Very off topic, "newbies" if you are going to WDW and you want try something fun...

[RaySharpton]

**Disclaimer** This thread is not meant for regular pin traders. It's for newbies.

It's almost two and a half weeks until most of us are going to WDW.

I just received my $2.00 Disney trading pins in the mail.

I don't collect pins. But since I discovered trading Disney pins with WDW Castmembers, it has enhanced my Disney magical experience.

At first, I bought WDW pins at the WDW parks for $6.00 or more to put on my DIS lanyard. It became very addictive and expensive.

Then someone told me that all the WDW Castmembers that were wearing these lanyards around there necks with pins on them at the parks and resorts and restaurants... were wearing them specifically to trade them with guests such as ourselves.

I used to think that they were their own private pins. Nope...WDW assigns so many pins to each WDW Castmember to trade with any guest with very few restrictions. And no pressure. Just a simple trade.

You can find out more about pin trading with WDW Castmembers on the DIS Pin Trading forum.

At first I bought pins that I liked at the WDW parks. For instance, I bought the Disney USA Flag pin for $6.00, only to find out later that I could have traded for one with A WDW Castmember.

Now, I may trade the a pin over and over again if I see something that strikes my fancy. That's what's fun. I'm always seeing something new.

And you don't have to haggle. Just trade.

I'm not a pin collector. I don't know if what I like is worth $6.00 or $20.00 or 50 cents. I just like asking to look at any WDW Castmember with a pin lanyard, ask if I could look at their pins.

It's a great way to start up several conversations.

Plus...you could also give one of your pins to someone else, and teach them how to trade for what they like, too.

Disney Store used to sell them. Some of the Disney Outlets in Orlando sell them. And there are several internet sites that sell them.

I just bought 13 for $1.99 each. I didn't care what they looked like, because I was going to trade them for something that I really like at WDW.

If you want to order them on the internet, and you are going in a couple of weeks, check out this site.

http://www.cheappins.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=02

If you have never tried this, try it. And if you have kids, buy the pins ahead of time and hand them out to them to trade for something that they may like.

 

[Big V]

Very nice thread Ray! You should put it on the Theme Parks and Attractions forum!
Scott

 

[SillyOldBear66]

YEAH! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for!!

DD and DS aren't interested in autographs any longer and I think pin trading will be a good replacement. However....I don't want to spend a ton of $$$ on pins that may or may not be traded.
1.99 sounds much better than the much more expensive prices I was finding on ebay.

Thank you for the website!

-Tabitha

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you Scott. I'll do that right now.

I just put the thread here so that all the newbies that are going to the WDW DIS Meets on this DIS Meet Forum could think about this instead of spending a bunch of money on pins at WDW.

Your welcome tabitha.

 

[rangebob]

You need to be careful too as to what pins you purchase. The CM are only allowed to trade like pins (i.e. if you have a Disney Store pin you can only trade for a Disney Store pin not a park pin). Most cast members can't tell the difference but some can and they will tell you that they can't trade for it though.

 

[RaySharpton]

You're right Robert.

I also notice that a lot of people like to look out for those WDW Castmembers that look like some kind of WDW administrator/supervisor-type by their non-costume clothing like ties or dresses or dress shirts instead of the colorful work clothes of the regular castmembers that we usually see.

I'm not sure about this, but some people think that they may have the newest WDW pins just because they are administrative type castmembers.

They still wear a lanyard.

And I noticed last year that there are very few WDW Castmembers that wear a different color landyard that only children can trade with.

I can't remember what color lanyard. Maybe pink versus the regular black color lanyard?

Maybe someone else will know.

The main thing to remember if you are buying WDW pins to trade from someone else or another store or from the internet...to ask if this pin is tradeable at WDW with WDW Castmembers.

The Pin Trading Forum is a great place to look.

 

[RaySharpton]

Here is some more information. Maybe to much information for newbies.

I have always found that Cheappins.com always tells me whether or not a pin can be traded with a WDW Castmember. No worry no fuss.

The only other easy way will be when we give a friend their first WDW pin to trade with a WDW Castmember.

What fun!

Credit to Dave Mathews from the DIS Pin Trading/ Collectors forum:

What are the rules for trading in the parks?
_
When the Millennium pin trading began in 1999, the rules were simple._ Cast members all around the parks and resorts would wear lanyards with pins, usually 12, for trading with the guests, and the CMs could not refuse any trade for something from their lanyard for any Disney-related pin._

At WDW, any metal pin with a Disney copyright can be traded to a cast member, whether it's from the Disney Store, Disneyland, Tokyo DL, the Tokyo Disney Store, the Disney Galleries, DL Paris, or ProPins from Europe._ CMs can also accept pins as traders from affiliated companies that show a Disney tie-in._ These include Downtown Disney restaurants and stores such as Bongos Cuban Café, Planet Hollywood, McDonalds, Lego, and Rainforest Café._ This applies only to pins from the Orlando/WDW location; pins from other Planet Hollywood or Rainforest Café locations are not acceptable._ McDonalds crew member pins for Disney promotions may also be traded with CMs._
_
_
Cast Members cannot accept non-Disney pins as traders._ They must have the Disney copyright on them._ These include forgery pins with Disney characters but not Disney produced or Disney authorized, and official pins from other places such as the Hard Rock Café or Universal Studios._ Also, only metal pins are tradable; the plastic and rubber pins are not._

The following pins cannot be traded:_
Disney service award pins, Disney Store Spirit Award pins, Disney Store language pins, Disney Store Guest Shop pins ("Puppy Pins"), Disney Store sales pins (i.e. Sales Quest), "Personalized" name pins, Rubber or PVC (plastic) pins, non-cloisonné or non-hard-enamel pins, epoxy-coated pins, buttons, or any theme park operating participant or Corporate promotional partner pins not showing

 

[Towncrier]

Thats news to me Robert. I was under the impression that you could trade any pin as long as it was a Disney pin, regardless of where it was purchased. No matter. I don't have any Disney Store pins to trade.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

You can trade any Disney Pin for any Disney Pin on a castmembers lanyard. You can trade the pin as long as they do not have another pin exactly like it on their lanyard.

Ray also posted the other stipulations above (no rubber pins, no name pins, etc)

Debbie

 

[Towncrier]

On my last trip to WDW, I did notice that some CMs are now wearing GREEN lanyards, and that they will only trade with kids and not adults.

Thanks for the clarification Ray and Debbie.

 

[Scratch42]

It is a green lanyard that children are only allowed to trade with the CM's. It also cute because before they started doing this, I bought my DD a green lanyard at the Disney Store to differentiate her traders from the ones she wanted to keep.

Keepers on the Black, Traders on the Green. During our last trip while we were waiting to enter the Princess Breakfast at Epcot, I guess because I had the Green Lanyard on, a lot of children came up to me and asked if they could trade! It was so cute! I felt Magical!

It's a great way to meet the CM's and in my case become one if only for a few moments!

Also take the children to the Contemporary on Friday Nights. They have a special area set up just for them where they can trade 5 pins at once. They also have prizes and giveaways for them! That's fun too!

Scratch