15 Highest Valued Disney VHS Tapes Today

Even though VHS players are mostly a thing of the past, several VHS tapes of classic Disney movies are valued at thousands of dollars. Thanks to how prestigious the House of Mouse continues to be, rare Disney VHS tapes often fetch impossibly high prices. It is a testament to the fans’ love of fictional stories that they will invest in such expensive tokens reminding them of their favorite characters and stories.

The Disney VHS tapes that sell for lots of money usually boast special artwork and other features. Many rare Disney tapes are part of the Black Diamond collection, for example, a label bestowed upon certain Disney classics when released on VHS. Hopeful sellers on eBay include as many details as they can to get the highest price for their Disney treasure. Even though VHS players are rare today, many Disney VHS tapes are deemed to be worth a small fortune.

15 The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

Value: $5,000

The Rescuers is a rather forgotten release out of the many Disney movies that follows a pair of mice who are part of an international organization that goes on missions to save missing children. Ironically, it is the sequel rather than the original movie that has the highest value.

The Rescuers Down Under finds the heroes from the first movie traveling to Australia to find a child who has been taken by a poacher. While The Rescuers Down Under’s highest price is $5,000, some copies are listed on eBay for a few hundred dollars.

The sequel to The Rescuers, The Rescuers Down Under, came out in 1990, a few years before DVDs would become commonplace for home entertainment. The valuable tape for the sequel is part of the original home video release and is part of the Black Diamond collection. This was released in 1991 and was only around for a couple of years before Disney placed it in moratorium, making it a rare find.

14 Alice In Wonderland (1951)

Value: $8,000

In 1951, Disney Animation released one of its most bizarre movies, Alice in Wonderland. Based on the classic tale by Lewis Carroll, the movie follows curious young Alice who follows a rabbit down his hole which takes her to the exciting and unusual world of Wonderland.

There, she encounters one strange character after another, from the Mad Hatter to the Chesire Cat to the Queen of Hearts. Alice in Wonderland was much less straightforward than anything Disney had done before, as it seemed ahead of its time when it was released, and it was seen as a disappointment.

However, this different mode of storytelling also helped it become a cult classic when it was released on VHS in 1981, and its worth today shows that. The film was one of the first movies to be available in the rental market which makes this a bit of a historic piece to own as well. The highest price for anyone who wants that first edition VHS release on eBay will pay $8,000.

Alice in Wonderland

Based on the stories of Lewis Caroll, Alice in Wonderland follows the adventures of a young girl after she finds herself in a magical world. She finds Wonderland colorful and enchanting, but it’s dangerous, too: Alice quickly falls afoul of the Red Queen, who has a preoccupation with beheadings. With the help of her new friends, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the White Rabbit, Alice must use her head to find her way home.

Director

Clyde Geronimi , Wilfred Jackson , Hamilton Luske

Release Date

July 26, 1951

Cast

Kathryn Beaumont , Ed Wynn , Richard Haydn , Sterling Holloway , Jerry Colonna , Verna Felton , J. Pat O’Malley , Bill Thompson , Heather Angel

Runtime

75 Minutes

13 Bambi (1942)

Value: $9,000

Bambi was Disney Animation’s sixth movie release. It tells the story of a young deer who has to find his way in the world after a hunter kills his mother. The film remains polarizing thanks to making human hunters villains, but it is also a beloved children’s classic about losing one’s parent. That iconic movie death is still remembered as one of the most tragic moments in Disney’s history.

Bambi won three Oscars when it was released and was named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2011. When the movie was made available on VHS, it received the second-largest number of pre-orders behind E.T. the Extra-terrestrial.

While the movie has been re-released on home media many since, the highest eBay price right now for the Bambi VHS is $9,000 which comes from the special limited edition release of the movie as part of the Walt Disney’s Masterpiece collection in 1997.

Bambi

Bambi is one of Disney’s most iconic animated films that debuted in 1942. The movie follows a young deer named Bambi who grows up in a forest with his friend Thumper after his mother is killed. The film was directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, and David Hand and was nominated for three Oscars.

Director

James Algar , Samuel Armstrong , David Hand

Release Date

August 14, 1942

Cast

Hardie Albright , Stan Alexander , Bobette Audrey , Peter Behn , Thelma Boardman , Janet Chapman

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12 101 Dalmatians (1961)

Value: $10,000

Disney’s much-loved canine tale, 101 Dalmations, is about Dalmatian couple Pongo and Perdita who go on a desperate rescue mission to find their puppies who have been taken by the malicious villain with twisted purposes for the young pups.

