Are you a collector?

[MrGoat]

I know a lot of us here (and elsewhere of course) collect Disney-related stuff. I like pins, and antique/vintage Disney stuff when I find it (outside the parks, obviously). Others like Funko stuff, or plushies, Minnie ears, t-shirts, park guides/maps... I know the list goes on.

So if you're a collector, what do you collect? Do you have favorite items in your collections? I just scored a special edition Baby Yoda pin from KC ComicCon, so that's kinda fun

[Sun Bonnet]

Hi Mr Goat. We collect pins as well. It's hard to pick a favorite from those, but we do have a collection of Chinese New Year pins from HKDL that are special to me.

Although I have bought the mini mystery boxes from the Disneyana store, I did most of my hardcore collecting in the 90s. I have a number of figurines from the Walt Disney Classics Collection. I have The Symphony Hour complete set and Three Little pigs set, plus some incomplete sets. There are a number of sellers I could complete the sets with or start new sets, but I haven't done so. If I had the disposable income to do so, I would definitely collect the Fantasia figurines, especially the fairies from the Nutcracker portion.

I also have about ten Christopher Radko Christmas ornaments - also from the 90s, when they had the Christmas store in New Orleans square. My favorites of these are Mickey and Minnie toy soldiers and Mickey and Minnie "Holiday Skaters".

[Mike_M]

I have my share of parks related items. Some Funko ride vehicles, some pins, The Lego Main Street Train station, lots of books, one incomplete ticket book from one of my first trips (missing its E-tickets); but the favorite thing that i’ve collected over the years (And the least expensive) are the souvenir guides and maps i have from each trip i’ve made.

Every so often, i’ll pull them out and see the evolution of the parks through those maps. My first one from 1980 is my favorite. The bold 25th anniversary cover. The late 70’s haircuts. The artistic interpretation of the park and attractions. It’s the beginning of my journey in the parks and a fun reminder of where we’ve come in the last 40 years.

A close 2nd are my two maps of Tom Sawyer Island. One is from my youth and shows the island as it was back then. The 2nd is the updated version with the Pirate’s Lair additions from my Son’s first trip.

Each of these maps are very personal to me since I only save ones from trips i’ve actually made. As such, they are collectively the history of my Disney journey.

[Mr Wiggins]

So if you're a collector, what do you collect?

Ephemera from trips to Disneyland since the 50s -- ticket books, parking lot tickets, sales receipts, handouts, guides, maps and posters, all of which have been desperately in need of scanning and cataloguing for years!

[mickeyfan42]

I collect many things, especially if we are including Marvel and Star Wars in this discussion. I collect Funko Pops for basically everything Disney (haven't started down the Simpsons rabbit hole yet), as well as the Ear Hat Ornaments (I have about 20 of them), Pins (I only buy them if I actually like them, have never done pin trading), the "sketchbook" ornaments (I prefer the ones from the parks and Disney Store over the Hallmark ones), Disney Broadway soundtracks on disc (only missing Frozen, On the Record, and Aida), DVD/Blu-Ray although admittedly I'm scaling back on that now that Disney+ exists (limiting actual purchases to MCU, Star Wars, and the occasional other films, used to get almost all of them on disc), and lastly art prints, I have quite a few at home, some are only up seasonally, and others are waiting for someday when I have a place with more rooms and wall space, my intent is to have a Star Wars room, and Marvel room, a Parks room, and a Disney/Pixar room and between the Funko figures and the art I could then tastefully have them on display.

[disneychrista]

I used to collect antenna balls, pins, and other things. But now I don't, mostly because I just don't want that much "stuff" in my house/life.

[jcruise86]

Mostly post cards & T-shirts, which I send & wear, instead of just saving them.

And memories.

[Right Down Broadway]

While I have a great deal of ephemera, books, pins and other collectibles, I primarily focus on the Disneyland Railroad, and its predecessor, the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad. I also prefer pieces from the railroad that weren't marketed or sold in the Park as collector's items. These include pieces or sections of the locomotives that have been replaced over the years, costume pieces like engineer and conductor hats, badge, patches, and pieces of railcars and other fittings.

[bayouguy]

I'm not an avid collector...but I have some odds and ends from my Blue Bayou days, like a couple of menus, some matchbooks, about 3 name tags and my one year pin...other items include smallish souvenirs, pins, and some gifts given to me...also some Disney Dollars and some ticket books, one is one ticket from being intact...nothing fancy but I am proud of my diverse collection of Disney stuff...

