One of my family’s favorite things to do at any Disney Park is take part in Pin Trading. It’s super fun, keeps us engaged, and can be a great, inexpensive way to collect some really fun souvenirs! Wondering about how to get started Pin Trading? Well, look no further! Here are some tips to get started.
If you don’t have one already, buy a lanyard to wear throughout the day and display your pins on. It doesn’t have to be from Disney, but they have some pretty cute one, that really aren’t that expensive.
Buy some pins! Disney sells “Starter Sets” as well as individual pins, but you really don’t want to pay full price for a pin you are just going to trade right? But you can buy pins on ebay for relatively cheap (sometimes about $1 a pin!) I will typically buy a lot of 25 before a big trip, go through them to see if there are any I want to keep, and then fill up my lanyard. I’ll also keep extra “traders” in my backpack!
Once you have your “trader” pins – decide what you are looking for. Lil WO just likes to trade, so he’ll go for just about anything. My last trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, I decided to not only keep an eye open for new Tinkerbell Pins, but also started a collection of Orange Bird pins. The great thing is, you can change your mind. There are some very collectible pins out there – but really, I just try to find ones I like!
Now have fun! Any Cast Member wearing a lanyard or pin pouch will be happy to trade with you, and many stores will have a pin board you can ask to see! Don’t be shy, just walk up and ask to see their pins! If you don’t see anything you are looking for, thank them and head off. If you are looking for a particular pin, they may even know a cast member that has it!
One last tip – sometimes a cast member will have a pin on backwards; so instead of seeing the pin you can only see the back. This is a “Mystery Pin”. You can ask to trade for it – but you can’t see it until the trade is complete! I’ve gotten some cool pins that way. Don’t worry, if it is something you don’t want to keep – just add it to your trading stash!
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind while trading:
- Pins must be Disney Pins to be traded. Not sure if the pin you want to trade is an official Disney pin? Turn it over and look for the ©Disney stamp on the back!
- Any cast member wearing a lanyard or pin pouch can trade with you! Each one can trade a maximum of 2 pins per day with each guest!
- When trading with cast members, be sure to offer a pin that they do not currently have on their lanyards.
- Always trade pins one at a time, with pin backs attached for safety!
- Please refrain from touching a cast member’s lanyard, simply ask that they bring it closer to you.
For the full pin trading guidelines for Guest, you can click here.
I hope you have a blast getting started in Pin Trading! It really is a great way to spend a little time while in the Parks!
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