Pin trading being phased out now as well?

[Slayd]

I wouldn't mind if they stopped with the lanyards on CMs and moved to putting more boards out. That would free up CMs as mentioned, and give a better trading selection for everyone.

I'm not a fan of trading with CMs with lanyards, and for the most part I don't do it, as I nearly always get the feeling that I'm annoying them. Even if they are being a good sport about it (which a good 80% of them are), I still get the idea that they are subconsciously rolling their eyes because I'm the 50th person that has asked to see their pins in the last 15 minutes while they are trying to complete "x" task.

I would imagine pin trading is one of the more annoying tasks CMs are subjected to.

 

[cornflkgrl]

However, when Disney encouraged interactions such as this - friendly CMs who chatted with guests and traded pins - it provided a level of service and was part of what makes Disney World a special trip, not just an amusement park. These types of services are an added value that Disney seems to want to eliminate yet they want to raise prices.

My son, who struggles with appropriate social interactions, initiated a trade with a cast member at guest services on our last trip because he saw a pin he liked on the cm's lanyard. I know sounds like not a big deal maybe to others but it was awesome because my son patiently waited for the cm to be available and asked appropriately to trade and had this great interaction with the cm in the process. It was a big part of our day and something our son talks about now. He has the pin still. It is his favorite. Probably because he took the initiative himself to participate in the trading process. I would be very sad to see pin trading go. He has been talking about the pin trading for our upcoming trip non-stop.

 

[mcd2745]

The trading aspect might be phased out but I can't see them stopping selling pins. They have pins everywhere and they are a big seller.

The question, though, is...will they remain big sellers if they do stop CMs from being able to trade with guests. I think sales would definitely take a hit. How much of a hit? I don't know.

 

[HookedOnDCL1]

However, when Disney encouraged interactions such as this - friendly CMs who chatted with guests and traded pins - it provided a level of service and was part of what makes Disney World a special trip, not just an amusement park. These types of services are an added value that Disney seems to want to eliminate yet they want to raise prices.

THIS! And I hope Disney is reading this. It's the CMs that make Disney special and magical. We recently went to Universal and the theming was nice, the rides we're great, but something was missing. Then I realized, I hadn't seen an employee all day except behind a cash register (and not too friendly at that). After that trip I tried to put my finger on what that Disney Magic really is - it's the whole experience, it's a "culture" if you will - the pins, the CMs, the disboards, the planning, the artwork and special souvenirs, the pin trading! I hope this is just a rumor or if they want to tweak it, just limit it to kids or certain CMs or trading stations.

But really, it's the CMs that make the whole experience so special and magical. I remember my first trip to Disney (I was an adult) and noticing how friendly and happy everyone was - THAT's what I remember most! And you all are right, if they starting cutting CM's (and pin trading, etc) then they become just another any old amusement park. And we, for one, will start coming less often and looking at other vacation options. (And it's the same for DCL) Wake up Disney!

 

[Puffin]

We recently went to Universal and the theming was nice, the rides we're great, but something was missing. Then I realized, I hadn't seen an employee all day except behind a cash register (and not too friendly at that). After that trip I tried to put my finger on what that Disney Magic really is - it's the whole experience, it's a "culture" if you will - the pins, the CMs, the disboards, the planning, the artwork and special souvenirs, the pin trading!

We did one day Universal on our recent WDW trip and this is exactly why we felt out of place at Universal and were so glad to go back 'home' to the WDW Resort at night.

My son, who struggles with appropriate social interactions, initiated a trade with a cast member at guest services on our last trip because he saw a pin he liked on the cm's lanyard. I know sounds like not a big deal maybe to others but it was awesome because my son patiently waited for the cm to be available and asked appropriately to trade and had this great interaction with the cm in the process. It was a big part of our day and something our son talks about now. He has the pin still. It is his favorite. Probably because he took the initiative himself to participate in the trading process. I would be very sad to see pin trading go. He has been talking about the pin trading for our upcoming trip non-stop.

