Release Dates

If you look at the information on my site you may be wondering why my dates are different from other sites. For example I say the Flat-Foot Ponies were released in 1983.

Why do they have '82 stamped on their foot then? Why does Dream Valley and every other collector site state that they were released in '82. Why would I say '83 then?

Well I have been working with toys and toy stores for a very long time and I've learned a few things. Toys are released two times a year. Spring and Fall. Those are the two major releases, and the spring release comes out in December of the previous year. That means that while the very first of the Flat-Footed My Little Ponies hit the shelves in '82 they were meant for the '83 spring toy line. The fall line of toys come out in July.

Look at the way the things line up. The My Little Pony Movie came out in Theaters June 20th, 1986 - if you go by the time scale of Dream Valley or other collector sites the ponies were released in 1985? No. They were released in the Spring Line for '86 and were out while the Movie was. They all had special Movie Posters in their packages to help promote the movie.

Also here is a page from the 1984 Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog.
 
Notice who is in the picture - These are the second year set of ponies. So year 2 is 1984-1985.

While most sites state the last year for My Little Ponies in the US as 1991 that is wrong as well. The last year was 1992.

So in short the My Little Pony G1 Toy Line lasted in the US from 1983 - 1992.

That is why my dates may seem off and I hope that this might help set the record strait.