How to Purchase Classic Disney Movies

Depending on the timing, you can buy a classic Disney movie simply by driving to your local video store and plunking down $20. Disney, however, uses a fiendish marketing strategy in order to keep demand for its movies high. It periodically pulls classic titles out of circulation--halting production of new DVDs and waiting several years before printing again. If you want to buy a Disney classic in the interim--those "down periods" where the film is out of circulation--you'll have to do a little hunting.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look for a third-party buyer on Amazon. Although Disney itself may have discontinued the DVD, a number of licensed DVD sellers still have copies for sale. Simply type in the title of the film in question into Amazon's search engine, then click on the "Used & new" link. Prices vary wildly depending on the title and seller. A very popular title such as "Cinderella" had a big production run and thus may be much cheaper than, say, "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh," which had a much smaller run.

2. Check for the title on eBay. Speculators and folks just looking to unload their collection may auction them off there, and professional third-party sellers offer them there as well. Again, prices vary by the level of demand, though it's possible to get a real bargain from a private seller eager to get rid of one.

3. Check conventions, flea markets and garage sales. Sellers may offer hard-to-find Disney classic DVDs at booths during science fiction and comic book conventions, and private sellers may get rid of them through more informal means like flea markets. It can be very time-intensive--you'll likely be searching through a lot of unsorted bins--but it can produce real gems available for an extremely reasonable price.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for classic Disney movies available as VHS tapes. VHS image quality can't compare with DVDs or Blu-Ray, but it's a way to get the movie at a great price.

• Disney's "Song of the South," first released in 1946, has never been released in an official capacity in the U.S. because it contains racial themes and stereotypes which Disney doesn't want associated with its image. Copies of "Song of the South" are available only in bootleg versions.

Resources

• A comprehensive list of Disney DVDs and their expected release dates.
• Amazon.com for finding Disney DVD sellers.
• EBay for finding Disney DVD sellers.