What is the correct Pin Trading procedure or etiquette?

[PrinceGoofy]

We just got our DD's a starter set of pins in June. I've never done anything with them as far as trading goes.

Are there do's and don'ts to trading?

Thanks

 

[ScarletFire]

My children trade with CM's. They are always willing to stop and trade if approached. It's lots of fun and the CM's are very kind. Once my children got past the bashfulness, they were pin trading fiends. Enjoy.

 

[mickeysaver]

Check out the Official Disney Pin Trading Website for the answer! Maggie

 

[cdntourguide]

Pin trading is a great obsession to get into.
Only real rule other than those posted on the Pin Trading website, is not butt in line in front of other people wanting to pin trade.

I have been in line while a father pin traded then he called his wife and the two kids, who were standing twenty feet away, over to pin trade (this family ended up getting eight Cast Member Exclusive pins). this is not fair to other pin traders.

the cast member (acutally a senior Management person) was apologetic at the time and said that there was nothing he could do, but he did give me a Cast Member limited edition that he had in his pocket because of this episode.

 

[lovmy2girls]

My girls would trade all day long if you let them. They are so funny! They say "OK, I have no pins to trade, they are untradeable" which means they like the ones they have now and don't want to give them up. Which is usually followed by "Mom, can you buy me some pins so I can trade?" NO! Then at the first sign of a CM with a lanyard, there they are trading the untradeable!

 

[seashoreCM]

I have been in line while a father pin traded then he called his wife and the two kids, who were standing twenty feet away, over to pin trade (this family ended up getting eight Cast Member Exclusive pins). this is not fair to other pin traders.

the cast member (acutally a senior Management person) was apologetic at the time and said that there was nothing he could do, :

There is a pestilence sweeping the whole country including WDW -- line cutting. WDW could start concocting an antidote starting with this cast member, have him hold up his hand to the other family members arriving from 20 feet away and going up to others standing closer obviously waiting their turn.

One effective way of curing the problem of large groups often teenagers all wearing similar clothies all cutting in line is could be to detain a few of them and expect the others who did not follow immediately to all go and meet the detained comrades at a certain time and place (may require a bus ride to a different park) and then they all endure a lecture before being any are released.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[TheRustyScupper]

There is a pestilence sweeping the whole country including WDW -- line cutting. WDW could start concocting an antidote starting with this cast member, have him hold up his hand to the other family members arriving from 20 feet away and going up to others standing closer obviously waiting their turn.

One effective way of curing the problem of large groups often teenagers all wearing similar clothies all cutting in line is could be to detain a few of them and expect the others who did not follow immediately to all go and meet the detained comrades at a certain time and place (may require a bus ride to a different park) and then they all endure a lecture before being any are released.

Amen.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Is there a pin trading board here? I've never seen one.

Also, this is our family's first year we're going to try it. My mother sent my daughter a bunch of pins that look to me to be several steps above "starter pins", so one of the first things we are going to do when we get to the parks is pick up a few of those, and I'm also going to watch carefully if she does any trading with other guests. But are the cast members good about making sure a young newcomer to the hobby doesn't in essence rip themselves off, or are they directed to just accept pretty much any trade offered?

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Cast members will accept any trade.

My opinion would be is for your child, don't look at it as an investment. Just as another activity in WDW.

In my family, a pin is a pin is a pin. There are ones we have decided to keep, one's we purchased and will never trade and ones that go back every trip to be traded for something different.

I would be hesitant of any guest who wants to trade with your daughter (unless it was another child of the same age).

My dad didn't know that one of the pins I gave him was an older one (as I said a pin is a pin is a pin) and another pin trader came up to him and asked him to trade it. My dad did so because he didn't particularly want the pin and after the trade, the guy procedes to tell my dad what a sucker he is and how he just traded away a very valuable pin, etc. It upset my dad a little because he thought that I would be upset that he "had done something so stupid" as the guy said. I didn't care because .... a pin is a pin is a pin. But after that, I "suggested" to both of my parents not to trade with anyone other than a cast member.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

if you're trading with a cast member ...

please ASK before you start just staring at their pin lanyard. It's a little bit unnerving to have someone walk up to you and start staring at your chest. (I imagine it'd be a LOT unnerving for some of the female cast members)

also, please remember that there is a body attached to the lanyard. I've had people come up and just yank on my lanyard ... I don't particularly like being tugged around by the neck.

and lastly, please keep in mind the surroundings ... if I'm trying to push a heavy cart full of parade poles uphill through heavy traffic, that's probably not the best time to ask me if I can stop to pin trade.

