Does the Moratorium Rule Exist in Region 2, 3, etc. ?

[Lazario]

Does the rule that Disney DVDs can only be out for a year or less, exist for countries outside of the U.S. and Canada? Does Disney even own distribution rights for their films outside North America?

[Wonderlicious]

Yes, that rule does exist over here. However, things seem to generally go missing less quickly in England at least; many sites and many shops still sell The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty and the Region 2 exclusive Special Edition of Pinocchio* (all of which have recently been vaulted). Somebody recently spotted Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book in a Disney Store actually.

*Don't get upset about Region 1 not having this; it's nothing more than a glorified Gold Collection release, much like the Region 1 release of Oliver and Company.

[triwit]

Unofficially, there is something like that also in here Thailand-Region 3. Disney can control the distributor here to stop selling the DVD.

Anyway, as I know, only a small amount of Disney DVD issued in Thailand market, so just a couple of months after their first day of issue, it will be not easy to find them on any shelf.

[Scabbie]

They do that in Holland too, but Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are still available... Snow White is really sold out and the Fantasia movies are very hard to find. But most of the DVD's are just available.

[drnilescrane]

We dont really have that rule - it can be PUBLISHED for less than a year (some are, some are just always there like Dumbo or Hercules), but most stores will keep the stock till it sells.

[ThiagoPE]

I thinl even having their own market adaptation (for example the lion king dvd still is being sold here in brazil) every place have the moratorium rule,

They could not maitain all the dvds in the stores same time

[Jakijajah]

Same thing in Poland. When the moratorium starts retailers can't get any more copies from the distributor, but Disney doesn't take the ones that didn't sell off the shelves.


Jak