ALL ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISNEY DVD RELEASES
Disney is currently in the process of re-evaluating their different DVD lines, specifically phasing out the "Gold Collection" line; as such, the information in this overview is changing. To date, there have been seven types of DVD releases from Disney. Walt Disney was one of the latest studios to jump into the DVD format, with its first DVD releases being live-action films including The Santa Clause in the Fall of 1998. Live-action Disney movies had, for the most part, only seen these standard releases with few extras, until 2001.

It wasn't until a year later, in the Fall of 1999 when Disney decided to open up its vaults and release some of their Animated Classics on the DVD format. Their inital plan called for 9 movies (8 "Classics" and 1 direct-to-video title) to be released on a weekly basis. Each title was to only be available for a number of weeks, at which point it would go out of print. These Limited Edition titles were ridiculously priced at $39.99 retail, contained little or no extras, and widescreen releases were not enhanced for 16:9 TVs. This plan was a disaster: even the "Disney Limited Edition" banners across the cases could not sell these movies. At this point, Disney realized that it would have to put more effort into their DVD releases. These nine initial DVD releases (The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians, Mulan, Hercules,and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride) are now all out-of-print and extremely difficult to find. Three of these Limited Editions have already been re-packaged as Gold Collection titles (Pinocchio, Hercules, and Mulan). One (Peter Pan) was upgraded to a Special Edition DVD release. The remaining five will all be re-released in some form as well; four will receive a Platinum release (see below), and it is unclear when and how The Lion King II will be re-released.

After the failure of the Limited Edition line, Disney devised the Gold Collection as a new plan for DVD releases. These would basically contain the same few number of extras, but would be released permanently, there was no limit to the time window in which they would printed. Three of the Limited Edition titles--Mulan,Hercules, and Pinocchio--were repackaged with the Limited Edition discs in new Gold Collection cases. Future Gold Collection titles were released on one particular day each month. The majority of Disney's catalogue of Animated Classics have been released as these Gold Collection DVDs with a few extras and at a retail price of $29.99. (A number of the DVDs have since undergone price reductions to $22.99 and $19.99 retail prices.) However, the "Gold Collection" name and line were not as successful as Disney had hoped. As a result, when Dumbo was released Fall 2001 on DVD, it was billed as a "60th Anniversary Edition", rather than Gold Collection, and the disc was packed with extras, including an audio commentary. Also, the story about Gold Collection titles being available indefinitely also turned untrue, as at the end of January 2002, the Gold Collection DVDs for Pinocchio and Mulan went out of print. Disney still has a few Gold Collection releases coming out, but they are packed with extras and on the whole, they seem to be leaning away from calling DVDs "Gold Collection." The upcoming DVD releases for both The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Oliver & Company are both NOT "Gold Collection" DVDs. While practically identical in design, Hunchback was simply labeled as "The Original Animated Classic" and Oliver is given the same "Special Edition" name as the Peter Pan re-release.

New Disney movies that debut on DVD the same day as on video are often released as just standard Disney DVD's with no designation. Animated films like Return to Neverland and live-action works such as Snow Dogs are the types of films that receive non-catalogue "standard" DVD treatment.These standard releases also include direct-to-video movies like Cinderella II and Hunchback of Notre Dame II.

Disney's more popular/successful animation titles are released both as Standard DVDs and Collector's Edition DVDs. Atlantis: The Lost Empire is the 7th Collector's Edition release, and like the other Collector's Edition titles, is available in a less expensive standard release with fewer extras. Outside of the Platinum line (which is reserved for just the 10 best-selling animated classics), the Collector's Editions are the best Disney DVD releases and are multi-disc sets which contain audio commentaries from the filmmakers, plus a slew of other extras, such as deleted animation, trailers and TV ads, and extensive making-of footage. Disney may be straying away from these 2-tiered release, since this upcoming September's DVD release of Monsters Inc. will be just one release: a 2-disc Collector's Edition, $29.99 SRP. It is yet to be seen if this is a permanent trend or just a way to maximize Monsters Inc. sales.

The fifth and most special type of Disney DVD releases is the Platinum Collection titles. These are Disney's ten best-selling video titles that are to be released as special edition DVDs at a rate of one a year each October. This October, Disney is releasing Beauty and the Beast as the second Platinum Edition 2-disc set. The film was released on New Year's Day in IMAX theaters, something that may become a pattern from Platinum titles the year of their DVD release. (2003's Platinum title, The Lion King is hitting IMAX theaters on New Year's day, as well.)

Last year's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was hugely successful as the first Platinum Edition release. Disney's business-inspired Platinum release plan calls for releasing one Platinum Edition DVD set a year (each fall) and making them available for a limited time only. (Snow White has been out of print since January 31, 2002.) Since these are the 10 best-selling titles, they arealso the Disney titles most wanted on DVD, which means a long wait for such films as Aladdin and Bambi to make their DVD debut. The Platinum Edition releases are even superior to their Collector's Edition releases for new movies, devoted to the ultimate video and audio, and a plethora of extras. The other 8 Platinum Collection titles are: The Lion King (2003), Aladdin (2004), Bambi (2005),The Jungle Book (2006), Cinderella (2007), The Little Mermaid (2008), Lady and the Tramp (2009), and 101 Dalmatians (2010).

Disney has recently formed two new lines of releases. Walt Disney Treasures are 2-disc tins (retail price $32.99) which compile episodes of old cartoons and television programs. The first wave of four WD Treasures sets were released in December 2001. They were The Complete Davy Crockett Televised Series, Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Disneyland U.S.A., and Silly Symphonies. The next wave coming in December 2002 features Mickey Mouse in Black & White, Behind the Scenes At the Walt Disney Studio, and The Complete Goofy. Future Walt Disney Treasure releases currently planned include Dr. Syn, Alias The Scarecrow, Walt Disney's True Life Adventures, Wartime Cartoons, and a Donald Duck Cartoon Collection. The other line of releases is Vault Disney, which like the Treasures releases, are 2-disc sets. The Vault Disney sets are for classic live-action Disney films. The first wave, released on May 7 included Old Yeller, The Parent Trap, Pollyanna, and Swiss Family Robinson. Future Vault Disney releases are expected to include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Love Bug.

Choose from the six categories below to see a listing of all Disney films and their to-date status of being released on DVD.