(Reproduced from Disneycalendar.co.uk)

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I will rewrite the guide in the next few weeks to address some of the most common questions emailed to me but for now I'll try the most common Qs here.

(i) this guide applies to Region2 UK specification DVDs only.

(ii) Not all Disney classics have a hologram on the disc.  This is a recent enhancement that Disney have introduced to combat pirates who print DVDs at home.  Older DVDs (especially those that are deleted) are unlikely to have a hologrammed disc. 

(iii) Song of the South has NOT been released by Disney.  The DVDs selling at ridiculous prices on ebay are most likely asian bootleg copies from laserdisc.   DISNEY HAVE NOT RELEASED THIS DVD OR ANY OF THEIR CLASSIC TITLES AS MULTIREGION / REGION 0.

If you've found this guide useful, please vote yes to keep it visible and help others avoid the pirate sellers.

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Ebay is a great place to pick up a bargain, but also a haven for pirates and criminals selling illegal Disney DVDs using a variety of phrases and terminology to disguise the fact.  If you are unfortunate enough to buy from a pirate and try to complain you may be responded to with abuse and the threat of negative feedback. 

To avoid being caught out follow Grumpy's advice carefully.

eBay is rife with illegal Disney bootlegs. If you're looking to buy a genuine UK release region 2 Disney DVD, ask the seller to confirm the presence of the Mickey Mouse hologram and the BBFC rating on the front of the DVD.Watch out for the following:

1.  no hologram = FAKE.

2.  hologram that isn't Type 1 or Type 2 Mickey Mouse (displayed below) = FAKE.

3.  any version with no artwork = FAKE.

4.  multiregion or Region 0 DVDs = FAKE  (Disney classics have never been released as R0).

5.  Asian imports = FAKE.

6.  Region 2 compatible DVDs = FAKE (unless they are R4 Australian DVDs).

7.  DVDs shipped in clear plastic sleeves (for ease of shipping) = FAKE.

8.  Sellers advising that 'cover art' may differ from stock photo = FAKE.

9.  Walt Disney collections that have never been released officially (eg Jungle Book 1&2).  These are BOOTLEGS.   Check against Amazon.co.uk,   Disney.co.uk or Disneycalendar.co.uk if unsure.

10.  24 hour listings.   These are often used by the pirates as eBay can be very slow at removing illegal listings.

11.  eBay sellers advising buyers "PLEASE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF WHAT YOU ARE BUYING FEEL FREE TO ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS".  These are always FAKES with many burnt at home on 10p DVD+Rs.

12. eBay seller(s) using the term "UK NEXT DAY POST" or "UK POST" in the title.  Unless the seller describes in the listing that this is a genuine UK product with hologram, the chances are that this will be a FAKE DVD posted from within the UK.

13. eBay sellers advising that their product is not a copy but a genuine R2 import = FAKE

14. eBay sellers advising that their R2 DVD is in NTSC format = FAKE