Next wave of Walt Disney Treasures? Update: Future In Doubt

[Lars Vermundsberget]

They could release an Alice set in the Legacy line.

As for the Treasures, we should ask for the remaining DD shorts - and the three C&D shorts and Susie The Little Blue Coupe and Casey Bats Again. Those would be the only "really essential" ones, IMO.

With this "scenario" the "leftovers" could just as well be included as extras on the two DD volumes - so there wouldn't be any need for another Rarites set... That's what I'd suggest.

[2099net]

They could release an Alice set in the Legacy line.

But isn't the issue with the Treasures that they aren't selling? If they were selling in Wave 1 and 2 numbers, I can't see Disney complaining/stopping the range. Do you really think an Alice Legacy Set will sell even a quater of those numbers? I have strong doubts about an Oswald set.

As for the Treasures, we should ask for the remaining DD shorts - and the three C&D shorts and Susie The Little Blue Coupe and Casey Bats Again. Those would be the only "really essential" ones, IMO.

With this "scenario" the "leftovers" could just as well be included as extras on the two DD volumes - so there wouldn't be any need for another Rarites set... That's what I'd suggest.

I think the Treasures are pretty much dead. I really don't see them being continued despite petitions, emails or snail mail.

Given the titles in the next wave of Legacy titles (which are unlikely to grab the mainstream conciousness), unless they are considerably cheaper to produce, are unlikely to surpass 3 or 4 waves. Ironically, the title which would have more impact on the general public - Donald Duck is stuck in Limbo!

[ohmahaaha]

But isn't the issue with the Treasures that they aren't selling? If they were selling in Wave 1 and 2 numbers, I can't see Disney complaining/stopping the range. Do you really think an Alice Legacy Set will sell even a quater of those numbers? I have strong doubts about an Oswald set.

I think the Treasures are pretty much dead. I really don't see them being continued despite petitions, emails or snail mail.

2099 ... if you check out the link to the Golden Age Cartoons thread on the previous page of this thread, you'll see according to this person's information that "poor sales" have nothing to do with it.

I reiterate, as I said elsewhere on this forum, if any of you care at all about the Treasures, I don't think it's too much of a waste of time to just take 5 minutes to tell Dick Cook and/or Disney Home Video how much you enjoy the Treasures, and how much you'd like to see more.

[2099net]

2099 ... if you check out the link to the Golden Age Cartoons thread on the previous page of this thread, you'll see according to this person's information that "poor sales" have nothing to do with it.

I hadn't read it, but now I have. And I'm sorry but I don't believe it. Deliberate marketing so as not to impact other lines? Generally a business doesn't stop a line they are happy with. Are they talking about the Legacy line? If so, why release it at the same time? That seems like a marketing disaster.

Plus, would Disney really care? This is the company that releases films and indicates if sales are good enough 2 disc or extended editions may be released later. Isn't that impacting on the same line?

[JamesDFarrow]

It can't be because of poor sales. These were purposely limited edition tins. And they (at least the older waves) are all sold out. Only available now from scalpers and gougers at ludicrous prices. If they were looking for more sales they would have released higher numbers.

James

[2099net]

It can't be because of poor sales. These were purposely limited edition tins. And they (at least the older waves) are all sold out. Only available now from scalpers and gougers at ludicrous prices. If they were looking for more sales they would have released higher numbers.

James

It could be because of poor sales - as in slow sales. If you were a retailer, every tin on the shelf or in your warehouse is stopping you selling potentially newer items with a faster turnaround. There's only so much shelf-space.

If some of the Treasures stood of shop shelves for 12 months (which is possible, Amazon still has Donald V2 in stock, 12 months after release, then it is likely retailers would either request and/or order fewer of each title.

[ohmahaaha]

I hadn't read it, but now I have. And I'm sorry but I don't believe it. Deliberate marketing so as not to impact other lines? Generally a business doesn't stop a line they are happy with. Are they talking about the Legacy line? If so, why release it at the same time? That seems like a marketing disaster.

