My take on "Lights Camera Pins" Event

[BeautyLLM]

Just thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth in case anyone from Disney reads these boards.

I have to say I disagree with the comment about making your own good time. I had the BEST weekend and that is because I was with my friends. But if I am paying $65 to attend an event (or $125 in the case of the upcoming AK event) I shouldn't have to make my own good time. You could have a helluva meal and good time at Victoria and Alberts for $125 a person and then trade for the pins from the event.

After the success of the last year's Sept. event and the rave reviews for "This is Love" I was very excited to go to "Lights, Camera, Pins". Overall, the event was extremely disappointing. In actuality, there really wasn't much of an event...I don't know where $65 went. I thought it was very forced, unorganized and cheaped down....

The registration line wasn't a big deal for me because I didn't get in it. It's much more fun passing the time at WWTBAM so that's what we did. Once we did register, the process went relatively smoothly though.

For the most part, the pins were a HUGE disappointment. Almost all of them were small and the quality was very poor! I thought the art for some of the pins was great, but they made them so small, you can't see any of the detail. Several of them seemed unfinished and sloppy. The jumbo pin is very nice, although I don't understand why it was $35, when those featured artist pins are superior quality, layered pins and are priced at $25. The sculpt piece was also very nice.

We were given two coupons, one for an entry gift, and one for a parting gift. The entry gifts were old pins from past events...a true insult in my opinion. I bet you the gift pins for the September event will be all those Mickey framed pom's that are still on the racks! The parting gift was a boxed set of 4 pins. The pins are nice enough, but they were just as nice when they were released as pinpics 3890...it's the same old stale art. The box design is nice, but very poor quality in my opinion, rather thin and cheesy.

Inside the "event" were trading tables, but not enough seating for the number of people there. Apparently there were 5 trading boards, but from where I was, it looked like one huge line of maybe 150 people, so I didn't even bother. There were actors in costume making alot of noise, but it was very unclear what they were doing...

I thought the dinner was ok. I ate chicken wings and salad which was fine, but I know of alot of people who didn't eat because they couldn't find the food. There weren't enough buffet tables and the lines were very long. By the time you got to the head of the line, the food was gone.

I don't understand how Special events can do one event so well, and then do the next one so poorly. Like I said before, this event was forced and cheaped down, from the lack of a catalog to view the merchandise, to the poor quality, small pins, to the unorganized meal I came home very disappointed.

Come on Disney, the pin trading community consists of some of your most loyal fans and supporters...don't make us feel taken advantage of. Don't let us down again.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have to say I disagree with the comment about making your own good time.

I agree with your disagreement.
We shouldn't be having to supply our own entertainment.
I wouldn't expect to pay for a movie and leave when it is a bad movie and say -- well gee I should make my own good time. NO COMMENTS ED!!
I can see where some people no matter what will never be happy.
But I don't see this concern of the majority of the views I have read. Everyone seems to be in fair agreement of the shortfalls.
I think my expectations were high too because I had read so many good things about the last pin event and TIL event.
I truthfully can say I made three better trades walking through the CSR gift shop yesterday, that took about 10 minutes max, than I did from 2 hours of line standing at three pin event boards.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I have Never been to a pin event, and from most descriptions of them, I guess I'm sort of glad. Although I know I have read glowing posts about some of them, how can they be so hit or miss? Isn't one department responsible for all of those things?

HBC

 

[dizneyusa]

We are back and we also attended the event. Was it
better than last years MGM event, we felt yes in most
areas.

Our likes:

My little pin angel was there (she is always there) and
I got to trade for the most beautiful Gomez Fairy pin
I have ever owned (HG to me), I also was able to trade
for some other types of pins that I do like to collect but
some other traders do not care for, but I do like them and
I was glad to trade for them!

Cast Members dressed with pins walking around during
dinner and handing surprises here and there, we did not
receive any but know someone who did and thought it
was a very nice touch. Should be done more often and
more cast members giving them out.

The food was better than last years.

We thought the gift was also nice.

Letting us get out of the building to move around
until they had the dinner area set up was great.
They even had music and dancing.

Most important is who was with us and our friends
are what makes it awesome for us!!!!! But we do
not have to spend $65.00 per person for each of
us to be together and to trade or visit of go have
dinner (how true Leslie, well said!)

