do people still trade pins in the themeparks with CMs?

[Puffy2]

Wondering if this is still a thing. Do guests still trade pins with CMs in the themeparks?

 

[Canuck16]

You bet!

Our kids do this every time we go to WDW or DLR.

 

[Asc341]

Be aware that counterfeits (or "scrappers") are rampant in the parks. It's still so fun to trade for pins you like, regardless of their authenticity, but it helps to be aware in case you plan on trading your "good" pins.

 

[Newsies]

Absolutely! My favorite spot to do so is at the Storybook Circus tent in MK. They've got a cute little popcorn display with tons of pins for trading!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

If Disney was smart they'd continue these forever and change them up every year to keep them popular.

 

[Cuppie]

We did it last time... and we will do it again this year, as we didn't "find" what we were really looking for... GRUMPY pins...lol they do NOT sell any single grumpy pins anymore (or they didn't in 2013)

Looking for grumpy pins was our goal all day everyday...lol when ever we saw a CM with a pin patch we asked to look. It makes the down times so.much easier with an autistic child.. they have something else to focus on...

 

[mountdew1]

If Disney was smart they'd continue these forever and change them up every year to keep them popular.

Not sure if this is being sarcastic or not, but they do. Each year they release a different set of cast lanyard "Hidden Mickey" pins, and some are different from WDW to DLR. You can see the WDW ones here -> http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/blog/hidden-mickey-pins-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Wondering if this is still a thing. Do guests still trade pins with CMs in the themeparks?

It sure is. I traded with CM's when I was there a week ago. I kept hoping I'd find the new Hidden Mickey series but it wasn't in the parks yet.

 

[Stacey012345]

Not sure if this is being sarcastic or not, but they do. Each year they release a different set of cast lanyard "Hidden Mickey" pins, and some are different from WDW to DLR. You can see the WDW ones here -> http://www.disneyparksmerchandise.com/blog/hidden-mickey-pins-walt-disney-world-resort/

Do you happen to know if they still have the circular letter pins floating around WDW that have hidden mickeys? The have a letter and character inside the circle (ex: R has Rex and is purple circle with hidden Mickey)

 

[Puffy2]

Are the hidden mickey pins the only pins the CMs trade?

 

[mountdew1]

Do you happen to know if they still have the circular letter pins floating around WDW that have hidden mickeys? The have a letter and character inside the circle (ex: R has Rex and is purple circle with hidden Mickey)

They may. The hidden mickey pins are ones that are often scrapped/bootlegged, and usually fill up the lanyards as they are found in volume in those lots on eBay. But they would probably be in smaller quantities than when they were first released. I've found hidden mickey pins on lanyards from 4-5 years ago.

Are the hidden mickey pins the only pins the CMs trade?

Nope. But all hidden mickey pins (except for if they sell blind bagged completers) begin only on the CMs lanyards (until scrapped/bootlegged) and then are traded off to guests for whatever pin the guest wants to trade.. So a lanyard may have any pin that meets Disney Pin Trading Guidelines, and usually will end up being turned back in at the end of the day with a completely separate set of pins that what they started with.

 

[chefmb]

We just got back Friday night. I wanted to stop at the Character Warehouse Outlet to look for pins since I didn't want to buy scrappers off ebay. I was ecstatic! I got the Tink starter set with the lanyard and 4 pins for $4.99, The Fairies pin set (6 pins) for $4.99, an Animal Kingdom hat with 6 AK pins for $9.99! I only traded a few because I like the ones I got more than most of the pins the CM's had, but now I'm ready for my next trip too! It would be very dangerous for me if I lived close enough to go to the Outlet on a regular basis. Too many good deals

 

[MainMom]

We did it last time... and we will do it again this year, as we didn't "find" what we were really looking for... GRUMPY pins...lol they do NOT sell any single grumpy pins anymore (or they didn't in 2013)

Looking for grumpy pins was our goal all day everyday...lol when ever we saw a CM with a pin patch we asked to look. It makes the down times so.much easier with an autistic child.. they have something else to focus on...

My Husband bought a grumpy pin in 2011. I think he is holding a mug beer.

 

[njpyro]

i still trade every time I go to the parks. As someone said earlier- a lot of pins on cast member lanyards are scrappers, so beware if that is something that bothers you. I enjoy trading and put them on a board at home, with no intention of selling them, so I don't care about getting the occasional scrapper, as long as it looks cool.

 

[beldred]

My son got tired of pin trading a few years ago, but my DH is obsessed! LOL He doesn't collect for value or anything like that. He just loves the trading aspect of it and talking to so many varied people. He picks sets he likes and will spend the entire week trading. There's many times he'll skip an attraction to go pin trade instead and meet us after. We have a large shadowbox on the wall to display the sets he completes. Hey, I figure whatever gets him willing to go to Disney every 18 months or so, right?

 

[junebug21981]

What do you mean by bootlegged or scrapper pins?

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

What do you mean by bootlegged or scrapper pins?

There are two kinds of pins a collector typically does not want: counterfeit and scrapper pins.

Counterfeit (bootleg) is just as it sounds: they are illegal copies, often cheaply made, and many of them are of poor quality. Sometimes the pins are entirely new designs but, again, are not authorized by Disney.

Scrapper pins are the product of authorized factories.... but: they often come from discard piles or unauthorized overruns of production. Many times they are of inferior quality as well, or have areas on them that are not quite correct.

 

[DisneyCrazy123]

Is there a better place in each park to do pin trading? We buy a few pins every trip, but my son would like to get a cast member pin. Apparently they don't sell certain pins but cast members have them to trade. I don't know if that is even the case, but thought I would ask some of the veteran pin traders.

 

[tigger777]

We traded last week at Disney World and on our Disney Cruise. The mystery pins on the cruise are anchors of the characters.

I did see a few of the alphabet ones that were the circles, but not very many.

 

[eyehartdisney]

We just got back Friday night. I wanted to stop at the Character Warehouse Outlet to look for pins since I didn't want to buy scrappers off ebay. I was ecstatic! I got the Tink starter set with the lanyard and 4 pins for $4.99, The Fairies pin set (6 pins) for $4.99, an Animal Kingdom hat with 6 AK pins for $9.99! I only traded a few because I like the ones I got more than most of the pins the CM's had, but now I'm ready for my next trip too! It would be very dangerous for me if I lived close enough to go to the Outlet on a regular basis. Too many good deals

I dont think that the AK hat has tradeable pins.