Pin Trading Question

[Missymom]

I hope someone out there can offer some advice - I'm planning our family's 1st trip to WDW in August. I think my DD8 and DS6 would enjoy pin trading. I've heard that you can buy starter sets at WDW. I've also heard that it gets expensive quickly. How much should I expect to spend? I'm I better off ordering some pins online or on ebay rather than paying full price for the set at WDW? Is it worth it to get them started with it if we don't plan to make frequent vists to WDW?
Would appreciate any advice!

 

[bobcat]

Pin trading can get expensive! But it is a lot of fun! Trading sets run arround $20 and come with a lanyard and a few pins, usually duplicates so kids can trade and keep the ones on their lanyard if they want. Individual pins cost $6 on up depending on the pin. You can get pins on ebay but be careful. All pins must have disney on the back and there are alot of fakes out there. You will see pins and lanyards all over WDW so it pays to do your homework.

I only let my kids trade with cast members. CMs with green lanyards will only trade with kids.

 

[pixiewytch]

Start out small...especially if you don't expect to visit the parks frequently. Chances are if your kids aren't used to visiting often they will be too distracted by attractions and everything else going on to invest a lot of time into pin trading.

It is a lot of fun though and buying at least one of the starter sets is a great idea along with finding trader lots on ebay. Just don't go overboard and it won't get expensive. Pins in the parks range anywhere from 6.50 to 12.50 to even more for the large ones. If you are buying them in the parks it does get expensive in a hurry.

 

[Chuck65]

Here is a link to the family boards:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1139105

Some of the people have used these people for their pins and seemed pleased with them. Hope this helps.

 

[DisneyChristmas]

I second that! Go to eBay and find a seller with a "lot" or two of pins that you can acquire for about $2 - $3 each (regular retail would have been $6-$8 each or more orginally). As long as they're Disney pins, it doesn't matter which pins you buy on auction. You're going to trade them anyhow. Cast members will trade for any authenitic Disney pin. Be sure to check the eBay seller's feedback. If all or most of the feedbacks are positive, you can be sure that you're getting a good deal.

The best time to trade at the parks is early in the day. Cast members start the day with their lanyards full of fun pins. As the day goes on, a cast member may have traded for some of the less-inspired design pins that won't appeal to the kids.

Some cast members have green lanyards and trade only with children.

 

[rstamm]

I just bought from a dealer on ebay who was a power seller and had mostly good feedback. I bought a lot of 42 pins for $84 he had a bunch more lots up for sale.
When i got them they were fake! I sent them back, I would not recommend buying any lots on ebay that are cheap. You have to ask how can someone be selling hundreds and thousands of disney pins for $2 each, when at the parks they are $6 or more.

 

[iluvdizknee]

Just got back and my dd wanted to start to pin trade. I bought a lanyard $26.95with 4 pins, 2 to keep and 2 duplicates to trade. Then she bought(her own money) a card of 4 pins for $22.00. She only kept 2 of all those pins and traded all the rest. She loved looking at all the CM lanyards. We also got a free set of pins from booking with AAA, which she traded.
It was fun to see how excited she got trading.

 

[Missymom]

Hmmmm....
Looks like I've got some homework to do. I'll check out the ebay sellers suggested on the family board. Thanks again for all the tips!!

38 days til WDW!! (not that I'm counting!)

 

[missummer]

I saw a few pins at the local DS. They had a few individual ones for 6.50 and POTC ones that were 7.50 for two.

 

[Gradar1]

Is that true that CM's with green lanyards can only sell to children? If so, I think that's wonderful--that way children can be assured to get fun pins that they may not always get if an overzealous adult decided to head to pin traders in the hopes (for whatever reason) to get really collectible pins.

 

[Hope73]

We love to pin trade kids 5&7 but we started out the expensive way. We bought the sets at disney and they cost a lot. I then went online and bought that way yes lots but Once you start to look at ebay you will see the same pins and know what ones are real or fake. It is a lot of fun. There was also an offer on fruit snacks where you could send in and get free pins. I just ran into a bunch at Best Buy as well one free when you buy a 6 pack of AA batteries. These are all really cheap wways to stock up.

 

[disneymomtofour]

This will be our 4th trip to trade pins and each time I have bought pins off E-bay. I buy in lots or grab bags. I never pay more than about $2.75 a pin including shipping. I look for good feedback and listings that say--no Sedesma, no foreign, no fakes, etc. I try to buy a few lots from the same vendor to save on shipping. My kids love pin trading and, surprisingly, my husband and I have really had fun with it, too. Have a great time!

 

[ellyn2000]

We started out by stopping in the Disney Outlet @Premier Outlet Mall in Orlando and purchasing some discounted pins to trade in the parks. My kids had spending money which they used to buy some pins in the parks that were "special" to them. They really enjoy pin trading and now range in age from 16 to 24 years old and are looking forward to pin trading on our next trip. I have bought several inexpensive pins on EBay and found "clearance" pins @disneyshopping.com. I hope your family has a wonderful trip and really has a good time with their pins.

 

[Meezers]

One adult here....wears a pink lanyard....is good trader with kids....always make sure to have "good" pins....like cast lanyard ones...to trade....

I have "one side" that is my favorite pins...and "one side" for trading...or sometimes just giving away...after giving a pin trading lesson!

If you search under my user name...there should be some short novels written about pin trading

 

[Hope73]

I read on disney online that they have a special disney trading night every week Thursday At all star sports resort with a special kids only room to trade with cast. Has anyone tried thsi and is it worth the hi8ke. I am thinking the kids oudl get lots of cast pins at this? Just wonderin. I considered trying to call the hotel directly. I thein contemporary has a night as well.

 

[bobcat]

Pin trading at both the All Stars and Pop ends the first week of August.

 

[tacomaranch]

I have bought many pins on line and only buy from folks with perfect feedback. I don't buy bulk or sesmas. I am careful. The nice lady I buy from now just lets me build up for a few weeks and then I pay all at once and get great shipping charges. I buy cheap to trade and then some I keep.

We have a special needs child and it is a good way to have him interact with others and try his words, please, thank you.