Pin trading questions

[Hezzy04]

When a child wants to trade a pin with a cast member, will the cast member let the kids trade any of their pins for the pin they want that the cast member has? Or is it more drawn out where they might accept some trades and not accept others? I just want to know how complicated it might be....and if I need to prepare my kids to possibly not get the pin they want.

Also, do they need to have a lanyard? Or can they just have a bag of trading pins and they pick one from there to trade? I think they would love trading and owning pins, but not wearing a lanyard.

Thanks!

 

[squeezle]

All trades go through, no debating! No need for a lanyard, you can keep your pins however you want. The only rules are that the pin needs to be a Disney pin and needs to have the back attached when you hand it over.

Just ask a cast member to see their pins. Select one you like. Give them one of yours.

Most cast members have a black pin flap which can be traded with adults or kids. But some cast members have special green pin flaps which are for trading with kids only.

 

[aaarcher86]

When a child wants to trade a pin with a cast member, will the cast member let the kids trade any of their pins for the pin they want that the cast member has? Or is it more drawn out where they might accept some trades and not accept others? I just want to know how complicated it might be....and if I need to prepare my kids to possibly not get the pin they want.

Also, do they need to have a lanyard? Or can they just have a bag of trading pins and they pick one from there to trade? I think they would love trading and owning pins, but not wearing a lanyard.

Thanks!

I can't think of a time a CM said no to a trade. If they've got special pins they typically don't wear them or wear them somewhere else besides their trading flap.

Your kids don't have to wear a lanyard.

 

[Hezzy04]

All trades go through, no debating! No need for a lanyard, you can keep your pins however you want. The only rules are that the pin needs to be a Disney pin and needs to have the back attached when you hand it over.

Just ask a cast member to see their pins. Select one you like. Give them one of yours.

Most cast members have a black pin flap which can be traded with adults or kids. But some cast members have special green pin flaps which are for trading with kids only.

Thanks you!!! Sounds like no stress! We will have to try it!

 

[snowman]

Unless it has changed in the last year, a CM will trade any pin on their lanyard for any Disney pin with anybody who asks. It has to be a Disney pin....no trading SpongeBob for Mickey. Some CMs and some locations have "child only" trading books, boards or pins. In that case they will only trade those pins with children. The lanyard isn't a requirement. Often the CMs wear a waist pin pouch. I usually carried my lanyard in my park bag because it was too hot and heavy to wear around.

My son wants the try it this year. Should be fun. Have fun with yours too!

 

[MN96]

All trades go through, no debating! No need for a lanyard, you can keep your pins however you want. The only rules are that the pin needs to be a Disney pin and needs to have the back attached when you hand it over.

Just ask a cast member to see their pins. Select one you like. Give them one of yours.

Most cast members have a black pin flap which can be traded with adults or kids. But some cast members have special green pin flaps which are for trading with kids only.

This is spot on! Also, technically you cannot trade a pin to the cm that is already on their lanyard, but I heard this is rarely enforced.


Edited to add I usually just keep a few pins that I am looking to trade in my drawstring bag and then when I have down time I pop into a shop and look around at cm pins. The black pin backs are not always the best, so be weary that they are staying on if you use a lanyard.

 

[dmensing]

I thought the only limitation is that you couldn't trade them a pin they already had in their possession.

Snowman is right that their are "child only" CM traders. If I remember correctly, they are designated by a green lanyard.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

Our DD was in the DCP last year and absolutely loved when people (kids or adults) wanted to trade pins with her. She worked in Tomorrowland so had many people trading with her. She would ask which one they wanted to trade and never pressured the kids to trade any pins. She loved that part of the job. No CM will refuse to trade. Have fun!

 

[squeezle]

Thanks you!!! Sounds like no stress! We will have to try it!

The only stress the the amount of money you will be tempted to drop on pins

 

[MN96]

Also if you are looking for cheap legitimate disney pins I know the disney store outlets used to have some really good deals depending on when you went. The outlets on I Drive and Vineyard Ave I believe? They have good deals on vinylmations too, but I have heard they no longer trade vinylmation in the parks. I am also not 100% sure that the character warehouse outlets are still open.