That's such a moving story! I kind of feel the same as I'm not a person that likes to bother people or even staff that much and pin trading really gave me confidence and some wonderful interactions to not be so afraid of it.

 

[OldPyrate]

Didn't pin trading come about as a result of wearing lanyards? Now that Magic Bands are becoming popular, I see fewer and fewer people wearing lanyards. I think pin trading may eventually become a thing of the past as Magic Bands and their personalization add-ons become more popular.

 

[Keels]

I'm not a pin-trader, but I get really frustrated when it's particularly crowded and a pin-trader is basically keeping a retail CM from checking out a paying customer because they're going over pins in a book, on a lanyard or keep asking questions about trading pins.

I think pin trading is great and definitely has a place in the parks, but not when it takes away from allowing other guests not interested in pins a expedited experience.

I don't recall seeing CMs at food locations wearing pin lanyards, and I think they should do the same at retail locations.

 

[Puffin]

Didn't pin trading come about as a result of wearing lanyards? Now that Magic Bands are becoming popular, I see fewer and fewer people wearing lanyards. I think pin trading may eventually become a thing of the past as Magic Bands and their personalization add-ons become more popular.

Are these Magic Bands add-ons really becoming popular? Didn't see a lot of them to be honest. Maybe because they're less visible than lanyards.

 

[cjparker0110]

I've never been a big fan of pin trading. My mom was the one who told me all about it and I just thought it was silly. We have a few pins that she has given us, and I have purchased a couple on my own. I have never traded with anyone.

A few people have asked if they would still sell if they did away with trading. Some have wondered if their kids would even be interested in the pins without the trading aspect. I cannot speak for your children, but I can tell you mine LOVE their pins. My daughter, especially, will bring me her pin and ask me to put it on her on the most random of days. When we go next year, I fully expect that my kids will all ask for a couple of them. And I will probably buy them. But they have no idea people trade them and I won't be the one who introduces it.

 

[OldPyrate]

Are these Magic Bands add-ons really becoming popular? Didn't see a lot of them to be honest. Maybe because they're less visible than lanyards.

I can't really say. The last time I as at WDW, I did notice the MB add-ons in the stores. Plus, on a recent DIS Unplugged episode they mentioned a guy now selling "skins" for MBs. Even at DLR, where we don't use MBs yet, I've noticed a decrease in the use of lanyards...not sure why...maybe people just don't want to wear them anymore. We still wear ours, and have a few pins on them, but we don't participate in pin trading.

 

[AJA]

I'm not a pin-trader, but I get really frustrated when it's particularly crowded and a pin-trader is basically keeping a retail CM from checking out a paying customer because they're going over pins in a book, on a lanyard or keep asking questions about trading pins.

I think pin trading is great and definitely has a place in the parks, but not when it takes away from allowing other guests not interested in pins a expedited experience.

I don't recall seeing CMs at food locations wearing pin lanyards, and I think they should do the same at retail locations.

As a pin trader I have waited in the same line as the paying customer. It shouldn't matter what I want to ask of the CM, bathroom location, merchandise question, trade a pin, etc. Having waited in the same line as everyone else I still expect "my turn" with the CM's attention. I have personally never witnessed a pin trader cut line to trade and in that situation I would hope the CM has the freedom to tell the pin trader they are happy to trade with them, they just need to get in line for their turn.

CM's that handle food do not wear pin lanyards.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

I'm not a pin-trader, but I get really frustrated when it's particularly crowded and a pin-trader is basically keeping a retail CM from checking out a paying customer because they're going over pins in a book, on a lanyard or keep asking questions about trading pins.

