold Mickey, then Disney can save face and bring back the CLASSIC (Coke) Mickey when NEW (Coke) Mickey fails to meet expectations!
I had an encouraging conversation with a cast member at a Disney Store yesterday. Being a newer CM, she is just learning about vinyls. I asked her what she thought of the NEW mold. She really didn’t know what series were CLASSIC molds and which were NEW molds. I asked her how the “Cutesters Like You” series was selling. She said it was very slow and that people didn’t like the look. Her words (not mine) were, “CUSTOMERS thought they (CYL) made fun of fat little girls.” Then, I showed her the true differences between the molds. Then, she proceeded to tell me that the CMs had a Disney Co memo reference that Disney knew customers DID NOT like the NEW molds. She said now she understands what the memo means!! Maybe Disney IS listening. Hopefully, they are listening to the words we say about NOT BUYING ANY new mold vinylmations…..even D23 versions.
I am really disappointed that the D23 vinyls are all on the NEW mold instead of the CLASSIC mold. You cannot even see all of Sorcerer Mickeys face on the back of the D23 logo design. Even Maria couldn’t make the NEW mold work and she’s one of my fav artists. Too bad NOAH’s design wasn’t made into a 3″. It ROCKS!! Being a DAY ONE D23 Member, I always want D23 merch, almost as much as CLASSIC Vinylmations. Thusly, you can feel my dismay that I will be buying exactly ZERO 2011 D23 Expo VInylmations. Sorry, I had to go wipe my MAN tears away (BTW, I dropped a case of Vinylmations on my foot). The ONLY Expo vinyl I would consider is the 9″ NOAH Vinylmation. That is a GREAT look!! The background elevates it to the stratospheric level only NOAH can bring to Vinyls.
CLASSIC mold…..GOOD, NEW mold…..BADDDDDDDDDDDD!!!
that makes me feel a little better that the sales are down with the cutesters.. i just hope people dont suck it up and go out and buy the pirates on the new mold.. just because their pirates and their huge!
But yes I Love the D23 vinyls and i think that this years D23 would look GREAT if it was on the CLASSIC mold..
Lets just HOPE that disney actually feels for us and will KEEP the original mold.. and throw in the new mold if they have to on various open clear case series… perferably sea creatures 2 or something i dont like..
also lets hope they RE-DO pirates on the CLASSIC mold.
i agree! Classic Mold sounds better!
my wife and i wont be buying any of the “new mold” vinyls. Disney has just taken the Mickey out of it in our opinion. We’ll continue to collect other Disney items and buy classic mold vinyls that we dont have, but this new mold is just not appealing to us at all.
You have to start to wonder if Disney thinks the Vinylmation thing has run its course. Dont these companies usually figure “collectibles” have a “hot life” of a few years or so. I recall Steve Miller (i think it was him) saying they figured pin collecting was a 5 year thing and were surpised how long its lasted.
They know the Disney fanatics (like ourselves) will continue to buy Disneyana items in one form or another. (but NOT the new mold)
anyway, thats my opinion for what its worth.lol
A different perspective. Talked to a friend today who is not a vm fan. He does have some knowledge of vm just by seeing my collection. He told me that he saw the new mold today and said that it does not even look like Vinylmations any more. So right he is
Disney must do something about this
I only own one new mold (sea turtle) and the new mold looks terrible. I am all like: look! it’s a turd with ears! it’s a fetus! Nope, it’s a new mold vinylmation. I will NOT buy any new mold vinylmation, and I will be P.O.ed if they release say park 7 or animation 2 or villains 2 as new mold. Disney had better not, or face the wrath of ME!!! A p!$$ed off vinylmation fan.
Bahahahahahaha! Oh man your description of the new mold just cracked me up!! So true though. Thet are just heinous!!
totally agree! but look at all the mnoey we’re saving now! lol
I am not sure if I am saving any money yet, but I will be. Bought a case of Urban 7. As soon as Park 7, Urban 8, Holiday 3 and whatever else comes out I will be saving a whole lotta dough. Now if I can only slow down on my 9” purchasing. LOL
As an aside, I have no desire to get the D23 stuff or Room for one more combo. That will save me some money. Kind of wierd feeling not wanting an exclusive.
Hahahaha. I guess Disney figured out a way to slow my 9” collecting down to. Thank You Dinsey. My wallet thanks you. My children thank you. Now maybe they will ber able to go to college LOL
Classic! Be careful what you wish for, Xero.
i hear ya! its sad really.:(…i’d have been all over those pirates and robots had they kept the original mold.
you have to wonder if they are selling that well. you can get the pirates ones pretty cheap on ebay already. And the robots they pulled out all the stops..offering cases for 20% off right off the bat…looks like they wanted to try and get as many sold as they could early on. (just my opinion)
Yep. Disney is really trying to push the new mold. I mean though, why wouldn’t they? Don’t forget the BOGO that was extended to include the Robots and Urban 7 release. That was NO accident. It suckered me into buying a case of U7 though. I also got suckered into buying some Robots to get the free Autographed card. That was a really neat thing that Disney did with that. But if not for that, I would have not purchased any Robots
Cannot stress how much I hate the new mold. Disney can give us all the BS they want about hoe they are better for detailing, designs, etc. The reality is it costs them less to make the new molds. I love vinyls and have close to 200, but this guy will not buy the new series. These figures are far from the vinylmations we grew to love.