 

[msdroz]

Has anyone else thought of a good way for children to carry their pins? The lanyard becomes heavy and cumbersome (and sweaty) and we tend to lose a few pins from walking etc. Just wondering if there is another easy solution Fanny pack maybe haha

 

[kagmypts]

Has anyone else thought of a good way for children to carry their pins? The lanyard becomes heavy and cumbersome (and sweaty) and we tend to lose a few pins from walking etc. Just wondering if there is another easy solution Fanny pack maybe haha

Our kids each have a lanyard... or two. We put each lanyard in a ziploc baggie, and the lanyard is only removed when the kids want to trade. The baggie keeps all pins and backs contained. We keep the baggie in our backpack that we carry with us.

For the record, our kids love pin trading! It is the highlight of my our middle child's vacation. Have fun!

 

[msk]

My grands each carry a light weight backpack with all their "needs" for the day. including their pins and lanyard. They only carry the pins they are willing to trade. Traded pins go in a zip lock bag in the backpack.

 

[Hezzy04]

Another kind of dorky question.... Which cast members trade? Do all have pins/lanyards? If not, who should we be looking for!? I never really paid attention before...

Also...are they usually busy? Will it be a long wait every time we want to trade?

Sorry for my dumb questions! I really am clueless...

 

[BobWerner]

Even though I'm not a CM, I've traded with children. There was one child I remember that wanted my EPCOT pin. He had one little pin on so instead of a trade I gave him my pin. Just a little magic for the day.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

Another kind of dorky question.... Which cast members trade? Do all have pins/lanyards? If not, who should we be looking for!? I never really paid attention before...

Also...are they usually busy? Will it be a long wait every time we want to trade?

Sorry for my dumb questions! I really am clueless...

We have never had a CM say no - If they have a lanyard with pins - they will trade. My kids have even traded with the DVC CMs. The kids will love it.

When our kids were little they liked to wear their lanyards to the park so we only put the pins they wanted to trade on it because in the beginning we lost some good pins. The backs are not that great.

 

[squeezle]

Another kind of dorky question.... Which cast members trade? Do all have pins/lanyards? If not, who should we be looking for!? I never really paid attention before...

Also...are they usually busy? Will it be a long wait every time we want to trade?

Sorry for my dumb questions! I really am clueless...

Not dumb questions.

Look at the cast members' waist, many will have a square fabric flap attached to their belt where they keep their pins. Not all have them, but many do. You can ask anyone to trade. My general rule was to approach cast members who were not helping other guest and didn't look too busy. Trades can take a little time as a minute, or longer if you want to chat. Some of the easiest cast members to trade with are those that work in the shops. Also all the cast members at the DVC kiosks have pins to trade.

Also, many of the larger stores (like Mouse Gears at Epcot) and resorts have pin trading bulletin boards that they put out at certain times of the day (you'd have to check the schedules for these). Guest services each park also have huge pin trading binders they will let you look through.... great if you are looking for something specific or something rare.

Edit: Oh.... buying the mystery pouches is a great way to get started. They are small less expensive and can be traded for something bigger and more expensive.

 

[TML2012]

My kids love pin trading. The cast members are very patient with little ones. Sometimes they even spread a bit of pixie dust. On our last trip, my 4 year old was going to trade for a pin but the CM ended up gifting it to her after a small Disney "quiz" ..... even after she got the answer wrong

 

[njpyro]

Many cast members have lanyards, but never in food locations (1. it can be unsanitary, 2. they don't want to hold up any lines) which includes food stores (like the candy shop). Don't forget to ask at the concierge to see their pin book, every hotel has one, and there is usually a board in the hotel gift shop, so it's less pressure than asking a cast member to see their pins for the first trade or two.
And for the record, I have had several cast members refuse trades for real, purchased in park pins. But they were all in Disneyland Paris, and as my husband said "What did you expect, they're french!"

 

[snowman]

I'm not a CM, nor do I play one on TV. However, I have traded with kids and think it's grand. I will usually do a two for one trade and let them pick which two of my pins they want and which one of their pins they want to trade. Because I am not a CM I will never ask a child to trade but will always trade if they ask.