Pin trading tips and tricks!?

[MommytoaPrince]

Hello fellow disers,

We will be heading to Disney this week to celebrate my son's 8th birthday. We are FL Res and pass holders and we are always at Disney but we have never gotten into the pin trading thing. The birthday boy just recently expressed an interest in this so we thought about getting him started on his birthday trip. I am well-versed in all things Disney except for the pin trading area. I was wondering if you fellow Disers had any good info, tips or tricks, must-knows that you could share with me concerning pin trading? TIA!!!

 

[Rosebud123]

Buy a lanyard and 20 pins on ebay. MUCH less expensive than buying them in the park. Then trade those 20 with cast members for ones that he wants. It's fun!

 

[eyehartdisney]

Hello fellow disers,

We will be heading to Disney this week to celebrate my son's 8th birthday. We are FL Res and pass holders and we are always at Disney but we have never gotten into the pin trading thing. The birthday boy just recently expressed an interest in this so we thought about getting him started on his birthday trip. I am well-versed in all things Disney except for the pin trading area. I was wondering if you fellow Disers had any good info, tips or tricks, must-knows that you could share with me concerning pin trading? TIA!!!

Go to a resort first thing in the morning, they have great pins, sometimes. Epcot world showcase has a rediculous number of cms to trade with, and go to every store in DTD. If you can take the boredom, there is a GIANT board to trade with in the main pin store in dtd, but it opens randomly 2-3 times a day... even the cms working the store dont know when it will open. Also, if you're looking for cheap, but legit pins to trade, go to the disney outlet stores, they often have those starter lanyards for a dollar a pin. Speaking of lanyards... they can hurt. You have heavy metal hanging from your neck all day, ouch! If he's serious about it, think about getting a fishing vest, or one of those zip up pin trading books. Those can be expensive, but there are easy DIY alternatives to this. I use corrugated plastic, covered in felt. It holds the pins without needing a back. When is his birthday? I could probably send you ten or so pins from my collection, lemme see if O have anything that would appeal to a boy.

 

[mousehockey37]

Buy a lanyard and 20 pins on ebay. MUCH less expensive than buying them in the park. Then trade those 20 with cast members for ones that he wants. It's fun!

No. Just no. To quote Captain Hook: Bad form!

Buying at the parks may be more expensive but you know it's real. EBay has a lot of fake pins, and it's poor pin etiquette to trade scrappers.

That said, OP, if you can get to a Disney store or Outlet, you can get sets there and just individual pins. I've read where others found real pins in a Disney store on clearance for $1, so they were real and they bought pretty much the whole rack of them. Then each time their child went to trade, they took the one that they bought the rack of and traded away that one, creating a collection of neat new pins while not giving away anything neat in the process.

 

[Rosebud123]

No. Just no. To quote Captain Hook: Bad form!

Buying at the parks may be more expensive but you know it's real. EBay has a lot of fake pins, and it's poor pin etiquette to trade scrappers.

Well, the few times I've purchased pins on Ebay they looked real to me and as good as the ones that I purchased in the parks. Not sure why it's such a big deal. No one is forcing you to trade for a pin that you don't like the looks of and I've never had a cast member complain.

I guess if you are that concerned about the authenticity of your pins, you should buy directly from Disney. Me, I'm not going to worry.

 

[FancyNancy]

My DD and I like to pin trade but we don't like to wear the lanyard so we usually will just grab a handful of pins and stick them in a pocket in our park bags

 

[mousehockey37]

Well, the few times I've purchased pins on Ebay they looked real to me and as good as the ones that I purchased in the parks. Not sure why it's such a big deal. No one is forcing you to trade for a pin that you don't like the looks of and I've never had a cast member complain.

I guess if you are that concerned about the authenticity of your pins, you should buy directly from Disney. Me, I'm not going to worry.

We don't need another thread on Disney Pin Trading etiquette, so we'll agree to disagree...

Did you know CM's CAN'T complain onstage? That's outside of their character to complain about you bringing fake pins, but they'll go back offstage and destroy the fake ones.