The movie is an exciting and captivating family-friendly ride that also features one of the most iconic villains ever, Cruella De Vil. She has become a character who transcends the movie itself as she was most recently brought to the screen in her own origin story, Cruella, starring Oscar-winner Emma Stone.

According to USA Today, 101 Dalmatians is valued at $10,000. The high-valued VHS is the original home video release for the movie that was made available in 1992. It is part of the iconic Black Diamond collection, making it a particularly desirable item for collectors.

101 Dalmatians (1961)

The story of a family of Dalmatian puppies who are kidnapped by a terrible woman called Cruella De Vil, who is fascinated by fur coats and is determined to turn them into a coat.

Director

Wolfgang Reitherman , Hamilton Luske , Clyde Geronimi

Release Date

January 25, 1961

Cast

Rod Taylor , J. Pat O’Malley , Betty Lou Gerson , Martha Wentworth

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11 Pinocchio (1940)

Value: $10,000

Pinocchio is not just about a puppet made by the lonely woodcarver Geppetto. Pinocchio learns what it is to be human on his quest to be a real boy, while helped by other iconic characters, including the Blue Fairy and Jiminy Cricket. The story of Pinocchio and Geppetto originated in an Italian magazine and was adapted into a book in the 1880s. The story focuses on themes of being rewarded for honesty and hard work.

Despite the fact that there have been several versions of Pinnochio made over the years, including Guillermo del Toro’s recent Oscar-winning take, fans still gravitate towards this Disney animated classic. A rare VHS of Pinocchio sells for $10,000 on eBay, highlighting its beloved status. This version of the movie comes from the restored 1993 home video release that was also part of Walt Disney’s Masterpiece collection.

Pinocchio

Gepetto, an old Italian carpenter, wanted to be a father so badly that his puppet of a boy came to life. However, the wooden boy doesn’t know right from wrong and his nose grows when he lies.

Director

Ben Sharpsteen , Hamilton Luske , Bill Roberts , Norman Ferguson , Jack Kinney , Wilfred Jackson , T. Hee

Release Date

February 23, 1940

Cast

Cliff Edwards , Dickie Jones , Christian Rub , Walter Catlett , Charles Judels , Evelyn Venable , Frankie Darro

Runtime

88 Minutes

10 Peter Pan (1953)

Value: $12,000

In 1953, Disney released the fantasy movie Peter Pan, another iconic take on a beloved tale that had been around long before the movie. Peter Pan tells the story of a boy who refuses to grow up and his adventures with a girl named Wendy.

The movie introduced the world to one of the best villains in Disney history — Captain Hook. This was the last film released through RKO before Disney created its distribution company, adding to the historic value of it all.

The first VHS release of Peter Pan hit shelves in 1990 in the United States and 1993 in the U.K. For anyone who wants to own the first edition of Peter Pan, it will cost $12,000 via eBay. Along with being about to have one of the first releases of the movie, this is another popular collector’s item as part of the Black Diamond collection of Disney home releases.

Peter Pan

This classic animated Disney film adapts J.M. Barrie’s beloved novel for the screen. Peter Pan meets the Darling children and whisks them away with Tinkerbell to an adventure in Neverland, where they clash with the pirates led by Captain Hook.

Director

Hamilton Luske , Clyde Geronimi , Wilfred Jackson

Release Date

February 5, 1953

Cast

Bobby Driscoll , Kathryn Beaumont , Hans Conried , Bill Thompson , Heather Angel , Paul Collins

Runtime

77 minutes

9 The Fox And The Hound (1981)

Value: $12,300

The Fox and the Hound follows the friendship between a domesticated fox and a hunting dog in training and is one of Disney’s darker animated movies. The dangers the characters face are much closer to reality: Todd and Copper face guns and storms rather than spooky sorcerers.

It is also a heartbreaking story of these childhood friends growing up to realize they are meant to be enemies. The darker and more emotional story has made it somewhat less popular than other Disney classics.

The highest price for The Fox and the Hound is $12,300, though there are copies of the rare Disney VHS out there for lower prices. The particular high-valued VHS being offered on eBay is another instance of it being among the movie’s original releases as well as another title in the Black Diamond collection.

The Fox and the Hound

Dodo is an orphaned fox who was adopted by a lady after her mother was killed by a hunter. She grows up alongside Toby, a hound puppy, and the two become great friends. The problem is their different natures: one is a hunter and the other is supposed to be the prey.

Director

Ted Berman , Richard Rich , Art Stevens

Release Date

July 10, 1981

Cast

Mickey Rooney , Kurt Russell , Pearl Bailey , Jack Albertson , Sandy Duncan , Jeanette Nolan

Runtime

83 Minutes

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8 Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Value: $16,000

In 1959, Disney went back to the Disney Princess trope with Sleeping Beauty. The movie follows the classic fairy tale of Princess Aurora who is doomed to fall into an unending sleep on her sixteenth birthday by a jealous sorceress.

