Has this every happened to your pins?

[Scott Service]

Coming back from WDW last Dec. we got caught up in Disney Pins and Lanyards for the first time. Coming home we didnt think anything of tossing them into our suitcase, when we got home both DW and DD noticed that one or two of their "favorite pins" had been exchanged with different pins. I assume a luggage handler at SW had to have made the switch, didnt take it, but replaced it with another. Anyone else have a similar experience?

 

[Jerm]

Never have I heard of this. But really do you think someone at MCO has a extra pin sitting around just in case they find a pin they like to switch it with and only trade 1 or 2? I can tell you what has happened to me more often then I can count, I had my "fav pin" on my lanyard and I found that I had traded it with someone else when i got home and forgot it.

 

[kjd469]

This would be very weird...don't you think they would just take the pin?? I can't see anyone taking the time to replace a pin they were stealing. A thief with a conscience???....I don't think so.

 

[krankenstein]

What happens to me is that I get back to the resort and realize I have lost a pin at the parks. Which is why I do not where my pins anymore.

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

I don't see anyone taking the time to switch pins. You probably either lost it or traded it and didn't remember.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

This is why I only take the pins I want to trade and hence don't care about...

...That's an odd story though.Was the trade any good?:lol:

 

[urbanvegan]

This seems VERY unlikely, maybe it was just an oversight on your family's part?

I just cant see anyone rifling through bags to trade pins.

Steal, maybe. But trade?

 

[Master Yoda]

Just FYI but Disney now has locking pin backs available at pretty much every pin kiosk. Essentially they are nothing more than a brass sleeve with an Allen key set screw but they are quite effective in keeping your pins attached to your lanyard.

 

[TigerLily_CM]

Sorry, I just can't see this happening...

The luggage handlers do not know what is in your bag, only the security at the main gate where it is x-ray'd do and since that happens with you there (for the most part) you would have seen them do it

Also, the luggage handlers are extremely busy and I can't see them rifling through random bags to go for pins.

Pins have no value (I'm not talking sentimental value of course...just $$$) so why would anyone want them as opposed to the millions of actual valuable things that would be in peoples luggage (if you're gonna steal...it's not going to be pins)

Also, this would mean the luggage handler KNEW there was a bag coming with pins he/she wanted and showed up to work with pins they wanted to trade.

Not a likely situation. I would check with your kids to see if they remember all their trades because the way people trade pins sometimes you can get caught up and realize you traded one of your favorites.

Maybe on their next trip they can keep an eye out for their favorites and when they get them, tuck them away instead of keeping them on their lanyards where they may get traded accidentally

 

[Cheshire413]

This is why I travel with my pins (and only the ones I intend on trading and don't care that much about) with me in my carry-on bag. Regardless if this actually happened and because of the world we live in, I don't trust leaving important items in my checked bag. I keep it with me at all times.

 

[Bug715]

This is why I travel with my pins (and only the ones I intend on trading and don't care that much about) with me in my carry-on bag. Regardless if this actually happened and because of the world we live in, I don't trust leaving important items in my checked bag. I keep it with me at all times.

Same here. Also, I always like to go through the Disney Store at MCO to trade pins so I need to have them on me.

 

[RiversideBunny]

... when we got home both DW and DD noticed that one or two of their "favorite pins" had been exchanged with different pins. I assume a luggage handler at SW had to have made the switch....

How would a baggage handler know what the 'favorite' pins are?

 

[westie]

I thought step 3 was Profit?

1. Collect underpants

2. ???(change pins?)

3. Profit!

 

[sar1980sweetie]

Where the pins worth anything? lol Because I know when they went through my bags for the random "check" a couple of the screeners were "interested" in the more difficult pins to get that I had in my bag at the time. I'm not saying they would steal them or "exchange" them, which is weird, but you never know.... there is a HUGE market on EBay for difficult to get pins and the locals know which are which when they see them. If someone was in your bag though, they are supposed to leave one of those notes that says they checked your bag if you weren't present. :shrug: I don't travel with anything but traders anymore and I keep them in my carry on, just safer that way... let them steal my underwear instead...lol j/k

 

[happymom52003]

.... there is a HUGE market on EBay for difficult to get pins and the locals know which are which when they see them.

Actually, I don't find this so hard to believe as the rest of you, simply because of the fact quoted above. There are alot of dishonest people out there. It is not unheard of to have things stolen from luggage by airport employees, so why not pins? It is weird that they would replace the pin instead of just taking it, but still....I don't find it that hard to believe that it could have happened to the OP.:shrug:

 

[Jerm]

i thought step 3 was profit?

1. Collect underpants

2. ???(change pins?)

3. Profit!

best answer ever!!!!!

 

[RiversideBunny]

.... It is weird that they would replace the pin instead of just taking it...

Even a dishonest baggage handler, if he had time to search through suit cases for stuff, would not go to the trouble to replace a pin.

Since the ones that were missing are favorite pins, it may be possible that they were not on the lanyard because if they were, then that would mean they are being offered for trade to anyone. Maybe they are in a separate place.
If I had some favorite pins, I would not put them on my trading lanyard.

 

[ccmuffin2]

WDW Gremlins !!!!!!!

 

[Scott Service]

Happymom,
Thank you for being the only one on this thread that actually believes me. On our lanyards we have some pins we keep for trading and some that are "favorites" that are for keeping. These favorites are the ones that are rare and very hard to find. Only two where taken, but they were taken from 2 different suitcases. Upon unpacking we discovered the new pin on the two lanyards the a favorite on each missing. Lanyards were the last thing put into the suitcases prior to ME picking them up.

 

[HoneyMnShawnee]

You never know what people are capable of doing.. I don't trade the pins I purchase, I just collect them.. When I left WDW last year after purchasing quite a few LE MNSSHP pins, I made sure they were in my carry on or in my purse.. I didn't want to take the chance that they would get removed from my luggage..