The Walt Disney Signature Collection

[Sotiris]

You both explained why making of books are a better accompaniment but he said art of books not making of books and he said "mere" like the storybooks aren't great.

Usually art of books double as making of books too. I don't understand why you're being so defensive about storybooks. Nobody said that the storybooks Disney makes are of poor quality but that storybooks it's just not something that most DVD/Blu-ray collectors care about. I think it's safe to say that collectors would prefer an art of/making of book with their Blu-ray instead of a storybook. Not to mention that the storybooks included in the Disney home video releases reuse the same illustrations from previous publications so you're not really getting something new.

[Farerb]

Yes when I said "The art of" I meant "The making of". I also would like to clarify that I don't hate the storybooks, they look gorgeous and I like the quality of the pages. I also plan to get The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty's digibooks when they are released.

[Disney Duster]

I thought art of books never touched on the story aspect of the films. Maybe when you guys say art of you are also thinking of those that are also making of.

I was also implying DVD and Blu-ray collectors should like Disney's storybooks because they are so great.

I'm glad farerb wants some of them.

[unprincess]

I have all the Target digibooks made so far, & I too prefer making of books with concept art and drawings as well. I wouldnt mind a storybook if the art wasn't recycled from already existing storybooks. Like I hate that the Bambi digibook used art from a book I already own.

BTW the Peter Pan Target digibook may be the first one I skip b/c I already have the previous Target PP digibook and they will probably just reuse the same storybook art, and frankly Id rather get the gorgeous Best Buy excl. steelbook.

[Escapay]

At last count, I have 48 digibooks from various companies, 13 of which are Disney (of Disney's Target digibooks, I'm missing 2012's releases of Cinderella and Secret of the Wings). Quite literally, only Disney's are mere storybooks. The other 35 all are making-of/art-of books that contain contextual material about the making of their films. Yes, a storybook is contextual material. But I'd rather have contextual material about the making of a film, not a condensed regurgitation of the film that I already plan on watching. If I'm going to pay a premium for hardcover book packaging, I'd rather have the pages be filled with something worth reading. And I get that kind of satisfaction from the non-Disney digibooks in my collection. Some of them are newly-produced essays and biographies coupled with behind-the-scenes photos and publicity stills (Lost Horizon). Others are cutdown versions of their official making-of books (wonder Woman), usually to entice a purchase of the making-of book. (Side note: Disney themselves did this with a few of their Deluxe Edition laserdiscs back in the day - Pocahontas and Toy Story used 28-page condensed versions of their Art-of books in the deluxe laserdisc box set.) These digibooks are also especially valuable on titles that don't have traditional making-of documentaries included, like The Big Parade, A Star is Born, and Poltergeist. Every time I pull one of these digibooks off the shelf, I feel inclined to peruse through the liner notes and trivia before playing the disc.

I don't get that same feeling with a Disney digibook. Instead, I just get a sense of, "Well, I got one." Right now, the only one that has any real sentimental value for me is the Beauty and the Beast Signature Collection digibook, since it has the autographs of Don Hahn and Paige O'Hara inside them (incidentally, both signed within hours of each other). But otherwise, I'm merely collecting them because of their exclusiveness and rarity rather than any actual enjoyment from the storybook included. I'll look through it once when I pull off the shrink wrap, but that's usually it. Heck, Target decided to forego the digibook packaging for the 2014 Blu-Rays of The Jungle Book and Sleeping Beauty, opting to just bundle a Blu-case-size storybook with the release. I skipped out on those because that premium packaging wasn't available. I'm sure when their Signature Collections get released, it'll be digibook, and the collector side of me will want to get those.

Albert

[Disney Duster]

I find the storybooks worth reading, and especially worth looking at the gorgeous art the princess ones have. The edited making of books you mentioned reminds me of the kind released with the laserdisc and VHS's in the past. The Masterpiece ones.

[DisneyFreak5282]

Quite literally, only Disney's are mere storybooks.

This is exactly why I don't buy them. Some of the covers are nice, but other than the fact that they are produced in limited quantities, there's no draw to them, at least for me. Plus, they take up more shelf space - which normally I don't care about if it's collectible - but for the Signature releases it isn't worth it for me, especially considering the quality of the releases and how many movies I buy. I've bought all the Best Buy exclusive packaging for the Signature line (my eye twitches as I type this considering they went from exclusive slipcover art to exclusive steelbook packaging and the collection will not be uniform), and that's a bigger draw for me for some reason.

Like most people have said, I'd be more inclined to buy the Target exclusives for these releases if they came with books that had a little more insight or concept art, even if they were similar to their exclusives for Coco, The Last Jedi or Black Panther.

[Farerb]

Quite literally, only Disney's are mere storybooks.

This is exactly why I don't buy them. Some of the covers are nice, but other than the fact that they are produced in limited quantities, there's no draw to them, at least for me. Plus, they take up more shelf space - which normally I don't care about if it's collectible - but for the Signature releases it isn't worth it for me, especially considering the quality of the releases and how many movies I buy. I've bought all the Best Buy exclusive packaging for the Signature line (my eye twitches as I type this considering they went from exclusive slipcover art to exclusive steelbook packaging and the collection will not be uniform), and that's a bigger draw for me for some reason.