Dislikes:

Nothing to do from start until we were allowed to
go outside but 5 trade boards (that again we did not
do, but heard enough pin guest complaining how long
they had to stand on line for a board and they received
nothing - they said they did not replenish the boards
enough) and some trivia here and there.

The lines for guest to get in and register and pick up
there merchandise. Again we decided not to get our
items until later and just went in and registered and
went to the main room. We did our pick up later and
there were no lines.

The needed an area that had bathrooms and also if
someone was hungry they had to leave the area and
walk all the way around just to get food. The areas
that were normally closest to us were all closed down.
They should of had food inside thru out the day even
and then a big dinner later.

The dinner was ok, at least there were not the same
tables everywhere with the same food. There was
a little choice. But, then there was not enough or
the were not replaced once empty, especially the chicken
at the beginning had chicken breasts and by the middle
to the end it was always just drumsticks and wings.
Coffee and Cream???? Not hard but for some reason empty
quite often. We sat by this table and saw the guests.

All in all we give this one a 7 1/2 out of 10. For $65.00
per person we did expect I guess a little more? Still
thinking about it? We will not be going to the Animal
Kingdom event, $125.00 per person? But we are thinking
about the Tinker Bell Event.

What did you think?

Dana

 

[Brer-Rabbit]

First I have to say that those who know me know that I am usually giving Disney the benefit of the doubt when it comes to these events. I have been to almost ALL of them. Most have been ok -- some have been wonderful -- Yesterdays was a HUGE disappointment!

Right of the bat we should have known they didnt have it all together -- the pins posted on the ODPT site were mostly just artwork -- we RSPed for pins and merchandise we never saw or even had dimensions on. I will get into the quality of the merchandise in a bit, but it is fair to say they NEVER gave us complete information on the pins we were buying -- no dimensions, no final pictures - very unorganized!!

Arriving at the event on Saturday morning I was VERY suprised -- the line was a mile long -- so we went and did WWTBAM and then came back -- the line was still there. I refuse to spend money to fly down to FL, stay onsite at a resort, and pay $65.00 in addition to the cost of park admision (we have APs, but that is not true for all) to wait in line! So we went back about 1:30 and picked up our merchandise.

We then proceeded to the "trading area" where we were to particpate in games and trading boards. We were greeted by someone who explained that she was there to award us a pin -- and handed us a brown envelope which contained a pin that was a dud from another previous event (no offense to WDWSE, but I would rather not get anything than recieve a pin for free that I paid 10.50 for 6 months ago only to still have it in my pin trader book). Anyway -- there were definately not enough tables for people to pin trade. The area was well lit and they did have that Disney trivia going on, but no games. The pin trading boards were ridiculously long (I gave up on these at the events a year ago).

We tried to trade for a little while and then just decided to leave and come back for the "Scrumptious Food & Bountiful Beverages" we were going to be served for dinner. So around 6:30 we returned and found everyone outside and some live entertainment -- this was a nice suprise. The DJ was getting everyone involved while we waited for them to set up dinner. This was much better than last years MGM event where we were locked in studio 1 while they prepared the dining area.

Once we were all herded into the dining area the usual problems occured -- too few dining tables, too few buffets. I didnt think this was so bad except for ONE major thing -- and this is just my opinion, the food was mediocre at best. I personally didnt care for much of any of it -- and then there was the chidrens buffet table NAZI -- god forbid you wanted a chicken finger -- she wouldnt let you in unless you were under the age of 12.

THEN -- I hear that they handed out handfuls of pins to people that were Cruise Line AC AP's and what not-- what is that all about and why werent THESE the pins they gave out to us when we arrived. I mean they gave some people 6 or 8 pins -- no one in my group recieved any and I heard about this after the event -- I think this was a very poor idea.

The merchandise was disappointing. Some of the pins were VERY small -- the princess set looks like its worth about 18.00 -- all three tiny pins. The Clapboard set is a VERY FLIMSY cardboard box -- I mean the kind of ccarboard that is so thin, it tears when you try to open it. Some of the individual pins like the stitch pin and the fairies pin are too small and lack the detail that would have made them nice. They could have been 1000X's better if they had been 1/4 or 1/2 inch larger.

The positive things were that all of the CMs were very nice and courteous, the gift set was nice and came nicely boxed and we got to spend time with our friends. The Jessica Rabbit pin is AWESOME as is the SCULPT. The jumbo pin is very nice and packaged nicely.

