? pin trading and upcoming movies

[princesspumpkin]

I have two separate questions. The first is - when people start pin trading, where do you actually get the very first pins to trade with someone? Second - Does anyone know of any movies that may be released on the ship within the next 3 weeks? Thanks

 

[Shana Rayce]

Princess Pumpkin...
I can tell you how I started my son in pin trading last fall...I went onto E-Bay and bid on/purchased some pins for him there. Once I got started...it was hard to stop! Some of the pins are so neat! I ended up with about 20 pins before we left for Orlando. Also, once we got there, I let him pick a few pins from the Pin Traders store at Downtown Disney, along with a lanyard to put them on. Then, we just started collecting them along our vacation/cruise. He only ended up trading a few, and I think he has decided that he will collect pins and maybe do just a few trades here and there. Hope that helps...

 

[ljm]

When my kids started trading, they got a special "starter kit" with a lanyard and 4 pins included for about $25. The pins had two each of two different kinds (so they could keep one and trade the duplicate if they wished). I have seen themed starter kits for Toy Story, The Incredibles, Lilo and Stitch, and one or two for girls with princesses on it. Can you tell I have boys? When we went to WDW last year and had a car, we stopped at a Disney outlet and picked up a bunch of discontinued Ariel pins for $1.99. Then we took these to the park to trade with CM's. Our DS really enjoys pin trading - it is an activity he looks forward to on our Disney trips.

 

[princesspumpkin]

Can pins be purchased locally? Like not on E-bay or at WDW? At Disney stores maybe?

 

[ljm]

I do remember seeing pins at a Disney store, but that was long ago - you may want to call them and ask if they have any before making a special trip. I do know that the starter kits can be ordered through Disney merchandise services - a friend had one sent for my son's b-day last year. You may be able to order pins this way as well.

Have fun!

 

[princesspumpkin]

Thanks ljm. Do you happen to know how long it takes to get if I order it thru Dis. merchandise services? We leave in 3 weeks. Thanks

 

[ljm]

No, sorry I don't know since someone else had it sent to me. I would think that 3 weeks is enough time if they have it in stock, but I would ask just to make sure. I can tell you that the starter kits and a big selection of pins were available onboard at Mickey's Mates.

On our Wonder cruise in '04, my son made his first ever trade with one of the CM's who worked in Mickey's Mates - she asked him to be an honorary crew member for officer's pin trading on the last night of the cruise. He loved it, and they gave him several CM lanyard pins (ones you can't buy but are only given to CM's to trade with guests) as a thank you gift. It was a highlight of our trip.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Hi Princess Pumpkin!
When my kids started trading they each started with the lanyard starter sets as mentioned above. You can wait until you get there for those.
They don't usually have pins at the disney store anymore. They occasionally come out with some special holiday pins, but I was there yesterday and there were none at our Disney store.
For my kids, trading is the funnest part so it doesn't matter what pins you start with. At disney the pins start at $7 and work their way up.
I highly recommend ebay. You can find them very cheap if you type in Disney pin lot and buy a bunch at once. I just bought a pack of 25 for $60 (including shipping) for our cruise. Now my kids each have 12+ to trade when we get on board. At the cost of less then $3 a pin! Saves me muchos money! If they're just going to be traded, it doesn't matter what kind of pins are in the lot - just so they're all disney pins.
It's great fun!

 

[lbgraves]

For future trading, look for the Kellogg's boxes with the pin certificates. Each of the kids had 5 of those and 10 others that I bought online at DS.com during their annual pin sale. They traded all of them for some really nice pins. DS had a knack for picking out the Lanyard pins...even before we knew what they were.

 

[GeneralMax]

For future trading, look for the Kellogg's boxes with the pin certificates.

Kathy-

Can you tell us more about the Kelloggs boxes. I have never seen these.

As for the Disney Store and pins. I asked last time we were on the Magic and was told that the stores do not carry pins anymore. When my kids first started trading I went to the Disney store and bought a ton of clearance pins and the kids traded them. On our January cruise we did not get any pins in advance and it cost me a ton because the pins wanted to buy pins to trade. I will go to ebay and buy some pins to trade in advance next time.

 

[budwmn]

I ordered a starter kit once as a present for my friend's son from Disney Merchandise. I don't remember exactly how long regular shipping takes, but it was long enough that I had it sent 2nd Business Day to get there in time.

If you're flying into Orlando, just buy one at the Disney Store in the Airport. They have several sets to choose from. Sometimes they sell clearance pins pretty cheap. If so, buy a few for trading. Cast members have to accept the pins you want to trade. It's a low-cost way to build a good collection.

 

[lbgraves]

Once a year Kelloggs has a promotion for Disney where with 3 of the certificates on the boxes you can go to the pin kiosk at WDW and get a special Kelloggs Disney pin. It is official and can be traded. There is a limit of 5 per address if you mail them in so I got the boxes for 1.00 each on sale & with coupons and with the help of our neighbor got 5 each for the kids. It usually comes out in Spring or early summer I think.

 

[babsnabbs]

I'm having trouble finding a cool lanyard. Any suggestions?

 

[GeneralMax]

They have Disney Cruise Lanyards on the ship. My kids loved them and they had a place for the kids to put their key card so it would not get lost.