Director Mickey For Sale at DisneyStore.com

I try to stay positive. We all understood, after it happened the first few times, that "LocationSpecific" Vinylmation released at Disney Stores in NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and such would eventually end up at the online Disney Store. We all changed our vocabulary from "Exclusive" to "Specific." But Directory Mickey, released last year at the Burbank Studio Store on the Disney Studio Lot was supposed to be different. It seemed as though this was a limited time (not edition) item that would could only be picked up by Cast Members on the lot. Such other CM exclusive figures have never been available outside the cast only stores at WDW and DLR. But today, Director Mickey showed up available at the DisneyStore.com for $14.95.

I thought it might be an April Fools joke, but sure enough, I was able to add it to my cart and make it to the payment page. I have absolutely no problem making these "Location Specific" figures available to a wider audience online. But I do have a problem promoting a product as something it is not. With it's discounts and sale policies, the Disney Store continues to set a precedent that makes a mockery of something Disney itself tries to promote as a collectible. What knowledgeable Vinylmation collector will actually purchase any of the upcoming Wild West Vinylmation blind boxes within the first couple months of the April 20 release? There was no reasonable assumption Director Mickey would be available outside of the Burbank Studio Store, and coming on the heels of the "Through the Years" Mickey combo released this past weekend, it makes it even more shocking. By the way, more price drops on DisneyStore.com today as well including blind boxes for $5.99.