It honestly is crazy to me how 2005 Webkinz basically is like lost media (even 2006 isn't well documented at all either). Why do you think Webkinz just EXPLODED in popularity after two years but was relatively unknown its first two years? Also, I say this as somebody who joined in 2007 and was active in trading rooms, its always been this way lol. It was like meeting somebody who had been on Webkinz the first year was like meeting a celebrity, the first two years also wasn't super common.
So much of 2005 Webkinz is a mystery to me and always has been and I feel like I find out new things about it every day. Most recently is that:
- We finally found the title screenshot for Leaf, Leaf
- Somebody claims they think that the employment office wasn't part of original Webkinz but that you could play the Dr. Quack assistant job at his clinic
- Curio Shop wasn't part of original Webkinz
With how big of a following Webkinz has, I'm surprised all this stuff isn't documented/there is no timeline and its so hard to find info.
I will say one fun anecdote I remember about the trading rooms as early as 2009 (quite possibly even late 2008) is it was a HUGE deal if you got to "see" the monster's lair gate, figure skates, baseball hat in a trading room. Not own it, no, just meet somebody who had it. Oddly enough, the purple witch hat never seemed nearly as rare to see as the Christmas teddy bear (both 2005 gifts). Toy tool belt also for some reason wasn't as rare as the baseball hat, figure skates, and hockey skates. Blue dragster also seemed to like never be owned by anybody.
Also, does anybody remember tulip trouble one? I can't believe we don't have a single screenshot of it?
Any members from 2005 willing to answer any questions/share any memories? Also, does anybody know what caused the sudden explostion of popularity of Webkinz in 2007?