In August we will be going back to WDW. Our last trip was three years ago and my kids loved pin trading with the Disney Cast Members. They first started pin trading on our trip in 2002. I haven't heard much about it recently. Is the pin trading still going on?
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Is pin trading still going on in WDW?
- Thread starter CeeC234
- Start date
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Most people buy a lanyard and a set of starter pins, although I suppose you don't HAVE to do it that way. If you want, I guess you could just buy one pin and wear it on your shirt. Regardless, you just go up to any CM with a lanyard that is not green, as green lanyards are only for trading with children. The CM must trade pins with you. You tell him which pin you want and give him a pin of your choice in return.
Of course, you can always ask another guest if he wants to trade and it is entirely up to him if he wants to or not.
What I did the day we checked in was to buy a lanyard and a box of cheap, tacky looking starter pins for about 35 bucks. There were 7 pins in there, I believe, making each pin roughly 5 dollars. You can then trade with a CM who might have an 8 dollar pin. Just ask any CM to see his/her pins (preferably when they aren't in the process of ringing up a customer or unloading a ride or something, LOL) and if you see one you like, just swap it for one of yours.
tigger1968
Well-Known Member
We still take our lanyards and trade every trip. We try to stick to the CM only pins, meaning the ones that only a CM will have on, you can't buy them in the parks (but you can on ebay! 
). On days we don't have any big plans, we like to hit a park early and wander thru just looking at lanyards on the CM's. It's fun to corner a manager or two as well, a lot of times they have the Lanyard only pins on. My wife and I got 4 off one manager on our last trip! Most of the Lanyard only pins are small series of 4 or 5 pins, so its fun to try to collect a whole series on a trip if you have time. If you REALLY want to get nuts with it, buy the pin trading guide and you'll be amamzed at just how many pins are out there now. No matter how you do it though, we love it and it's always a part of our trips!
). On days we don't have any big plans, we like to hit a park early and wander thru just looking at lanyards on the CM's. It's fun to corner a manager or two as well, a lot of times they have the Lanyard only pins on. My wife and I got 4 off one manager on our last trip! Most of the Lanyard only pins are small series of 4 or 5 pins, so its fun to try to collect a whole series on a trip if you have time. If you REALLY want to get nuts with it, buy the pin trading guide and you'll be amamzed at just how many pins are out there now. No matter how you do it though, we love it and it's always a part of our trips!
sbkline
Well-Known Member
That is actually a question I thought about posting, and I guess I'm doing so now. LOL
I'm curious how many people bring last year's lanyards with them and trade off last year's pins, as opposed to those who purchase a new lanyard and start all over again on each trip.
Wow the cm has to trade with you :ROFLOL: I think thats funny because you can give them a really bad pin for a amazing pin. Well ill porbably bring my pins from 2 years ago even though I barely have any from disney I got more from universal,sea world,and busch gardens:king: .
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
It's actually not a huge deal. The pins that CM's wear while working are issued by the company, and are not actually the CM's own pins. Any trading done by CM's while not working are with their own pins and at their own discretion.
Just to complicate matters, there are several different categories of pins:
Guest, open edition: the bulk of the pins available, you can buy them at just about any gift shop.
Guest, limited edition: available to guests, but only in limited quantities (typically from 300-5,000). They're usually only available in certain gift shops.
Guest, gift: given to guests, often with special purchases (such as featured products or DVD's, backstage tours, or vacation packages). May be traded, unless otherwise noted on the back of the pin.
Cast, open and limited editions: just like the guest open and limited editions, but only available for CMs to purchase in backstage stores and events.
Cast, lanyard: not available for purchase by anyone, cast or guest. Only available by trading from a CM's lanyard. Usually marked by a small, silver Mickey head in one corner.
Cast, award or gift: Not available to purchase. Given to CMs as an award or gift to commemerate a special occastion. Some may not be traded. Some may be traded at the CM's discretion.
Confused yet?
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Someone else will have to answer the question of whether or not non-Disney pins can be traded.
Captain Hank
Well-Known Member
To be traded with a CM, the pin must represent a Disney theme park, character or event. It must have "(Copyright logo) Disney" on the back. Pins produced by Operating Participants (other companies that do business on Disney property) may be traded, but only if they specifically represent the location on Disney property. For example, a pin from the Downtown Disney Rainforest Cafe is tradeable, but one from the Rainforest Cafe in Niagara Falls isn't. Pins from The Disney Store are tradeable, as are Disney pins from the local Wal-Marts.