 

[Joanna71985]

Cast members will accept any trade.

This isn't quite true. Cast members will accept just about any pins except:
*non-Disney pins
*Pins they already have (you're not supposed to have duplicates on the lanyard)

Also, just a little side note: if a CM is wearing a green lanyard, that is for trading with kids only. CMs with gold (or black) lanyards trade with everyone.

 

[Joanna71985]

if you're trading with a cast member ...

please ASK before you start just staring at their pin lanyard. It's a little bit unnerving to have someone walk up to you and start staring at your chest. (I imagine it'd be a LOT unnerving for some of the female cast members)

also, please remember that there is a body attached to the lanyard. I've had people come up and just yank on my lanyard ... I don't particularly like being tugged around by the neck.

and lastly, please keep in mind the surroundings ... if I'm trying to push a heavy cart full of parade poles uphill through heavy traffic, that's probably not the best time to ask me if I can stop to pin trade.

That is so very true. I am glad that I wear a hip lanyard now. Makes it so much easier on both the grabbing and the staring.

 

[heaven2dc]

I'm anxious to start pin trading on our next trip but wondered what year pin trading started? My oldest son has a lanyard with pins from back in 2000 (I think) and I almost bought some pins on a website to get started but he said it was more fun to start collecting @ WDW since it would be more memorable.

Anyone have any idea when it all started?

 

[pouncingpluto]

I agree not to look at it as an investment. I collect Plutos, and I know I've traded for pins that other guests have given the CMs as throwaways. But who cares? It's another cute Pluto for me!

I've never, ever touched a CMs lanyard. I always say, "May I look at your pins?" at a time when the CM isn't busy with another customer (I do most of my trading in shops), and he/she typically holds the lanyard out for me to get a better look.

I've heard the same complaint as above from a CM, by the way... one was telling me that the reason she wears the kids-only lanyard is that so many strange men (in particular ones who are basically professional pin traders) would come up to her and grab her lanyard right off her chest.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I don't trade mine, I just buy the ones I really want, but I still sometimes wear it to the parks. But most of the time, it's a pain to have the heavy thing around your neck! Even my children doesn't wear them that much anymore, it gets in the way, and they get irritated around their neck, especially when they start sweating. I told the kids to trade only the one's you don't care for and keep the ones that you really like. Well.. not much trading there cause the stuff that I buy are the ones they really like.. a lot!

 

[Mickey1122]

I think it's bad manners to exchange a really cheap and crummy one for a nice CM one just because the CMs are obligated to trade.

 

[taximomfor4]

I think it's bad manners to exchange a really cheap and crummy one for a nice CM one just because the CMs are obligated to trade.

In our family, the opposite happpens. I cringe inside, but....ya know.

My kids trade whatever they want for whatever they want, lol. They VERY often get a chintsy pin that they really want, for a nice, shiny, heavy, fancier pin. Eventually, they then see one they like even BETTER than the chintsy one they traded for, and trade again. It is certainly not, in the case of my kids, trading crummy pinks for nice pins...since they got the crummy pins in trade to begin with.

I did not realize that there are people out there looking to trade "up." Honestly, I thought everyone just traded for pins they like better. Hmmpph. How naive am I????

 

[buzz2400]

Best advice, only trade with cm's. go up to a cm and be polite with saying please and thank you (even if you don't trade). Wait your turn in line. Don't just cut in front of people who are waiting to make a purchase or to trade pins. They do have to trade with except for the following, it has to be a disney pin, it must not already be a pin on their lanyard, it must not be broken and they don't accept pins with names on it. Also green lanyards are only for kids. When trading at disney marketplace, be careful because rainforest cafe pins are not disney and I have seen many of these pins on their lanyards. I have made by son trade back a few times on this. As for the post about cheap and crummy pins, I have traded for some of these. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.