Walt Disney Studios has given animated films a whole new direction since releasing its first film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Following this, it blessed cartoon lovers with an array of unforgettable films, such as Robin Hood, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and many more.
From 1937 to the early 2000s, Disney’s most classic animated films were released on VHS (Video Home System that uses analog video recording cassettes with magnetic tapes). Some of these VHSs were part of special Walt Disney collections.
Since VHSs were discontinued after the evolution of DVDs, these vintage Disney VHS tapes have become a collectible for die-hard Disney fans!
What Makes a Disney VHS Tape Valuable?
Although worth collecting, the value of an old Disney VHS tape largely depends on how enthusiastic the buyer is. Nonetheless, a few criteria may help you understand if a tape is worth considering.
- Black Diamond Tapes: Several Disney VHS tapes were released as a part of the “Walt Disney Classics” home video series, which is also known as the “Black Diamond Collection.” These tapes can be identified by the iconic Black Diamond label reading “The Classics” on the cassette cases.
- Older, Rarer & Lesser Known Films: While popular Disney film tapes are mostly more sought-after, the less popular films may also fetch an unexpected price as they might be hard to find.
- Original Clamshell Cases: Naturally, Disney VHSs with original, unopened cases are valued more. Factory-sealed clamshell cases are a solid attraction for Disney lovers as a sign of the company’s merchandise.
15 Disney VHS Tapes Worth Money You Must Look For!
While Disney VHS tapes may not be a worthy collectible for all collectors, crazy Disney fans may happily pay exceptionally big amounts for even less popular movie tapes.
Here are the 16 most valuable Disney VHS tapes that have sold for surprisingly high prices in the past and could be worth a lot today!
1. Disney Pixar Cars (Sold for $12,000)
- Release Year: 2007
- Runtime: 117 minutes
- Director: John Lasseter
Arguably considered one of the last Disney VHS tapes, a 2007 Disney Pixar Cars tape sold for a whopping $12,000 on eBay, registering itself as the most expensive Disney VHS tape ever sold.
These tapes were released in 2007 as a limited edition, making them quite rare. The tape case is labeled VGA 85+ (GOLD) (IGS DMC) with a visible barcode which justifies its stunning price.
2. Beauty and the Beast (Sold for 37,777)
- Release Year: September 29, 1991
- VHS Release: 1992
- Running Time: 84 minutes
- Directors: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
If you are a Beauty and the Beast fan, this collectible VHS is for you! Walt Disney Home Video (aka Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) released the film to VHS under the Walt Disney Classics video series in 1992. The studio later released the “work-in-progress” version of the film, which broke sales records.
In 2002, the new “Beauty and the Beast: Special Edition,” featuring the film in the IMAX/large-format, was released to VHS. These VHS tapes can be worth a big fortune today if you’re lucky.
One sealed copy of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast VHS 1992 Black Diamond Classic was sold for $37,777 last year. Recently, another VHS tape sold for 10,999 on eBay in April.
3. Peter Pan (Sold for $9,000)
- Release Year: February 5, 1953
- VHS Release: 1990; Re-released: March 3, 1998)
- Running Time: 77 minutes
- Directors: Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi
1990 Disney’s Peter Pan VHS copies are a valuable pick for VHS collectors. One sealed copy was recently sold for an astonishing price of $9,000. Besides giving us the adorable character of Peter, the film also introduced the cartoon movie lovers to one of the best villains, Captain Hook.
In case you wondered, the film is an adaptation of J. M. Barrie’s 1904 theater play “Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.”
4. Pinocchio (Sold for $8,290)
- Release Year: February 7, 1940
- VHS Release: July 16, 1985
- Running Time: 88 minutes
- Directors: Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske
Disney’s second animated feature film, Pinocchio, brought the beloved character of a wooden puppet, Pinocchio, from Carlo Collodi’s 1883 Italian children’s novel, “The Adventures of Pinocchio.”
Being one of the most adored Disney films and the second installment of the Walt Disney Classics series, Pinocchio VHS tapes can be worth a pretty penny. A sealed copy of Disney’s Pinocchio tape in a clamshell VHS case sold for $8,290 on Etsy.
5. The Fox and the Hound (Sold for $7,800)
- Release Year: July 10, 1981
- VHS Release: March 4, 1994
- Running Time: 83 minutes
- Directors: Richard Rich, Art Stevens, Ted Berman
Partially based on Daniel P. Mannix’s 1967 novel, The Fox and the Hound is a Disney film only a few people know. Nonetheless, The Fox and the Hound VHS copies are still collected by many Disney fans to complete their Disney VHS collection.
One such devoted fan purchased a Walt Disney Classic The Fox and the Hound Black Diamond Edition VHS tape for $7,800 via eBay!
6. Walt Disney Cinderella (Sold for $5,000)
- Release Year: February 15, 1950
- VHS Release: October 4, 1988
- Running Time: 74 minutes
- Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Walt Disney’s Cinderella is not only one of the world’s favorite princess movies to date, but it’s also one of the most valuable VHS tapes. A sealed copy of Walt Disney’s Cinderella Black Diamond The Classics VHS tape is listed at $25,000 on eBay, while other sellers have sold it for around $5,000.