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Just a note to add to that, I was told by a couple CM's that if they put one of their own pins on their lanyard, then it is fair game to be traded. So, if they like the pin and want to keep it, then leave it at home.
fizzle75
New Member
I would loooove to get into pin trading but I tend to take things to extremes so if I got into it I would reeeaaallly get into it...and my wife would kill me!:lol:
I love collecting things and I am already collecting Disney mugs and resort/attraction magnets. We are rapidly running out of room as far as the mugs go so maybe I can abandon the mug collecting and take up pin trading instead. What is the average price of a lanyard and the pins, i've never really paid attention?:shrug:
I love collecting things and I am already collecting Disney mugs and resort/attraction magnets. We are rapidly running out of room as far as the mugs go so maybe I can abandon the mug collecting and take up pin trading instead. What is the average price of a lanyard and the pins, i've never really paid attention?:shrug:
sbkline
Well-Known Member
I think my lanyard was around 7 dollars, but I can't remember for sure. The cheapo pins that I bought to start out were about 32 dollars for a box of 7. But those are cheap, tacky pins that you generally only use to trade. The good news is that you can "trade up" if you see a good pin on a CM's lanyard. But the good pins can be anywhere from 6 to 10 dollars...perhaps some even being a little more than that.
fizzle75
New Member
When you approach a CM about trading a pin do they have to trade with you? Will they trade you any pin you want or can they decline to trade a certain pin? If all of your pins are very common and just sorta...meh...are they still obligated to trade or can they pass? I know this is probably a stupid question but I honestly have no clue how the whole pin trading thing works.
sbkline
Well-Known Member
When you approach a CM about trading a pin do they have to trade with you? Will they trade you any pin you want or can they decline to trade a certain pin? If all of your pins are very common and just sorta...meh...are they still obligated to trade or can they pass? I know this is probably a stupid question but I honestly have no clue how the whole pin trading thing works.
It is my understanding that they HAVE to trade with you. Officially, I think the stipulation is that you give them a pin that is not currently on their lanyard, but I'm not even sure if that rule is followed in actual practice. So, basically, you can give them any pin you want to give them in exchange for any pin of your choice.
MissM
Well-Known Member
So long as it is a metal pin with ©Disney on the back, you can trade any pin of yours for any one of the Cast Members. The lanyards the CM's wear are filled with pins supplied by Disney and if you ever catch a shift-change, you might see one CM hand off their lanyard to the next person coming in. Every so often, they will "refresh" the pins, but because they get filled with a lot of crappy pins by the end of the day, you can usually find better pickings earlier in the mornings OR on Managers who aren't out on the floor as much. Also check out some of the janitorial crew - they sometimes have pins to trade as well but don't get approached as much.
For everything pins, check out PinPics. It's a MASSIVE, searchable directory of pins. Trust me, it's nuts. You start looking through and you'll find tons that are rare, hard to find and otherwise unavailable but the perfect pin that you drool over. On second though, you might want to skip it. :lol:
Also check out Dizpins which is a great resource for keeping up on current and future pin releases.
But yes, you can trade a starter or otherwise lackluster pin for a shiny, pretty, rare pin on the CM lanyards. That's half the fun. (And keep in mind what you consider "junk" someone else may be wanting. I've traded for something that the person before me just handed in before.)
Just be careful because pins are really, really addictive!
-m
For everything pins, check out PinPics. It's a MASSIVE, searchable directory of pins. Trust me, it's nuts. You start looking through and you'll find tons that are rare, hard to find and otherwise unavailable but the perfect pin that you drool over. On second though, you might want to skip it. :lol:
Also check out Dizpins which is a great resource for keeping up on current and future pin releases.
But yes, you can trade a starter or otherwise lackluster pin for a shiny, pretty, rare pin on the CM lanyards. That's half the fun. (And keep in mind what you consider "junk" someone else may be wanting. I've traded for something that the person before me just handed in before.)
Just be careful because pins are really, really addictive!
-m
CM wearing a green lanyard are only allowed to trade with children. They tend to have a lot of character pins. You never know where you'll find a great pin. Even the bigwigs have pins and must trade with guests. (Sometimes they have the best ones!) I've been trading since '99! It's great fun! Just another layer to the Disney experinece!
Sleeping*Beauty
New Member
I staarted trading on my spring break trip this year and it was so much fun. I looked at every CM's pins that I could. It's funny how people that don't trade look at your pins too. I'd just be standing in line and notice someone looking at my pins.
ThinkTink721
Well-Known Member
Tinkerbell Year of a Million Dreams pin?
Does anyone know if they have a Tinkerbell "Year of a Million Dreams" pin?:veryconfu
:wave:
Does anyone know if they have a Tinkerbell "Year of a Million Dreams" pin?:veryconfu
:wave:
MissM
Well-Known Member
Yup: http://pinpics.org/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=54110&sid=7691.1181537442.v2 and http://pinpics.org/cgi-bin/pin.cgi?pin=49889&sid=7691.1181537442.v2
The first one was a limited edition released May and the second is a prize awarded and not available for purchase. I'd suggest you ebay for them if you want either.
PinPics is a great resource to find any pin that's ever been made.
-m