Pin Trading

[B3LLE]

Any tips about how to get good pins from Disney cast members? I've heard the earlier you're in the park, and the more "important looking" members you see with lanyards... the better chances of getting a good pin.

Is this true?


Thoughts and opinions appreciated :)

[EpcotMatt2]

Yeah, it makes sense that the earlier you look the better because people generally tend to trade away less-than-desirable pins. So later in the day you'll see more of the traded pins. But I think the CMs refresh their lanyards throughout the day too. And from personal experience, I do seem to find nicer pins on the CMs who seem to be higher up on the food chain. Perhaps folks tend to shy away from them because of the clipboard & phone & such, I'm not sure. I've found good ones on janitor types too. Basically, check everyone. There have been plenty of times when I said to myself I'm not going to bother that CM. But I did & got a sweet pin.

Have fun!

[doulacandice]

SO how exactly does this work??? Get the kids lanyards and a few cheapo pins somewhere and once we get in just walk up to someone and ask?? Or do they ask you??? Or do the kids even need to have pins? Do they get to choose or does the CM's choose?

[kimsuenew]

SO how exactly does this work??? Get the kids lanyards and a few cheapo pins somewhere and once we get in just walk up to someone and ask?? Or do they ask you??? Or do the kids even need to have pins? Do they get to choose or does the CM's choose?

I am going to try to help, by breaking your quote down question by question, and answering them the best I can!

SO how exactly does this work??? It is easily done! :goodvibes Your best bet is to go to the main WDW website (official) where you can put in a search for pin trading and find a link to the official guide for Disney Pin Trading... it will answer any question you might have.

Get the kids lanyards and a few cheapo pins somewhere and once we get in just walk up to someone and ask?? In regards to "cheapo pins" you have to know that cheap Disney pins are hard to find because the only tradeable pins have to be "Official Disney" pins and bare the Official Disney trademark. Some people have got lucky buying lots of them from ebay, others have gotten messed over. Disneyshopping.com sometimes has clearanced pins (this week there were several clearanced at $2.99 and then you got a code on the Disboards that took an extra 15% off, I bought over 50 for about $2.50 each for our upcoming trip). :goodvibes The cheapest pins in the park to buy to trade are about $6.00 each. And yes, there are cast members with pin lanyards. The blue lanyards trade with anyone, the green trade only with children. CM's are everywhere... attractions, restaurants, gift shops, walking around, and so on... there will be ample opportunities to trade!

Or do they ask you??? No, you (or the child) must initiate the trade. Adults pin trade too!

Or do the kids even need to have pins? Yes, they must give one to get one! It is an exchange. They cannot trade a pin to the CM if the CM has that pin already displayed. Other than that, you (or they) choose the pin from the CM that you want, choose the one of yours you do not want, and the CM absolutely MUST trade you/them, as long as it is an Official Disney pin!

Do they get to choose or does the CM's choose? They choose the pin they want and the one they will trade! :thumbsup2

The Disney guide, from the WDW website, will explain it all in detail! It is really quite simple but it can be costly. You end up with a really nice souvenier however! There are also starter sets with a lanyard and pins that could get each child started for about $50.00 I think (available online or in the parks). It is fun, you get a bit addicted to looking at CM lanyards/hip pouches as they walk by! :rotfl: Have fun!

[B3LLE]

Thanks for the tips. I thought that was the case...

Though I've made the silly mistake of going up to CM's with green lanyards and seeing pins I liked... sadly you can't trade with them :( It's only for the kids.

[doulacandice]

Wow thanks for answering my questions!! That can be VERY addicting no doubt.. I would spend all my time searching for CM and trading pins.. LOL

[B3LLE]

Yeah I'm past the point of no return. I'm so addicted and I'm trying to figure out the best places to get good pins :rotfl:

[mchllevns]

I was lucky enough to hit the disneystore website last week as well...between the sale price and the coupon I had, we got several pins at $2.50 as well...a STEAL!! The Disney Stores are carrying pins once again...they had a 5 piece pinset for $14.50 or so, and with a Disney Store coupon, I was able to get the set for $12.33....but it's harder to find the 5 piece sets now. Keep your eyes open on the website and in the store, and keep your Disney coupons handy!! (If you have a Disney Visa card, they'll send coupons several times a year).

