Pin Trading Around the (EPCOT) World

[2BoyMommy]

Hello! I have to boys, 4 and 7, and I was thinking of pin trading at EPCOT as a game. Let me clarify...

Our last trip, each boy had to find a hidden mickey in each EPCOT country before they could get there EPCOT passport stamped. When the passport was full, they got to buy a present. We had a blast!

For our next trip I was thinking of doing the same thing, but with Disney pins. I thought that each boy would have to trade for a disney pin that had each country represented on it before they got their passport stamped.

My questions is, is this feasible? Are there CM's at each country that have pins from that country? Sorry if this is a stupid question, I've never done pin trading. What I want to avoid is having to buy a country pin for them for each country.

Thanks!

 

[Reddog1134]

I believe that most of the pins CM have feature a hidden Mickey. I think finding ones that represent each country would be a great deal harder.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I believe that most of the pins CM have feature a hidden Mickey. I think finding ones that represent each country would be a great deal harder.

If not impossible! WS CMs get pins from the same place as the other CMs, so they dont have "country specific" pins. What you could do though is have them each find a pin that represents that country to them. If they were girls this might be easier (princess hang out in their country of origin), but it could work for boys. It would be fun to jot down what pin they find and why it represents that country to them. Perhaps they might chose a donald pin because the ride in Mexico features donald. Or an "M" pin for Morocco because morocco starts with M. It would really give you a fun memory of how they saw the world and if you write it down (or film them telling you about each pin when you get back to the hotel) they will be able to look back in a few years as well.

 

[2BoyMommy]

that's what I was afraid of. I read that this pin thing ends up being very expensive

By the way, when I said hidden mickey, I didn't mean the pins. I don't even know what a hidden mickey pin is

 

[Raenstoirm]

that's what I was afraid of. I read that this pin thing ends up being very expensive

By the way, when I said hidden mickey, I didn't mean the pins. I don't even know what a hidden mickey pin is

Yes, pin trading is very expensive, but so much fun! I am an adult and I love it!

 

[2BoyMommy]

If not impossible! WS CMs get pins from the same place as the other CMs, so they dont have "country specific" pins. What you could do though is have them each find a pin that represents that country to them. If they were girls this might be easier (princess hang out in their country of origin), but it could work for boys. It would be fun to jot down what pin they find and why it represents that country to them. Perhaps they might chose a donald pin because the ride in Mexico features donald. Or an "M" pin for Morocco because morocco starts with M. It would really give you a fun memory of how they saw the world and if you write it down (or film them telling you about each pin when you get back to the hotel) they will be able to look back in a few years as well.

great idea- thanks

 

[Reddog1134]

By the way, when I said hidden mickey, I didn't mean the pins. I don't even know what a hidden mickey pin is

That makes more sense. I was thinking, the CM's all start the day off with a lanyard full of hidden Mickey pins. They probably breezed through WS.

The Hidden Mickey pins have little mickey heads printed on them. They aren't really "hidden" but they still call them that.

 

[figment_jii]

I like Raenstoirm suggestion as well. There aren't very many country specific pins (there is an Epcot WS starter set) and finding them on lanyards of CM in that country will be pretty hard.

As you noted, pin trading can be a fairly expensive hobby. There are eleven countries, so you'd need 22 pins. At WDW, pins cost from $6 and up (roughly). You're least expensive option is to buy starting sets (usually five or so pins of the same theme). You can also keep an eye on the Disneystore.com and the pin clearances (sometimes you can find a pretty good deal). eBay has lots of options, but you run the risk of scrappers (which are pretty common when buying bulk lots).