Pre-Trip #34:
Just a Pair of Pin Heads
Well, a description of our preparations for an impending trip to WDW would not be complete without discussing
pins.
Back in 2003, when I first saw the collectible pins in the gift shops all over Walt Disney World, I thought, Hmmm. Those could be dangerous
better not get into pins
we could drop a lot of money if we start collecting those! And I was good to my word; I dutifully resisted them for six whole days, choosing instead to spend my souvenir money on Disney photo albums and frames, Christmas ornaments, and t-shirts for the kids and for all our nieces and nephews.
Of course, that didnt stop Tricia and me from looking! We ogled the little enameled beauties every time we came across them. (Which at WDW is literally around every corner.) They were, and still are, everywhere: in all the gift shops in all the theme parks and at the resorts. In special pin-trading stations scattered around the theme parks. And at
Disney's Pin Traders, the ultimate source for pins, located in Downtown Disney. We admired them on the lanyards of cast members and fellow guests. We marveled at the variety of themes and characters commemorated in these small bits of cloisonné
the resorts, the theme parks, the characters, and even holidays. They sure were pretty
.but, no! I wasnt going to start getting into pin collecting, no sir! We had already bought plenty of souvenirs and there were other, more necessary things on which to spend our money. Sense would triumph over Sensibility.
Until the seventh day.
We were walking around the Magic Kingdom on the
last day of what I was sure was to be our once in a lifetime trip to WDW and I was feeling rather glum, indeed. I dont remember exactly why, but Ed and Billy had gone off somewhere and Tricia and I were sitting around, waiting for them. I was just starting to get a bit annoyed
this was our last day and I didnt want to waste a single minute of it. The boys soon arrived and Ed was holding a bag from one of the gift shops. Thank goodness, lets go!
Here, girls, I bought you a little something to cheer you up, he said, with a big, dumb grin on his face. Skeptically, I looked inside the bag.
Oh no!
What is it, Mommy? asked Tricia, excitedly.
Oh, Ed, you didnt!
Let me see, let me see! squealed Tricia, clutching for the bag. She reached inside and drew out two lanyard & pin sets. There was a
Tinkerbell set for her and an
Incredibles set for her brother.
Pins! Pins! Look, Mommy, Daddy got us pins!
She immediately tore open the package, placed the lavender colored lanyard around her neck, and inspected the six shiny Tinkerbell pins. Hey, why are there two of the same pins? she asked.
Thats so you can
keep three and
trade three to get different pins, I answered. Who will I trade with? she wondered. I told her to start out by looking for a CM wearing a green lanyard, since they trade only with children. Then, if you feel comfortable, you can ask another kid wearing a lanyard if they want to trade.
But, what if someone wants a pin that I dont want to trade? I told her that it was okay to say no thanks, politely, and that she did not have to trade any pin she didnt want to. That seemed to reassure her, and another Disney pin trader was born!
Ahem, Ed cleared his throat. Theres something else in the bag. I looked inside. It was a lanyard and a Magic Kingdom pin for me.
Honey, I thought we werent going to get started on pins
I began.
I know, I know, he said slyly. Youve been saying that over and over, but the two of you have been drooling over pins all week, so I decided to just go ahead and get you some. He smiled triumphantly. You
know you want them!
Oh, I hate it when hes right.
By the end of the day, Tricia had made several successful trades and I had acquired pins for the other three theme parks. Billy wore his Incredibles lanyard for a while, but he began to find the sensation on his neck annoying and he eventually gave it to Ed to wear.
So, thats how it all started.
Ed still wears his lanyard; hes added some police-themed pins and a couple of Grumpy pins, but its Tricia and me who are the real
pin-heads. Every year we choose a theme and try to buy/trade for pins in that theme. We dont always stay completely within the boundaries, though. If theres a pin we just have to have, we usually go ahead and get it (to keep, not to trade.) Were starting to amass so many, that I think this year I will invest in some pin scrapbook albums that they sell at Disney Pin Traders. Right now, we just keep them on lanyards.
Ill start with Tricias treasures and let
her tell you a little bit about them:
"Ta-Da!!"
Princesses: These are the princesses (and one villian, Malifiecent). I'm trying to get all the princesses in three stages of dress: their "rags", their princess dresses, and their wedding dresses.
Minnie: I love when Minnie gets dressed up in costume. She always looks sooo pretty!
Cuties: These are my Cuties! Which one do you think is the cutest? Minnie? Eeyore? My favorite is Pooh!
Aunt Rae gave me Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for this trip. I 
them!!
These were a special gift from one of Mom's friends... hint, hint...nudge, nudge!
This one is awesome! It's Minnie with magnetic dress up clothes (like a paper doll.)
This is another one that I love. It's a locket pin with Mickey and Minnie. Isn't it cute?
These pins are special because they contain my birthstone.
I did the math! Mom has 47 pins and I have 55, so together we have 102 pins!! 
On this trip, I'm going to try to finish up my Cuties and my Princess collections. I can't wait to get more pins!!
....and now, for Mom's favorites....
Here is my lanyard with some of my favorites:
I picked up this large lanyard "charm" on our last adventure!
I especially like Holiday Pins...
I wear "Nurse Minnie" on my uniform every day when at work, and holiday pins around each holiday.
I almost forgot to tell you about my plush princess dolls; I'm collecting them too!! All I need is Ariel and Snow White and the collection is complete! Yay!
(Note the
Magic Kingdom board game... Tricia and I were playing it earlier tonight... I won!!
*I promised her a re-match tomorrow!) Just another fun way to get into the "Disney Mood" (like we really
need any help!)
So, not unlike the dozens of squirrels who are now scampering all over our lawn gathering acorns, Tricia and I will be busy gathering more treasures into our collections in just a few weeks.
And Ed can't even complain! After all,
he started it!!
Kathy
Oh well, sometimes its the same in the office where I work; especially for new patients. I've got a call into another doctor and hope to get Billy seen at least once before we go to Disney. 
I'll bet you were frightened! 
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Darn it. I love those games. 
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