DisneyStore Limited Edition 17" Dolls Discussion

[cxn4689]

First look at LE Wedding Cinderella in person posted by someone on Facebook/Youtube for anyone who's interested. The material of the dress does look nice and the doll does look much better in person but I still personally think $500 is a lot for the doll and definitely believes the low edition number had a big play in the price tag.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWi1xGTAySk&feature=youtu.be

Amazing but not worth $500. Thanks for posting this review link.

 

[cxn4689]

Just curious- do most people display their dolls in the box just on a shelf with nothing protecting them? Or do you put a cover on the box? Plastic wrap (saran?)? Do they discolor or anything if they are in a bright room- not direct sunlight though?

I've just placed the couple dolls I have on a shelf in my daughter's room, because they look too pretty to pack up and put in a closet just to protect them.

Thanks.

Vinyl material is sensitive to lights. If you want keep it long, you should avoid direct sunlight.

The long term stability of Vinyl made doll is not clear yet. Some reports said many 1960S made dolls have no significant deteriation or discolor while some said the opposite.

I found such info here: http://collectdolls.about.com/od/dollprofiles/p/vinyldolls.htm
Just for your reference.

 

[aleutia]

I think all threads in this section should be blocked for guests. Of course they can just sign up but some won't be bothered.

 

[stuberzo]

I really hope you find her! I can tell how much you want her. It's really a shame she was so expensive and such a low edition size, but when you finally get her she will be so special. Best of luck!

Thank you! I'm still searching! Everyone has been really genuinely helpful! I do cringe a little at paying 3-4x the price of an already very expensive doll. I'm not sure I'll ever want or need another LE after her but I just know she will be worth the trouble. Cinderella is my ultimate favorite, especially Lily James, so this is my Grail. I'll let everyone know when I manage to secure her! Because I am determined!

 

[amm3]

Vinyl material is sensitive to lights. If you want keep it long, you should avoid direct sunlight.

The long term stability of Vinyl made doll is not clear yet. Some reports said many 1960S made dolls have no significant deteriation or discolor while some said the opposite.

I found such info here: http://collectdolls.about.com/od/dollprofiles/p/vinyldolls.htm
Just for your reference.

I do worry sometimes about how long these dolls will last. It's not just the vinyl, but even glue gets old and will eventually breakdown -- and when you think about it all of the rhinestones are glued, the eyelashes are glued -- is it all going to deteriorate after several years? At retail for around $120 or so, I think the dolls are still worth it, but I wonder if it is smart to pay exorbitant amounts on eBay for dolls I missed.

 

[rabbitunderground]

Seconding amm3 as well. It's never personal, and it always has to do with protecting the community. I think it's safe to say that regardless of anyone's opinions of certain members here we will always help out fellow collectors. I'm sure it seems cliquish but unfortunately the scalper market has really forced it to be that way. The best suggestion I have for you is to become active here - even if for a time. I used to be mega active on here but have been much less so in the past year, but I like to think that activity is enough to let people recognize I'm a genuine collector. I know I've made some great friends on here, and that's another way. Sometimes you have.to put yourself out there (and as someone with anxiety disorder I understand that can be difficult), but I think you'll see that it pays off.

i agree with Selithiel and amm3 as well.

i remember commenting on the scalper proof and apologize if you found what i said to be offensive. it was not personal and i had no issue with you, just the concept of it. i still do. like i mentioned previously, one could very much fabricate a proof of a collection. now i would imagine scalpers not having a collection, but they might. or they claim to have one because they are in the process of reselling dolls or something.

what i'm saying is, there are so many variables. i don't know, the more ways i think about how that would work, the angrier i get. it's a very strange feeling and i can't explain it, haha!

i also agree with the whole "participate in the community" thing but even then, and not on this forum or anything, but i see people doing that in some other places just for the sole purpose of getting insider info and gaining trust of people. i mean, that would take a lot of time but i guess that pays off for them in the end somehow.

geez i sound very cynical.

again, sorry if you found what i said offensive.

