Pin Trading ?

[MTCruiser]

Is pin trading still a big thing in the parks? I was thinking it would be a good thing to keep the kids occupied if they were feeling bored in a line or something. The kids are 10 and 6. I noticed some pins on ebay for a pretty good price.

thanks for any info

 

[JadeDarkstar]

yes it is still big. we three are big in to it and i saw alot of ppl with lanyards on

mousepins.com
is a grate site and has a sell right now on there grab bags.

 

[pixiewings71]

It's HUGE! LOL Main reason DBF goes is for pin trading. mousepinsonline.com is a great place to get grab bags for a great deal, they are having a special right now I think.

 

[MTCruiser]

good information...thanks

 

[damiel]

My DS (10) is big into pin trading. I would think your children are a great age. Yes, it keeps him occupied while in line or waiting for a parade. I suggest buying the screw on pin backs for the special pins you don't want to loose. We have spent many hours re-pinning and looking for lost backs while in line. My son lost a YOMD pin he won and after that we bought the screw on backs. I also suggest buying a CHEAP starter pack of pins, we got a four pack of Disney babies, and then trade them with cast members for more desirable pins. Be prepared to stop at every pin shop/cart and to be waiting while they check out every cast members collection.

 

[The Blue Parrot]

On recent trips, I've noted fewer and fewer cast members wearing lanyards. When I asked a few folks, they mentioned that there was a feeling of being abused by some pin traders that had lead to fewer CM's doing it.

That being said, a polite, "May I look at your pins?" has never let me down.

Depending on your feelings about eBay, you can find some good deals on pins for less than $2 each to trade at the park. I've had good luck with lots of eBay sellers over the years, especially when it came to pins.

One new (at least to me) guest behavior that I find apalling is asking another guest to purchase a new pin to trade for one from a book or lanyard. Why should I buy you a brand new pin for one that you probably traded for off a CM lanyard or got from another guest?

I told one guy what I thought of him for doing that and it was not pretty. Basically let him know he was lower than pond scum.

My best pin trade was with a six year old girl. Nothing special, but it was a simple guest to guest trade and it made her smile when it was all over.

And that's the real Disney magic.

 

[hlbtimes2]

My kids (6 and 9) love to trade. As a matter of fact, they both got their pins out this week to decide what they want to keep and what they are willing to trade on our next trip. I bought them a lot of 10 off ebay that they dont know about. I'm going to give it to them this weekend. They are going to be thrilled to find out they have 5 more each to trade! We typically stick with trading with cm's.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Big pin collector here!! I have only traded 2 times for the Year Of A Million Dreams pins that cannot be bought.

I cannot wait to buy Disneyland pins!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Blue Parrot, when we have people tell us to go buy whatever we just laugh and walk away. There are quite a few rude pin traders out there, we've been enough times that we basically recognize them and avoid them. We don't trade with a lot of individuals but we do trade with CM's. I love trading with little ones, our last trip we were trading with a CM who had a lanyard full of AMAZING pins.....OMG, we were in pin heaven! LOL We were chatting with him and his family (his Mom and 2 DD's) asking about his job and just pin trading. His DD5 wanted to trade with me, she took a pin off her lanyard (very pretty Belle but nothing "special") and asked if I would trade. I knelt down in front of her and held out my lanyard, I told her I had a couple I was keeping but asked what she wanted. She pointed to my surfboard Minnie so I traded it with her. Her Dad said "that's a Hidden Mickey, you don't need to trade that" then he told her to find something else. I already had it off and passed it over, the smile on her face was huge, she was sooooooo happy!!!! Her Dad kept trying to get me to take it back but I wouldn't, it was more important to see her smile then to keep it. DD11 traded with her younger sister, I think she was 3. We said Thank You and headed for the train. That was one of our BEST pin trades ever!!!!
One of the most important rules about pin trading is keep it fun!! That's our own family rule, it's so easy to get caught up in *I wants* that the fun slips away, just keep it fun and it stays fun.

 

[The Blue Parrot]

Pin trading was supposed to be something guests could share.

I still trade with other guests, especially if I'm standing in line. It's a great way to start a conversation - with kids of all ages. And sometimes, the trade becomes second to the sharing of some Disney magic!

 

[pixiewings71]

Some traders are still good people, but there are a few that are just bad apples. You can find them waiting in line for the books to come out....LOL Not all of them of course, but the ones who are "in line" 2 hours before the books come out and don't follow the rules. Some of the "traders" are more like horders and just go about it wrong. I've met some really neat people that way though and I'm always open to discuss a trade, even if I might say no thanks.

 

[leslie_537]

I have 4 pins that are so so but they have hidden Mickey's on them, should I keep them?

Oh and my sister said don't ever trade pins with the non-cast members that have the books over in frontier land I guess they left her with a bad taste in her mouth!

 

[jemilah]

I sometimes feel that the Pro-traders are trying to trick my kids I really like the to trade other kids or CM's. i have seen my sons give kids pins , and that makes me so proud The look on a little ones face is priceless!
I think I am going to order some to trade , I have a few I can't part with.
has anyone had any luck finding good backs? the locking ones at DL sometimes don't work and the MM backs can fall off so easy. Any advice?

 

[pixiewings71]

Sorry, we use the locking backs for non traders and the Mickey backs for all our other pins. Or, we have the pin bag and we have cork in between and we just stick the pins into the cork. That works great! We have about a billion little plastic backs in a big plastic baggie....LOL

Leslie, we aren't all bad! lol DBF and I will hang out over there when the parks are major crowded....or I should say he hangs out over there while the girls and I ride rides. We really will trade almost anything with almost anybody but the hard core traders just make me shake my head and walk away......

 

[snoodledoo]

After losing several just-purchased pins during our October visit we invested in more secure pin backs through this ebay seller (disneypatriot). There is also a lot of good info on the DIS Collector's Board, which is how I came across the pin backs.

 

[leslie_537]

pixiewings - glad to know you aren't all bad it is probably the hard cord COLLECTORS. There are only a few on DD's lanyard she can't trade and they were bought for special reasons. Other than that she can trade any she wants that is the fun of it.

 

[jemilah]

Thanks Snoodledoo!

 

[LauraAnn630]

You can loose them easily! My kids kept loosing there pins. They love trading!
They only trade with CMs.

I dont wear a lanyard or trade. I buy pins that are special to me and keep them. I display then in a glass shadow boxes on the wall in our home.

The secure backs for the pins are expensive.