I DO believe it, because I've seen similar posts on a different forums, posted by several different people. Who says that they're talking about the Legacy line? I think that certain people are thinking that they should dole the shorts out to a handful per single DVD, and from across the library ... i.e., NOT chronological. Basically we who have collected all the Treasures, it's like having invested in an encyclopedia, and having gotten letter "A" thru letter "Q," suddenly being told that there will be no letters "R" through "Z."

[2099net]

I hadn't read it, but now I have. And I'm sorry but I don't believe it. Deliberate marketing so as not to impact other lines? Generally a business doesn't stop a line they are happy with. Are they talking about the Legacy line? If so, why release it at the same time? That seems like a marketing disaster.

I DO believe it, because I've seen similar posts on a different forums, posted by several different people. Who says that they're talking about the Legacy line? I think that certain people are thinking that they should dole the shorts out to a handful per single DVD, and from across the library ... i.e., NOT chronological. Basically we who have collected all the Treasures, it's like having invested in an encyclopedia, and having gotten letter "A" thru letter "Q," suddenly being told that there will be no letters "R" through "Z."

But they already do that, and they do it successfully. Very successfully apparently. There's no news about that line finishing.

I don't really see there being any conflict between the Treasures and the Funny Factory-type releases.

You might as well say Disney sees a conflict between the Extended Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and the release with the bookends. In fact, the Treasures are just an additional income stream - something for collectors, just like the bookends were.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Do you really think an Alice Legacy Set will sell even a quater of those numbers? I have strong doubts about an Oswald set.

I have no idea of numbers here and what would be considered "adequate". But I was under the impression that the info about forthcoming Legacy sets was pretty much "truthful", so I guess an Alice set wouldn't be entirely unlikely if we're indeed getting the Oswald set. Just a thought - hardly such a big deal for me, really.

I think the Treasures are pretty much dead. I really don't see them being continued despite petitions, emails or snail mail.

Let's talk about that next year or so if it doesn't work out. What we need now is a solution (the WDT line "finalized", not "continued").

[ohmahaaha]

I have no idea of numbers here and what would be considered "adequate". But I was under the impression that the info about forthcoming Legacy sets was pretty much "truthful", so I guess an Alice set wouldn't be entirely unlikely if we're indeed getting the Oswald set. Just a thought - hardly such a big deal for me, really.

Let's talk about that next year or so if it doesn't work out. What we need now is a solution (the WDT line "finalized", not "continued").

Here's a dumb question ... why even launch the Legacy series to begin with? We were clamoring for the True Life Adventures to be part of the Treasures line anyway .... and we ended up getting 4 2 disc sets (although all at once). Why couldn't they just continue the Treasures series and bring the TLA's into it?

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I guess one has to be a marketing person to fully comprehend that...

[Escapay]

Here's a dumb question ... why even launch the Legacy series to begin with?

To give Roy something to do since the Treasures were more of Leonard's babies.

Escapay

[Pluto Region1]

Here's a dumb question .... Why couldn't they just continue the Treasures series and bring the TLA's into it?

I agree with you - I don't understand why they started a new collection. So maybe this is a packaging and marketing solution to poor WDT sales?

Along these lines, I tend to agree with Netty that usually a company doesn't discontinue something unless it is a poor seller. (If you were satisfied with sales, why would you discontinue it?) Perhaps the WDTs were not meeting expectations and they felt a new launch with a fresh packaging angle was the way to revive the WDT series.

I'll say one thing (although this is pure selfishness!), I'm glad the rest of the Pluto cartoons made it in this last Wave, if they really are going to discontinue the series!

[Scaramanga]

Along these lines, I tend to agree with Netty that usually a company doesn't discontinue something unless it is a poor seller.

