Pin Trading Has Lost Something

[nickspace]

One of the things we enjoy on our DVC trips is pin trading. However it seems to be lacking in luster lately. We don't find good pins like we used to find. In my opinion Disney should give the CM's better pins on their lanyard to trade and that would inject excitement in pin trading. It may cost a little money upfront but they would make up for it in what I believe would result in an increase in pin sales.

 

[Brian Noble]

We don't find good pins like we used to find.

The point for us was never the pins per se. Rather, it was the excuse to be able to interact with a Cast Member---those conversations were almost always very nice additions to our trip.

 

[Aunt Michelle]

I think "better pins" might be a little subjective. We spent Thanksgiving week at WDW and my nieces and sister had fun trading and hunting for specific pins to complete one set or another. The CMs were very accommodating and enthusiastic. Unbeknownst to me, they spent a great of time searching for a pin to complete one of my collections - the finally ran into a CM who had it at home! She took their address and wouldn't you know what was tucked away in my "Aunt" stocking Christmas morning... that final pin. The CM had sent them a Christmas card with the pin enclosed. I'm not sure I can think of any better pins than that.

 

[MsTessP]

My son (an avid pin trader) has been in the College Program and also has worked as a seasonal cast member (just worked last week in Magic Kingdom while we were on vacation!). Disney has never been provided pins for him to trade - the pins on his lanyard are his own. He loves pin trading and the interaction he has with guests! It is entirely voluntary whether or not a cast member wishes to be involved with pin trading.

 

[sweetdana]

Even if they started with "the best pins" everyday (subjective). They would be traded quickly, and I think with Ebay there are WAY to many fakes being traded into the parks. I see the same group on pins on every cast member.. and no way are they just randomly the ones people "always buy" then trade.


I agree it is not what it used to be, a great child's activity to look for a goofy pin, or figment or what ever, but not so much fun for adults any more.

 

[mrsfascinating]

When you go on the keys to the kingdom tour at least in 2009 you actually saw the pin department where they explained the lanyards which are not the CM's personal stash are picked up and turned in each day. The pins are gone through and lanyards are reloaded. This is why you see the same pins on alot of the CM's. I was disappointed at the pins this year also. I also was bummed that even in Dec they were all 2010 pins.

 

[mousefan1972]

My son (an avid pin trader) has been in the College Program and also has worked as a seasonal cast member (just worked last week in Magic Kingdom while we were on vacation!). Disney has never been provided pins for him to trade - the pins on his lanyard are his own. He loves pin trading and the interaction he has with guests! It is entirely voluntary whether or not a cast member wishes to be involved with pin trading.

This isn't true at all. As PP stated, we learned on the Keys to the Kingdom tour at MK that there is a pin "station" (we saw it) under MK in the utilidors. The CMs who trade pick up/drop off their lanyards there, and replenish their pins if any fall off, get lost, etc. Every park has one. They do not trade their own pins. Some do have their own pins at home, but those aren't the ones they trade with guests while working.

Also, there are certain roles where pin trading is required. Merchandise CMs and the CMs who work the DVC kiosks are two I can think of off the top of my head. Others are optional, such as character attendant and attraction host.

 

[mousefan1972]

Just wanted to add that on our most recent trip (Dec 20-27th) we were also disappointed with the selection of pins the CMs had. Lots of starter set pins and old cast lanyard pins. Nothing new. It was quite disappointing.

 

[DenLo]

I've had CM's say that they just don't always have time to go to the pin trading station, as it's on their own time (after they clock out). So they sometimes don't have much of a selection to offer because guests have already traded for all of the "good" pins on the CM's lanyard. I can see this happening especially during the holidays. The CMs have things to do at home or shopping that needs to be done so they don't have extra time to replenish their lanyards.

I think Disney should reconsider this after work policy because I bet many families buy extra pins even while at WDW just for pin trading during their vacations. I know some guests come prepared with pins they purchased cheaply via the internet, but I expect plenty buy a 6 pin set just for trading purposes. But why would a family buy extra pins if there is nothing to trade for?

