Yet another question from the boss.

[JackiesHubby]

She used to be big into pin trading. Is this still a thing or has it gone the way of Splash Mountain?

 

[OKW Lover]

There is still pin trading happening at WDW. But it is much less these days.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Pin trading still exists but it's not as popular as before Covid. Also the majority of pins on the board are bootleg/scrapper pins which IMO made me give up pin trading entirely.

 

[AnaheimDucks&DisneyAddict]

She used to be big into pin trading. Is this still a thing or has it gone the way of Splash Mountain?

There have been big pin trading groups outside of the shop going into Epcot (to the right of Spaceship Earth if you’re walking in). I’m talking binders and binders of pins. It was impressive!

 

[BridgetR3]

Aside from the really OFF pins, how can you tell that they are scrappers so that I don't end up with one when I am trading?

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

There have been big pin trading groups outside of the shop going into Epcot (to the right of Spaceship Earth if you’re walking in). I’m talking binders and binders of pins. It was impressive!

I have spoken to these people. They want big money traders or multiple pins for the items they have in their binders. Many of these same people are on a certain FB group selling pins for $200 - $800. In March 2023, a few of them told me I could purchase pins from their binders by sending money through Paypal. Interesting thing....Disney does not allow that.

 

[katmigordon]

Do cast members still carry lanyards with pins? As much as I liked the excitement of finding a new pin I liked - I liked having that excuse to talk to CMs more.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Do cast members still carry lanyards with pins? As much as I liked the excitement of finding a new pin I liked - I liked having that excuse to talk to CMs more.

Not like they used to.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Do cast members still carry lanyards with pins? As much as I liked the excitement of finding a new pin I liked - I liked having that excuse to talk to CMs more.

Yes!

Not like they used to.

They started again recently is my understanding.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

They started again recently is my understanding.

Many pins groups I am in and my experience still report no. Maybe 50%.

 

[MyNewAP]

Many pins groups I am in and my experience still report no. Maybe 50%.

I love pin trading and miss it dearly. I think it is well below 50%.

 

[katmigordon]

I love pin trading and miss it dearly. I think it is well below 50%.

Maybe we should start a petition =)

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

I love pin trading and miss it dearly. I think it is well below 50%.

Maybe we should start a petition =)

The best thing you can do is write Disney Guest relations and let them know your feelings on it. Share with them that you would like to see more trading in the parks and at the resorts as well as CMs being more engaged...also making mention that you believe if they would do something to shut down all of these scrappers in the parks, more would be interested.

I think it was around 2016/2017, Disney was making an effort to reduce scrappers. They would remove the junk pins from the boards or the CMs would remove them from their lanyard/satchel and they would swap them out midday. When we went in December of 2019, we noticed an increase in scrappers again. When we went in 2023, every pin we saw was a scrapper. Sadly, that is not an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, it probably became a fruitless effort because so many people would trade scrappers for legit pins so they could sell them in FB pin groups. People were literally making a living off of this and personal shopping with their AP. I think a lot of that came to a halt in early 2020, but of course it still happens.

 

[elvispursley]

As asked above, can someone describe how to tell what a scrapper looks like? I’m sure I have some and unknowingly traded with one.

 

[MyNewAP]

The best thing you can do is write Disney Guest relations and let them know your feelings on it. Share with them that you would like to see more trading in the parks and at the resorts as well as CMs being more engaged...also making mention that you believe if they would do something to shut down all of these scrappers in the parks, more would be interested.

I think it was around 2016/2017, Disney was making an effort to reduce scrappers. They would remove the junk pins from the boards or the CMs would remove them from their lanyard/satchel and they would swap them out midday. When we went in December of 2019, we noticed an increase in scrappers again. When we went in 2023, every pin we saw was a scrapper. Sadly, that is not an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, it probably became a fruitless effort because so many people would trade scrappers for legit pins so they could sell them in FB pin groups. People were literally making a living off of this and personal shopping with their AP. I think a lot of that came to a halt in early 2020, but of course it still happens.

"Scrappers" don't bother me in the slightest. I like looking for pins featuring my favorite themes and characters, or trying to complete sets. Their provenance is irrelevant to me. If a pin is clearly off - like when a princess has green skin - I avoid it, but I'm not inspecting the backs.