Pin trading faq?

[honkytonkmama]

So...where should a newbie at pin trading start out? I am think this could be fun for my family and I to do next year, and I am SO lost looking at this board.

Thank you!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Well start at Pinpics.com, you can see a lot of pins there. Also try the Official Pin Trading site, which I don't have saved here at work but I do at home so once I get there I'll post it for you. There you can see all the new pins being released and you can see what the Hidden Mickey pins are for DL & WDW. You can purchase good traders from mousepinsonline or from certain ebay sellers or you can wait until you get to the parks and then buy starter sets for trading. Some starter sets are simply pins and you buy your lanyards separately, others are pins and lanyards. Prices vary on these sets.

 

[NHMickey]

Pin Pics is a good resource for seeing what is out there. I would recomend you try and just go after what you like at first and don't get to caught up in the super hard to get pins as these can lead to frustration quickly. Have fun and use as a great way to work on your kids social skills...

 

[pixiewings71]

That was exactly why we started, well the fact that I thought it would help my very shy then 6 y.o. and the fact that DBF got addicted! lol

 

[honkytonkmama]

so you just go up to cms at wdw and say "hey, can i see your pins" and they just have to trade with you?

 

[pixiewings71]

Yup, unless they already have the pin you are offering for trade on their lanyard, then they will simply say something like "do you have another pin, I already have that on my lanyard", in that case you just chose another trader.

 

[Tammylynn]

so you just go up to cms at wdw and say "hey, can i see your pins" and they just have to trade with you?

I like to start some friendly banter with CMs before asking to see their pins. Even just a, "Hi, how are you today?" seems nicer than just asking to see their pins. (they usually start holding out their lanyard when they see you eyeing them up anyway, lol)

I can only imagine how many of those 'hard-core' traders out there just demand to see their pins, making some of them wish they weren't wearing their lanyards.

I also like to ask if they have seen any neat pins that day. Some of them get excited to talk about what they've seen on other guests.

 

[cbilton]

Our 8 year old started pin trading on our WDW trip last week. We bought her a starter pack that had a lanyard and 4 pins (2 of each of 2 diff pins) for about $25 US. Tons of the stores carry them. We found it so easy to talk to the pin trading cast members and most are more than willing to explain how it all works.

She would just approach them and most could tell since she was shy, what she was wanting. Some smiled, and patiently waited for her to get her courage up, others helped her out a little.

She got right into it and came home with a lanyard full of pins! She loved it!

Some of the basics that we learned:
pins run from $7-15 each individually, but collections are cheaper per pin
just ask if you can see their pins - yes they have to trade (unless like someone said - they already have the pin)
the green lanyards/pouches are CM that will only trade with kids under 12

 

[DiSZYme]

When my family went to Disney (for the first time) last April (we're starting to plan our next trip now...and I'm dying of excitment already), the single best thing I learned before going came from this board when I learned about pin trading.
At that time, I ordered a collection of pins from mousepinsonline.com and once we landed at DisneyWorld, I gave my daughter 5 or so a day and she just had a blast trading them. All the CMs were very helpful and it was really easy. Also trading really gave dd periodic boosts of energy throughout the day.
Now, she didn't trade at all with other guests, but I understand that some people do. Honestly, I never felt savvy enough for that. But there were PLENTY of CMs to trade with.

 

[honkytonkmama]

Thanks for all the info!!

Are the pins the CM have there own personal pins?

 

[NHMickey]

The pins the CM's trade are Disney's/ They sometimes wear their own pins on the uniforms but those are not for trade. Only the ones on the lanyards...

 

[pixiewings71]

I like to start some friendly banter with CMs before asking to see their pins. Even just a, "Hi, how are you today?" seems nicer than just asking to see their pins. (they usually start holding out their lanyard when they see you eyeing them up anyway, lol)

I can only imagine how many of those 'hard-core' traders out there just demand to see their pins, making some of them wish they weren't wearing their lanyards.

I also like to ask if they have seen any neat pins that day. Some of them get excited to talk about what they've seen on other guests.

We normally chat with the CM's unless they don't seem open to that. Most of them do tho so there's always friendly interaction.



CM's in uniform do have pins owned by Disney, many CM's do have their own collections as well and they bring them in on their off time to trade.