Mystery Pins

[william4192]

My biggest complaint about pin trading is "mystery pin". It is not sanctioned by Disney and if you complain to a CM they will fix it. This is when a WORKER (yes, worker) flips pins around so adults can't trade. That is what green lanyards are for! This bugs me a lot, as I'm not a trade for profit, but my wife and I like to collect certain pins of things we have done.


Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[webray]

I have never run into that in all the years I have been trading. The "mystery Pin" has always meant..you trade for it, not knowing what it is. Could be something great, or not.

 

[william4192]

Webray,

You described the same thing. Mystery pin is not allowed by Disney. When we talked to someone in City Hall, they were actually very upset. I was warning people as it is becoming more popular to do and it is very frustrating. I could tell you some stories...

The reason why I said it was to prevent adults from trading, as I initally questioned a supervisor about it and he said it was a joke on "traders". In his words "to frustrate them". So, I took my pins to city hall for a refund and they told me this was not allowed and they were very upset about it.

 

[pezpam]

I'm not sure I see the problem. You can trade for it or not. If you get something you don't like, you can use it to trade again. DD has actually gotten some very nice pins by choosing the mystery......

 

[pamjb]

I am not sure what the problem is. If you don't want to trade....don't trade. I personally like mystery pins. I am an adult, I have traded mystery pins with CM's without any problem. If I get one I already have or don't particularly like, trade it with someone else. Problem solved.

 

[william4192]

The problem is we bought the pins with the idea of collecting the pins when we do something. So instead of buying a Port Orleans pin, we have to find one. It is a game we like to play. When we bought the pins, nobody told us about mystery pins. Even more so, Disney said they don't allow Mystery Pins. Further, some cast members are just doing it to frustrate guests. When I tell them it is against their policy and I ask three times to turn them around, they should. They should not take it upon themselves to make someone mad. If you have fun with it, so be it. Disney should adopt the policy, but they haven't, so they shouldn't do it.

I don't want mystery pins. I want certain pins of things we have done together. That's it. To each their own, but I find it strange you would support something cast members are doing against Disney's policies (I know it as a fact it is against their policy, when they find out what was going on she was very, very mad and offered us as many free pins as wanted; which I replied I don't want any free pins, I want to be able to see the pins per the rules of the "game").

BTW I'm not trying to pout, I just want to warn others and read some comments about this.

 

[stalkingmickey]

So why would you even look at a mystery pin? There are other pins on the lanyards besides the mystery pin. It seems you are upset about a very minor issue. I understand your game, but you also have thousands of cm to trade with as well as guest why would you even bother with a cm that has a mystery pin.

 

[BriarRosie]

I've been pin trading during my trips since they started the Millennium celebration, and the "mystery pin" trading by cast members isn't something new. I've seen this practice for a few years at least.

I tend to find some pin trading frustrating, because pin sharks will buy all sorts of cheap pins online (with just the bare minimum of what Disney will accept as tradeable pins) and snap up any interesting pins I might wish to trade for. A few years ago, the "garbage" pins were the seven dwarves, but they were not the kind sold at the parks.

I very rarely trade with other guests, but I have every once in a while. I've managed to get some nice (and fair!) trades for pins I liked. But for the most part, I tend to buy pins I like rather than trade them. Every so often I'd buy extras just for trading purposes. That's where the fun begins for me.

 

[william4192]

I'd love to answer your question. You asked "why are you upset, just don't trade with them" (I'm paraphrasing). It does upset that cast memebers would do something against Disney policy just to frustrate guests (I was told both of these facts are true, that is against Disney Policy and it is done to frustrate guests (i.e. traders)). Isn't that odd to anyone but me?

I'm as big a Disney fan as anyone, and yes it does work out well for some people, but what if castmembers refused to give ice or napkins as a joke?? Is it really just if it is annoying to you? Or the fact they are going agasint Disney policy?

 

[Debi]

Hi everyone,

Since this topic is not related to this board, I'm closing it. If I move it to the Collector's Board, this debate will go from bad to worse.

If you have any further pin trading questions, comments, or concerns, please visit the Collectors Board.

Thank you!