You'd be surprised as to how many times sales have absolutely nothing to do with it. (or at the very least have only a limited impact)

[Loomis]

Here's a dumb question .... Why couldn't they just continue the Treasures series and bring the TLA's into it?

I agree with you - I don't understand why they started a new collection. So maybe this is a packaging and marketing solution to poor WDT sales?

Well if we take the Treasures having limited appeal as a given, and sales were poor, then four volumes of a niche product for a niche market weren't really going to boost the line.

I just don't know. Without knowing how much it costs Disney to produce each tin, I can't make the argument that the sales were or weren't harming their profits. For the price, they were incredibly good value.

I'd like to see the Donald cartoons finished, and given that he is the most popular of the lines left, it is likely it will happen in some form. Disney would be mad to sit on all that Vault material indefinitely.

[Gregbert]

OK. I normally don't do this; post on forums or write into studios but I have been moved by this thread. Being a massive fan of the Walt Disney Treasures collection, I decided to do my part and write a real letter (on paper and with a stamp) to Dick Cook. Here is my (perhaps tad wordy) letter:

1/19/07


Dick Cook
Chairman, Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Company
500 S. Buena Vista St. Burbank, CA 91521-9722

Dear Mr. Cook,

I have been a fan and collector of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections for the last 6 years. I am deeply disappointed to hear that this line of product is possibly coming to an end. If so, then I want to thank you for a line of product that exemplifies exactly what I think a DVD collection should be: vintage work from a famous studio using the most advance technology to make it accessible to the consumer. This was available to us at a very reasonable price.

I would like to be counted as one of the many consumers that would like to express my wish to see the Walt Disney Treasures line continued at least until some of the existing programs that have been started in the Walt Disney Treasures collection are all released. My personal preference is to the release of the remaining Donald Duck animated shorts.

As you can see from my letterhead, I work for Best Buy and we sell a lot of the Disney DVD titles. I have seen first hand the excitement of customers who bought the Walt Disney Treasure titles or have wondered when the next wave will be released.

I hope there is an opportunity for more Walt Disney Treasure titles to be released and I will continue to support the great DVD titles that celebrate the studio’s heritage such as the Walt Disney Treasure collections and the Walt Disney Legacy collection.

Sincerely,


Greg J. Bakun
Best Buy Advertising

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Let's see if we the fans can make a difference!

Take care,
Greg

[UncleEd]

You know, they should just put all the Oswalds and Alices in one Legacy set since both series have so many films that are now lost. It could be called "The Ealy Walt and Ub films" or something.


I don't get why they released the Treasures and Legacy collection at the same time either. What were they thinking? The one time they had it right by having the collector geared Vault Disney line 6 months apart from the Treasures they cancelled the line. Disney never knows what they're doing. And where is that 2 Disc Lilo & Stitch? THey've been promising that for years. I've about had it with the mouse.

[jebsdad]

Here is my (perhaps tad wordy) letter:

Nicely written letter. Even though my own past experience with Disney Corp management doesn't encourage me, I will also send a letter to Dick Cook.

If the Treasures continue to be a canceled series, our best bet to eventually get future "Treasures" is the Walt Disney's Legacy Collection series.

However, I don't even trust Disney to bring out the announced 2007 titles (Destino, Disneyland, Oswald), much less expect future releases.

However, the Treasures / Legacy sorts itself out, it was going to be December 2007 before the next set of Treasures anyway. So I'll just wait until later in the year and see what announcements appear on "Treasures-like" releases.

[UncleEd]

Here's a thought. What if Roy Disney's recent divorce puts an end to his sponsored Legacy series?

[ichabod]

Here's a thought. What if Roy Disney's recent divorce puts an end to his sponsored Legacy series?

Yes after all the bible does say, and I quote:

"Lest not he who bears the surname Disney, represent a line dedicated to relatively unknown material supplied through means of discs of silver should his spousal bond be broken."

Then it continues to say something about a rampant beast of evil, but I think that's referring to Eisner!