The young child is raised and protected by a trio of fairies, attempting to help her avoid her fate while also waiting for the possibility of Aurora finding a true love who could save her from the spell.

Despite the fact that it is now considered a classic from the studio, Sleeping Beauty was a box office bomb that nearly ended Disney. Decades later, it now fetches a staggering price as a VHS release. The first-edition VHS arrived in 1986 and fans who want it can find it on eBay for $16,000. This particular copy is part of the collection released before the movie began a moratorium which lasted until 1997.

Sleeping Beauty

In Disney’s take on the classic fairy tale, Princess Aurora has been cursed by the evil Maleficent to prick her finger and fall into a deep sleep on her sixteenth birthday. Despite the efforts of the three fairies who raised her, the curse is soon upon Aurora, but hope lies with the handsome Prince Phillip.

Director

Clyde Geronimi , Wolfgang Reitherman

Release Date

January 29, 1959

Cast

Mary Costa , Bill Shirley , Eleanor Audley , Verna Felton , Barbara Jo Allen , Barbara Luddy , Bill Thompson

Runtime

75minutes

7 Dumbo (1941)

Value: $20,000

Dumbo is about a mistreated circus elephant who learns to fly, with the help of a chipper mouse and a lucky feather. The movie has a very simple plot and is barely over an hour long, and much of the runtime time is taken up by musical numbers such as the bizarre “Pink Elephants On Parade” or Dumbo‘s sequence with the controversial crows. The ending shows the friendly elephant triumphing over those who bullied him.

A pristine copy of a Dumbo VHS tape is valued at $20,000on eBay. Once again, it is the Black Diamond collection that helps the movie get to such high prices among collectors and online sellers. While Dumbo was alongside Alice in Wonderland as one of the first Disney home video releases, this tape actually comes from its second release, which was in 1985.

Dumbo (1941)

Dumbo is a baby circus elephant who was born with huge ears. After being ridiculed by his group of friends, he becomes the main attraction of his circus when he discovers that, using his ears, he can fly.

Director

Ben Sharpsteen , Norman Ferguson , Wilfred Jackson , Bill Roberts , Jack Kinney , Samuel Armstrong

Release Date

October 31, 1941

Cast

Edward Brophy , Verna Felton , Cliff Edwards , Herman Bing , Sterling Holloway , Margaret Wright , Hall Johnson Choir

Runtime

64 Minutes

6 Cinderella (1950)

Value: $25,000

An iconic Disney Princess movie is unsurprisingly one of the more expensive rare Disney VHS tapes available. Cinderella is a hopeful story about a young woman who is rewarded for her kindness. It follows the titular young girl who is used as a servant by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters.

However, Cinderella’s good heart and kindness to all animals grant her one magical night when her dreams can come true. The movie also includes dreamy, enchanting songs such as “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “So This Is Love.”

The classic movie can be purchased on VHS for the astounding price of $25,000 on eBay. While this is another Disney Black Diamond release for collectors to enjoy, it is the condition of this particular tape that is likely what drives the price up. The never-opened cassette comes in the original shrink wrap while still having the Disney seal, which is a rarity in these movies.

Cinderella (1950)

Cinderella is a young orphan who lives with her wicked stepmother. One day, when the woman forbids her to go to the royal ball, she receives unexpected help from two adorable mice and her fairy godmother.

Director

Clyde Geronimi , Wilfred Jackson , Hamilton Luske

Release Date

March 4, 1950

Cast

Ilene Woods , James MacDonald , Eleanor Audley , Verna Felton

5 Fantasia (1940)

Value: $25,000

The third movie that Disney Animation released arrived in 1940 with Fantasia. The movie was different from the other long-narrative Disney movies that had become popular up to that point as the movie consists of eight animated shorts that are presented without dialogue as musical storytelling.

This includes the fun magical Mickey Mouse story of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, the charming ballet of Dance of the Hours, and the chilling supernatural story of Night on Bald Mountain.

Disney’s Fantasia on VHS is listed at $25,000 on eBay. This first edition of the VHS version came in 1990, along with the original soundtrack. Part of the rarity of the movie on VHS comes from the fact that, when restoring the film for DVD release years later, some of the original sounds had deteriorated and thus had to be re-recorded.

