A little discouraged with disney doll collecting

Hi everyone! I'm a new disney limited edition doll collector, I'm very behind and would like to slowly start acquiring these beautiful dolls.

however lately the prices have been really depressing! I've been shopping around for 17" Alice, Snow White and nov Elsa and Anna, I really can't comfortably afford the prices I may have to throw in the towel if I can't find a better more affordable resource to acquire these dolls, I don't have any other dolls to trade, and I don't have the knowledge or the knack to seem and find them. Can anyone offer me some advice?

People here at DPF have really been the only ones to take me under their wing and teach me a few tricks I feel a little more confident at actually being able to purchase the new releases from the actual disney site (fingers crossed) or so I hope! It's the dolls that I've missed that I'm at a loss for...

thanks for for taking the time to help me out!

Don't give up!! Luck can find you when you least expect it

When I first started collecting (about two years ago), I never in a million years thought I would catch up to where I am now. When you first look at the list you cringe and get scared, but it is do-able, if you set your heart to it! There are tons of nice people who are always willing to help. Sometimes, in places you don't expect it! I suggest always browsing different websites. Don't restrict yourself to just eBay!
Never be afraid to message someone a question, if they are selling other LE dolls, and ask if they have others they may sell! That is how I got Belle, Tiana, and Snow White for $600 together! The seller (on eBay!) had Belle and Tiana listed for $200 each, and I messaged and asked if I could get a deal for buying both. Then I asked if they had any additional dolls to sell, hoping for Blonde Rapunzel. And they offered me Snow White! I asked for the price and they said "$200 more". I of course informed them that the doll was worth much more than that, but she didn't care. She wanted it to go to a collector, and was giving me a good price! She gave me free shipping, too! Honestly, I thought I was being scammed, but it turned out alright!

Weird stuff like that happens all the time, in any collecting community! You may walk into a pawn shop someday and see a doll just chilling on the shelf for all you know! Just always keep your eyes peeled and I think you will stumble upon deals when you least expect it!

I wish you the best of luck!

With the current frozen hype it really is not a good time to try and track back and get the older dolls like Snow or Alice. What I recommend is that you building up your collection with the relatively cheaper dolls like Ariel and Cinderella. Also now that you are aware of the dolls try to remain on top of the releases so that you are able to get them at retail.

Once the frozen hype dies down a but you may be able to get the other rarer dolls for a bit cheaper but I wouldn't her my hopes up too much. The prices seem to have settled now so you should expect to pay large amounts for Alice, SQ Elsa and Snow.

If you are in it to just get those three then it is best to just save and buy those or if you cannot afford it and don't have the patience getting them then I recommend that you just try collecting something else as you will just constantly be let down (unless of course someone was nice enough to sell the dolls to you at retail rather than current market value which be rare).

But if you are in it to collect the Disney dolls then I highly recommend that you do start off with the easier to acquire dolls and just work your way slowly to when the past release dolls become more affordable to you. Doll collecting can take time, especially when you a re looking for a good deal. Just keep checking websites like eBay, Amazon or any other secondary market retailers for great deals and something may appear as it can happen and has happened in the past where buyers were able to get a rare doll for more than cost but significantly less than current market value.

good luck! And do not lose hope, you just have to be patient and diligent!

k, i might be totally off here but...

i think it has to do with patience, partly. honestly, i would justify my purchase of a doll i really liked if i gradually saved up for it and did not have other crucial expenses that i couldn't pay off. maybe start a piggy bank, put in an amount every month, and leave that off for purchases? i've seen some people do that.

it also takes time. a item won't magically pop up when you want for the price you want (darn it. >:l where is my personal genie? snooow globe galooooore)... but getting to know the market, some of the sellers who might have good deals and such, and browsing around for different possible outlets that an item could pop up at would better equip you for when it does pop up.

yeah... there are some lovely tips already posted in this thread. <3 really helps to read them too, for me, because i can sort of apply it to other things that i'm looking for.

Is there a link someone can post so I can see what these 17" dolls look like? Do these include the Designer ones or are those different a different collection?

[QUOTEalways_enchanted;703135]Is there a link someone can post so I can see what these 17" dolls look like? Do these include the Designer ones or are those different a different collection?[/QUOTE]

There is a LE doll thread right below this thread. Polaris has a pinned LE thread as well.

I actually just started collecting LE dolls when Ariel was for pre-order..

Since then I've only acquired Coronation Elsa, I think it's just best to wait, find other places that are a reliable place to buy from, and go from there. Buying the big dolls like Alice or Snow White are going to take some time, I could only dream of getting that Snow White years from now..

I also check all my sites at least 3 times a day because you just never know what might pop up! Especially on Ebay, sometimes, just SOMETIMES, you find a seller that actualy lives in your area and you can cut the cost of shipping!

I'm still quite new at this, so I'm learning as I go as well

I just started collecting the dolls this year and I've gone through some of the same frustrations, so I completely understand where you are coming from. I was able to get the March Frozen dolls at retail from the Disney Store and then purchased SQ Elsa on eBay at about half of what she is going for now. After getting Elsa, I couldn't really afford Nov Anna, and now I'm kicking myself and wishing I had just got her then because she is currently triple that price. It can be very discouraging. There are so many dolls I feel I need to "catch up" on. I don't even plan on getting all the past releases, and I still feel like I have such a looooooong way to go.

