please explain pin trading to my nephews and me!

[Alysa]

While in Disney last month I bought each of my three nephews a lanyard and a pin for our upcoming trip in December. Could anyone please let us know how you go about trading these pins? Also, the bottom of the lanyard is paper which is already getting banged up - why does it come apart and are you supposed to get a pin of some kind for the bottom? Many thanks in advance!
Alysa

 

[nuzmom]

I saw that you posted a while ago and thought that I'd give you a reply.

Pin trading is easy. Here's a link to describe it more and there's an additional link at the bottom of that page...

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/special/specialindex?id=DisneyPinTradingPage

Basically, when you see a CM - say "may I see your pins?" They'll say "sure" and hold them away from their body and let you look. If you see one you like, pick one of yours (they can't already have it) and say "I'd like to trade for XXX". They'll remove their pin trade with you. They'll usually let you keep the black mickey mouse head back if one of the pins has it. Your pin has to be an official disney pin - it will have "disney" on the back. If you don't see any that you like, just say "thanks, but I don't see anything" and walk away. It's that easy. They MUST trade with you if you have an official pin that they don't have (which usually is the case).

Also, if the CM is wearing a green lanyard - it's for kids only. If there's a pin turned around backwards, then it's a "surprise". You don't get to see it until you have traded for it.

Definitely let you nephews get into it. The CM's may have additional pins (in their pockets) and on our last 2 trips my DS8 and DS3 both received 2 lanyard series pins that the CMs just GAVE to them AFTER a trade. (free) It was REALLY cool and my kids loved it.

Also, we ended up carrying our sons lanyards in my backpack most of the time. The lanyards become scratchy around the neck and are a little bit of a pain on rides. My DH and I ended up buying hats and wearing ours on our hats (not baseball hats, bucket hats - the baseball hats make the pins dig into your head - ouch!!!)

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

As for the paper on the bottom- I assume its a newer lanyard and has a loop at the end with the paper stapled through it- They sell medallions that you can buy to "customize" your lanyard- They usually have 6-10 kinds with characters, parks, years etc on them-

-em

 

[Alysa]

Thank you both so much - I will print this post off to show to my family. Does anyone have a picture of what the lanyard medallion looks like? I looked on ebay with little success...

 

[nuzmom]

Here's a link to disneydeals with a picture of stitch lanyard medal (2004)...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50768&item=6536360413&tc=photo

that will give you some idea of what you're looking for. At WDW the medallions are in all the stores that have pins, right with the lanyards and pins. Very easy to find.

Also, remember that the medallions make the lanyards even heavier. We ended up buying laminated tags at the "big" rides my kids rode (with their names on them) and "collecting" them by hooking them onto the bottom of the lanyard. We got them at RnR Coaster, Space Mountain, Dinosaur, Mission to Mars, etc. It's nice too because their names are on the "tags" and that helped us know who's lanyard is who's (since I bought them matching ones).

Here's another one off of ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50770&item=6535087673&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW


Hope that helps.

 

[Alysa]

thanks!