 

[eyehartdisney]

Okay, he can have the top ten, and then pick ONE of the lower ones. The top are off CM lanyards, so I cannot be sure if they are legit, but the bottom ones I have purchased myself, or watched be purchased. Let me know if you'd like them. I can get it all wrapped up to mail tomorrow.

 

[eyehartdisney]

We don't need another thread on Disney Pin Trading etiquette, so we'll agree to disagree...

Did you know CM's CAN'T complain onstage? That's outside of their character to complain about you bringing fake pins, but they'll go back offstage and destroy the fake ones.

I've had CMs complain. They showed me how to tell if it was real etc. I just use the fake ones for an art project I've been working on. No one cares if I use fake ones for art!

 

[mousehockey37]

I've had CMs complain. They showed me how to tell if it was real etc. I just use the fake ones for an art project I've been working on. No one cares if I use fake ones for art!

If they are complaining, 1. they could lose their job, 2. they can tell you're trying to pass off fakes (if indeed you were). The fact that they took the time to show you the differences says a lot.

Yes, the pins aren't cheap, but when you get involved in any hobby, is it really cheap in the end? Also, when it's a hobby that can involve counterfeiting, isn't it detrimental to the hobby itself when those knock offs are introduced and circulated?

If you wouldn't buy a pair of "FOakley" sunglasses from a guy on a corner out of a briefcase for $10, then why would you buy a "lot" of 10, 20, 25+ pins from a seller on eBay for the same price?

 

[eyehartdisney]

If they are complaining, 1. they could lose their job, 2. they can tell you're trying to pass off fakes (if indeed you were). The fact that they took the time to show you the differences says a lot.

Yes, the pins aren't cheap, but when you get involved in any hobby, is it really cheap in the end? Also, when it's a hobby that can involve counterfeiting, isn't it detrimental to the hobby itself when those knock offs are introduced and circulated?

If you wouldn't buy a pair of "FOakley" sunglasses from a guy on a corner out of a briefcase for $10, then why would you buy a "lot" of 10, 20, 25+ pins from a seller on eBay for the same price?

Well thanks for telling me it's "telling," though all it's "telling" is that at the time I had no clue. I did not attempt to "Pass off" anything, I was just trading what I had gotten off a cast member lanyard, and I didn't buy a lot from ebay.

 

[sunflowerblooms]

Oh bother.
The most important part of pin trading is have fun.
My DD11 is shy. I love watching her pin trade.
So have your son ready to ask CMs to pin trade. Everyone we have ever interacted with have been friendly and ready to trade.
Also - if you are staying at a Disney resort or dinning at one always ask at the store, front desk, bell desk and congierge desk if they have a pin trading book.
Folks love to troll on buying on eBay - so troll away - but for what's it's worth pin trading has been a huge plus for my family on our Disney vacation. We buy trader pins on eBay. Out of 100 pins we usually find at least 10 keepers - and the rest we trade. I inspect every pin before we leave on vacation. I have yet to find a pin that I would not trade. But I am always on the look out. I would never put a cm in an uncomfortable position. When we visited in 2013 we chatted with a CM regarding scraper pins. He showed us a few scrapers. It was obvious.
So to repeat myself - I hope your son has as much fun as my daughter pin trading. It's a Disney vacation joy for my family.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've bought booster packs on ebay that were unopened and that's what I tend to use for trading in the parks. I get the ones with 7 pins for around 15.95 or 17.95 so it makes it cheaper. I also have bought starter sets from the Disney Store to use as trading pins. Again, I try to get the ones that have more pins that just the starter sets with 4 pins.

I've found that if I trade with CM's first thing in the morning I can find nicer pins on lanyards. For example, I stop in the store of my resort around 8am when they open and trade then and when I get to the park instead of heading right to the rides, I'll pin trade with CM's in the stores on the main drag of each park on my way through.

 

[MommytoaPrince]

Okay, he can have the top ten, and then pick ONE of the lower ones. The top are off CM lanyards, so I cannot be sure if they are legit, but the bottom ones I have purchased myself, or watched be purchased. Let me know if you'd like them. I can get it all wrapped up to mail tomorrow.

