Pin trading?

[S.Poppins]

Okay, I have heard much about pin trading but have never really understood the fascination. But after reading Utahmamas TR (shameless plug for an excellent read!) I am now wondering if we are not missing out on something. Maybe my kids would enjoy this in January. So can someone explain how to go about doing this? What are some tips or things we need to know? And will it cost me a fortune? Thanks for all your help!

 

[tinkersmama]

It gives the kids another way to interact with the castmembers and other pin traders. To get started, I would suggest trying to find some on ebay.

 

[Jim from Jersey]

I'm not really big on trading. I do purchase pins for my own collection though. Pins at WDW usually run anywhere from $6.00 on up. You can get them cheaper on Ebay, however you have to watch out for fakes. This is a link to the collectors board on this site. There is good information there about pin collecting.
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=37

 

[dreamergirl78]

I was not into pin trading but my son really was interested while we were at WDW. You can buy a starter kit which comes with a lanyard and like 6 - 8 pins (can't remember how many) for around $50.00. It was a good way to get started. It also established a theme for Ryan's pins. Mickey and Patriotic. I then bought him a pin from each park to keep. The pins he did not like so well he traded.
Anyway, it was fun for him and something he can enjoy on every trip! Hope you have fun!

 

[4chitlins]

Another perk to pin trading is when you are waiting in lines I always tell my kids to be looking at lanyards of CM's to see if they have any pins they might like. It helps pass the time while waiting.

 

[Charleyann]

Walmart in kissimmee has trading pins for just 4.97. They are Disney pins and have traded several!

Charleyann

 

[hezreck]

I would recommend pin trading for children. My DD was 7 on our last trip and pretty shy. I got her some pins to trade and she really took to it. By the 2nd day of trading she was going up to CM's by herself and initiating the trade. The first day she wanted me to go with her, but after that she was on her own. This time she's 8 turning 9, and looking forward to trading again. She didn't want to trade any of her pins from the last trip, so I went on Ebay and got a set of 10 that I knew she wouldn't want to keep. They are 10 different states with characters on them. Since she's never been to those states they are easy to trade and she can collect her princess pins again.

 

[CaptHook34]

Pin trading is very fun, and ts makes he vacation awesome. When your at the magic kingdom, 90% of the cast members are wearing lanyards(black necklaces which holds pins). Yo can go up to the cm and ask to trade for any pin he/she is wearing, and then you choose which one you want to give the cm.

 

[okduke]

We did what you are considering. Prior to our Sept trip, I bought 50 pins from one of the online sources for my son and his cousins to trade. Without a doubt, this was one of our best moves. The CMs wearing a yellow lanyard do so as an invitation for anyone, particularly kids, to trade with them. We noticed someone with a yellow lanyard at just about every place we went. I'll bet that each kid made at least 100 trades . . . and they loved it. The CMs doing this are very good at dealing with kids. They would often get down on one knee and hold up their pins and talk about them. The pins are also a fun interaction possibility with characters. When we met Peter Pan, he went through the pins talking about this one being nice, this one being mean, this one living in the ocean, etc.

I would highly recommend this! It was by far one of the best uses of our time and money on our trip. We will certainly be doing it again!

 

[S.Poppins]

Okduke, which online source did you use, it you don't mind me asking?

Thank you everyone, you have convinced me!

 

[Mecha Figment]

here are the official disneyland guidlines( they are the same for the Walt Disney World Resort) in regards to pin trading.

PIN TRADING ETIQUETTE*
· HAVE FUN! Pin Trading can be a great way to interact with and meet Cast Members and other Guests.

· PINS should be in good, undamaged condition.

· TRADE one pin at a time, hand to hand.

· GUESTS may trade a maximum of two pins with each Cast Member

· PLEASE refrain from touching another person’s pins or lanyard.

· IF you need a closer look, ask the person wearing the lanyard if they can bring it into clearer view for you.

· CERTAIN pin sets should be traded as sets. If a single pin from a set does not complete the intended picture or statement alone, all pins in the set must be traded as one pin.

· ONLY Operating Participant pins that show a Disney or Walt Disney World affiliation will be accepted for trading.

· “NAME PINS” may not be traded with Cast Members. This includes Disney name pins.

· WHEN trading with Cast Members, guests should offer a pin that is not already displayed on the Cast Member’s lanyard.

· GUESTS may trade only one pin of the same style with a Cast Member.

· THE general rule on what constitutes a tradable pin is that it is a metal Disney pin, and some certain Operating Participant pins, that represent a specific Disney Event, Place or Location, Character or Icon.

· MONIES or gifts may not be exchanged or used in trade for a pin.

*Rules are subject to change without notice. Guests suspected of operating an unauthorized pin business in a Disneyland Resort theme park or Guests violating any Disneyland Resort rules shall be subject to, among other things, ejected from such theme park and/or the resort premises.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Adding to Mecha's post ...

* Keep in mind that there is a real live person attached to that lanyard. Please ASK before staring at the lanyard, and please do not touch the lanyard. Espicially, please do not GRAB the lanyard.

* Some cast members will have a "mystery pin" on their lanyards ... they put the pin on backwards, so that the front of the pin is hidden. If you want to see what the pin is, you have to trade for it.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

Pin Trading is great for the kids, keeps them active and interested in watching for CM's lanyards and communications about new and upcoming pins to watch for. I don't do much trading, only purchasing the ones that catch my eye for my personel collection. Here is one of my favorites.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have been collecting Disney pins since 2001.
There are MANY great aspects to pin trading (and collecting). If you want to help anyone (adults or children) overcome shyness, pin trading with Cast is a great aide.
I have met people from all over the world I never would have met had it not been for pin trading by mail.
I don't see many activities or hobbies the entire family enjoys. But pin trading and collecting is one of those.
Be cautious of what pins you buy off Ebay to trade onto Cast lanyards. Rule of thumb: Buy the pins to trade onto lanyards what you would not mind trading off for yourself.
I have had several adults tell me a problem they have with buying several different pins that kids like them all and don't want to trade any. So plan to buy duplicates, and trade the dups.
There are pitfalls, as with any hobby. But overall pin trading is GREAT!
Enjoy!

 

[Luv2Roam]

And the yellow adults lanyards Cast wear were replaced by blue lanyards, for the Dreams celebration.

 

[4chitlins]

Also, those CM's with green lanyards are only allowed to trade with children 11 and under

 

[okduke]

http://www.mousepinsonline.com/tp40/Default.asp?ID=18157

We did the grab bags . . . and it looks like an even better deal now. Might have to buy some now for our trip next year.

 

[pigletforever]

We really got into it while we were there in October. DS17 decided to collect villans. I found some neat ones on EBAY. He is getting them for Christmas. We had one CM tell us what some good pins to look for (rare) CM's were great with DS4. They were very patient as he looked at their collections. We all check EBAY now and I am in the process of looking for pins for our next trip.

 

[S.Poppins]

Thank you, this is great information. When you buy the starter kit at WDW how many pins come in it?

 

[Tinkerbell424]

Okay well first you have to have pins and lets say your child has a stich one she wants to get rid of and get a new one or whatever,you can go up to a cast member and ask if they wanna trade pins and they sometimes will let you pick or they will give you one..So my first tip would be buy a few pins and if you are talking to cast members throughtout the park's and youlike a pin of there's ask if they would wanna trade.

Have fun!