When in the park, we all have a theme we're trading for...whether it's a favorite character, Hidden Mickey's, or a particular set (i.e. the monorails). Have fun with it! :thumbsup2

[DisneyJo]

My DD traded for a limited edition pin with a CM at MGM who was clearing trash, he told her it was very special and not to trade it (she chose it because she liked it!) so it's not just the "more important" CM's that have the good pins :thumbsup2

Also along the same lines surely it's best to trade for pins you like rather than just because they're limited edition etc :)

[kimsuenew]

Thanks for the tips. I thought that was the case...

Though I've made the silly mistake of going up to CM's with green lanyards and seeing pins I liked... sadly you can't trade with them :( It's only for the kids.

Wow thanks for answering my questions!! That can be VERY addicting no doubt.. I would spend all my time searching for CM and trading pins.. LOL

You are both VERY welcome! :goodvibes It is a fun thing to do, you find yourself scoping out every CM you see!:rotfl:

[kimsuenew]

!I was lucky enough to hit the disneystore website last week as well...between the sale price and the coupon I had, we got several pins at $2.50 as well...a STEAL! The Disney Stores are carrying pins once again...they had a 5 piece pinset for $14.50 or so, and with a Disney Store coupon, I was able to get the set for $12.33....but it's harder to find the 5 piece sets now. Keep your eyes open on the website and in the store, and keep your Disney coupons handy!! (If you have a Disney Visa card, they'll send coupons several times a year).

When in the park, we all have a theme we're trading for...whether it's a favorite character, Hidden Mickey's, or a particular set (i.e. the monorails). Have fun with it! :thumbsup2

Good for you! :thumbsup2 I agree, the price was awesome! My son has a bit of a theme I guess, Jack Skellington and anything pirate related! Me, it is whatever catches my eye... although I do gravitate towards Tink and Lilo & Stitch! :goodvibes It really is a fun hobby and makes a great souvenier!

[Disney1976]

Pin trading can seem a little overwhelming, and could end up getting a little costly, as a lot of the pins (especially in the parks) start at around $6 and go up from there. So, I know a lot of people who collect pins based on a theme -they may collect only villains, only a favorite character, or only pins for every attraction they visit! I thought it was a good idea and makes "hunting" for particular pins even more challenging. Of course, if you see a pin you just have to have, nobody's keeping you from getting it. :goodvibes

[B3LLE]

Pin trading can seem a little overwhelming, and could end up getting a little costly, as a lot of the pins (especially in the parks) start at around $6 and go up from there. So, I know a lot of people who collect pins based on a theme -they may collect only villains, only a favorite character, or only pins for every attraction they visit! I thought it was a good idea and makes "hunting" for particular pins even more challenging. Of course, if you see a pin you just have to have, nobody's keeping you from getting it. :goodvibes

Yes I agree it DEFINTELY can get costly. $6.00 for a pin is expensive, but lately I've been going on ebay to get larger pin sets for a cheap price so I can trade :thumbsup2 I personally love Beauty and the Beast pins, LE, and lanyard series.

And yes I have seen the Disney Store selling more and more pins - if you want to get pin sets, go online now! There are currently a TON of pins on sale. You could get an LE for a cheaper price ;)

[dburg30]

I admit that I got bit by the bug last week lol.. Once I saw the Ohio State one I was done for :). The CM's know what you 'want' when you get close to them and start staring at their lanyard or side panel (they hang off their side on a square of fabric if they dont have a lanyard). There will be many times that you just check out their pins and tell them thanks and move on, but every so often you see one that you like. :). I just happened to see a CSR 2000 pin on someone so I got it, traded a few others, just really had fun interacting with the CM's. It adds just a whole other layer to the Disney experience.

[B3LLE]

I admit that I got bit by the bug last week lol.. Once I saw the Ohio State one I was done for :). The CM's know what you 'want' when you get close to them and start staring at their lanyard or side panel (they hang off their side on a square of fabric if they dont have a lanyard). There will be many times that you just check out their pins and tell them thanks and move on, but every so often you see one that you like. :). I just happened to see a CSR 2000 pin on someone so I got it, traded a few others, just really had fun interacting with the CM's. It adds just a whole other layer to the Disney experience.

