Trading pins with CM's

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Over the July 17 to the 19th weekend there was a CM that was Cindrella's "helper" that refused to trade with my DN, age 6. HE told my SIL that the 3 pins on the bottom of his lanyard(potholder style, can't remember the offical name for the square belt hanger type), were his "Personal" pins and she did not have anything he wanted! I was shocked! My DN was very confused. I got her into the pin trading cause I was tired of standing in line to take photos/autographs of the same WDW characters each and every trip. She was very confused.. wish I had been there! We have a lot of college age kids that are family friends that are CMs at WDW and when I told them what happened, and the exact time they are checking to see if they can find out who was the handler on that day/place/time. And since it was just after lunch at the Castle it should not be hard...
I don't have a problem with CMs having personal pins with them, but if they have them on an "offical" Disney lanyard I think they should be willing to trade. And several times we have been some place at WDW and had CMs trade from their personal pin stash when we asked if they knew anyone that had a pin we were looking for! They had them either in a pocket or in a couple cases they told us when they got off work/on break and went to a locker? and got the pin and then traded us! Talk about super nice! And we traded at England in ECPOT for a pin that one of the CMs had been trying to save for a fellow CM and when we found out tried to give it back... she wouldn't take it! So we found the pin latter from another CM, traded and went back to England to make sure the CM we got the first one from had it..she was off work, but we knew her name and a friend made sure she got it!
Also I agree that some adult kinda edge on their kids to get pins they want. I have wanted to several times with DN, but we all agreeded in the family that if she wanted to trade a pin that it was her decision, and we would not try and change her mind, we have, however, perma-backed several of the pins on her lanyard! And in her trading book.... but not till she got upset she had traded something in the heat of pintrading and regretted it latter! Good lesson for all of us....

Cast Members are not allowed to wear their personal pins on their lanyard and when they were allowed they would have to be on their shirts. Here is a good example about that. A few years ago I was at a store on Main Street USA and saw a pin a Cast Member was wearing that I needed. However I realized it was on their shirt and could not be traded because it was their own pin, since it was not on their lanyard.

 

[robin-mcj]

I found locking pin backs on ebay before our Jan. trip. (after I had 2 pins fall off of my lanyard in Dec.)

just do a search on ebay for locking pin backs...they are just like a tie-tack back and they DO NOT come off. NO tools required like the ones sold at Disney. And I noticed that the pin part didn't poke me in the skin like some locking backs

When I wore them on our Jan trip I did not have one pin fall off AND it was easy to remove the pin to trade. BTW, I would just kindly tell the CM...I have a special "locking" back and they were Always so nice about keeping the back that just came off of their pin. In fact, I had several CM ask where I got them...

I think I paid around $15 for 50 of them but I think this person sells them in smaller quantities...I don't remember her/his username but the background to his/her pictures was patriotic. (my family of 4 x 10 pins per lanyard, that's 40 locking pin backs needed)

I hope this helps someone!

You can buy the plastic ears on ebay, or at the stores at WDW. They are in packs.. I also have some 'special' pins that I dont want to fall off my lanyard, but I want to wear them they have ones that actually have set screws that lock in the pins... Those arent cheap . Then of course you can use backs off of some jewerly and stuff if you have extras..

 

[idofabric]

Cast Members are not allowed to wear their personal pins on their lanyard and when they were allowed they would have to be on their shirts. Here is a good example about that. A few years ago I was at a store on Main Street USA and saw a pin a Cast Member was wearing that I needed. However I realized it was on their shirt and could not be traded because it was their own pin, since it was not on their lanyard.

I know, that is why we are so upset that this CM would NOT trade the pins that were on the lanyard. My SIL said that the CM told my DN the pin she wanted to trade for was a "personal" pin and that she did not have anything that they wanted to trade for. If I had been there I would have gone into the Tink shop or to the desk at Cindys castle where they just had lunch and asked for a manager at ONCE!
Like I have said almost every CM that we have traded with hae been so very good about it, even if we could tell they really hoped we would not trade for a certain pin... they have traded with a smile, except the CM a few weeks ago.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I know, that is why we are so upset that this CM would NOT trade the pins that were on the lanyard. My SIL said that the CM told my DN the pin she wanted to trade for was a "personal" pin and that she did not have anything that they wanted to trade for. If I had been there I would have gone into the Tink shop or to the desk at Cindys castle where they just had lunch and asked for a manager at ONCE!
Like I have said almost every CM that we have traded with hae been so very good about it, even if we could tell they really hoped we would not trade for a certain pin... they have traded with a smile, except the CM a few weeks ago.

I would have gone to Guest Relations because that Cast Member was wrong, so this way they would know about it.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Just remember if you are going to get pins from Ebay to get "official" pins; there are a lot of cheap knockoffs out there, that are not tradeable. Look at their feedback scores, etc. If you check the pin trading boards, there are a couple of sellers who have a great reputation.

That is what I thought but earlier someone said this:

Also, even if a pin is not stamped with the ODPT seal, as long as it represents a disney character, event, or movie it is considered Tradeable

So which is it Official pins only or not? We always make sure we only have official pins and will continue to do so but if it is OK to trade unofficial pins - the ones without the stamp on the back- then I won't be so disappointed when we get one (we won't add it to our collection but I won't feel so disappointed about it kwim?) Or does that mean it just has to have the Disney trademark sign?