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Pin Trading FAQ
By Laura Bender - February 22, 2003
Why should I get into pin trading?
It’s fun! It’s a great way for kids (and kids at heart) to increase their interaction with Cast Members. It’s an easy conversation starter, and a way to meet other people. It’s fun to hunt for favorite characters or a certain pin along your way through the parks, and a thrill to find something you’ve looked for.
What do you trade?
Pins that are tradable with Cast Members should be a cloisonné, semi-cloisonné or hard-enamel metal Disney pin, or pin of an acceptable operating participant in good, undamaged condition. Magical Moments pins and pins that were originally part of a set are not tradable, and from time to time other non tradable pins may be sold. Cast Members cannot trade Disney Service pins, Disney Trainer pins, Disney Partners in Excellence Award pins, Cast Member Disney nametags, Disney language pins, Disney Cast Member commemorative Millennium pins, or non-Disney pins.
What pins should I get?
Many people collect pins that are a favorite character or movie, or from rides or attractions they enjoy, or resorts they have stayed at. You can buy some pins to keep, and some to trade. Try and buy pins you like, in case you end up not trading. If you see a pin you really like, you can buy one to keep and one to trade.
Where do you get your pins?
Pins are widely available throughout Walt Disney World. Pinsare also sold at The Disney Store. Online, inexpensive Disney pins are available through www.cheappins.com. Sometimes tradable pins are available from Disney partners. During 2003 those who book a Dream Maker package at a Disney resort will receive two lanyards and two pins per room to get started trading. Usually the Disney outlet stores will have pins also.
How much do pins cost?
Most pins sold around Walt Disney World start at $6-8. They can vary though, with limited edition pins going for $15. Pins at the Disney Store are a bit less, at $4-8, and they’ve been known to go on sale for as low as 75 cents! Pins through Cheappins.com start from around $2.
Who do you trade with?
Many people new to pin trading, especially children, trade only with Cast Members. Cast Members throughout the parks have trading lanyards. If a Cast Member has pins on a black lanyard, anyone may trade for those, however, if a Cast Member is wearing pins on a green lanyard, those pins may only be traded with children age 12 and under. Cast Members must trade, as long as the pin you are offering meets Disney criteria. You can trade with other guests, however, guests are not required to trade, and there are some pin sharks out there. A child often enjoying trading pins with other children, and it’s a fun way for them to meet other children.
How do you trade?
It’s probably easiest to start with Cast Members. Many Cast Members will offer to trade, saying simply “Would you like to trade?” Or “Do I have any pins you’dlike to trade for?” if they see a child with pins. Look over their pins, (don’t touch though) and see if they have one you might like. They usually wear a lanyard with 12 pins. A black lanyard indicates pins that anyone can trade for, while a green lanyard means only children can trade for those pins. If they have a pin you'd like, tell them which pin you'd like, and what pin of yours you will offer to trade. According to Disney, Cast Members are not supposed to have more than one of the same pins on their lanyard, so you should offer a pin which they do not have. The Cast Member will then take off their pin and put the back on, and you can do the same, and then exchange them hand to hand. No money or gifts may be exchanged.
To initiate a trade with another guest, say, "May I look at your pins? Are you interested in trading?"
Are there any special places to trade pins?
The pin stations in the parks are hot spots to trade. These locations are noted on the park Guide Maps. In addition, there are special events put on by Disney. More information on these can be found at www.officialdisneypintrading.com. One of the events is Mickey’s Pin Trading Night. These are special events held each week. And they’re free! No reservations required, and open to all, even if you’re not staying at the resort they are held at. Currently they are held from 7:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday nights at Disney's All Star Sports Resort, Friday nights at Disney's Contemporary Resort, and Sunday nights at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. At these events there is a special Kids Zone for children ages 6-14 to trade. Kids there can trade up to five pins for pins off a special board, with the assistance of Cast Members in the area. For more information, there are two reports in the comments following the FAQ from list members who have attended. You can also visit with Scoop Sanderson, Main Street Reporter, at the Exposition Hall at the Magic Kingdom, Sunday through Thursday at 1:00pm. He shares tips on pin trading etiquette, how to pin trade, pin trading news, and games and surprises. Days and times may vary, so check with Cast Members at the Exposition Hall for current information.
How do you wear your pins?
Usually you will see them on a lanyard, which is sort of a long strap worn around the neck made out of webbing. You can also wear them on a hat or vest. The long ears on the Goofy hat are a way to display pins. You don’t have to wear them; some people keep their lanyards in their packs, and only bring them out if they see something on a Cast Member’s lanyard that they are interested in trading for. Serious traders have briefcases full of them!