 

[cxn4689]

I do worry sometimes about how long these dolls will last. It's not just the vinyl, but even glue gets old and will eventually breakdown -- and when you think about it all of the rhinestones are glued, the eyelashes are glued -- is it all going to deteriorate after several years? At retail for around $120 or so, I think the dolls are still worth it, but I wonder if it is smart to pay exorbitant amounts on eBay for dolls I missed.

I have the same worry about how long a plastic doll can last. So, I did some research on the property of Doll materials. The clothes made by polyester should be quite stable and unlikely to discolor but the vinyl is not clear. rhinestones can be glued back if the glue fails.
I would pay as much as I can afford to get a doll I really want. but I 'll wait at least a couple of month (If it is a really expensive one) to see if I still possessed with it and if so, I wouldn't hesitate to but it if I can afford.

 

[Disneylover]

I do worry sometimes about how long these dolls will last. It's not just the vinyl, but even glue gets old and will eventually breakdown -- and when you think about it all of the rhinestones are glued, the eyelashes are glued -- is it all going to deteriorate after several years? At retail for around $120 or so, I think the dolls are still worth it, but I wonder if it is smart to pay exorbitant amounts on eBay for dolls I missed.

ive worried over the same thing too! I'm sure the doll itself will last since the plastic is hard, im sure the glue should last decently also. I wouldn't worry about the eyelashes since they're rooted, at least I think they are. And I think the first thing to deteriorate first would be the rubber bands since they get old fast. I remember my aunt gave my sister some old 90s Barrie's still in their boxes, and one had these rubber band straps to hold the dress up, and when I took the doll out of the box, I noticed that the rubber bands were sticky like glue and stuck on the doll, so I cleaned it good and it's now played with after all those years in the box. One question, do indoor lights affect dolls because my Le aurora doll is next to a lamp on my dresser and reading these posts got me a bit paranoid?:sad:

 

[amm3]

ive worried over the same thing too! I'm sure the doll itself will last since the plastic is hard, im sure the glue should last decently also. I wouldn't worry about the eyelashes since they're rooted, at least I think they are. And I think the first thing to deteriorate first would be the rubber bands since they get old fast. I remember my aunt gave my sisters some old 90s Barrie's still in their boxes, and one had these rubber band straps to hold the dress up, and when I took the doll out of the box, I noticed that the rubber bands were sticky like glue and stuck on the doll, so I cleaned it good and it's now played with after all those years in the box. One question, do indoor lights affect dolls because my Le aurora doll is next to a lamp on my dresser and reading these posts got me a bit paranoid?:sad:

Do the dolls have rubber bands inside!? I never debox, so I didn't realize that. If so, that is very worrying. I had a doll when I was child that was held together with rubber bands-- 2 decades later the bands completely deteriorated and she fell completely into pieces. Arms, legs, head and torso all fell apart like she'd been dismembered.

I am completely freaking out about my LE dolls now. LOL :anxious:

 

[Disneylover]

Do the dolls have rubber bands inside!? I never debox, so I didn't realize that. If so, that is very worrying. I had a doll when I was child that was held together with rubber bands-- 2 decades later the bands completely deteriorated and she fell completely into pieces. Arms, legs, head and torso all fell apart like she'd been dismembered.

No,the dolls don't have rubber bands inside. They only use rubber bands for the shoes, accessories, or to hold up Ariel's top. Since I debox my dolls, I can replace the rubber bands with thread instead of rubber bands since they yellow and crack over time anyways.

 

[cxn4689]

Do the dolls have rubber bands inside!? I never debox, so I didn't realize that. If so, that is very worrying. I had a doll when I was child that was held together with rubber bands-- 2 decades later the bands completely deteriorated and she fell completely into pieces. Arms, legs, head and torso all fell apart like she'd been dismembered.

I am completely freaking out about my LE dolls now. LOL :anxious:

I deboxed my Frozen March Set. The only rbber band I can find is at the tails of Anna's braid and I can it is easy to be replaced. But I didn't find any other rubber band for this set so far.

