Last minute source for trading pins?

[Tybee]

Hey folks,

We're leaving before dawn on Monday for a week-long stay at the World. We've been on point with all of our planning, but one area where we dropped the ball was in obtaining a supply of cheap(er) pins for trading, which we really enjoy. Last night we learned that Disney Stores (at least in the Atlanta area) no longer carry pins (probably because they're operated by a different company). And it's too late to order any online (most of the bulk pin lots on eBay are full of scrappers/counterfeits anyway).

I have a few traders I can cull from my collection, but most are too valuable to dangle from a lanyard. Can anyone possibly suggest a good place on the road from Atlanta to Orlando to pick up some trading pins at a price point cheaper than off-the-rack in the parks? Or is that the only option left to us?

 

[MissM]

You could hit the Orlando Premium Outlets which has a Disney Outlet store. They always have pins. Most are around $3-5 which is definitely cheaper than park ones.

 

[Tybee]

That would be great. It's odd that the Disney outlet store there has them, when the one here has none (nor do our regular Disney stores).

Thanks for the very helpful tip!!!

 

[MissM]

Welcome!

The outlet is mostly park and cruise merchandise so that's why they have pins and such where the mall stores don't. It's often a very random selection but if you're just trading, it should work out fine.

 

[Magical Dreamer]

I'd contact a Ebay seller with a good rep and see if they would ship them to your resort....

 

[ShadyLady]

We order ours every year from ebay and have never had an issue trading them. What do you mean scrappers/counterfeits?

 

[Tybee]

We order ours every year from ebay and have never had an issue trading them. What do you mean scrappers/counterfeits?

http://www.dizpins.com/pinventory/scrappers.htm

http://reviews.ebay.com/FAKE-DISNEY-PINS-101_W0QQugidZ10000000001748045

Generally it's the plainer pins (especially the monthly Hidden Mickey sets traded in the parks) that are most often bogus since they're the easierst and cheapest to manufacture. It's gotten to the point that I'll only buy single-pin lots on eBay, and even then only the more elaborate (multi-level, movement, etc.) pins that aren't worth the counterfeiters time.

I don't collect pins under the delusion that they are exceptionally valuable or ever will ever be, but I also don't like being deliberately ripped off.