However, I came to the conclusion that, like everybody mentioned above, I just need to be patient. I don't have to get all the dolls NOW. I was making myself anxious and feeling that I had to get all the ones I want RIGHT NOW or there won't be any available later or the price will go up even more. I realized I wasn't feeling happy about this or having fun. I was so wrapped up in what I didn't have yet that I wasn't even enjoying the few beautiful dolls I do have. So I decided that I've spent enough money on dolls the last couple of months, and I'm going to focus on enjoying the dolls I have for awhile until I can save up again and wait for a good deal to come along on that Nov Anna or, one day hopefully, a Snow White. I'm also looking forward to the new upcoming releases I can get at retail. And yes, the "hunting" aspect of it can be a huge part of the fun.

Also -- the last doll I purchased was a LE Rapunzel on eBay -- when I got her she was one of the only few even listed. I anxiously snapped her up --- and while I'm glad I have her -- someone else ended up getting a Rapunzel on eBay about a week later for about $100 less. So sometimes if you just wait it out, a better deal will come along.

always_enchanted said:

Is there a link someone can post so I can see what these 17" dolls look like? Do these include the Designer ones or are those different a different collection?

Click to expand...

Yep AmandaAutumn is right, here is the page she is referring to.

http://disneypinforum.com/showthrea...dition-Dolls-Informative-Thread-(IMAGE-HEAVY)

There is also a designer doll equivalent page of this but it is not pinned.

The link I provided above will give you all the images and info about the past released LE 17"/18" dolls in the one page so it is pretty useful.

I was a huge fan of disney dolls but only started collecting until my other half got me an designer Ursula for my birthday this year. Indeed, I remember going into the stores picking up one or two classic disney dolls and looking at the stunning couples dolls, seeing their prices and moving slowly away. Now i regret that. But hey ho. I wasn't a collector then. I hadn't caught the bug (so to speak). I just appreciated the dolls. People here on the forum are lovely - my advice as a kind-of-newbie? Just wait. Its tricky that we've started collecting as during Frozen which has naturally pushed the prices of all dolls a little higher than before. And, perhaps that has made some dolls completely out of reach budget-wise. And, then there is the fact that the Disney sites can crash/stores sell out before they've even opened so it makes it even all the more difficult. But for me, its just about perseverance and patience. I love my Ursula doll to pieces. I'd love love love that she had other villains to keep her company but I'm prepared to wait. All in good time. In meantime, this forum is a fab place to get hints, updates and make good connections.

Don't give up, you never know what might happen

I suppose it's tougher for you because the dolls you want, everyone else does too (so great taste ) but like everyone else has said just keep your eyes open and I'm sure they'll come along. Good luck and welcome to the madness.

I've only been back into the disney doll collection for about 2 years now, but I used to be a huge collector of Monster High dolls. While there is a significane difference between the two (price and avalibility) I have found that the doll hunting/collecting rules remain the same: 1) be diligent in checking your sources (forums, ebay, amazon - I don't know many for Disney). You never know when one will pop up; 2) Set price limites, save up and stick to them - it's easy to get caught up in the moment and max a credit card out. With that, also accept that the if you go after rare dolls you are more than likely going to pay a premium price. You may luck out, but you may not. 3) Patience - some day your doll will come!

Above all think of it as a treasure hunt; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doll! Enjoy the sport and you prize will be that much more rewarding!

I Every hobby has high prices for certain items. That's something one must accept. Can't get everything we want in life (I'm still waiting for the winning lottery ticket) so you shouldn't get discouraged so easily.

If those 3 are the only dolls you're after, yeah, sorry to say, but you're screwed

However, there are other beautiful LE dolls from the collection that you can get started with. I wouldn't focus first on the grails. Start smaller, like with the Cinderella or Little Mermaid or Brave dolls. Those don't go too far over retail. But Alice, Snow, and Elsa? These are 3 most expensive dolls. Of course you're going to get discouraged.

I really thank everyone for their two bits of knowledge, encouragement and advice I will definitely try to look harder and not give up I'll keep everyone posted on my progress! In the meantime I'm very thrilled with all the fellow collector friends I've been making! DPF is really a great community to be a part of!

The Limited Edition dolls are a big hype right now. Unfortunetely the scalpers are over powering our fellow collectors and selling them for ridiculous prices. That's why when you go online all you will see right now is Tinkerbell, Zarina, and both series of the Anna and Elsa. They are at the prices they are now because once people saw how much the Snow Queen Elsa was going for, they thought that any Limited Edition doll could go for double the price. Once they see that they won't sell for those prices, they will drop. Like everyone else mentioned I would give it time but keep up on it. I atleast check the recently added once a day to see if anything new has come on, and I add items to my watch list. I am starting to collect myself so I wish all the luck to you and hope you find all your dream dolls

Right now, many people are willing to pay the high prices for the frozen dolls, there are ended listings between 350-700 for Elsas