Cast Pin Lanyards

GizmoDuck

Member
Original Poster
Just wondering if anybody has any idea how the pin system works with cast members. I am a big fan of pin trading in WDW, and was just wondering which sets they still get, so I know what to look out for!

Thanks
 

disfan411

Active Member
When I went around when the pins just started. A CM told me that when they got to work they had a big box of pins and they would grab the required amount and use them for the day. I don't know if that has changed or how it works now but thats what I was told once. As to what sets they get I don't know exactly.
 

EPCOTPluto

Well-Known Member
Um, I know each Cast Member has a limit of 12 pins per lanyard.

And they just pick random pins from backstage and "pin" it to their lanyard. :)

The maximum a Guest can trade is 2 per person, 4 of there two, etc.

If a pin is really nice, like I see to some CMs in the past, they keep it for themselves. :lol:
 

jhastings74

Well-Known Member
When I started as a CM, we were issued our choice of either a lanyard or a holder that clips onto a belt loop (I chose the clip-on one so that I wouldn't get strangled if a guest grabbed it to look at it...). Our supervisor then issued us 9 random pins from a bucket. Anytime we lost one, we just asked for a replacement.
 

krankenstein

Well-Known Member
CM are suppose to have a certain number of pins on the lanyard they are wearing. I know that they have a little office under Main Street at MK that a CM can go to if they lose or give away any pins.
 

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
Yea it all depends on the area. There are some pin collections that you can only get by trading pins with CM
Yup, the CM lanyard-only pins are now called "Hidden Mickey Pins," and are identified by a little silver mickey head somewhere on the front of the pin. Note that recently Disney has been releasing select Hidden Mickey pins for sale, usually in little "mystery bags." Note that these are different from Cast Member-only pins, which are available for purchase by CMs in backstage stores, or given to them as some sort of award.
 

luvlifeinfl

New Member
Yup, the CM lanyard-only pins are now called "Hidden Mickey Pins," and are identified by a little silver mickey head somewhere on the front of the pin. Note that recently Disney has been releasing select Hidden Mickey pins for sale, usually in little "mystery bags." Note that these are different from Cast Member-only pins, which are available for purchase by CMs in backstage stores, or given to them as some sort of award.


Hmm, I find that very interesting, when I go this yr I will look closer at the CM's pins.
 

foreverbelle

Well-Known Member
Speaking of cast members and trading pins. My brother in law and his GF were down at the World About two weeks ago. When they were getting onboard for ME there was this kid that kept trying to trade pins with this one CM. And the cast member of course did. But then after awhile, apparently the CM came up to the parents and said 'I am so sorry I can't trade pins with your little boy anymore' Obviously the parents were really confused because they knew the rule that they had about trading pins with guests, and kids and all. When the parents continued to look confused the CM said.

'See this pin right here. It is extremely EXTREMELY rare. And its quite valuable. And I don't think he should trade it....I would be glad to trade any other with him.'

I know they are supposed to trade with kids, but I thought that extremely nice of him to do that..
 

luvlifeinfl

New Member
Speaking of cast members and trading pins. My brother in law and his GF were down at the World About two weeks ago. When they were getting onboard for ME there was this kid that kept trying to trade pins with this one CM. And the cast member of course did. But then after awhile, apparently the CM came up to the parents and said 'I am so sorry I can't trade pins with your little boy anymore' Obviously the parents were really confused because they knew the rule that they had about trading pins with guests, and kids and all. When the parents continued to look confused the CM said.

'See this pin right here. It is extremely EXTREMELY rare. And its quite valuable. And I don't think he should trade it....I would be glad to trade any other with him.'

I know they are supposed to trade with kids, but I thought that extremely nice of him to do that..


Well especailly if the parents spent all kinds of money on the pins and not knowing that he could trade it for something of less value. I know last yr we spent $ on our pins. If you are going to alow a child trade buy as cheap ones that you can.
 

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
It can be a bit of a challenge at times. Generally, you just need to keep your eyes open if you are looking for something in particular. First thing in the day or at shift change, you can get a different influx of pins. Likewise, check the "suits" as they often have nice pins.

As was previously described, the lanyards are often more traded pins that original issue, and sometimes folks just don't know what they are trading. Not often, but I have seen some surprisingly rare pins on a cast lanyard...because some guest gave it to them.

If you want an idea as to the current cast lanyard offerings (again, this is very fluid, so you can never really know what you will find)

See links at the bottom of the page here:

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/pintrading/event?id=38899
 

Thrill Seeker

Well-Known Member
Ok, for pin trading, most work areas have a pin trading station where CMs can get new pins to refresh their lanyards. Each is suppose to contain 12 unless a pin was lost or something. We are able to get restocked if we are missing a pin or what we have nobody wants. You can only trade 2 pins per CM per day. We also aren't suppose to take a pin we already have.

One thing I reciently discovered is that we can take opertating partner pins, so if you have a Planet Hollywood pin or something like that, we can take it.
 

EnchantedRose

Active Member
When I was a CM...we would chose the neck lanyard or the one to hang on your belt loop. Each had to have 12 pins...we used to have a bin and chose whichever we wanted. There are some CM that will have a GREEN lanyard...those CM are only allowed to trade with kids...and let me tell you there would be rude adults that would argue saying that is not fair...mostly because the green lanyards would have some great pins! I still have about 3 lanyards filled with CM only pins!! I may take them down this September...and trade them out for Characters I like or my son likes...since I don't collect them I have no use for them.
 

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
One thing I reciently discovered is that we can take opertating partner pins, so if you have a Planet Hollywood pin or something like that, we can take it.
But only if it has a direct connection to WDW. For example, we can accept a Planet Hollywood pin only if it specifies that it's from the Downtown Disney location. Note that not all CMs are particularly savvy when it comes to pin trading ettiquite. I've even had a few issues when trying to trade Disney Store pins.
 

Thrill Seeker

Well-Known Member
But only if it has a direct connection to WDW. For example, we can accept a Planet Hollywood pin only if it specifies that it's from the Downtown Disney location. Note that not all CMs are particularly savvy when it comes to pin trading ettiquite. I've even had a few issues when trying to trade Disney Store pins.

True, I guess it's luck of the draw for if the CM you want to trade with knows all the rules...
 

stainofmind

New Member
'See this pin right here. It is extremely EXTREMELY rare. And its quite valuable. And I don't think he should trade it....I would be glad to trade any other with him.'

I know they are supposed to trade with kids, but I thought that extremely nice of him to do that..

My family was given some Million Dreams LE sets and a CM told us the same thing when my little girl tried trading hers away for some cheap baby princess pins. I thanked her for it, and it opened my eyes to the value of some of these pins. We've been hooked on pins ever since.
 

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