 

[Disneylover]

Do dolls change color in artificial light? My aurora is right next to a lamp and I got a little worried about it in the long term. The lamp isn't on all day, just at night for a few hours or so. Any help appreciated!

 

[amm3]

No,the dolls don't have rubber bands inside. They only use rubber bands for the shoes, accessories, or to hold up Ariel's top. Since I debox my dolls, I can replace the rubber bands with thread instead of rubber bands since they yellow and crack over time anyways.

Okay good, that makes me feel a little better. I thought you meant the dolls' joints had rubber bands like some dolls. As long as the doll itself stays in one piece, I'm okay. Lol.

 

[cxn4689]

Do dolls change color in artificial light? My aurora is right next to a lamp and I got a little worried about it in the long term. The lamp isn't on all day, just at night for a few hours or so. Any help appreciated!

Your doll should keep a distance from a artificial light since the light and heat can accelerate the deterioration of VINYL.

 

[Princess K]

Yes, unnatural light can definitely affect the doll but it takes much, MUCH longer to see any change than leaving the doll in direct sunlight. My dolls are all in a room in the basement (finished basement so it's not like a gross moldy room or anything) and I've even cardboarded up the windows (despite the fact that hardly any natural light hits the two windows hahaha) just because I'm that paranoid. The lights in the room are on maybe an average of 4-8 hours a day since it's where the computer and my entertainment unit are so I spend most of my free time in here and I'm definitely paranoid about light damage but I haven't noticed any yet and my oldest dolls will be 4 this year.

That reminds me of the story of the tragic story of trying to acquire my 17" Snow White (the 2011 designer collection is when I started collecting dolls, so I've paid retail since then). I found a listing on ebay for a pretty good deal at the time, bought her, and when I got her she was SO BADLY sun damaged. Like, you know how the outer cardboard cover has red highlights? Yeah, they were PALE PINK. When I opened her to check the COA and moved her cloak you could see a huge difference even in the pale yellow of her dress. The back of her displayer, with the woodland scene, was sun dyed with a perfect body shape outline. I was so devastated. Even to this day it breaks my heart thinking about it because although I returned her for a FULL refund because the seller was very nice about it, that's one grail doll out there that's basically destroyed. I suppose some people wouldn't mind having one with that much sun damage but I did. Keep in mind this was in spring 2012, so at the time the Snow White doll was only about 2.5 years old. I'm not sure how she got that badly damaged in the first place (seller claims the doll was never in direct sunlight - yeah right). Fortunately the next Snow I got was perfect, though $100 more (still considerably less than she's worth now!)

But yes, I do worry about the long term quality and condition of the dolls. That's why I sorta, and please don't take it personally anyone, roll my eyes at people who are buying these dolls for their very young daughters with plans to pass them down when their girls are adults. The quality of your dolls now just won't be as good in 15, 20, 25 years when your daughter inherit them. Enjoy then on display NOW while they look their most beautiful, do your best to keep them away from light sources, ESPECIALLY sunlight, but don't expect a pristine doll 10+ years down the road. I do own the mid-90s Mattel Great Villains Ursula and while she mostly looks pretty good for being nearly 20 years old, her hair is now an ugly yellow/light brown colour instead of white. I fear the same thing will happen to my Disney Store Ursula in a few years time, but I love just looking at her in the mean time. To me, these dolls are works of art.

 

[Disneylover]

Your doll should keep a distance from a artificial light since the light and heat can accelerate the deterioration of VINYL. [/QUOTE

ok, thank you!! I guess this means I have to rearrange my room decor now lol.

 

[Sixteacup]

...Also, everyone keeps complaining about others having inside knowledge -- I for one don't know anyone on the "inside," and when I started collecting I couldn't figure out how people got links --- no one ever told me either. I relied on the link fairies. It's only been after over a year of collecting that I have a better idea of how it works now. I try to get all of my dolls in store now anyway but, even for that, I get up usually around 4 or 5am in the morning to get in line and wait for several hours outside, sometimes in freezing weather, to make sure I get my doll. I've done a lot of research on these dolls, and keep up with releases and what's going on. I've put in the work, so to speak, and I'm sure a lot of others here have to. So when people come on here only at release time and start asking others to give them information and links, it is extremely off-putting. Again, this is not directed at you Disneyfreakingprincess, but to this issue in general...

