The Backside of Vinyls: The Hidden Beauty of Vinylmations
I ran this story last year but thought some of the new readers might enjoy it-Baltar**
In the past couple of years there has been a lot of “controversy” involving this simple Disney collectible. We’ve had Goof Troop-gate, new mold gate, Pricing-gate etc. All of these brouhahas are aimed at Disney. We Disney-philes can be a passionate lot about our collectibles, obviously. Today though, I want to turn my not-so-serious glare back on a certain faction of our fellow collectors. I call them the NIB crowd. No not the MIB. THE N I B. The “New In Box” crowd. You know who I’m talking about. Right? I’m talking about the collectors who never take their LE 9 inch vinyls out of their boxes and end up with a very boxy decorative style throughout their house. 
Martha Stewart would not approve
Besides the fact that cardboard decor is so 1976, there is an even more important reason to free your vinylmations from their prisons: hidden beauty. Yes, beauty. Just like the backside of water (you better know what attraction that’s from), many of these 9 inch vinylmations have incredible designs that are forever hidden inside these boxes. FREE THEM. LET THEM BREATHE! Today I will bring you my Top 15 9 inch vinylmation backsides. Er.. you know what I mean.
15. Snowglobe
The Snowglobe gets a bad rap due to a mold problem however the design itself is interesting. Yet you probably wouldn't realize it's a Snowglobe if you couldn't see the door in the back!
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14. The Viking
If I owned this guy, you'd never see those huge nipples. I'm all about the spear and the shield.
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13. Magic Shop
This design isn't busy, or complicated and I really liked it the first time I saw it. I loved it once I turned it around and saw the hat.
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12. New York Taxi
I heard many collectors see the front and thought it looked good but they didn't want it. Then they saw the Mickey through the back window. Must have.
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11. Sam the Eagle
At first glanced this design is simple and fitting for a great American like Sam. Then you see his tail feathers. Work it, Sam!
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10. San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge
This vinylmation is beautiful from either direction but the daytime representation of the Golden Gate Bridge is perfect.
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9. Halloween
Just like the San Francisco 9 inch, the front and back of this vinyl are equally beautiful. However, look at those eyes on the back of the foot. Those eyes. Shudder.
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8. The Black Cauldron
The front is so scary that you need to turn it away from time to time. The Black Caudron logo and the cauldron on the back will help ease the nightmares.
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7. Skeleton Dance
I am a fan of Walt Disney, the man. I'm also a fan of his early works in shorts. When I bought the Skeleton Dance and saw that the back of the head was a cinema showing the Skeleton Dance short, I never turned it around again.
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6. Peter Pan’s Flight
This is another 9 inch where I prefer the back to the front. The style of this vinylmation is classic. The head represents the sail n the attraction's boats. Flipping the design around will definitely remind you of your many rides on Peter Pan's Flight.
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5. It’s A Small World
Make no mistake. If the production plant could have made the back just like the concept art Thomas Scott created, this Small World tribute would be rated number 1. The concept art is breathtaking.
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4. Fantasmic
The best part of this vinylmation is that both sides tell the story. The front has Mickey battling something in the show Fantasmic. What's he battling? Turn it around and the story continues. Bravo!
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3. The Enchanted Tiki Room
This vinylmation is one of my all time favorites and the fact that we get to see even more of the famous Tiki birds on the back side make this a must have. The fact that Iago and Zazu aren't on this, is an added plus.
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2. New York Grafitti
I personally don't care at all for the front of this viny. I love the back though. Do you see Mickey? Check out his arm for another hidden Mickey.
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1. Sci Fi Diner
If you have ever eaten inside of the Sci Fi Diner at Disney's Hollywood Studios, you know how the backside of this vinylation makes it the a must. Mickey and Minnie are just the added touch to push it to the top.
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Okay NIBs, you see what you are missing out now. Right? Good. Now go home and let your vinyls free. Find some diminutive hobos nearby and donate all your cardboard boxes to them. Nothing good happens to a vinylmation being locked up in a box his entire life. They might end up like this guy:
One of my all-time favorite articles. Thanks for re-running. As a former sealed in box collector, I can’t tell you how much more I enjoy my vinyls now that they are out in the open and free to breathe.
I’m also pumped as I have Grafitti coming in the mail today. Forgot about the Mickey on the back.
The ONLY reason a bunch of my 9″ are still in the box is because it will be easier to move them once I have my new display area in the 2nd bedroom done. I have a few of these and can’t wait for them to be displayed out in the open air.
I have to says I’m guilty of this myself the only 9 inch i ever opened was the Alien an Skippy and thats only because when it came in the mail Skippy’s head had fallen off(poor Skippy never has luck being transported in clear tubes) but, I then put it right back in the box an sealed it up
there’s not a thing that stays in the box. don’t me wrong, i’m saving some of the boxes (DA) in case we come to a place where we need to sell them… but it seem like such a waste to leave it in. My Rescue Rangers set looks more awesome out of the box because… YOU CAN SEE IT. lol.
As for 9″… my Empress Lily has a great backside, as does my Milk & OJ, Barnstormer, Retro Disney (Park 5), and 20K. the fact that many of these 9″/3″ combos have the 3″ plastered to the side of the box where the cardboard is half hiding it. people truly miss out on so much.
Baltar, are these still your fav 9″ backs? Any additions?
I gotta do some research and see if there are new ones I want to add!
Great read! I’m guilty of keeping most of mine in the box, but this may convince me to let them breathe
Lovely —-!
Skeleton Dance!!!
from Japan