I’m not sure what all the fuss is about the Robots are awesome I love these Vinyls!
So I guess that the jury is still out on this subject. We have now seen CLY, Robots, POTC and Lion King. What do you all think? Are you happy with what is happening? Do you like what you are seeing with the new molds and the designs? I am curious
No, No, No, I don’t know like what I am seeing with the NEW mold, but I think everyone but Disney knows my opinion!
I don’t care for the new mold at all. Just want to keep the original mold. The designs look simple and the quality is going down quick. Right now Disney knows how to disappoint its fans now.
I don’t mind the changes to the hands/body/feet… too much. However, the change in the face is horrible. Mickey now looks like a chipmunk with his cheeks stuffed full of nuts.
I’m not going to stop collecting Vinylmations, but I probably won’t buy as many as I have in the past. For me, the new designs are going to have to be outstanding to make up for the new ‘face’.
Absolutely hate the face on the new mold. It’s no longer Mickey, it’s no longer cute, it’s awful and I won’t buy it.
It should here on be referred to as the mutant mold because that’s what it looks like.
Great description!
On the left side of my computer monitor I have 6 Vinyls from various series (Park, Villains, Animation on “Classic” Mold and One from POTC on the New Mold.
People comment on my Vinyls all the time and I have more scattered through my office but those six are usually the ones that people comment on or touch because it’s where they approach the desk. By far the one that most people point out as they’re favorite..is the one on the new mold. I ask them why and most say because it “looks the best”.
As I look at them while that New Mold one is not my favorite of the 6 there, I have to agree that while of course the Classic Mold is a better Mickey, the design just stands out better (IMO) on the new mold at least in this lineup
a “better Mickey” is the reason a lot of us began collecting these to begin with…otherwise they’re just glorified action figures.
I’m with you on that.
Ditto
Great article and I love your humor. I totally hate the new mold. You brought up the point about feet and if you look at Urban 7 Dizturb and Zombie girl (both orig mold) it is unbelievable the detail on the feet. So in my mind there really isn’t a reason for the new mold. Besides the few I’ve seen up close (Cutesters like you)
have the worst paint jobs I’ve ever seen. I just can’t justify the new mold in my mind. If Disney is listening… bring back the original mold and the artist cards!!
I hate the new mold and will no longer collect them. They look cheap the ears are flimsy and everything that is mickey is gone. The face and belly are just fat now. Disney really needs to listen to its customers. I get that its an easier mold and it saves money, but yet the prices keep going up. I am really bummed about this.
You are not alone in your decision Brian. On one side, there are lots of collectors saying that they are out. On the other, Robots and Lion King are sold out at my Disney Store. So someone is still buying them.
Brian, you are NOT alone. We of the OMC (old mold collectors) order indeed agree with you!
.
Xero, if you need Lion King or Robots, they are all over Houston. Nobody in TX likes them much!!
Hah. No thanks Brad I am good. OMC all the way at this point.
Good man!
still hate it, selling all the ones I have save for the dirty foot pirate and rafiki. they get a pass but just barely, I may change my mind at any minute.
Any in hand thoughts on new mold Park 7?
All I have to say is, Mickey looks weird on the new mold. Def not a fan.
I wish they were still the old mold but the new mold hasn’t stopped me from buying.
me 2
Finally, somewhere to tell the world that I hate the new mold. My old vinylmations, even if it was one I didn’t want, still were cute. I completely notice this when I look at my old vs. some of the new blobs. My buying as gone down a lot. At least I’m saving money. The ones that are Mickey in design are just some blob and don’t resemble Mickey at all. It is so sad. My heart aches a little. To think about how cute and more desirable they cold have been. Big Mistake, Huge!
Welcome Jennifer. Some of us here will never accept the New mold.
Like all collectibles, its the mighty dollar. They can say its to make designs all the more “intracate”. Everyone know its cheaper. They are even smaller then the originals. Its a shame they ruined a good thing all for greed. VERY DISAPPOINTED. Too bad there isnt enough clout to make them go back to the true Mickey version. SAD
Hi Xero, Im going to the parks this week and want to ask you if they’re still selling parks 6 and 7
Pretty sure that P6 is around but not Park 7
Thanks for the information, but I am dissapointed because I only had 4 figures I need from Park 7 (including the chaser)
Like most of the comments listed, I too really dislike the new design. This is where Disney has a huge opportunity to listen to the diehard vinyl fans and go back to the original design. But they won’t, and they don’t care as long as the vinyls continue to produce strong sales. The only way Disney will change is if they see a significant drop is sales with the new design. Disney can say what they want in regards to “listening to the Guests,” or “Guest Satisfaction Measurements,” but more and more we see Disney is all about the bottom-line. As long as the vinyls are selling strong, they will no way return back to the original designs despite the strong negative feedback with the new designs. Pin trading is a perfect example. Disney created this pin trading frenzy, and now they now longer have pin trading tables at Epcot or Downtown Disney. They create these multimillion dollar merchandise machines, and then they completely screw it up for the people that have supported it from the beginning.
even though i do think that the old mold looked more like mickey,I do agree with disney that it allows the artist to be more creative with a smooth canvas and it allows for more accesories. I will continue to collect vinylmation because it is my favorite collectable ever!
Creative isn’t my word. Easier is my word. More creative would be dealing with the limitations of the mold.
Still waiting for a creative use of those removable feet….
lol. me too.