I hope you had a wonderful time :thumbsup2

Yes and I agree it does add to the experience. The cast members are so nice and helpful. Some even know the histories of their pins so they can tell you which ones are more valuable. I can't wait to go on the pin hunt again :cloud9:

[kimsuenew]

Any tips about how to get good pins from Disney cast members? I've heard the earlier you're in the park, and the more "important looking" members you see with lanyards... the better chances of getting a good pin.
Is this true?


Thoughts and opinions appreciated :)

Well... perhaps but I got my two best trades at MK, one from a CM working a little kiosk and the other was from a maintainence worker emptying trash near Casey's! :goodvibes

Other than those two, I found that a manager at CP had some nice pins as well as all of the CM's at the gift shop/Artist Pallette checkout at our resort, SSR. We traded with SSR CM's numerous times and got great pins!:thumbsup2I did get the set of pins from a CM at the big pin store in Frontierland (it is all pins/lanyards there). It was neat, it is both the Fox and the Hound. The interesting thing was she told me she received those in two different trades, one early in the day and one later, from two different people. They are actually made where the nestle together and kind of form a circle if placed one on top of the other!

I think:confused3 it is simply luck and being in the right place at the right time! :) One of the great things about pin trading is what I think is awesome, you might not, and so on... I pass on "Hidden Mickey's", "Cast Excluives", and "Limited Editions", to get the cheapo pin that appeals to me! :goodvibes

During our September trip 2008, there will probably be collectors thrilled as we will be trading over 50 brand new, assorted LE (from a run of 1,000 each) pins we got on sale through Disney.com! We have an assortment of 8 different characters... I am keeping a Stitch and Cheshire Cat, DS is keeping a Jack/Sally (just because we liked them) and the rest are going to new homes!

Some people collect what they feel is valuable, that is their method. Me, I collect what I think is cool and appeals to me! I am a bit ecclectic, but do gravitate to Stitch and Tink more often than not! My son tends to trade for Pirates and Jack Skellington, although he too has a few oddballs threw in the mix as they appealed to him (such as Buzz & Woody and Mickey).

I did find more pins that appealed to me in the AM, although CM's lanyards are always as quota. Perhaps I was more alert and focused, I don't know!:confused3 Also, at the Toy Store in DTD, the CM's had awesome lanyards of pins, ecspecially those with green lanyards! :)

I would just say the best plan is to keep your eyes open, it doesn't matter the job type or location the CM has, they just might have the pin you are looking for! :goodvibes

[B3LLE]

Other than those two, I found that a manager at CP had some nice pins as well as all of the CM's at the gift shop/Artist Pallette checkout at our resort, SSR. We traded with SSR CM's numerous times and got great pins!:thumbsup2


Good to know! I'll be staying in SSR in a few weeks so it's nice to hear about pin trading in that resort :woohoo:

[tiink3rbella]

Any tips about how to get good pins from Disney cast members? I've heard the earlier you're in the park, and the more "important looking" members you see with lanyards... the better chances of getting a good pin.

Is this true?


Thoughts and opinions appreciated :)
Or you can find a small child and pretend they want to trade for the pin haha.
I dont know why I always come across your boards

[B3LLE]

Or you can find a small child and pretend they want to trade for the pin haha.
I dont know why I always come across your boards

Probably cause you like to stalk me? haha. 23 days until our trip Brookie Wookie! :woohoo:

[adabob]

If you will even find that guy who is really important and nice, and you need some pins they generally will trade more than 2 pins. For example my dad was needing the rest of the WIld about safet set, and the CM he was trading with heard about it. SO the cm went in the back and came out with every other one that he needed to finish the set.

But remember this was a high cm position and we just happened to be there at the right time. And remember that this was luck and not all high position CMs will do this.

