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Disney Pin Trading, what is and why do it?

In this photo Jake and I both have lanyards with our pins on.
Photo: Disney Photopass

 What is Disney Pin Trading? 

If you have never been to a Disney Park you may not know or you might not understand it even if you have why people are walking around with pins on lanyards and display pouches.  Disney sells pins, most are the size of a quarter that you can wear, display, collect and/or trade. But why? People collect things for different reasons, pins are the same.  Here's a couple reasons you might want to buy some collectible pins.

Reason 1.  They are a fun souvenir that doesn't take up a ton of space in you luggage and are easy to display.

Reason 2.  If the pins are limited editions or rare they may increase in value just like any other collectible.

Reason 3.  Pin trading is fun and can be done anywhere in the park.  It is a great way to pass the time and gives you a chance to interact with Cast Members and other guests. 

Why we do it. 

Reason three is why we pin trade and our kids are really into it.  Disney loves to make you exit every ride through the gift shops, this is a nightmare for parents because they are full of toys.  My kids are spoiled but we have a one per day limit on Disney take homes.  With pin trading, we get off a ride and my kids look around and if nothing catches their eye or they already have their 'have-to-have' they head up to the cash register.  Almost all cast members have trading pins and nearly every store has a pin trading board.  My older kids and my husband go with a theme like pirates or parks or rides and try to collect those.  My youngest will swap any pin for any pin and she loves the secret ones, where you trade sight unseen.  This way she comes away with a fun 'new' pin from the store and I haven't taken out a bank loan after five rides.
Trading pins gives you the opportunity to start a conversation with another guest in line or with a Cast Member (Disney employee).  People from all over the world visit and work at the Disney Parks, there are fun stories to share, everyone has a different favorite ride and it is a great way to learn hidden facts.  My son once traded a pin with a man from England who was collecting Star Wars pins, it turns out he was an extra in Return of the Jedi.  We stood in line and chatted with him about what the set was like, funny cast stories and how he ended up in the movie. 

Want to get started?  

This is an example of a single pin you can buy. 
She's $9.99 on Shop Disney today. 
Photo: Shop Disney
You can get started a couple of ways.  I suggest going to a gift shop and picking out a lanyard and a couple of pins to start with.  Pins come as a single pin, a small set (usually 2-4 pins), or in a box of surprise packs.  The themes and kinds of pins will vary based on which gift shop you are at, they tend to follow the theme of the shop. 
Special note:  Lanyards can get heavy with a lot of pins on them and are long on little kids.  I wear my little one's and keep a Ziploc bag in my backpack for when I just want to take it off, she'll grab it and lay it out to trade when she's ready.  My husband never has an issue with his and wears it all day long.  You can see us wearing them in the top picture. Also be careful not to lose any pins because the backs do occasionally fall off, so if you have one you LOVE, put it in your bag or buy a locking back. 

Wow, this sounds expensive! 

These are her original pins that she
brought home from the last two trips to the park.
Photo: Me
Sure, as with anything Disney it can get pricey but here is an idea: Start small, like one lanyard with a couple pins, you can even get a lanyard and four pin starter set for less than $30.  Another option is to buy a set of used pins off eBay.  My youngest is really getting into it and loves to trade so I purchased a set of 100 for $42 from an eBay reseller.  A couple points about this, make sure the pins are guaranteed to be Disney tradable and look at the seller rating and shipping speed.  

Now what?

These are all the pins after the 100 lot from eBay,
ready for our next trip.
Photo: Me
Tine to go home with your pins.  There are tons of ways to display them.  We use cork boards on our walls so we can easily take them off for our next trip and they are up for viewing.  My husband uses them as tie clips.  I use mine on my cork board at work instead of thumb tacks. I have a set of Minnie Mouse in different career outfits which is fun because I work in HR. 












What questions do you have?  Do you have a favorite pin? Comment below.

 


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Location: Orlando, FL, USA

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