Brand new collectors, now AT Disneyworld - Help!

[Sharper]

Arrived yesterday and promptly bought pins and lanyards for two kids. Seven-year-old son was eager immediately, wanting to get the set of dwarves. Today we learn the Doc/Grumpy difficulty issue {sigh} and are encouraging other interests. 14-year-old daughter was almost too cool for pin collecting yesterday, but gave in today -- Haunted Mansion pin convinced her. Now she wants a Maleficient, among others. I am a Tinkerbell collector from way back. Husband was interested "for the kids" but by this evening was fessing up that he thinks it is cool. We have NO IDEA what we are doing. Obviously, first and foremost we want pins that we have a particular liking for, but when there are a zillion out there how to know which is higher quality or more unusual? A CM told us that if the metal backing has Mickey heads imprinted that that is generally a good sign -- not sure of general quality or being older and retired or ?? (We traded a very common one for a Black Cauldron, which it seems most folks don't even know is a Disney movie!) Any suggestions for where to go for the more unusual ones? Do the CM's in any particular parks or areas tend to have "better" ones? Any clues would be very much appreciated so we don't spend half our trip looking at the same ones over and over. We're having a blast, though! Thanks.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Welcome to the madness -- err, the joy of Disney pin collecting.

When you get a chance, check out the links in my signature. One goes to the pin etiquette 101 area here on the DIS, and one goes to the Collectors Board FAQ I created. It gives a bit more detail and insight into pin trading in general.

Tomorrow, you MUST do one thing -- attend Scoop's seminar at the Exposition Hall in the Magic Kingdom at 1:00 PM. Scoop Sanderson gives a great talk on how pins are made and pin trading etiquette in general. As you enter the park and cross under the train station, Expo Hall is the building to the right. Enter the building and the pins are to the left side (this is inside the building, not at the pin cart over by the candy store). You can ask anyone in there where Scoop gives his seminar. Tell him Matthew (or Obi-Wan Pinobi) from the DIS sent you and ask him to tell you the story of Rindercella. (trust me on this one )

 

[GotAnyPins]

And I can't tell you how many times we have seen Scoop's famous seminar..and each time is like the first...you see it through the new traders eyes, and it is like remembering why we do this..

I was there w/ June and Bob, and we ran into Judithm, and her DH, and luv2roam, and her DH..so nice to put a face to the names, and got an opportunity to give Judith the monorail wings she won from Ed at the GPA2, I think she was thrilled, was an understatement...anyhoo to get back to Scoop, as Matt says, it is a "Must See"

you will get some understanding and direction, be sure to ask him about the new cast lanyard pins, they are very diversified, and there should be something there for everyone, and they can only be gotten from the CM's.(I saw one CM give 4 of the brand new pins to a new pin trading family at the Contemporary today, )..Scoop plays some games, along w/ his seminar, and it is fun for all ages, He is wonderful, one of a kind, and tries to keep all of pin traders on the right road..(and this isn't easy)..see him once, and you are hooked, and if you are lucky, after is seminar, he may trade some of his personal pins w/ you..

Enjoy!!! And dontch just love it there!!

 

[goofymom/pop]

Usually the latest craze in pins can be found more readily on the Mgrs. They wear shirts and ties. We call them in the pin world "the shirts"

The biggest tip I have is to collect what you like. It is nice to get something really special but your best starting point is pick what you like.

If you want to get more bang for your buck, hunt down an Orlando Disney Store or Disney Outlet and go buy the pins cheaper there to use for your traders. They cost around 4 bucks there and the cheapest in the parks is 6.50. Right now through today only, the stores have some pins half off. So you could get traders for $2....it may be worth the drive to get some traders for the kids and yourselves. They trade for anything on a cast members lanyard, but most veteran traders (the ones with the big books) will have everything from the stores so they arent usually hot traders with regular folks at the parks. But if you are sticking to cast members this trip since you are new to it....that is a great way to go.

hope this helps

Most important tip.

HAVE FUN!!!!

 

[GotAnyPins]

Don't but the 2000 dancer pins...or NO MORE DWARF HEADS EVER!!!!!!!!!...(Sorry just got taken over by the ghost of Joan Crawford!! )

There are so many out there, that it ruins it for the rest of the pin traders, and eventually for you too, because that is all you see on the lanyards.... and then no one can trade..

And early in the morning is also good.. newly refreshed lanyards..

 

[Sharper]

We caught the very end of Scoop's seminar on our first day. He gave my son a "Magical Moment" certificate and was the one who explained the Grumpy shortage. I thought it was very nice that he was telling folks to occasionally just give a pin away, that it makes for good "pin karma" but a few of those with LOTS of pins looked like they would rather do just about anything that give one away. My son has been given a few pins by cast members, and it really touched us both. (Guess that is a perk of being polite, sincere little kid. Of course, by the same token, I honestly think that he would trade -- or give -- you any of his it you really wanted it.)

Finding something you like is the #1 priority, but until you get a feel for it you don't know what you will see 100 more times that day or never again. A little frustrating, but a lot of fun!