Have you ever written a letter to Disney?

[NHMickey]

I was just hinking that I want to write to Disney and see whay they stopped (over the last year or so) all the fun pin stuff...

I mean we lost the "Super Traders" a few years ago. And now it seems we are losing the pin talks for good. Now think of all the other stuff that has gone from the pin trading community in the last few years. It is sad.

So I was thinking... Why not get a letter writing campaign going to let Disney know

a. What pin trading means to all of us (both new and old)
b. What the fun was in geting together at Scoops Pin Talks.
c. The special pin trading areas in the parks
d. The Super Traders ( i know old news)
e. Smaller pin events.

Now I am not saying they need to bring it all back but we should let them know we cared enough to say we where sad to see these things stop. Maybe they will briong one or two back...

If not a letter for all of the stuff how about a letter of thanks to a few "Special People". Like Jim Mathews, Scoop and even the Cm's who worked the pin trading nights.

Let Disney Managment know you care....

What do you think?

 

[Parkhopper]

I think that is a WONDERFUL idea! As soon as we finish writing the letter telling them about a fantastic Cast Member who we met last trip who made my son's Spring Break his most magical trip ever, I think we will do just that.

Suzi

 

[cinderellacm2000]

I think that is a wonderful idea too! Why not? The last time we went I was so surprised at the lack of fun pin goings on. Thank goodness for mystery pins..lol!

 

[agnes!]

I think the brilliant minds who killed the Disney Beanie market are also behind the latest "innovations" and "improvements" to the pin-trading experience.

I mean, GEE, (for instance) doesn't everybody just think that having the retail Hidden Mickey pins is faaaaaabulous? And the BRILLIANCE of changing the pin-designation from "lanyard" to "cast lanyard" to whatever they're calling it now (and therefore messing up the backstamps so now we're ALL confused)?

I think it's a good idea to send letters to thank Disney for the pin events you appreciate the most, like any discontinued ones (Super Traders, Scoop's Pin Talk, smaller regularly-scheduled low-key events like the resort pin-trading afternoon/nights, etc) and the (YAY! recently restarted!) monthly Contemporary Pin Nights.

agnes!

 

[Parkhopper_Vince]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I have written letters in the past and sounds like I have some more writing to do.

 

[Vemnox]

Disney Pin Trading is a fading hobby. Whether or not it's Disney's fault or just a lack of public interest I'm not sure. 5 years ago if you looked into a crowd of people in the parks, a good fraction of them would be wearing lanyards. Nowadays, if you look into the same sized group of people, you may see one or two people with lanyards on.
Surely one of the reasons is price. Disney's cheapest pin is $6.95 and probably costs them less than 50 cents to manufacture (I have no evidence to back this up other than the fact they clearance pins sometimes for less than $2 and they still have to make a profit).
I really thought the YOMD lanyards would help kickstart the hobby again but it's simply not working. In my opinion, lowering the costs for pins overall and maybe providing a complimentary lanyard on checkin (in order to boost sales) would be a good start.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Lilnickyboy]

Disney Pin Trading is a fading hobby. Whether or not it's Disney's fault or just a lack of public interest I'm not sure. 5 years ago if you looked into a crowd of people in the parks, a good fraction of them would be wearing lanyards. Nowadays, if you look into the same sized group of people, you may see one or two people with lanyards on.
Surely one of the reasons is price. Disney's cheapest pin is $6.95 and probably costs them less than 50 cents to manufacture (I have no evidence to back this up other than the fact they clearance pins sometimes for less than $2 and they still have to make a profit).
I really thought the YOMD lanyards would help kickstart the hobby again but it's simply not working. In my opinion, lowering the costs for pins overall and maybe providing a complimentary lanyard on checkin (in order to boost sales) would be a good start.

Just my 2 cents.

I dont agree with this. I still see MANY people with lanyards around the parks. I think that is a little extreme. But i do agree with your ideas for kickstarting pin trading. I actually recall something like this. One time we got a coupon with the package we bought. It was for a castmember pin that could be redeemed at the front desk (i think???). Do yall remember this?​

 

[cinderellacm2000]

Just in case anyone needs it:

Guest Communications
P.O.Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Every once in awhile Disney has a promo to "boost" pins, but writing letters couldn't hurt.

Our first traders were the pins out of the Energizer batteries. Up until then we just purchased a few keepers that we liked. I bought 10 packs of batteries (which DS blew through in no time) so we had a set of pins to trade and a set to keep. We also got a free pin with a coupon from Kellogg's cereal and another one from mailing in UPCs to Smucker's. But that was all for HCOE. I haven't seen anything like that for YOMD, unless you count the lanyards from the Dream Team (which we haven't seen very often in the 2 trips we've taken since the promo started).

 

[NHMickey]

See if we tell them what we enjoyed and how much fun certain things where maybe they will do more of them in the future. Positive letters can bring positive results...

My letter went yesterday.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Disney does read and respond to letters. From my experience, letters carry more weight and get results than e-mails and phone messages. Although I am sure all get read and listened to. And as a guest I use to write my letters to the high ups in that area, and at that time Lee Cockerell. (Don't write to Lee now. He retired.)

I don't wear lanyards in the parks because I:
1) have pretty consistently been treated better by trading CMs when not wearing a lanyard
2) was constantly checking pins to make sure I did not lose any
3) removing the lanyard on many rides and tucking away anyway
4) found it to be too hot much of the year

Now I just carry a small pouch with me. Much better all the way around.

The only pin event I can say I miss is the MGM with the Osborne Lights. And that was not without issues. But it was reasonable in price.
It never ceased to amaze me how those in charge of the pin events never seemed to learn from them. I think it was just from so much movement within Disney roles and Cast. And as long as the cash poured in, as an attendee I am not sure how much anyone really looked to see what worked and what did not. (IMHO)

 

[lucas]

Just in case anyone needs it:

Guest Communications
P.O.Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Is there an email address we can write to if we have comments or suggestions?