VolksUSA Dolls Party in LA 4 in 2019

i am going to this, (or rather i want to), but i don't really know what to do... are they gonna release like a website where you buy tickets?

 

If it's anything like past events the only part that will be limited entry will be the tea party. For that they do registration ahead of time, and possibly a lottery.

 

There should be a special website with all the info sometime in the new few months. Once they release that site URL I'll be sure and add it to the top post.

At least it's not labor day weekend...?

 

Hopefully it'll be at a hotel that's near the airport.

 

I've wanted to go to the last few but never been able to make it out. Maybe this year...?

For those coming by train or bus I can recommend the Little Tokyo area for (relatively) inexpensive hotels, and good food. It’s within walking distance from Union Station.

i am going to this, (or rather i want to), but i don't really know what to do... are they gonna release like a website where you buy tickets?

 

If it's anything like past events the only part that will be limited entry will be the tea party. For that they do registration ahead of time, and possibly a lottery.

 

There should be a special website with all the info sometime in the new few months. Once they release that site URL I'll be sure and add it to the top post.

 

thank you i appreciate the help! i am really excited but also clueless

I hope they do it in NY, it would be my first doll's party if they do. It would also be the first time I would meet other doll collectors! I want to see what it feels like to be with people in the same hobby ;-; I would take one of my girls or boys. I have never taken any of my dolls outside so it would definitely be an interesting experience.

I hope they do it in NY, it would be my first doll's party if they do. It would also be the first time I would meet other doll collectors!

 

It would be nice to see them do these events in a few locations, like they do in Japan.

 

They go to various anime cons around the country, so I don't know any reason they couldn't do a NYC Dolpa.

I'm honestly not surprised we haven't gotten another NYC dolls party. If I remember correctly it was the 3rd NYC dolls party where a number of one-off dolls were stolen.

Hopefully, they'll eventually get to do one again in NYC for those who live on the east coast, but I know that the logistics of planning your own event verses just being a part of someone elses is a little different, especially when it's in another state. There's a lot of things you don't have to take care of when someone else is hosting. Shopping around for a suitable venue to host the event being a big one.

I'm honestly not surprised we haven't gotten another NYC dolls party. If I remember correctly it was the 3rd NYC dolls party where a number of one-off dolls were stolen.

 

I hadn't heard that, that's terrible.

 

There's a lot of things you don't have to take care of when someone else is hosting. Shopping around for a suitable venue to host the event being a big one.

 

I don't doubt that. I just mean they do events outside of the LA area regularly, so traveling to do an event isn't something off the beaten path for them.

I'm honestly not surprised we haven't gotten another NYC dolls party. If I remember correctly it was the 3rd NYC dolls party where a number of one-off dolls were stolen.

 

I hadn't heard that, that's terrible.

 

I believe it was 6 or 7 one-off dolls that were stolen right off the display. The boxes and everything else were left behind. Don't know if they were ever able to track down who stole them or get them back.

I'm sad it isn't on the east coast, but I'm very glad that it isn't in New York. NYC is not a good choice for east coasters, since it's a city you basically have to fly into anyway and is really expensive once there. I'd rather go to LA at that point, since travel across country would effectively be the same (drive, park, fly, rent car, hotel) except for 2 extra hours of time in the plane's seat.

 

Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, or DC/Baltimore would all be good major city choices for east coasters since they're drivable - either to, or for transportation within once there. Heck, pick Orlando, and you can still have a theme park vacation to Disney (or Universal) just like in LA/Anaheim. I hope Volks might consider some of these options for future years.

 

But, for this coming year, they've chosen LA! A good hometown place for them. Previous years have been thoughtfully done, so I'm looking forward to finding out what the theme will be for 2019... Dolpa 2015 had Alice in Wonderland, and 2017 had steampunk/pirate Oath of Silver Coin, both really great things.

Will definitely be attending this now that we know it will be staying in LA once again. If it had been somewhere else it would have been a coin toss about whether I could go or not. It would be great if members of this forum would post if they are going when it gets closer to the event. I was sad to see that there were a couple members in attendance that I would have loved to meet in person. But I didn't know till after the fact when people started posting about their time at the Dolls Party.

I believe it was 6 or 7 one-off dolls that were stolen right off the display. The boxes and everything else were left behind. Don't know if they were ever able to track down who stole them or get them back.

 

Wow that is so cruel, it's understandable if they don't come to NY ever again. After reading this I'm glad they're not doing it in NY. The just will pay for the sinners :/ I'll keep in mind to save for a doll party in 2020 or 2021. I know I can't travel the next year.

I believe it was 6 or 7 one-off dolls that were stolen right off the display. The boxes and everything else were left behind. Don't know if they were ever able to track down who stole them or get them back.

 

Wow that is so cruel, it's understandable if they don't come to NY ever again. After reading this I'm glad they're not doing it in NY. The just will pay for the sinners :/ I'll keep in mind to save for a doll party in 2020 or 2021. I know I can't travel the next year.

 

What bothers me even more about this is that it could have been someone in the bjd community. With all the value we get from having Volks USA it would be really messed up to steal from them. People in Europe wish they had a Volks EU, so we’re pretty lucky here. Terrible way to repay that.