But i do notice that there is better pins in the morning

[bord1niowa]

Some of the CMs will also put a "special" pin backwards on their lanyard, and you can only see the pin back to know it's there. You can trade for it but they do not show it to you ahead of time. These are usually pretty nice , bigger pins I have found. You just have to take your chances it's something you like, but then again, it will probably be an easy one to trade off too. We bought 2 sets of the same pins that are about 3 inches long with Cinderella and a hanging pillow with the glass slipper on it from ebay and with shipping they cost us about $2.50 each. We had these last year too and they traded with everybody Quickly! Some people were amazed we were willing to trade them. We just pulled out another one and went on to the next person...lol. We had a blast trading, sometimes giving kids much better pins than what they gave us, but if it was something they really wanted, what the heck! Have fun!

[kimsuenew]

Pin trading is just so much fun! :thumbsup2

[hoffman1]

We always find the best pins come from Scoop! :goodvibes

[MousekaMaddi]

our 5 yr old is crazy about it and isnt too picky about what she trades, its fun to watch

[becca-becca]

Is there a schedule of when Scoop gives his talks? How do you find him? Do you just bump in to him by chance?

Also, are the pins the CM's own personal pins, or do they have a big stockpile off stage that belongs to WDW that they can keep replenishing their lanyard with? If they are their own personal pins, how come they trade away such good ones?

[kimsuenew]

:) OK... duh on my part! :goodvibes Who is Scoop? Where do we meet him? What kind of talks does he give? Thanks!

[kimsuenew]

Wow thanks for answering my questions!! That can be VERY addicting no doubt.. I would spend all my time searching for CM and trading pins.. LOL

You are very welcome! :goodvibes Have fun! :thumbsup2

[Donald is #1]

Also, are the pins the CM's own personal pins, or do they have a big stockpile off stage that belongs to WDW that they can keep replenishing their lanyard with?

No the CM's aren't trading their personnal pins (unless they want to I guess). They have places in the CM only areas where the CMs can get pins to trade. They showed us the MK one when I was on the KTTK tour last May.

[hoffman1]

Scoop Sanderson is one of the Main Street characters and is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He is the "town reporter." He used to give pin talks where he would tell about the different types of pins and how they were made. He also would talk about pin trading and play pin games. He would usually have some special pins in his bag. His pin talks were discontinued but you can still find him on Main Street and if you ask nicely he might play secret pin trader with you. We make a point of finding him each year when we go. It is amazing that he can remembers us from one year to the next considering the thousands of people he meets. This past year for the Sept. pin event they had a Mickey as Scoop jumbo pin. We were not able to go to the event but were able to get one of the pins and had Scoop sign it for us! We "won" a pin game and he gave my husband a special Artist Proof Expedition Everest pin.

[kimsuenew]

Scoop Sanderson is one of the Main Street characters and is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He is the "town reporter." He used to give pin talks where he would tell about the different types of pins and how they were made. He also would talk about pin trading and play pin games. He would usually have some special pins in his bag. His pin talks were discontinued but you can still find him on Main Street and if you ask nicely he might play secret pin trader with you. We make a point of finding him each year when we go. It is amazing that he can remembers us from one year to the next considering the thousands of people he meets. This past year for the Sept. pin event they had a Mickey as Scoop jumbo pin. We were not able to go to the event but were able to get one of the pins and had Scoop sign it for us! We "won" a pin game and he gave my husband a special Artist Proof Expedition Everest pin.

WOW! Thank you for such an enjoyable and informative reply! :goodvibes He sounds like a really neat fella... we will have to make a point to say hello!

[wildeoscar]

to semi answer the question of how to get the "best" pins... early in the day is better, but CMs come on shift at all hours of the day that would have "fresh" pins.

CMs behind the food counters where they are often busy, watch for what is on their lanyards as the probably don't get traded with as often.

Management... I have had great luck in trading with managers, but I strike up a conversation about what do they do, what are they in charge of, how long with the company... for my birthday last year, I asked to see his pins and said, oh well not any of the ones I am looking for, he asked me what pin I was looking for, I told him, and he said, I have that in my desk drawer. We were walking into Buzz Lightyear at the time, he said he would be waiting for us with the pin when we come out, and sure enough he was.

anyway, ya get more flies with honey than with pushing your way though the crowd screaming about how much you paid to stay on the concierge floor.