This 25-year-old man has spent thousands buying Disney princess dolls and says they’re worth every penny
A 25-year-old man, obsessed with Beauty and the Beast heroine Belle, has spent thousands of pounds on his addiction to Disney dolls.
Nick from London has splashed out more than £3,000 on his favourite princesses – but said they are worth every penny.
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The social media executive proudly displays his collection in his bedroom and still has some of the dolls in their boxes to ensure they are kept in pristine condition.
“Disney has always been the main passion for me and Belle is my favourite character,” said the self-confessed “big kid.”
“I love the way the dolls capture their characters and bring them to life.
“It’s something that I enjoy spending money on and it means something to me, so the value doesn’t matter.”
Nick has loved Disney since he was a child.
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He first saw Beauty and the Beast when he four years old and was immediately mesmerised by the fairytale world.
He said that Belle captured him because her story was the perfect balance between a classic and modern tale.
“She was a heroine and she looked different to the rest of the Disney princesses,” he explained.
“She was not the typical blonde and I think she was the smart one.”
At the age of 12, Nick began to collect Disney pins, little badges that can be attached to clothes, bags or for trading or display.
In 2009, he bought himself his first doll – a 17inch limited edition Belle worth £50.
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“I saw how detailed and gorgeous it was and started looking into the other ones,” he said. “Now I have about 50 of the limited edition dolls, including 12 Belles.
“They are worth more than I have spent now I’m sure, but I can’t sell them, I’m too attached. It’s not great for my bank balance but it’s worth it.”
Mostly he goes directly to the Disney store to buy his dolls but he is also part of a number of Facebook groups and often checks eBay.
For his 24th birthday, Nick fulfilled his childhood dream of visiting Disneyland Paris, and though he didn’t get the chance to meet his favourite princesses, he caught a glimpse of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
“It was still an amazing experience,” he said. “When they say it’s the most magical place on earth, it really is.”
Nick said he gets a lot of people asking why he buys dolls but has also inspired others to begin collecting.
“There are a lot of Disney fans around the world on Facebook groups and Instagram which shed light that a lot of guys can collect dolls too, anyone can,” he said.
“A lot of friends who are into Disney have been inspired by my collections and now have their own. I have even seen a lot of couples that collect together. It’s always been a solo venture for me though.”
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Recently, Charlize Theron was labeled a bad parent for letting her son wear a dress worn by Elsa in Frozen.
Earlier this year a school boy was told to remove an Elsa dress he wore for a fancy dress day at school.