Amen to that! I have not had any luck buying LE online and totally with you on facing the early mornings, super cold and lines to buy the dolls in stores. An expresso and out the door! I don't even like the online payment clearance issues and shipping package integrity risk. It's bad enough just waiting for the releases. I am glad though that S.O. and I didn't want the LE wedding, otherwise it would have been disheartening to not be able to get them at the stores.

Going to see Cinderella with S.O. on Tuesday and St. Patty all night!

 

[amm3]

Do dolls change color in artificial light? My aurora is right next to a lamp and I got a little worried about it in the long term. The lamp isn't on all day, just at night for a few hours or so. Any help appreciated!

I wondered this too, but it's either display the dolls so I can look at them or store them away for protection and never enjoy them.

I did have something weird happen with my Prince Phillip -- well his plastic cover at least. The box was in perfect condition when I purchased him at the store. I had him stored away for a while until I was able to put up additional shelves. Well when I took him out again, the front part of the plastic had this weird discoloration to it -- as if a section of the plastic turned color. I still can't figure out what happened or how it got there. I don't see how I could've missed something like that when I first bought him, as it is very obvious. He wasn't near heat or light and my other SB dolls were stored with him and those boxes were all fine.

 

[Princess K]

RE: Rubber bands on the dolls. Aren't the bands DS uses on its dolls really more plastic than rubber? I mean, they're not the same type of rubber band that's used to hold the daily newspaper together. Those things deteriorate in a matter of MONTHS. So while I'm sure the DS bands won't last forever, they should last quite a bit longer than what one would conventionally think of when they hear the term "rubber band".

 

[cxn4689]

I wondered this too, but it's either display the dolls so I can look at them or store them away for protection and never enjoy them.

I did have something weird happen with my Prince Phillip -- well his plastic cover at least. The box was in perfect condition when I purchased him at the store. I had him stored away for a while until I was able to put up additional shelves. Well when I took him out again, the front part of the plastic had this weird discoloration to it -- as if a section of the plastic turned color. I still can't figure out what happened or how it got there. I don't see how I could've missed something like that when I first bought him, as it is very obvious. He wasn't near heat or light and my other SB dolls were stored with him and those boxes were all fine.

Just keep it away from direct sunlight, don't put it too close to a artificial light (avoiding the heat) and keep room cool should be enough.

 

[Disneylover]

Yes, unnatural light can definitely affect the doll but it takes much, MUCH longer to see any change than leaving the doll in direct sunlight. My dolls are all in a room in the basement (finished basement so it's not like a gross moldy room or anything) and I've even cardboarded up the windows (despite the fact that hardly any natural light hits the two windows hahaha) just because I'm that paranoid. The lights in the room are on maybe an average of 4-8 hours a day since it's where the computer and my entertainment unit are so I spend most of my free time in here and I'm definitely paranoid about light damage but I haven't noticed any yet and my oldest dolls will be 4 this year.

That reminds me of the story of the tragic story of trying to acquire my 17" Snow White (the 2011 designer collection is when I started collecting dolls, so I've paid retail since then). I found a listing on ebay for a pretty good deal at the time, bought her, and when I got her she was SO BADLY sun damaged. Like, you know how the outer cardboard cover has red highlights? Yeah, they were PALE PINK. When I opened her to check the COA and moved her cloak you could see a huge difference even in the pale yellow of her dress. The back of her displayer, with the woodland scene, was sun dyed with a perfect body shape outline. I was so devastated. Even to this day it breaks my heart thinking about it because although I returned her for a FULL refund because the seller was very nice about it, that's one grail doll out there that's basically destroyed. I suppose some people wouldn't mind having one with that much sun damage but I did. Keep in mind this was in spring 2012, so at the time the Snow White doll was only about 2.5 years old. I'm not sure how she got that badly damaged in the first place (seller claims the doll was never in direct sunlight - yeah right). Fortunately the next Snow I got was perfect, though $100 more (still considerably less than she's worth now!)