Like most people have said, I'd be more inclined to buy the Target exclusives for these releases if they came with books that had a little more insight or concept art, even if they were similar to their exclusives for Coco, The Last Jedi or Black Panther.

What did you do about Beauty and the Beast?

[DisneyFreak5282]

What did you do about Beauty and the Beast?

I actually didn't buy that one right away - I waited a few months until the price dropped down to around $19.99. Just a few months prior I had upgraded from the standard Diamond Edition to the 3D version so the only reason I really needed to buy the Signature release was for the digital copy. It was easy to wait out considering how underwhelming the release was.

[unprincess]

anyone been able to pick up the Peter Pan steelbook at Best Buy? I went to my local store today but they were all sold out, even though the website said there were copies available at that particular store. And for some reason its not available for buying/shipping from the website. The same thing happened to me with Coco but I was able to eventually buy it online from bestbuy.com after a couple weeks. I hope the Peter Pan steelbook eventually becomes available online as well.

[Escapay]

anyone been able to pick up the Peter Pan steelbook at Best Buy?

I had mine on pre-order the moment the page for it went live. I'm a reasonable driving distance to four Best Buys, but when there's a store exclusive, I try to make sure to just get it on pre-order to save the risk of driving to one of them and not finding it there. When I went tonight after work, there was literally one steelbook left (but plenty of A Wrinkle in Time haha). Didn't get the Coco steelbook, unfortunately, as I had opted only for the Target digipak (which I wrongly assumed was a digibook when I pre-ordered it).

Albert

[unprincess]

I guess I have to start pre-ordering them as well. Im worried Ive missed my opportunity to get the Pan steelbook as unlike Coco its an old title and I can see Best Buy not bothering to restock it online.

Escapay, when you pre-order it online do they mail it to you or do you have to go to the store and pick it up? Do they have it specifically on hold for you or do you have to grab it from the store shelf? on the website it says you can buy it online and pick it up at that particular store I went to(the one I went to yesterday) but they ran out very early the day it was released, so does that mean there's no guarantee you'll get a copy even if you preorder it?

[Escapay]

Escapay, when you pre-order it online do they mail it to you or do you have to go to the store and pick it up?

You can choose one or the other, depending on if both options are available. Having it mailed to you guarantees you'll get it - either on release day or ahead of time. Store pick-up has them set a copy aside for you upon receiving the shipment, and then they give you a three-day window to get it. If you fail to pick it up, they refund your money and put it on the store shelf. I opted for store pick-up because I knew I'd have time that day to go get it.

Also, PSA for anyone who's interested, but the Target exclusive is not a digibook. Instead, it's a digipak that includes the storybook separately. In a twist, the discs in the Best Buy steelbook actually contains disc art, but the Target exclusive (and I'm assuming the general release) does not.

















Albert

[Farerb]

That's a shame. Now people can't have a consistent digibook collection.

[unprincess]

thanks for the info Escapay. I decided to just order it and pick it up at another store thats a bit farther than the one I went to. I have no idea if they actually have any left in stock even though it says they do. I guess they'll just refund my money of they dont have it. For some reason shipping to my house was not an option available to me or I would've gotten it that way.

oh I love the Mary Blair concept art on the Target Peter Pan digibook! I guess they are doing it this way now so that the book is easier to hold. Though its a shame the book's art is the same one from the last digibook. If i cant get the Best Buy steelbook Ill probably pick up the digibook if they have any left.

[DisneyFreak5282]

Interesting concept, so the packaging for the Target version is similar to their exclusives for Coco, The Last Jedi, and Black Panther. I actually prefer that to the Digibook style. I bought the Best Buy steelbook and kept it sealed, and I bought the release in standard packaging too. Weird that the steelbook features disc art.

[pikachufan1336]

With the new Dumbo trailer that just came out, does this mean that it will get a signature edition?

It hasn't been released as a blu ray digital copy combo (with the exception of the DMC exclusive which they never released outside of it like with Mulan), and it doesn't have itunes extras.
Do you guys think it's a possibility?

I mean with Fantasia (or Cinderella?) up next, what would most likely come afterwords?

[Mickeyfan1990]

That would be wonderful, but the best we could get at this point is a nationwide release of the DMC exclusive.

[Khonnor]

With the new Dumbo trailer that just came out, does this mean that it will get a signature edition?

It hasn't been released as a blu ray digital copy combo (with the exception of the DMC exclusive which they never released outside of it like with Mulan), and it doesn't have itunes extras.
Do you guys think it's a possibility?

I mean with Fantasia (or Cinderella?) up next, what would most likely come afterwords?

Dumbo will not be a signature release. The next release will be Cinderella imo. Next year we'll get Jungle Book, Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty. IMO.

[pikachufan1336]

With the new Dumbo trailer that just came out, does this mean that it will get a signature edition?

It hasn't been released as a blu ray digital copy combo (with the exception of the DMC exclusive which they never released outside of it like with Mulan), and it doesn't have itunes extras.
Do you guys think it's a possibility?

I mean with Fantasia (or Cinderella?) up next, what would most likely come afterwords?

Dumbo will not be a signature release. The next release will be Cinderella imo. Next year we'll get Jungle Book, Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty. IMO.

I'd expect Aladdin to come out next year for the live action remake... but then again, that might not be until the next year.

I know it's going to be either Cinderella or Fantasia (though the ladder might not happen because of Disney's history with releasing that movie)