[Stormy]

I keep random things from the hotels and restaurants like keycards, pens, swizzle sticks etc. WDW maps because I'm still not familiar with the layouts so I like to pour over them hoping I'll eventually memorize them! I collect pins but only ones that have special meaning to me as opposed to 'collector/special edition' pins. I also 'collect' Disney Dooneys in a small way, but again only ones that really catch my fancy rather than simply 'collector/special edition' ones. And they don't sit on a shelf, I use them frequently. Right now I'm carrying my Xmas Disney Dooney.

[Flarson]

We collect mugs, with about 15 (for 2 people lol) with one from every park. My favorite is this one from Hong Kong which is red on the inside.

[Blurr]

I've always been a sucker for collecting Nightmare/Haunted Mansion Holiday-related merch. In the early years, HMH merch was extravagant and I loved buying stuff like the stretching room portrait posters and Disneyana replicas of the room's stain glass windows. Ballroom mantle and changing portrait re-creations.. the list goes on. Nowadays Nightmare merch has slowed to the occasional t-shirt and some themed seasonal throw-away items like popcorn buckets or candy tins. It's a shame.

Before the shutdown I was way into buying the Galaxy's Edge stuff, too. I love that the merch is high quality and feels like it actually comes from the land/universe. Definitely wanted to jump on that train before the inevitable happens to Batuu, as well.

But if I had to pick only one thing to collect it would be the Disney pins. Especially when on vacation to the other parks. They're small so they don't take up a ton of space at home or in your luggage. They're fun to collect and trade and most of them look really nice. But I think what's best of all about them is that they act as sort of "merit badges" for my wife and I regarding places we've been and Disney experiences we've had. Walking by the pin board in our home is always a joy because each one tells a story and carries memories of the experience that inspired us to get it in the first place.

[Eagleman]

love getting " M I C K E Y "
T-shirts when I can

[Thumperrrrr]

I collect too much damn stuff. Disney related - Mickey watches. Unrelated to that, 1:200 scale airliners. Talk about space consuming..

[Sosai X]

I have the largest private collection of Disney name tags and badges outside the company

[MrGoat]

I have the largest private collection of Disney name tags and badges outside the company

How cool!

[Right Down Broadway]

If you ever want to explore jus how diverse Disneyana collecting can be, get your hands on one (or several) of the Van Eaton Galleries Disneyland auction catalogs. They're a little pricy, but they are full color on thick paper, close to 300 pages long, with stunning photos and descriptions. Post cards, ticketing media, training materials, costume pieces, ride props, attraction posters, concept drawings, ride vehicles--the amount of stuff available is staggering (one if the reasons I mostly have limited the scope of what I collect).

[Mr Wiggins]

If you ever want to explore jus how diverse Disneyana collecting can be, get your hands on one (or several) of the Van Eaton Galleries Disneyland auction catalogs. They're a little pricy, but they are full color on thick paper, close to 300 pages long, with stunning photos and descriptions. Post cards, ticketing media, training materials, costume pieces, ride props, attraction posters, concept drawings, ride vehicles--the amount of stuff available is staggering (one if the reasons I mostly have limited the scope of what I collect).

One important caveat to reading Van Eaton's DL auction catalogs: Over time, the pages get crinkly as a result of repeated drooling.

[JustSomeGuy]

We only visit the park every two years, but I'm an avid Tiki collector, so I try to pickup something Tiki related from Adventureland and Trader Sam's on every trip. I currently have all the Trader Sam's Tiki mugs and a few Enchanted Tiki Room items by Olszewski and Kevin Kidney/Jody Daily.

Also, we always pickup a collectable at Club 33. Last year I splurged a bit and picked up a Club 33 Tom & Jerry set as well as the Club 33 Haunted Mansion 50th Anniversary Tiki Mugs, combining my two collector interests!

[Mike_M]

If you ever want to explore jus how diverse Disneyana collecting can be, get your hands on one (or several) of the Van Eaton Galleries Disneyland auction catalogs. They're a little pricy, but they are full color on thick paper, close to 300 pages long, with stunning photos and descriptions. Post cards, ticketing media, training materials, costume pieces, ride props, attraction posters, concept drawings, ride vehicles--the amount of stuff available is staggering (one if the reasons I mostly have limited the scope of what I collect).

I was browsing one of the last online catalogs and would have loved to have grabbed the coca-cola corner table and chairs. Not the fanciest of Disney items, but sitting in them on my back patio during a warm summer afternoon would sure have hit the nostalgia nerve in the right way. 👍🏼