I would love to get my daughter some pins to trade while we are at Disney. I have read so many things warning against eBay - but they can be pretty expensive on shopDisney, and we are trying to stick to a budget. Does anyone have any tips on where I can score some discounted pins? I have tried to call Disney Character Warehouse to see if they carry any that we could pick up on our way into town, but no one answers the phone. Thanks for any tips for this newbie pin trader!
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Any pin trading tips for kids?
- Thread starter BethWH
- Start date
Da Bird is Da Word
Active Member
Many of the bulk-order pins on eBay are knockoffs, but if you're on a budget and just want your kid to have fun, there is frankly no need to be elitist and self-righteous about the 'authenticity' of your starter pins. Most of them will just be traded off anyway, right? You shouldn't lose sleep at night for entering a few knockoff pins into circulation ... probably half of them already are knockoffs anyway, and it's not unlikely you'll pick up a couple more if you do a lot of pin trading in the parks. The good thing about pin trading for kids though is that they get the best ones! There are certain ones that cast members won't give to adults, but will give to children who ask for them. Tell your little girl not to be shy to ask for whichever one she wants! 
Many of the bulk-order pins on eBay are knockoffs, but if you're on a budget and just want your kid to have fun, there is frankly no need to be elitist and self-righteous about the 'authenticity' of your starter pins. Most of them will just be traded off anyway, right? You shouldn't lose sleep at night for entering a few knockoff pins into circulation ... probably half of them already are knockoffs anyway, and it's not unlikely you'll pick up a couple more if you do a lot of pin trading in the parks. The good thing about pin trading for kids though is that they get the best ones! There are certain ones that cast members won't give to adults, but will give to children who ask for them. Tell your little girl not to be shy to ask for whichever one she wants!
Thanks so much! I will definitely go the eBay route then! She loves collecting pretty things, so I think this is going to be really exciting for her!
carriebeth
Well-Known Member
Buy locking backs a head of time as many pins fall off lanyards kids wear as they roughly climb in and out of rides etc. also if they get a pin they are really thrilled about put it in a special non tradable area on their lanyard. Kids get excited and trade off quickly without thinking things through. My kids have traded off a really great pin for something really dumb they didn’t even care about just so they could make a trade and then regretted it. So we started a no trade zone so they wouldn’t be sorry later
Tk0021
Active Member
I don’t know how old the kids are but I would probably supervise the pin trading transaction. It also depends on how the kids are with adults and stuff. My then 6 year old traded a pin away and got a pin she was not happy with and ended up crying. I was using it as a teachable moment but my mother in law bought her a new pin to replace the one she traded. My daughter didn’t like any of the pins the CM had but once she was talking to her she felt like she “had” to make a trade. My kids are veterans now and I let them make the trade on their own, but maybe the first few you might want to keep an eye on them.
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Simba’s Mom
Active Member
Another option is a big bag of Disney pins on Amazon. That's where I bought a bunch to trade.
SAV
Well-Known Member
Biggest Advice is to mention to your child that they should wait their turn and then nicely ask "May I see your pins?" to each CM. Also they should say "Thank you" to each CM, even if they don't make a trade. I know it sounds obvious, but I have seen so many kids not do that. It also is a great teaching tool for the child.
Also, many of the Resorts/shops have a big Pin Trading board that the kids can look at and make a trade. The Pin store in DS has one too. Sometimes they make it a game and only have a minute to find and pick one.
Some CM's have a certain color lanyard that they will only trade with kids.
Also, many of the Resorts/shops have a big Pin Trading board that the kids can look at and make a trade. The Pin store in DS has one too. Sometimes they make it a game and only have a minute to find and pick one.
Some CM's have a certain color lanyard that they will only trade with kids.
Disney Crazed
Active Member
Also important info to know if anyone or kids are wanting to trade pins with CM’s when the parks reopen they won’t be doing it. Trading pins with CM’s has been suspended for now.
huwar18
Well-Known Member
My understanding is they will still be using the pin boards. The one article I found stated they might put more pin boards around WDW.