I will rethink attending these events in the future. It is one thing to drop the ball on the event itself -- but the issue of not providing accurate information, not providing the pictures of the merchandise and skimping on the merchandise is UNACCEPTABLE in my opinion. I only bought what I HAD to have -- and going forward I will not buy merchandise that I have not seen. They need to go back to prividing us with a catalog of the items with descriptions that are accurate so that we can make an educated decision about our purchases and whether or not to spend the money to have the "priveledge" of buying merchandise.

JMHO

 

[olbear]

Hi pin pals,

I'm so sorry this post that was here previously was mis-understood. No hurt was ever intended and I apologize to those who were.

Please accept my sincerest apology.
Blessings,
Winnie

 

[pfishgirl]

First, the line to get in was a wait time of 45 minutes, not too bad because we were expected delays.
We were then told by a WDW CM that we had NO choice but to pick up our stuff right away.
Well my sister and I stood in line for 55 minutes at one pin board with both of our full pin trading bags and now new pins in bags just to get up there and trade nothing. Very upsetting. We didn't even get to trade on all the boards because the lines took so long to get through. They were over crowded and you didn't know what line lead to what board.
This was my sister's first pin event and I spent the whole day apoligizing to her because it was my idea in the first place to attend. This event was so unorganized.
I have been to several events and this was the worst one ever.
And what was up with NO bathrooms??? But yet sure give us water to drink all day.....
We left the event only to come back later for the food. We bought a locker and shoved everything we could in it.
We stayed outside and when food was ready so were we. We were about 10 people away from the food table. We sat down to eat the slim selection they offered and found out it was already cold. Then for dessert, 3 times it took us to go up to the table before we got a cup of coffee. The seem to always run out right before we got there. Not to mention only cookies were left at that table. VERY VERY UPSETTING...will think twice before attending another pin event

oops I forgot... didn't dinner say 7 30 to 9 pm? well then why right before 8 30 were we told to leave???

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have read where CMs were wearing pins and handing them out during the dinner. Thre couldn't have been many of those. We were there quite awhile and the only CMs coming to our table was Minnie and Mickey.
I saw the other performers come through and that was it.
So any CMs giving away pins could not have been that common.
Oh and Winnie -- never apologize for being upbeat.
It wasn't a terrible event. I don't regret doing it. But it doesn't make me in a hurry for another.

 

[BeautyLLM]

To clarify again...

I had one of the best weekends EVER at WDW this past weekend. There were times that I laughed so hard that I cried My critique wasn't of the time spent with friends, it was of a paid event that I attended that didn't deliver what it promised.

Part of the issue for me is that I live about 1000 miles away, so attending this pin event wasn't just a matter of paying $65. No one is forcing me to go to these events, I go because so many of them have been fabulous. So, when friends and family asked me how my weekend was, the answer was, "the weekend was GREAT, the event was a terrible disappointment."

I resent the implication that I am a negative person. As someone who has attended almost all of the official pin trading events, I think I have the right to criticize if one did not live up to expectations. This event didn't even come close. The vast majority of the people who have posted opinions about this event are in agreement with me. We are all entitled to our opinions..name calling is unnecessary.

 

[Duckfan]

I have not been to a pin event but I have listened to many reports and what I don't get is the continous theme of long lines. I would think after several years of doing these events that they would have this under control as well as buffet lines, after all they had a pretty good idea of turn out. I hope they will learn a lesson on this soon.

I for one wouldn't totally buy into the "its what you make it". The pin trading at the resorts is what you make it, its a free gathering of friends old and not yet met. For the extra funds, I would want more than just the opportunity to buy things.

Again, I wasn't there but you listen to enough stories and you begin to wonder........

 

[Brer-Rabbit]

I have to add something here:

I dont think this is complaining nor should it be compared to someone who always complains. The fact is I have been to almost ALL of these events and Disney should have learned by now what works and what doesn't. I also believe in the value of these and other boards, in that I believe that Disney reads them.

Now to clarify my stance further -- I want to be sure you understand -- I had fun with my friends and our group, I ALWAYS have fun with them -- that is not the point. The "it is what you make of it" theory is not relevent. The point is....Did Disney give us what they promised? what THEY have, by past successes, set our expectations to? NO they did not -- that is the point -- they dropped the ball with this event -- not just with the food, not just with the merchandise, not just with the games, not just with the lines -- but almost EVERY aspect of it. Even though this is true I had a good time with my friends and that was free -- nothing Disney did at that event contributed to that fun-- that is something we made on our own.