Where do you get lanyards?
They sell these throughout WDW for about $8. Sometimes they are available through other sources, such as partner promotions, and at The Disney Store. As mentioned, they are included with Dream Maker packages during 2003. You can also make your own! Here’s an idea on how to make them.
Do I have to trade my pins?
No! Some people have a "peacock" lanyard, just to display their pins. If you have pins on your lanyard that are for trading and some which you wouldn’t trade, it might be easier to keep the traders on one side and the peacock pins on the other, so you can easily let people know what you wouldn’t want to trade. For children it is an especially good idea to keep traders and keepers separate, either on different sides of their lanyard or on different lanyards, so they won’t forget and accidentally trade away a favorite pin. And if the person who wants to trade doesn’t have a pin you want, it’s okay to say "No, thank you."
What’s a pin shark?
A pin shark is someone who is a serious collector, and wouldn’t mind furthering their own collection by taking advantage of someone who might not be aware of the value of their pins. Some pins are higher in value due to being limited editions or other factors which limited their production, and unfortunately, there are people who would try and trade a pin of theirs worth very little value for a very valuable pin of someone else’s. They may use high-pressure tactics; such as telling you that the pin they are going to trade is a very valuable pin. Don’t worry, there aren’t very many people out there like this, but they do exist. As long as you trade for pins you like, you should come away happy. If someone is pressuring you, just say "No, thank you" and walk away.
Now what do I do with all these pins?
So you've come home with lots of pins, and you're probably not going
to wear your lanyard around every day at home. Some ideas from DL
members include:
-Cover a bulletin board with dark fabric, and then just press the pins in (keep the backs elsewhere in case you want them later).
You can include pictures or other things from the trip, too.
-Frame a picture from the trip with a mat, and put some pins in the mat around the picture.
-Cut craft foam sheets and punch holes in them to fit in a binder. Put the pins onto the craft foam sheets, and use an empty
craft foam sheet to separate the pages of pins so they don't get scratched.
What else should I know?
Pin backs don’t always stay on, even the rubber ones. If you’re worried about losing your favorite pins, there are special pin backs that require a mini-wrench to get them on and off, so you can wear them without fear of losing them. This can also be a way to make sure that "keeper" pins aren’t accidentally traded.
Pin trading can be addictive, and if you become addicted it can be expensive. Even if you just acquire a modest collection and a lanyard at Walt Disney World, it will probably cost around $50. If you start getting into collecting Limited Edition pins, it’s not too hard to run your collection into hundreds or even thousands of dollars. For beginning traders, especially for kids, picking a few pins from The Disney Store or www.cheappins.com is a good way to start on a budget. Of course, once you get to Walt Disney World it’s too late to do this! If you think pin trading might be something fun for you or your children, plan ahead.
For more information, visit the "Links You Can Use" on the TheMouseForLess site. There are a variety of pin related sites listed there.
Here are some comments on pin trading from TheMouseForLess members:
We found some really good stuff on the CMs lanyards, but then we dont know anything about pins, except what we like. I made a habit of looking at the
CMs lanyards and pointing out to her pins that I knew she was looking for and we found a lot of really pretty ones.
Our experience with trading with the CMs was great. We had a lanyard full of the sale pins from Disney Store and traded them all for pins that dd just
loves.
The CMs were great and our dd really enjoyed trading with them.
Have fun,
Amy
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My 2 sons (age 7 and 5) just started trading for the first time in November. They both loved it. We had bought pins at the Disney store before we went. I bought 2 of each (one to keep and one to trade). I would only let them trade with CM's. My pretty shy 7 year old surprised all of us and loved talking to CM's and other guests who would comment on his assortment of pins.
We actually had 2 CM's refuse to take their pins because they said they were collectable pins (we had bought them at the Disney Store-some were Christmas ones) and they just gave them the pin they wanted for free (really Dollarless).
Our purpose was not looking for Limited Editions or pins that were valuable. They just looked for pins that they liked. They both ended up with a pretty good assortment. (You could tell their personalities just by looking at their lanyards.)
We will definitely do this again. (I just bought some of the Disney Store pins that are on sale now.) It was a great experience for both kids.
Denise G in PA ºOº
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My DH and I were on our Honeymoon and about to go to V&A's and walked into a shop in the GF. There was a cast member there that reminded me of my grandfather
and so we struck up a conversation. He had a pin on backwards and I didn't have my pins with me (figures) but I noticed my DH had a mickey pin on his lapel so I made him take it off to trade with the CM. Now my DH wasn't very happy about that (he loved that Mickey pin) so the CM told him that most of the time if a pin is turned around backwards it is most likely a pin that only cast members can get and therefore a much better deal. He also pointed out that my DH could buy another mickey pin and even showed us where they were in the store. So reluctantly my DH traded his pin and we got a Peter Pan CM pin that says Pan's the Man. That was my DH first experience trading a pin and he was thrilled that he got Peter Pan. What a great part of our Honeymoon.