But yes, I do worry about the long term quality and condition of the dolls. That's why I sorta, and please don't take it personally anyone, roll my eyes at people who are buying these dolls for their very young daughters with plans to pass them down when their girls are adults. The quality of your dolls now just won't be as good in 15, 20, 25 years when your daughter inherit them. Enjoy then on display NOW while they look their most beautiful, do your best to keep them away from light sources, ESPECIALLY sunlight, but don't expect a pristine doll 10+ years down the road. I do own the mid-90s Mattel Great Villains Ursula and while she mostly looks pretty good for being nearly 20 years old, her hair is now an ugly yellow/light brown colour instead of white. I fear the same thing will happen to my Disney Store Ursula in a few years time, but I love just looking at her in the mean time. To me, these dolls are works of art.

Thats such a shame shame that a beautiful doll was ruined by sun damage!! It's kinda heartbreaking considering how beautiful she is. Unfortunately I will never be able to get Snow White. I kinda fuss over my dolls so they look the best they can, I had to fix aurora's curls with hair gel since I couldn't stand seeing her stray hairs!. I just moved my dolls away from my lamp to opposite ends of the room. Aurora should/will be fine since a ceiling fan light shouldn't do anything. And speaking of tragic Le doll stories, I was browsing on eBay and I came across this Le wedding rapunzel that someone found at the thrift store! It was so heartbreaking, her hair was tangled(no pun intended), her crown broken, and her veil had holes!her beautiful wedding dress was wrinkled and flat; no doubt this doll was given to a careless little girls then donated to a thrift store like nothing!! If I could have bought it, I would have fixed her and make her shine and look the way she was.

 

[Elphaba]

I have barbies from the 80s that did not receive special treatment in terms of lighting, and I don't see a lot of discoloring, although there is one doll with so deep a "tan" that I'm not sure she originally came that way. Aside from the elastics someone mentioned (if they are left in-box they will sometimes get all gross and gel-like, if out of the box they will sometimes dry out and disintegrate), I've also noticed metal pieces (like a gold plated metal necklace on one of my dolls) can rust somewhat, and now I've got a bit of rust stain on her dress where the necklace touched it. Overall, I think they held up pretty well, and most damage is due to handling not age.

I've also had other soft vinyl dolls (like rubbery soft) I left in a storage unit become brittle and crack(!) which I think was due to poor climate.

 

[Disneylover]

I think these Le dolls will last a good time in good conditions. Since their vinyl is hard with very little flexibility, they should last longer than vinyl dolls with soft bendy vinyl. Besides, these dolls were meant to last and enjoyed for the years to come since their heirloom dolls. I'm sure as long as the conditions are good, we should be fine.

 

[Doll_Enchanted]

Not to get off of the topic of Cinderella, but how would most of you rate the Kristoff 17" doll? For whatever reason, I have taken a big interest in him and I am really considering putting him on my list of dolls to buy along with the new Cinderella doll. From previous posts, it seems like most people are happy with him, but I was wanting a second opinion.

I'm very happy with my Kristoff, took him a while to arrive and with a slightly dented box, but I couldn't wait to get him out. His my first guy, I think from all 3 guys his the most movie accurate. I restyled his hair and I HAD to get rid of the shirt padding only left some of it around his arms. I love when dolls come with accessories ( Merida being my favorite mainly because of that) and he has lots of details through out his outfit, bag and very happy they added his Mandolin. His my second doll to debox and unlike my others I never questioned it lol. Here's some pics!

 

[LMB925]

Just curious- do most people display their dolls in the box just on a shelf with nothing protecting them? Or do you put a cover on the box? Plastic wrap (saran?)? Do they discolor or anything if they are in a bright room- not direct sunlight though?

