Some what disappointed in pin trading experience...

[DizneyDogs]

We were there a few weeks ago and while there were lots of cuties my DH and I managed to trade for lots of hidden mickey and lanyard pins. Also we try to seek out managers (or those dressed in normal clothes) as they often have limited edition pins. We got several LE from disney auctions from store managers and they usually were helpful in telling us which ones were the "good" ones.

 

[NJBlackBerry]

Still here and still finding Hidden Mickey pins everywhere....
My daughter found an LE yesterday. Pin trading has been great this trip..

 

[Vemnox]

The last few days at work I've noticed a LOT of hidden mickey's, so keep your eyes out and always ask at EVERY attraction if any position there has pins. Many attractions only have pins at the Fastpass distribution location.

 

[slkant]

We are going to Disney in just a few days. My niece and nephew (4 and 6) will be introduced to pin trading. I want to make sure they have fun, but I would also like to help ensure that they get "good" pins. I would love some more tips for beginniners. What are the hidden Mickey pins?

 

[FigNewton]

What are the hidden Mickey pins?

These two links should answer your question on Hidden Mickey Pins.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/event?id=16007
http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/event?id=20126

For what it's worth, many of us who were annoyed by hidden mickey pin finds at Disney were so because all of the HM pins released this year are re-releases. My wife and I actually saw tons of HM pins while we were there, but almost entirely all pins we had from earlier releases. Of the 8 or so pins I actually still needed from the re-releases, I only saw 3 of them, and one was on a green lanyard (for kids only).

For those who are only just starting to trade, you'll probably find lots of pins to tickle your fancy.

 

[slkant]

Thanks. How do we recognize "bad pins" that we should avoid?

 

[NJBlackBerry]

"Bad" can mean many things. "Bad" can mean poor quality - but still a licensed, Disney pin. These pins are thinner. You can tell by looking at them.

"Bad" can mean a pin that is found everywhere and has no trading value - but you or your family might like it (like the Dancer 2000 pin that is on most CM lanyards).

"Bad" can mean counterfeit - sometimes very hard to spot. There is a series of surfboards out where surffboard is spelled wrong. Give it back to the CM and say it is a fake.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and enjoy your pin trading.

 

[FigNewton]

Yeah, bad can mean a lot of different things. Typically when I warn people off of bad pins, I'm talking about the cheapo pins from Europe, like Sedesma pins. Those are easy to tell, because instead of having a hard enamel between the metal outline of the feature on the pins, there is a painted in well instead.

 

[slkant]

The last few days at work I've noticed a LOT of hidden mickey's, so keep your eyes out and always ask at EVERY attraction if any position there has pins. Many attractions only have pins at the Fastpass distribution location.

Thanks for the advice. I was also wondering what this means. Is this referring to CMs with pins at certain rides or something else?

 

[malfaisance]

Whatever you do, do not schedule a trip and expect to see any good pins after the pin events. We went the week after the It All Started With Walt event this year and there were literally no pins that were worth trading for on lanyards anywhere. We thought they would restock or something during the week we stayed, but they never did! It was awful. We gave up and wound up buying instead.

 

[hsmamato2]

this is probably a dumb question but what's a cutie? my kids trade, i have no idea what they trade for ....as long as they like it-

 

[FigNewton]

this is probably a dumb question but what's a cutie? my kids trade, i have no idea what they trade for ....as long as they like it-

Cuties pins.

They aren't poor quality or anything, they are just generally very small, and are sold by disney in large sets for a relatively small amount of money (one pack I saw last time was 7 for $25). Which is why they are flooding the lanyards.

 

[pindecisive]

I bought some pins off ebay, nice cast lanyard pins.

They came to about 3.50 a pop and I got ten.

I wont be embaressed to trade them, and they're the kind of pins i'd trade for.

I really hope there wont be tons of cuties at DL, that'd really make me sad.

 

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

This whole thread is making me so sad!!! My kids are looking so forward to trading on our trip in March!!!! They aren't expecting to get any rare valuable pins or anything...just cute pins of the characters they like!! Please someone assure me that the green CM lanyards still have some cute and different pins! (besides the cuties!!) But I admit we are guilty of buying inexpensive (Disney Store) pins for the sole purpose of trading...is that bad?? I just can't afford to pay $7-8 a pop for pins to trade....

 

[NJBlackBerry]

I love threads where people say "please assure me".....

I can not assure you of anything. We were there 12/23-12/29 - it was a little busy down there - and we traded over 100 pins with CMs. The Green Lanyards were generally filled with "good" pins (read: pins my kids wanted).

We found pins at all parks, at DTD and at DisneyQuest (a LOT of pins there). Many pins were from the new Hidden Mickey group of pins - and they were everywhere. DS found a nice LE pin at Soarin' on a blue lanyard.

DD even found a nice pin in the Disney store at the airport.

It was significantly better than expected, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

We miss the pin trading nights, but we've learned to survive.

 

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Sorry...I didn't mean to offend anyone by saying "please assure me".

 

[meandtheguys2]

This whole thread is making me so sad!!! My kids are looking so forward to trading on our trip in March!!!! They aren't expecting to get any rare valuable pins or anything...just cute pins of the characters they like!! Please someone assure me that the green CM lanyards still have some cute and different pins! (besides the cuties!!) But I admit we are guilty of buying inexpensive (Disney Store) pins for the sole purpose of trading...is that bad?? I just can't afford to pay $7-8 a pop for pins to trade....

Just let your kids trade for what they want, and you will have a ball! Mine bring home sedesma's, euros, rack, LE, and CM pins. They enjoy every trade, and if we meet a grumpy CM (not wanting to trade for a pin my kids already trade for, we go on to the next CM.)

Have a ball!

 

[pindecisive]

Yea, I just got back from DL and though there were a few cuties out there, they by no means overtook the lanyards...though I did notice there werent as many unusual or different pins this year.

I did come across a pin trader. It was our first time dealing with one. He was sitting there with a book and my friend went over to him.
Bad idea.
He was so rude I could not believe it.
So i'd like to warn new-comers that when you trade with people who are not CM's, sometimes you get people who dont have the magic of Disney in mind when they deal with you.

Also...CM's seem less informed than usual about Sedsema and fakes.
My friend was traded a Sedsema by a CM and at one glance I knew it was a fake. He also was told two of his pins were bootleg.
They were not and another CM agreed with me.
Thankfully the CM traded the Sedsema for a different pin for him.

Yes I was a bit disappointed in the experience this time too, but it won't stop me from trading in the future.

 

[psalmzinger]

My wife and I returned recently from WDW, and she really got into the pin trading thing. We found a wonderful young lady (maybe 16 years old) at the pin trading center in Downtown Disney who was wonderfully patient and helped us get some of the inside scoop on how all this works. Also, we met the most terrific CM inside WDW who was so thrilled to be my wife's first trade. He said "You always remember your first time..."

Anyway, I'm looking for someplace in Massachusetts where we might trade pins. I won't use ebay - I was burned pretty badly by an unscrupulous seller and swore I'd never go back (buyer beware). Any other places to pick up a variety of pins?

Thanks!

 

[Dancenash]

I just got back. Yes there was alot of cuties. But I got some really nice limited editions, hidden Mickey, some really cute rack pins. They are out there you just got to look real good