The incident happened 10 years ago, and while that may have been one of the reasons that stopped them from doing any more direct Volks events there shortly afterwards, I would hope that's not what's keeping them from returning even now.

 

Actually in Shizusan's interview with Hideyoshi, Hideyoshi mentioned that they were considering holding their next US Doll's Party in either or LA or NY, as we now know they choose LA. But, I thought I heard him say that they're up for hearing suggestions for other locations, so perhaps if people wrote Volks USA with other location suggestions we might get a new location for the next US Dolpa after 2019.

I'm just sick to make this announcement -- seven of Volks' display dolls went missing overnight.

 

If you hear ANYTHING about these dolls, please let us know. Keep an eye on eBay, Y!J, and the DoA Marketplace, and we will be doing the same.

 

Here is the information about the missing dolls -- pictures will be up shortly. These are one-off, unique dolls. They do not have a headplate on the back of the head, they have an artist's signature inside instead.

 

(1) SD16 Girl "Ruby" w/black swan dress

 

(2) MSD Girl F-21 Fairy w/blue dress

 

(3) MSD Boy F-13 Fairy w/blue outfit (2 and 3 have matching outfits and long elf ears)

 

(4) MSD Girl F-22 Fairy w/yellow dress

 

(5) SD13 Girl F-29 w/yellow dress (4 and 5 have matched dresses)

 

(6) SD13 Boy F-31 Fairy w/dark green & red outfit

 

(7) SD13 Boy "Irvin" (FDQ Limited Model) w/Fairy default dress

 

The two theories I heard are:

1) A private collector hired them to be stolen, and they are just locked up in their collection forever.

2) The other is that one of the staff (hotel or event we don't know) is who stole the dolls. I personally believe this is probably the case. Just greedy people who saw the price of the dolls and figured they had access. Also supposedly it wasn't all Volks staff working that event as unlike other events they didn't bring in staff for it.

 

Obviously, none of the dolls were found, nor seen online anywhere sadly. It is truly a mystery.

 

On a on topic note: I already can see this trip not working out. I guess some of my friends don't think they can come which makes me lose my chances at a roomshare. I'll keep lookin' to see if anyone wants to do a disneyland trip and try to work around that. I can rent a car just for that.

2) The other is that one of the staff (hotel or event we don't know) is who stole the dolls. I personally believe this is probably the case. Just greedy people who saw the price of the dolls and figured they had access. Also supposedly it wasn't all Volks staff working that event as unlike other events they didn't bring in staff .

 

Yeah those details make it seem more likely it was a crime of opportunity. It could have been anyone, and the dolls might have been sold at a local flea market for a fraction of their value.

I'd heard that the reason for fewer events in NYC was due to Fashion Doll Quarterly no longer having the ability to coordinate with Volks. Most of those early events were partnerships. I'd heard (I could be mistaken; it's been a long time...) that FDQ did most of the scheduling/planning/venue arrangements/etc. to make things easier for Volks. They held the 4th NYC event in 2010 despite the theft in 2008, so that didn't seem to deter them. If I recall correctly, there was an event for 2009 planned that was cancelled due to health concerns.

Why would volks just move the dolls party so more people can participate? I'm sure a lot of owners would like to go, and would pay 25 dollars to go if held in a larger venue. Geez USA volks grow up and think about your customers for once.

I just received an email from Volks USA stating this will be at the Anaheim Marriot which is apparently where it was held previously.

 

As for the post just above mine, I have no idea what you're even saying...

If it's really there, that's driving distance from where I live. I don't even need to get a hotel. :b Hooray.

 

I love when they say "LA" and it's actually an hour or so outside of LA.

If it's really there, that's driving distance from where I live. I don't even need to get a hotel. :b Hooray.

 

I love when they say "LA" and it's actually an hour or so outside of LA.

Good thing I wasn’t the only one who noticed this lol.

If it's really there, that's driving distance from where I live. I don't even need to get a hotel. :b Hooray.

 

I love when they say "LA" and it's actually an hour or so outside of LA.

 

Right! It doesn't even work as LA County either since Anaheim is in Orange County.

Per VollsUSA Facebook this is now a 2 day event.

2019's plans are similar to last time, then, where an initially-one-day event was later revised into two days. At Dolpa LA 3, the added day was a half day at the beginning, in the evening, and featured panel discussions plus tutorials with Volks staff. A DD Doll Design Department discussion, SD faceup painting (with VS artist Ciera), and SD restringing tutorial with a Doll Doctor from Tenshi no Sato were the three panels. No info yet about the specific schedule for LA 4 of course.

 

Worth a note - THE person in charge of VS Japan's Dollfie Dream design / planning / execution department was present, amongst others, making any DD discussions as straight-from-the-source as you could possibly get. It isn't known whether he in particular will be there again in 2019, but it's possible, if you want to have input into what Volks might do with DD in the future. Volks will almost certainly bring influential staff looking for polite customer input for both DD and SD, as that's something the company can take away for themselves out of an event like this.

 

New for LA4 - VolksUSA is accepting dealer applications for 2019, according to a recent e-mail. That differs from LA3, where Volks was the sole dealer, selling their own merch as well as a few things on behalf of others. We might get a larger dealers' room this time!