7. Dumbo (Sold for $4,500)
- Release Year: October 23, 1941
- VHS Release: June 26, 1981; Re-released: November 6, 1985
- Runtime: 64 minutes
- Director: Ben Sharpsteen, Wilfred Jackson, Norman Ferguson, Bill Roberts
Being Disney’s fourth animated feature film, Dumbo was a big hit in the animation industry. But what makes the Dumbo VHS copies more valuable is the fact that it was Disney’s first animated film released on home video in 1981, along with Alice in Wonderland.
While common Dumbo VHS tapes may only sell for under $50, a rare tape with IGS 6.5 EX box and Seal 7 EX (wrapped with a circular Mickey tag sold for a whopping $4,500 at Heritage Auctions.
8. The Little Mermaid Banned Copy (Sold for $4,000)
- Release Year: November 17, 1989
- VHS Release: May 18, 1990
- Running Time: 83 minutes
- Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
It was speculated that Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” makers got some inappropriate things into the film past the censor boards. It was, as many reviewers have stated, the sort of phallic-shaped castle on the film’s home video tape cover. Nonetheless, the film was one of the best-selling VHS.
Once this fallacy came out, the tapes were banned. Today, these original banned The Little Mermaid VHS tapes are highly sought-after, with buyers willing to pay crazy prices. One such deal was done on eBay wherein a Black Diamond The Little Mermaid VHS copy sold for $4,000 in January.
9. Aladin (Sold for $2,000)
- Release Year: November 11, 1992
- VHS Release: September 29, 1993
- Running Time: 90 minutes
- Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
Another popular Disney animated film that still lives in our hearts is Aladdin. The film became available in VHS in 1993 as a part of the popular Walt Disney Classics Series. Aladdin VHS tapes currently sell for $20 to $300, but surprisingly, a buyer purchased a rare, original Black Diamond edition for $2,000 on eBay!
10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Sold for $1,500)
- Release Year: December 21, 1937
- VHS Release: On October 28, 1994
- Running Time: 83 minutes
- Directors: David Hand
Being Walt Disney’s first animated film released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the most vintage Disney film. It was released on VHS in 1994 as the first addition to the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection. The highest bid a buyer has made for an original Snow White VHS tape is $1,500!
11. Sleeping Beauty (Sold for $500)
- Release Year: January 29, 1959
- VHS Release: On October 14, 1986
- Running Time: 75 minutes
- Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, Les Clark
This 1959 classic Disney film was released in home video version in 1986, making it one of the oldest Disney VHS tapes. The highest bid for Sleeping Beauty VHS tape was $500 made on an eBay listing.
Based on a 1697 tale of the same name written by Charles Perrault, the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and was selected for the National Film Registry in 2019.
12. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (Sold for $350)
- Release Year: January 25, 1961
- VHS Release: April 10, 1992
- Running Time: 79 minutes
- Directors: Wolfgang Reitherman, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske
If you’re a dog lover and a Disney fan at the same time, this VHS is a must-have for you! It was released as another installment of the Walt Disney Classic Collection in 1992. A rare Black Diamond 101 Dalmatians 1992 VHS tape fetched an above-average price of $350.
13. Alice in Wonderland VHS Tape (Sold for $200)
- Release Year: July 28, 1951
- VHS Release: October 15, 1981; 2nd release: May 28, 1986
- Running Time: 75 minutes
- Directors: Ben Sharpsteen, Wilfred Jackson, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske
Being one of the first Disney VHS titles to be available to the public, Alice in Wonderland tapes are highly popular. This film is based on the 1865 novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and its sequel “Through the Looking-Glass” by Lewis Carroll.
Walt Disney Studios first released it on VHS in 1981. It was re-released in the “Wonderland Sale” in May 1986. A rare Black Diamond Alice in Wonderland VHS sold for a high price of $200.
14. Fantasia (Listed at $25,000)
- Release Year: November 13, 1940
- VHS Release: November 1, 1991
- Runtime: 126 minutes
- Director: Samuel Armstrong, James Algar, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen
Fantasia is Disney’s third animated film which is based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” Getting up a notch with the villains and horror-like scenes, this movie received great reviews.
Fantasia was released in VHS in 1991, as the first vintage Fantasia VHS tape featuring the 1990 restored theatrical version of the film is currently listed on eBay at $25,000, but it hasn’t been sold for such a high price, yet.
15. Disney, Marking The Millennium (Listed at $50,000)
This feature film is a documentary of Walt Disney’s celebration of the year 2000, hence the name, “Disney, Marking The Millennium. Since this tape was only sold at the Epcot Center, it’s quite rare to find today.
A restored Disney, Marking The Millennium tape is currently listed as the most expensive Disney VHS tape on eBay at $50,000, but the tape has previously sold for lower prices of around $50.
Whether you want to start or grow your Disney collection as a Walt Disney World fan or are trying to sell off those old tapes, this list is your go-to solution. Not only will it help you find the Disney VHS tapes worth a fortune, but it’ll also help you give them the right price tags!
Like VHS tapes, some old vinyl records can also be hidden gems that get overlooked. If you’re interested in buying or selling old CDs, find out their true worth!