Heather
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If you check through the archives, there are 2 sides to pin trading. Some people only trade with CMs and some people trade with anybody. The problem with trading with anybody is that sometimes, you can run into what we call pin sharks, professional pin traders, whatever you call them, they can be very rude and inconsiderate of other people's feelings. One told me that I didn't have pins worth trading with him. The pin sharks can also be very ruthless if you happen to have a Limited Edition pin that they want and you have. They would trade a rack pin for an LE and not even think twice about it.
One time when I was there, a little boy had one of the LE Halloween pins and this guy kept trying to pressure the kid to trade for a rack pin. His mom was nearby and I explained to her the difference. She stepped in and explained to her son. He said no and
walked away from the man. If somebody gets too *pushy* about trading a pin, then it might not be a good deal for you. The pin sharks are in the minority. The majority of pin traders LOVE to talk pins with anybody even if you don't want to trade. They do it for the joy of it. The main thing to remember about pin trading is to do it JUST FOR FUN! Don't take it so seriously.
Pam, Chicago
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(Regarding Mickey’s Pin Trading Night at All Star Sports)
Headed down to the food court before 7 and there was already a line. It was no where near busy as Halloween but still quite a few. For those of you who don't know how this works here goes: You line up at the back of the food court, and at 7, a CM will let you in the roped off area. Every person in line gets a ticket. The kids have their own pin trading area gated off with no adults allowed. The kids who go into the kids area, get an extra ticket. They have coloring pages and crayons for the kids. They also have a board full of pins, with alot of CM pins and kids can trade up to 5 pins on the board. They give them a piece of paper with numbers 1-5, then they punch their card for each trade. You must be present to win and they do the drawings every 15 minutes. They alternate between adult drawings and kid drawings. Britnee won one of the drawings and got a limited edition 2001 Happy New Year pin, nice! They are of course pin sharks with attitude but also some nice traders. Even one of the CM's had her books with her. I say sharks because they had bad attitudes and expressed their opinion loudly with cursing and talking about all the junk pins we had. CM's also, of course, have lanyards for you to trade. We stayed the whole time, and ate pizza while we were there.
Tammy N.
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(Regarding Mickey’s Pin Trading Nights)
We actually made it to 2 of these while we were there 2 weeks ago and the one we liked best was at the Contemporary. It started at 7, but can’t remember which night it was. The kids checked in and they gave them a "treasure hunt" kind of thing, it had one question and you could find the answer in the lobby while you waited, if they got it right they got a special pin that they said you could only get there. Of course if the kids didn't know the answer they got lots of help.
When it was their turn to go into the pin trading area, they took 3 or 4 kids at a time in and they had this big board covered with pins, the kids picked 5 of their pins and they got to go to the board and pick out 5 new ones, any ones they wanted. DD thought it was neat and since we don’t know anything about pins, except what all of the very nice CMs there told us, we were kind of afraid of her getting cheated, even by other kids because a lot of the other parents were telling the kids what to trade for, what to pick etc.. and we knew that a couple of her were supposedly pretty hard to find.
Most of the CMs in the lobby and store had on lanyards too, so dd ran around and traded with most of them while we were there. She loved pin
trading, it was one of her favorite things. Its like getting something new without spending any money. LOL
Amy
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(Regarding Scoop Sanderson’s Pin Talk)
It was great! He gave me and Britnee a name pin. He was so great! I can't say enough about this. If you love pin trading, take the time to do this.
Tammy N.
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You can get very passionate/obsessive about pin trading--i was for about a year after my "habit" began (December 2000). but it's also a very fun way to pick up neat mementos of your favorite disney "stuff." For example, I try to specialize in pins about the parks
and my favorite rides--I have lots of Haunted Mansion and Pirates pins!
If you're going to the parks, it's a really neat way to not only get some mementos but add another layer of crazed magic to your visit. My dad and I spent most of our December 2000 visit running around all the parks like idiots trying to get neat pins from cast member lanyards! we had lots of fun interactions with guests and cast members and generally had a blast.
hope that helps!
matt
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I know some people think that people that carry books of pins are all pin sharks. We’re not. I have a passion for those little pins LOL.
I have one page that is for children only. When they first start make sure they talk with CM first and once they get comfortable they can talk with regular guests.
Monika
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