Kim's Corner
Page 2 of 3
A Quick Web Crawlers Guide to the WDAC
Since the collision of the Internet and the WDCC - and the virtual cyber-space explosion
of the secondary market - there have been webmasters and dealers who have crafted and
maintained sites which have become bookmarks for serious and casual collectors of
Disneyana - here are a few of my favorites -
http://disney.go.com/disneyartclassics/index.html
The Official Site has some great information and is the usual step-off site for any tour
of the information available on the net. While not the best, brightest or most interactive
site - it has the basics that would be needed to join the WDCS and take a tour of the
pieces available - also a bit of history and production information. Start here and then
see where you end up.
http://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/wdcc/
Will take you to the World Collectors Net message boards - with any mass-market
collectable, information is the key and being able to network with other collectors is
invaluable. There is also a real camaraderie that can be found in being part of a
community of others who love the same things you do - and cyberspace is a great virtual
playground to meet and play with friends. Offering the cyberspace to list items for sale
or items wanted has made this site a must bookmark for collectors of Disney beanies,
Disney pins, WDCC and other kinds of Disneyana - there is also an on-line magazine with
information on just about any kind of collectable on the market and they also offer
auction space. Cruise over and take a look - you won’t believe how quickly time
actually flies when you’re having fun.
http://www.disney-classics.com/classic_sculpt.html
Will introduce you to the services of The Cartoon Factory - an on-line Walt Disney
Classics Collection Gold Circle dealer. They have lots of good information - but - they
are - first and foremost - dealers - IMHO they are one of the best on-line galleries - but
not the only one. You can order pieces - they ship world-wide - you can find information
on caring for your WDCC pieces - you can find their suggestions for repair and restoration
and read their news and events. They even offer a free cyber-newsletter. Information is
the key and you’ll find lots here.
http://www.disneyana-exchange.com/
Will take you to the folks at the Disneyana Exchange - a leading secondary market broker
for WDCC pieces. The Disneyana Exchange deals exclusively in items that are "limited
editions", "limited availability", "limited production",
"retired", or are no longer available on the primary market. They have nearly
20,000 listings - including the rarest Disney pieces produced from the Disney Classics,
those pieces produced for the Official Disneyana Convention, and an incredible selection
of Animation Art. They are essentially a clearinghouse for collectors around the world who
list their items with DE and set their own prices - DE then quotes the lowest price and
adds a 10% commission for their services. The exchange inspects all pieces before they
ship them and guarantee them to be in mint condition with their appropriate boxes and
certification. They also assure that all transactions are secure and that all information
is kept confidential. The Disneyana Exchange newsletter is also a great resource -
offering a wide range of items and are a great way to track the WDAC marketplace.
http://www.wdccduckman.com/
The Duckman’s Inside Report is one of my favorite sites - offering an amazing array
of information - including a WDCC Directory, a concise Background and History of the WDCC,
a listing of Authorized Dealers, a Collector’s Gallery, an Image Gallery, a Secondary
Replacement Guide, featured Gold Circle Releases, information on piece retirements, a
Villain’s Gallery, information on joining the Walt Disney Collectors Society, a
feature of Walt Disney Animation Art releases, a very active WDCC Message Board, an
On-Line Newsletter Mailing and some great links. They also feature reviews of the Disney
Company Conventions - including the ODC and the WDAC conventions - lots of fun to see the
conventions grow and change as the marketplace has changed.
http://www.disneywebnetwork.com/houseofdisney/
House of Disney is a data base and links site - and part of the extensive Magic Carpet
Disney Web Network - and will take you to a marvelous array of sites - featuring links to
the homepages of Disney artists including Eric Robison, Randy Souders, Dave Avanzino,
Elisabete Gomes, Paddy Gordon, Patrick Romandy-Simmons, Peter Ellenshaw and Tim West - the
products from Lenox, WDCC, Whitehorse, Capodimonte, Armani, Gobel, Olszewski Studios and
others. You can also find links to the events in the Disneyana marketplace - they cover
each of the Official Disneyana Conventions, the WDCC Special events and a selection of
Disneyland’s Special Merchandise Events - each featuring the gifts and collectable
merchandise available at each event.
http://www.disneywebnetwork.com/mainmenu.shtml
The Magic Carpet Disney Web Network - A World of Disney Collectibles and Fun to Explore -
no kidding - this is my favorite Disneyana Collectables site - or rather gateway to my
favorite sites - but I can’t click on it and not spend at least two hours surfing
from site to site. This is an example of what enthusiasts can do - without the help of the
Walt Disney Company - it was built by only 2 Disney collectors as a non-profit Disney
collectables network of sites sharing information and exchanging ideas with a world-wide
marketplace. They have created a wonderful reference and they offer every service through
the Magic Carpet Disney Web Network absolutely free of charge.