 

[tkillini99]

As a family, we are all into pin trading. I can definitely say that it seems to be hit or miss...and as more people get into it, the cast member pins seem to diminish. I think the key is to hit them right out of the gate in the morning...by later in the day they seem to have traded out all their good pins. And I too have been told by CMs that they just haven't had a chance to go and replenish their pins often. It seems to me it wouldn't be too difficult for that to be something they were given time to do, on the clock, either at the end of their shift or at the beginning.

 

[tkillini99]

As a family, we are all into pin trading. I can definitely say that it seems to be hit or miss...and as more people get into it, the cast member pins seem to diminish. I think the key is to hit them right out of the gate in the morning...by later in the day they seem to have traded out all their good pins. And I too have been told by CMs that they just haven't had a chance to go and replenish their pins often. It seems to me it wouldn't be too difficult for that to be something they were given time to do, on the clock, either at the end of their shift or at the beginning.

 

[MsTessP]

Sorry, my son can't understand how I got the information about cast pin trading so wrong!

Old age must be creeping in!

I think how I may have gotten confused is because he has told me of times where he has been able to provide a guest with exactly the pin they have been looking for out of his private "stash". He explains to me now that he often carried a small bag of his own pins in his pocket to trade, but that is in addition to what he had on his lanyard.

He does not, however, believe that the quality of the pins provided at the beginning of shifts has diminished in any way, at least as far as he has observed. It's all in the luck of the draw,

 

[CarolMN]

Moved from DVC Boards

 

[mickeysaver]

I am looking forward to getting some time to actually trade pins again with the CM's. When my partner and I would go on trips together, we enjoyed the trading experience. However, with a toddler in tow, pin trading is not something that really works for us right now. Maybe in a couple of years. The time that I did try to trade some, it was hit or miss. It's luck of the draw, time of day, shift change, how many manager lanyards you can hit, and so on that make the experience good vs meh.

 

[pixiewings71]

My son (an avid pin trader) has been in the College Program and also has worked as a seasonal cast member (just worked last week in Magic Kingdom while we were on vacation!). Disney has never been provided pins for him to trade - the pins on his lanyard are his own. He loves pin trading and the interaction he has with guests! It is entirely voluntary whether or not a cast member wishes to be involved with pin trading.

No no no, this is mis-information. CM pins that CM's wear during work hours are provided by Disney. If he's trading outside work then they are his own. I did see the update that your DS carries his own stash with him but I'm pretty sure that's not allowed either. I've run across many a CM who say "I have that pin at home, I wish I could have traded with you but we can't bring our own pins in to trade". That's my experience, ymmv.

 

[FigmentJack]

My last trip was somewhat underwhelming for pin trading, although I think it's partly that I'm getting to the point that I have so many that unless something really "wows" me, I'll just leave it for another guest.

I also primarily collect Pirates, Figment, and Nightmare Before Christmas which seem to show up only sparingly as traders at WDW. I never intended it, but I've also got quite the growing collection of Chip and Dale pins which are much easier to find and have some fun designs since they show up in a lot of trader sets and end up on cast lanyards.

 

[MDCruiser]

I attended the Januray 27th Pin/Vinylmation Trading night at the Contemporary and it was alive and well. It was so packed that you could not even move.

There was not enough space and plenty to trade. Disney even had some of the artists walking around with lanyards on with AP's and PP's on them for the guests to trade.

In the parks, I feel that they are not educated anymore on Pin Trading. There used to be a talk by Scoop Sanderson on Main Street a few times a week for the guests. He would educate the guests on the etiquette of pin trading, how they were made, events that were coming up and previews of the pins that were coming. He also taught guests HOW to trade with a cast member.

I think that since Disney has taken this away from the guests they have lost a big group of pin traders and collectors. It is a different type of pin trading now and I think they need to bring those talks back. I know I can see a huge difference from the past.

It also would be cool if Scoop Sanderson could maybe do a talk on pins and vinylmations.

I think it would be a huge success for the guests and Disney!