I've just placed the couple dolls I have on a shelf in my daughter's room, because they look too pretty to pack up and put in a closet just to protect them.

Thanks.

I've been collecting dolls for over 20 years, mostly boxed. Some have done better than others over the years. I've also seen ones that have really not been well maintained. There is the extreme side of maintenance that would dictate the dolls stay in a temperature/light controlled, air tight cabinet and only handled with gloves (if ever). Like you, I think they arefar too pretty for that, and would rather enjoy them.

I mostly display my Disney LE dolls on top of bookshelves, however, I do keep them very clean (I only use a clean soft micro fiber cloth for dusting ), away from direct sunlight and not close to lamps or light bulbs (I don't have a light on my ceiling, so not a problem). I keep the LE Disney dolls in my bedroom, which is pretty dark anyway. I'm not concerned with wrapping them in plastic wrap as I wouldn't care to look at them like that. I can't say I know what long term effect that might have. I would be concerned the plastic directly on the box could do more harm than good. I've had plastic bags melt onto things, but I don't know about clear plastic wrap. It is only designed for temporary use, though. It's an interesting thought. I'm sure there's a way to do it with the right grade of material.

Ideally, I would have a glass curio cabinet for my Disney LE, but I don't have the room for that. Maybe if I deboxed them I would make room. I've even thought about trying to build an acrylic box for each of them, but haven't bothered to really look into it, and I probably wouldn't care to look at anyway. They are so big as is. I think they display so nicely the way the boxes are, so I'll risk it. I collect for enjoyment. I can't see it as an investment as I've been collecting too long (long before Ebay was around) and know the downfall to looking at it like that. Sure it's nice when a doll increases in value, and it's nice they just maintain value, but there much better ways to invest money.

I love my dolls and want to keep them a nice as possible. There are several things I worry about with my dolls. I worry about dust, temperature and humidity (I live in FL), and bugs (moths and silverfish mostly, as I said, I live in FL and bugs can be an issue if you aren't diligent). Light is a big issue. Not just sunlight, but even some light bulbs can be bad for dolls over time. I just don't keep mine near them. A high shelf with a light near by might not be a good idea, nor one near a window. Also, if I'm going to be handling them I wash my hands first, and/or get some cotton gloves. I do this for some of my more expensive dolls, even if they're boxed because the oils and dirt from your hands can be harmful and build up over the years, even on boxes. Especially these beautiful white LE boxes. I'm careful what I put around the boxes as color can rub off on them. Even nail polish can streak the box. I ordered an Ariel LE from Ebay and the seller packed it in Sunday newspaper ads, so it has ink stains all over it now. I got most of it off, but it is still noticeable and such a shame. Seriously, such a stupid mistake. I don't have anything touching the box other than what it sits on, and I have it on white cotton fabric if the shelf is painted. I don't even have mine directly against the wall because of paint. I may be extreme, though. These things will get damaged and change with age. It's unavoidable, but the more you do to prevent it the better they will look in 10 - 20 years. Not sure about 50 years, but barbie has been around longer than that and there still some in great condition.

I've bought some dolls over the years that were never removed from their boxes, but the boxes were in awful shape and the dolls needed TLC (that's why I bought them, to customize and debox). The plastic on the box was often badly yellowed, to point you almost couldn't see the doll inside on some, and any rubber and plastic, like hair band, or clear shoulder straps, were dry rotted on the doll. Metal jewelry was often tarnished and turned the dolls skin green where it was touched. I can only guess they were stored in an attic, garage, or storage unit. Maybe left near a window and subjected to dramatic temperature changes, and humidity. A lot of these dolls that I bought I already owned and my originals were in good condition, so it was not time alone that damaged them. Also, over time, the clothes the doll is wearing may stain her skin, however, I know of nothing that can be done about that unless the doll is deboxed.

Bottom line is: I display mine in box, but I watch my doll's surroundings and don't forget about it (dust build up is bad), and I'm gentle with them. Sorry this was so long. I really tried to keep it short. I could actually go on about this for quite a while longer. :sad: