You are so right...when I first started I refused to pay the $400+ for designer Ariel yet she was my favorite...I waited it out and got her for much cheaper. But as I collected I had to have the 17 inch Alice and paid for her what I said I would never pay. And btw congrats on getting Snow at that price I've been waiting for a cheaper one for awhile lolThe longer you are in a hobby, too, the higher and higher your "top price I would pay" goes up. When I first started collecting pins I went "I will never spend more than $50 on a pin, that is crazy!". And then I was looking at a pin sale yesterday and went "Wow only $450? That's a great price for that!" :facepalm: Same thing goes for dolls, for me. It all depends on how much you want it, and how much the community justifies your purchase. If the community collectively goes, "well that is what the price is, it isn't going down," in your mind it helps you to think that you are justified then in making that purchase. I do it all the time, and shamelessly! Lol. That is how I end up with so many freaking dollies!
However sometimes waiting it out DOES pay off. I refused to pay more than $200 for LE 17" Snow White. Thankfully I waited, and I got her for that price.
And now I am trying to convince myself not to buy Designer Ariel at her obscene prices, but it is very hard because I want her so bad. @_@ It is a balance of luck, self-control, but also treating yourself and splurging on those items you really want now and again. If the price goes down, oh well. You got yours, so that is all that will matter at the end of the day.
Oh golly I don't even want to THINK about Alice lol. I had the chance to buy her at retail as a Christmas present and I chose Designer Cinderella instead. If I had a time machine, I would do really dumb things with it! I also had the chance to buy Designer Ariel too...so much regret! AND I missed a Buy it Now of Ariel at only $120 two times! Lol. I need to keep holding out I suppose!
But yeah. Based on the Silver Cinderella, I do think that the D23 Snow White will go up. However I do not think that she will be AS expensive, given her higher LE number, in addition to mostly scalpers selling her on eBay. When Cinderella came out, she was the first Designer doll to be sold. I remember people thought the prices on the first set were "too high" and were skeptical. I remember one day she was selling for like, $400-$500, and then the next she was $800-$1,000. Because, just like Designer Ariel, most people bought them for their collections, not to resell. So there are less available. But in D23 Snow's case, there were obviously a lot of people who bought her solely to resell. But eventually there will be less and less available in the second hand market as more people add them to their collection. So I do think it would be wise to pick her up now for $350 or less if you want her badly. I would guess her price in a few years will hover around $550-$700 ($700 being really high). But that is just my opinion~!
(Click Image to be taken to Original Photo on flickr by pseudanonymous)
I found this image on flickr, and the lady took a razor to Flynn's hair and then repainted it. Part of me is very tempted to do that, and then if I am successful in getting the Flynn and Rapunzel couple set on Sep. 3rd - open it up and replace the Dead-Eyed Flynn with a custom Flynn.
This person really repainted their eyes to look more alive. It never ceases to amaze me what OOAK doll artists can do with dolls that the big-name manufacturers cannot seem to manage, which is to paint realistic features on their doll that really convey emotion. Good luck with your project! Please post pictures! 