This is so kind of you, but we are leaving on Thurs so I don't think they would make them to us in time. Thank you so much for this kind gesture.

 

[MommytoaPrince]

So after reading through the messages on this thread I have a few questions.

1. How do I know if it's a Disney approved/legit pin?

2. Is there a standard lanyard or can he use a Mickey one he already has.

3. Where's the best place, with the most variety, to get the starter pack if I have to buy on property?

 

[eyehartdisney]

So after reading through the messages on this thread I have a few questions.

1. How do I know if it's a Disney approved/legit pin?

2. Is there a standard lanyard or can he use a Mickey one he already has.

3. Where's the best place, with the most variety, to get the starter pack if I have to buy on property?

1. There are a few ways, but mostly, there isn't. It's a matter of in good condition, and whether or not the mickeys on the back go all the way to the edge of the pin.

2. You can use whatever you want. I prefer no lanyard, it hurts.

3. DTD Pin store will have just about everything, but most gift stores will have a good selection of pins. If you buy at the DTD store, they generally have a Spend X amount of money, and you can buy a mystery pin for 2.50. But like I said, for pin trading, the best place to get pins (which you're trading anyway, so it doesn't matter what they look like) is the outlet store.

 

[MainMom]

My kids started trading 4 years ago. We buy the sets in the stores for traders. They trade for characters that they like. We don't know a scrapper from a real pin. They just have fun with it and like finding new ones for their collections. Personally, I wouldn't worry about authenticity while trading with CM's. Your child should just trade for what they like & have fun.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Here's my 2¢. I purchase pins on eBay. I have had good luck with disneytradingpins4u. All really good beautiful pins.

There are two types of "fakes".

Scrappers- which are badly made fake replicas of popular pins. Though the only scrappers I can identify are the scrappers where the mickey stamps along the back have a boarder around the edges and the scrappers who have the mickey stamps on the back directing right to left instead of top to bottom.

Then there's the extra stock. These are legit pins in a sense...meaning they are every bit as good as "authentic" disney pins they just weren't purchased by disney for pennies on the dollar then marked up a million percent and sold by disney.(Im in no way insinuating disney is bad for doing this. It's just a fact.) If disney orders 6000 tinkerbell pins and the company in China prints of 30,000 they ship the 6000 to disney and the others you'll find in other markets. They are in every way good tradable pins (to me of course ymmv).

I have bought these pins and spent lots of times comparing them to my authentic disney pins. To be quite honest I was obsessed about it. There are flaws on even authentic pins. From rough edges to poor color. If I trade a pin I believe is worthy of trading, for a pin I adore and believe is worth keeping, THAT is the spirit of pin trading. I even have a couple scrappers I love !

Whatever you decide have fun. I always do. Don't feel the need to trade with every CM. I know my kids feel obligated. It's completely ok to say "thank you" and move on.

I would avoid the disney condo people. They always have lanyards and will start their spiels as soon as they've lured you in. Lol

 

[Oswin]

My biggest tip is to avoid adults who linger around EPCOT and Downtown Disney carrying huge binders/books full of trading pins. It is true that pins have a value, but some of these people seem to take advantage of kids and casual pin traders that don't know any better. They will ask for multiples of your pins or ask you to go inside a nearby store and purchase specific new release pins to trade with them. A couple of years ago I had one of them offer me a pin I could go into Mouse Gear and buy myself in exchange for every single pin on my lanyard (about 15-20 pins). They insisted the trade was fair and I declined and they followed after me and my younger sister and kept trying to haggle and wouldn't take no as an answer until I got a CM involved. I was 16 at the time and it was a really creepy experience. We only trade with CMs now or kids who approach us in line or at our resorts because of it.

 

[cristen72]

I had a CM complain as well. It was our first trip and I had bought pins off eBay bc I had no idea the ones in lots are usually fakes.

My son was making a trade and he handed the CM one off his lanyard that he wanted to trade. She looked at it in disgust and said "This is a fake pin. It's called a scrapper. You can find out more information online" then she threw it in the trash right in front of us.

I was completely mortified and my son was upset. After that I read up on fake pins and started purchasing genuine ones to trade.