Flying with Disney Trading Pins

[TifffanyD]

Hi all!

My boyfriend and I went to Disney over New Year's, and were lucky enough to be gifted the YOAMD pins and lanyards. Since then the pin trading/collecting addiction has surfaced, and now I need to figure out how to get these things to FL and back. So my question is:

Is there any trouble checking the pins through security? I'm thinking it's probably ok, but they are sharp. Has anyone carried them on? How many at a time?

I'd hate to check them and lose them or try to take them on and lose them at security. Any info you can give me is much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[jen3003]

Be prepared to be checked by security. My son started collecting in 2000 and insisted on bringing them with in 2001 (two weeks after 9-11) and 2002, both times we were stopped by security. They are definitely nice about it all and sometimes they even take the time to really look at the pins(as long as you don't miss you flight). But remember depending on how many you have or will buy they do get very heavy after a while.
Have fun colllecting and trading!!!

 

[TifffanyD]

Be prepared to be checked by security. My son started collecting in 2000 and insisted on bringing them with in 2001 (two weeks after 9-11) and 2002, both times we were stopped by security. They are definitely nice about it all and sometimes they even take the time to really look at the pins(as long as you don't miss you flight). But remember depending on how many you have or will buy they do get very heavy after a while.
Have fun colllecting and trading!!!

Thanks! So I am guessing just the amount of metal sets them off and once they see they are pins it's fine? How many did your son "smuggle" in at once?

 

[wdwishes1990]

All 3 of my boys are avid pin collectors - they come and go with us on every trip. We have done both - put them in our carry on as well as check them. We have had absolutely NO problem either way.

 

[momto2inKC]

Ours go in the carry on and we had no trouble at all

 

[pednurse]

When we flew at the beginning of June, each of the kids had about 10-12 pins in their carry-ons and they went through security fine. No one opened their bags to check them for anything when we flew out of Indy or when we returned through Orlando.

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

I go about 5 times a year and bring lots of trader pins with me. Sometimes the trader pins are in my checked luggage, but I usually keep a good amount with me because Magical Express takes some time to get the bags and I don't want to miss out on trading opps. I also always keep my lanyards for the parks with me in my carry ons.

The September Pin Event is coming up and the general consensus there is that most folks don't trust the checked bagged. If the people don't drive, they carry on whatever they can lift. Most airports seem to be ok with them. As said before, sometimes the TSA will look through them, sometimes not.

Enjoy your pins!

 

[TifffanyD]

Thanks all! One less thing for me to obsess/worry about!

 

[nannon16]

My husband has 4 or 5 on the strap of his camera bag, which he has carried on the plane at least the past 4 trips. We have never had an issue when going through security because of the pins. Of course I probably just jinxed myself and we'll get stopped when we go in September!!

 

[chaoscent]

I carry 200 to 300 in my carry on luggage and have never had a problem.
Penny

 

[GBShorts]

To be honest, I believe that the pin point is too blunt and too short to cause any damage to a person so the TSA probably won't do much.

Heck, they even allow knitting needles now.

 

[TifffanyD]

Heck, they even allow knitting needles now.

Sometimes they don't! I was actually stopped once during a slightly heightened security level and forced to part with my BENDY PLASTIC knitting needles. The guys said crochet hooks (or, they actually said "the hooky needles") only. So that's why I'm so worried about things.

 

[GBShorts]

Sometimes they don't! I was actually stopped once during a slightly heightened security level and forced to part with my BENDY PLASTIC knitting needles. The guys said crochet hooks (or, they actually said "the hooky needles") only. So that's why I'm so worried about things.

I always bring the list of what's approved with me (it can be found here).

About a quarter of the way down the page it says what you can and cannot bring in carry on bags and checked bags.

That being said, I've always had the list but never been questioned. Just in case though, I bring a stitch holder so I can offload my projects in case they pitch a fit...but oddly enough my stitch holder is sharper than the needles and they never say anything about that either!

I'm so sorry you lost your needles. Don't you think they should have pre-stamped envelopes for people to mail their stuff to themselves? Honestly. If you're going to disallow something your site clearly says you can bring, you should have to foot the bill. I understand when people bring stuff they shouldn't (huge bottles of shampoo, pocket knives, etc), but seriously.

HTH!

 

[TifffanyD]

I always bring the list of what's approved with me (it can be found here).

About a quarter of the way down the page it says what you can and cannot bring in carry on bags and checked bags.

That being said, I've always had the list but never been questioned. Just in case though, I bring a stitch holder so I can offload my projects in case they pitch a fit...but oddly enough my stitch holder is sharper than the needles and they never say anything about that either!

I'm so sorry you lost your needles. Don't you think they should have pre-stamped envelopes for people to mail their stuff to themselves? Honestly. If you're going to disallow something your site clearly says you can bring, you should have to foot the bill. I understand when people bring stuff they shouldn't (huge bottles of shampoo, pocket knives, etc), but seriously.

HTH!

I never thought of bringing the list with me - that's a great tip! I think that time they used the "at our discretion" to rule against the needles... argh. But I didn't "lose" the needles - since I only had one checked bag my airline provided a box for me to ship it in and pick it up through baggage at my destination. I didn't have them to entertain me on the flight tho

 

[Aimerskoeh]

When I went in June I has them packed in my checked luggage on the way there, so there was no problems.
On the way back I am not sure if I had them in my carry on or not, because we had spent the morning and afternoon at Epcot. If they I had no problems.
But as you can tell from other pple's posts you should be fine to cary them on.

 

[agnes!]

We fly in and out of the three Baltimore/Washington DC airports, which have arguably some of the tightest security in the country and *always* have many many (100s) of pins in our carry-ons. The most that we have ever happen is when the TSA screening agent will say "Ummmm...what's in that bag?" I'll say "Disney pins...yeah, it's a lot" They'll say "Oh". (They usually don't even ask when we're coming back through Orlando.)
I would never check my pins, they are too valuable, both in trading firepower and to replace. Also, I always put my jewelry in my carry-on as well, nothing goes in my checked baggage unless I am willing to lose it.

agnes!
PS - Take a look at what's allowed on that link posted above, that will set your mind at ease. If I wanted to, I could have cigar-cutters (with a sharp blade), small scissors(sharp point), screwdrivers (not teeny-tiny ones either) and sharp corkscrews in my carryon...