Maybe its not such a big deal for those of you that live there. Not living in Orlando and having to travel to WDW and get a room makes this a very expensive endevor for us. Its not just a short drive and a $35.00 room at the Days Inn for us -- its a big expense. Airline tickets, rental cars, hotel rooms and all the extras add up. So its not about the $65.00 -- its about acknowleging their real fans and respecting the loyalty we have that brings us to spend that kind of money.

Sorry if it seems as if I ranted on here -- I dont want my comments to be misconstrued -- My hope is that Disney will see my comments and return the events to what their past successes have been.

Michael

 

[Mickey527]

I had planned on going to the MGM event.
I switched my weekend so I would be off for the event. I had a flight booked, and a resort booked and I was all ready to go.
Then my dad got sick. I changed my plans so I could be with him and don't regret a minute of that time I was able to have with my dad. I spent this weekend cleaning out the many years of his and my mom's life but what I wouldn't give to have him back again.
I would have loved to see all of my pin friends, and I wouldn't have minded paying the $65 for the event because those gift pins are really cute and they alone are worth the money they charged for the event.
I remember those long lines at all the 2001 events and the fun we all had running around trading with each other and catching up on all our friends lives.
I also remember the Sept. event. There were no lines, but there didn't seem to be the comaradarie (sp) as in the past, the under the breath complaining about the lines while we were all having so much fun. I hate to say it, but those long lines were fun too. I wasn't there for the "Flubber in the rain lines" but it is a legend in pin trading.
None of the events in 2001 were "fee for event" but we also didn't get fed. I liked those more, most of the time the food they give us is not that great so I wind up buying something I like later on anyhow. But they didn't "give" us those great gift sets which make the fees a break even.
It doesn't look like I will make it to any events this year due to family plans. My son is getting married in June so that means I can't go to the June event. I will be at WDW for the 4th of July so I won't be able to get back for the July event. My nephew is getting married in Sept. so that means I can't make it to the Sept event. Work won't let me get away in Nov so I can't go on the cruise.
I guess I have to plan on the AS and Contemporary meets being my "pin events" for this year and just be happy with that, and make time to see Scoop on my trips, but what I wouldn't give to wait in a few lines with all of you again.
Peggie

 

[Brer-Rabbit]

Peggy,

Very sorry to have heard about your dad -- I know that has to be tough.

And you are right given that situation- loosing a loved one or spending the $65.00 to attend a not so up to par event, I would also rather attend the event. Sorry you were unable to attend.

I agree about the lines -- They do lend themselves to comraderie -- that part was fun -- especially at the Princess Ball event! I dont thin that the lines were as much the problem at this event as was just the overall lack of detail.

Anyway -- Just wanted to say sorry you had to deal with what you have had going on -- I hope I dont have to deal with that situation for a long time.

Michael

 

[olbear]

Hi Peggy,

Just to let you know, You have been missed. We look forward to seeing you again. I hope you are well, and gradually feeling better. I am so happy you were able to be with and love on your dad right up till the last. What a blessings!

{{{hugs}}}
Winnie & Fred

 

[chef's wife]

Well, I must say; anyone who hung around with us had a terific time!!!!!!!
Other than that, I agree with the queen and Michael, It was a "Disappointment", you would think that after all these events and years they would ge this down like someone mentioned; but what the hell are these people thinking????????
Why do we still have lines????....even Russia doesn't have lines anymore!!!...I think just Cuba and Disney pin events have lines these days!!!!!!!
I am (not) surprised at the mediocrity with this once jewel of a magic maker, I guess somebody has to pay for Eisner's bonuses!!!!......
I have not seen those parks at WDW in such disarray and filthy at any time in my life, and I have been going there since they opened in 1971. Obviously that is all being carried over to CM performance, not all, there are many old timers who remember what the dream is but, by and large CM now are "Disney Drones" with the same company B# line and don't have any business performing at WDW!!!!!!!
Anyway, if you want to have a good time at the AK event contact Michelle or Ed, we'll have to pick up the slack for the DIsappointment.......AGAIN!!!!!!!!
Manny