Fantasia

Fantasia is an animated musical film from Disney that tells eight different stories set to the compositions of Leopold Stokowski. The core story follows Mickey as an apprentice of the powerful sorcerer Yen Sid, with Mickey disobeying him as he finds his hat, bestowing him with incredible power. Attempting to harness it for himself, Mickey loses control of the power, beginning an anthology of visually striking performances while he tries to set things back to normal.

Director

James Algar

Release Date

December 25, 1967

Runtime

125minutes

4 Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Value: $26,000

It is also not surprising that any memorabilia associated with Disney’s first animated feature would sell for a high price. The classic fairy tale follows the titular character who flees the wrath of a jealous queen, finding a new home in the forest with a band of dwarf miners.Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs changed animation and made history as the first feature-length animated picture ever produced. The movie’s success led Disney to make more animated movies and encouraged other studios to follow suit.

Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is listed at $26,000 on eBay, while another copy is listed at $8,800 on Etsy. This is another release that was part of the rare and limited edition of Walt Disney’s Masterpiece collection, which was reserved for some of the studio’s most iconic movies.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Disney’s iconic first feature-length animation tells the story of Snow White, a young princess whose beauty is coveted by an evil queen. After she orders that Snow White should be killed, the girl escapes to the forest, where she meets seven dwarfs who take her in. However, the queen knows that Snow White survives, and hatches a deadly plan involving a poisoned apple.   

Director

David Hand , Perce Pearce , William Cottrell , Larry Morey , Wilfred Jackson , Ben Sharpsteen

Release Date

December 21, 1937

Cast

Adriana Caselotti , Roy Atwell , Pinto Colvig

Runtime

83 Minutes

3 The Little Mermaid (1989)

Value: $33,200

Another Disney Princess movie that goes for an astoundingly high price because of its endearing characters and fantastic music is The Little Mermaid. Following the adventurous young mermaid princess Ariel who falls in love with a human prince, The Little Mermaid, along with Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, is also part of the Disney Renaissance era.

The highest-priced The Little Mermaid tape on eBay is $33,200. The Little Mermaid’s original VHS releases are a very special collector’s item among Disney fans and those who are fans of bizarre history in the movie business. While this copy is part of the Black Diamond collection, what really makes it stand out as a rarity is that it features the banned Little Mermaid cover art. The original cover art was discovered to have subtly included some inappropriate imagery and needed to be recalled.

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid is a 1989 Walt Disney animated film written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. It stars the voices of Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, and Christopher Daniel Barnes, with music from Alan Menken. The plot follows a young mermaid named Ariel that wishes to abandon her life underwater and join the humans on land.

Director

Ron Clements , John Musker

Release Date

November 17, 1989

Cast

Jodi Benson , Samuel E. Wright , Rene Auberjonois , christopher daniel barnes , Pat Carroll , Jason Marin

Runtime

63 Minutes

2 Beauty And The Beast (1991)

Value: $35,000

Beauty and the Beast is still regarded as one of the greatest achievements in Disney’s long history and the high-price VHS is a testament to its lasting popularity. It tells the story of an intelligent and independent young girl named Belle who finds herself captive in a magical castle ruled by an intimidating beast.

However, the two form an unexpected bond, breaking through their differences. It earned a strong critical reception and a place in cinematic history, being the first animated movie nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

A brand-new Beauty and the Beast VHS tape is valued at $35,000. Once again, it seems to be the condition of the tape that plays a part in the high price. The offered tape is in its original shrink wrap, proving that it has never been opened. Beyond that, there are some nice touches collectors will enjoy, including the original Disney seal as well as stickers on the cover highlighting promotional deals from its 1992 release.

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

A selfish prince is doomed to become a monster for the rest of his life, unless he manages to fall in love with a beautiful young woman.

Director

Gary Trousdale , Kirk Wise

Release Date

November 21, 1991

Cast

Paige O’Hara , Robby Benson , Angela Lansbury , Jerry Orbach , David Ogden Stiers , Bradley Pierce , Jesse Corti , Richard White

Runtime

84 Minutes

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1 Disney, Marking The Millennium (2000)

Value: $45,000

Interestingly, it is not one of the beloved Disney animated movies that get the highest price among collectors, but rather this atypical VBHS release that serves as more of a behind-the-scenes feature. This tape is a documentary-like feature of the Millennium celebration at Walt Disney World and Epcot. The special interviews some of the imaginative minds behind putting this celebration together and giving a glimpse at the massive production.

Disney, Marking the Millennium – 2000 is listed on eBay for $45,000. The seller describes this item as brand new. It is an incredibly rare tape since it was only ever sold at the Epcot Center. The once-in-a-lifetime celebration at Disney World would certainly have been memorable. Yet it is still surprising that a documentary about Disney World is the highest-priced VHS tape among all of Disney’s animated classics.