Somethun's rotton in the TDS I go to on Saturday a.m.

[shirley 38]

The only one thing I have to say is when in doubt ask for a manager.
I would not touch this subject with a ten foot pole. Now knowing all the details. The Manager would know.

I am a cast member and am not under paid, under appreciated or over worked.
It is the greatest place in the world to work.
Please remember there are bigger things in life. Remember September 11th. God Bless America.

 

[pintrader]

Because I do not have a TDS within 50-65 miles of me I never intended to get these pins. Just to put a few ideas on the table as food-for-thought, I'd like to present a bit of history and see if this puts things in better perspective.

!. These are not collectibles, hence not limited edition. Is that true?
2. Disney still has 100 day Millennium countdown pins for sale after having sold out 24 months ago. Why because they ordered more. Why? because we wanted them. This still makes them orderable by phone.
3. We all want the cheapest price possible. Don't we? They don't want to over order.
4. So it stands to reason that Disney would rather re-order and restock than to have them hanging around for ever.
5. Based on the parks and the countdown to the Millennium pins Disney reproduces pins that are not LE if there is a demand for them. That is how there came to be more of the CtM pins still on the racks 2 years after their first release.
6. So unless it is important to you to be the FIRST on your block to get your pin, what does it matter when you get it?7. There are several of them I would like to own, but they are not trading that well at the parks because most of the pins at the parks are$8,50 and most of us aren't willing to trade an $8.50 for a $4.00, so they have been trading two TDS pins for one WDW pin.

I can see this being a nightmare on December 5, 2001. If that Fella who came to visit one of the stores and agreed to limit these to some quantity each is staying abreast of all of this, changes may be in the works. Please be aware that these changes cannot be seen over a few weeks. If they are keeping up with the demand and interest in these pins they have probably already upped the number or


Gosh when I started typing this there was no page two. dered to appease the people they want to be happy. I have had a pin made before and even with all the power the name "Disney" can have to change things, time just isn't one of the them

I know that I am writing this with little emotion involved, but know that the emotion that is causing such a stir is ruining your hobby for you. Somthing that you used to look forward to that made you happy is causing sadness, and is probably doing so unnecessarily.

Just for a little laugh. All you guys who were at the EPCOT pin event ... Remember how we all stood in lines waiting for pins we were promised because we had a little slip of paper guarranteeing us ours? We didn't even have to stand in those lines. We had our paper. Well, how many of you know this??? Those same pins were everyone available on the rack the Tuesday after the event every one except Tinkerbell. Now how silly did I feel? and ya wanna know something that even puts this more into perspective for me? EVERY week, August pin event pins are returned. There are lenticulars on racks in most parks and resorts, Artist Choice can be found almost everywhere. So the moral of the story is maybe our society of "instant gratification" could slow down and smell the roses and enjoy life a bit more. I just can't believe these pins won't be availalbe to the true collector.
Rather than the conquest of being the first in line at the store, perhaps we should just regroup and figure out how to enjoy the hobby of collecting rather than the chore of obtaining. Maybe I'be just reached a new level in the 12-step program. I am not quite as obsessive as I have been for the last 24 months, but it has taken that long for me to realize that there are only two pins I have not gotten to complete a set and only 5 that I would like to have as a part of my collection that seem to elude me. When I look at 7500 known pins that's not too bad. So some day if I can ever find a Plane Crazy to complete my filmstrips or a Small World e-ticket to complet that set, I will have enjoyed meeting all of you along that journey.

The other fhree? Haunted Mansion Dangle, DL Pin Trading Press Pin, Gold Jail Scene. The rest are just for fun. These three are quests. But I just dropped one off my HG list. People ask me what my new HG is and i tell them "nothing right now. I am basking in the excitement of owning a set of the monorail pilot wings." What is the point of looking for your grail for two years if as soon as you get it you toss it aside like some un wanted, unappreciated, useless toy at Christmas time in seach of some new HG?

So mom thanks for another wonderful lesson you taught me that took me 50 years to understand and appreciate. At Christmas, we used to have to each open a gift. We played with, admired, wore, looked at it for 30 minutes before we were allowed to open the next gift until there were no more under the tree. We did this because my mother was a pioneer in single parenting. She didn't have much money and she worked long hard hours to get the few trinkets we ripped through in 2 minutes flat. So to draw the excitement of Christmas out this is how we worked it. Now, I not only have patience, but I know how to enjoy and appreciate things as I get them.

Please try to have fun in our hobby. Trade, make friends and pin swap, It really can be fun.

Sheesh I must be a slow typist. There was no page two when I started. Hear here to Dom and Shirley

 

[Luv2Roam]

I know I have been very lucky so far. Which is why I have helped out so many other collectors to get this collection.
But as stated, it is becoming not fun -- when the store has 2 pins of one style to sell to a dozen people standing in line.
It was very disenheartening to see so many angry guests last Saturday. And I know it couldn't have been a fun time for the CM's either.
I like the chatting we are doing before the store opens. It has been great to meet fellow pin heads.
I don't have to be the first on the block with the new set. But getting down to selling just 2 of any one style I think is ridiculous.
I'm not a thrill of the hunt type person. If I want it, I want to be able to buy the dang thing -- period. I'm just beginning to start switching my pin buying priorities here, I think. There are other sets I like better even.
I just thought it was going to be so great to be able to walk into a TDS a BUY a pin! Little did I know then that some pins would be scarce.
And every week has been progressively worse -- longer lines, requiring earlier arrival, and in some cases fewer and fewer pins (but with more people wanting them).
It has become frustrating. You should have seen and heard the people who were just after us first few in line when they were told no more Figaros and only one set per person. I can understand their aggravation.

 

[Iris]

Had to think about this before posting. All I can tell you is what I know. At our store, the shipment of pins have been random. A box holds 24 pins. Sometimes we get 48 pins total and sometimes we get only 24. The last two weeks we didn't get some of the pins in the box, they were in bags. When counted, some bags only had 5 or 6 pins inside. No real reason as to why. One week, the week of the famous pin #19, we received 12 of those pins but then were asked to ship half of what we had to another store that received none. That left us with 6 pins so the first three people in line got them. I was lucky enough to trade for one.

It would be nice if those working CMs who collected pins were be able to put aside one pin that they could purchase at the end of a shift but not if it meant there would be none for any of the guests. CM are not allowed to hold anything! Keep in mind folks, there is always a store somewhere that does not sell out of pins the first day. (yes it is true). I have had to resort to ordering from another store and paying the extra in shipping, but they really can be found.

I don't think there is any real solution to the problem. I wish distribution were a little more consistent on the shipping of the pins. It would make life just a little easier. I can also tell you this. We have been getting replenishments of pins that we ran out of from other weeks. Looks like the shipments are catching up to some of the stores. I am pretty confident that more pins that were "shorted" originally will have those particular pins show up.

Again, don't blame the CMs if the store only received 5 or 6 pins. It is not their fault and really, they can't do anything about it. I have seen people insist that the CM are lying about the quantity of pins received. Yikes.

Finally, they are afterall pins! We should be very grateful that we are around to complain about such things. Life is short, let's enjoy it.