As one of those people who does ask to look, I always make sure that they aren't busy and to be quick

 

[cranbiz]

CM's who want to trade pins, do, at least until it goes away. The CM has the option to participate or not. While I enjoyed pin trading, when I became a CM, it was not safe in my mind to wear the lanyard and have people attempt to approach me while driving the bus. (lets face it, you all know that some would do just that) Therefore, I chose not to trade. I do know that other bus drivers did trade, but they were few and far between.

Attractions and resort CM's are usually in a better position to trade with guests.

 

[TGM]

I really hope that this isn't true. I would cry. And then write angry emails. Many angry emails.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I hope it is a rumor. My family loves pin trading. Now to the cm's at retail stores we always wait in line if there is 5 ppl in front of us paying for an item we wait then we get up instead of buying something we trade. I never push past ppl to get my pin traded. I see cm's with lanyards always getting mobbed we try to wait in line then too. I wish I had a pin with me on my race in nov 2014- A cm on DL main street had this awesome pin on during the race. I wish I had asked him where he would be later that Pin was a cool Walt one.

 

[ConnecticutFlea]

IMHO pin trading waxes and wanes from year to year. Some years there are more CM wearing lanyards, sometimes less. I see more visitors wearing lanyards than I did 3 or 4 years ago. I see quiet a few people pin trading from kids to young adults to senior citizens. There appears to be less pin trading in DL than in WDW.

And I agree the culture at WDW is much different than at Universal. There are a handful or rides I like at Universal, but I have no interest in spending extra time there between rides. At WDW I can wander aimlessly just taking in the magic. And for me, pin trading adds to the magic.

 

[dreiwhit]

We don't trade pins, but my kids and I like to collect a few that we like or that fit us. So, if trading stopped, we would still buy a few pins that we liked.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

We don't trade pins, but my kids and I like to collect a few that we like or that fit us. So, if trading stopped, we would still buy a few pins that we liked.

That's honestly exactly what I do. Works out very well for me. I would hate if it stopped though. It does add to the atmosphere and I'm a "once in a blue moon" trader

 

[SummerTwentyOne]

I do hope this is just a rumour as I've only got into Trading/Collecting recently.

But then again I do understand how it could be annoying to some CMs who are a bit busy dealing with a group of guests and having to pin trade with someone on top of it.

If this is true I'd imagine they would just limit CM trading to trading posts and specific areas in the parks than just stopping it.

 

[xipetotec]

I hope this is just some nagging rumor that wont go away. Since there have been an increasing amount of budget related cuts over the past few years, it is easy to see how rumors can get started. However...I keep hearing rumors from both cm's, veteran pin traders, and other random anonymous internet gossip about Disney phasing out pin trading with cm's at the parks. It started with downplaying / decreasing official pin trading events, and eventually phasing out trading areas for park guests visiting WDW and DL. Now I am getting the impression that pin trading will be a thing of the past in the parks as early as this fall, or as late as next summer. (The reasons, as I understand them, is 1)because of so many cheap scrapper/fake pins filling trading boards/cm lanyards, and 2)because of a cost cutting measure to free up the cm's from pin interactions, freeing them for other duties.)

Is there anyone in the know that can shed any light on these persistent rumors? While I understand there have been a lot of strange looking/cheap pins on our last WDW vacation, it still seems that Disney makes a lot off of pins. In addition, they seem to get a lot of goodwill and great, short interactions with guests. My daughters absolutely loved pin trading, as well as my wife and I...And we only started when my sister and her family got us started. Pin trading has led to a lot of great conversations with others in the parks, especially cm's. If they were to take pin trading with cm's away as well now, it would take away yet another huge part of what makes our Disney vacations unique and special. Some of our favorite memories together involve pin trading.

Any insight would be much appreciated. Here's to hoping this rumor is totally wrong!

I think pins are a pretty big money maker, and killing TRADING will greatly reduce puchases. I can tell you that if it weren't for TRADING, my kids would have never gotten into the pins at all. As a result of trading, we've purchased hundreds of dollars worth of pins over the years. ( no fakes )