Thoughts on Kids (4&7) trading Pins and Scrappers?

[HoundDog83]

So in preparing for our first WDW vacation in May I have been doing a bunch of reading/research. I am trying to anticipate that my kids will want to collect/trade pins. For them it will be all about subject matter and I'm sure they could care less about a pin being real or valuable. That being said, it appears that scrappers/fakes are quite prolific, even from CMs. Overall, this makes me hesitant to purchase many authentic pins (not to mention the high cost) for my kids to just trade it away because its fun to trade or they like the other character more.

Any thoughts? Should I just say no Pins? Should I do Pins but tell them no trading even with CMs? I'm not trying to spread a bunch of fakes around and make the problem worse, but I know that if I buy a large lot of them from online they will probably all be scrappers/fakes.

What do you all think?

 

[HoundDog83]

Maybe I posted this in the wrong area or maybe there is no "right" answer and its a personal decision? I just want to make sure I don't commit any Disney faux pas. If a Mod sees this and believes it should be posted elsewhere, please let me know how I can move it. Thanks!

 

[Weather_Lady]

If it's your first WDW vacation, I'd avoid pin-trading altogether and just enjoy what the parks have to offer -- which will be more than you have time for, already. Your kids won't know that pin trading exists unless you tell them, and it will add a level of distraction, complication and time commitment (not to mention financial investment) that might be better saved for a few trips down the road, when you're actively looking for additional things to do.

If your kids enjoy scavenger-hunt, collector-type activities, they'd probably love the Treasures of the Seven Seas scavenger hunt in MK's Adventureland (they'll get cards and maps they can keep after each mission), and/or Agent P's World Showcase Adventure in Epcot. These attractions don't cost a penny extra, and my kids (when similar in age to yours) absolutely loved them.

Again, it comes down to personal preference, but I'd save pin-trading for when the kids are older and have "been there, done that" with the parks' attractions and shows.

 

[HoundDog83]

If it's your first WDW vacation, I'd avoid pin-trading altogether and just enjoy what the parks have to offer -- which will be more than you have time for, already. Your kids won't know that pin trading exists unless you tell them, and it will add a level of distraction, complication and time commitment (not to mention financial investment) that might be better saved for a few trips down the road, when you're actively looking for additional things to do.

If your kids enjoy scavenger-hunt, collector-type activities, they'd probably love the Treasures of the Seven Seas scavenger hunt in MK's Adventureland (they'll get cards and maps they can keep after each mission), and/or Agent P's World Showcase Adventure in Epcot. These attractions don't cost a penny extra, and my kids (when similar in age to yours) absolutely loved them.

Again, it comes down to personal preference, but I'd save pin-trading for when the kids are older and have "been there, done that" with the parks' attractions and shows.

Good to know! I wasn't sure how obvious it would be and didn't want them to feel left out but it sounds like that wont be the case at all.
Hooray for one less thing to worry/think about and more focus of pure Disney excitement!

 

[Jedi Stitch]

Ages 4-7, They might just want to enjoy doing everything else. Weather lady already brought up pirates adventure and Agent P, also the wizards adventure. At Magic Kingdom the Fire House lets you starts the wizards adventure where they give you free trading cards that are used to do hidden adventure in all parts of the park. Near Pirates is a spot where you can get a map and a card/medallion to do a treasure hunt. you can do 4 different maps and adventure. In Epcott, they have Kiosks to sign up for Agent P's world adventure. They had Kidcot in 2016. Buy a passport and sticker book, where you go to each showcase find the kid cott spot. Usually a host or hostess from the country has a little craft, they sign and stamp the passport putting in a greeting from the language of the country you are in. At Disney Animal Kingdom, they have Wilderness Explorers stations from the movie UP, again a stamp learn about wildlife and fauna.
We found ourselves into pin trading when we got there. We bought the Pin starter packs to trade. they are a lanyard with 4 pins. What I found is that the pins you start with seamed nicer than the ones available to trade. My Daughter was 10, and she traded as we went, only getting the ones she wanted. We spent a fortune on pins ourselves. We did get stopped, by a couple of traders while there. one couple was nice, and traded a really nice pin for another of my daughters nice pins. Another time, we ran into some 19/20 year old types who I think traded a basic pin for a rare. She got the Tinkerbell, but she traded a rare after the fact. I let it be her choice. Pin trading does mean you will get to meet like minded people trading too, not just the CM. I would buy a big 25 or 50 pin random bag on Ebay. I did that after we got back, and my daughter just loved it. I looked, all were authentic Disney, or the best knock offs I could find. The seller was in Florida, so could have been big time pinhead, had tons of pins from packs, or just custodial picking up all the lost and forgotten pins.
In the end at 4-7 the question you will have to ask, are you ready for the cost, they will ask for pins at every shop, just have to limit them. They will want to hit every shop for trading. Every hotel desk, or place they can trade. If they are running around with the lanyards on, we found we had to buy the locking backs, so you don't loose the pins every place.

 

[jaklgreen]

When my kids were younger we bought them the starter set of pins that come with a lanyard. They traded a few of them for ones they like and they still have those. They never really got into it. Mostly because it was too much of a pain.

 

[dreamfinder]

It's a tough call. Yes, a majority of the pins on CM lanyards are going to be scrappers or from whatever set you can get for cheap at WDW. (They sometimes offered lanyard sets or PwP or just heavily discounted) So odds are, if you let them trade that $9.99 pin you just bought, you won't get anything remotely close in "value" back. Almost every single bulk lot on eBay is scrappers. Even the ones that say "Tradable at Disney Parks". Most CMs don't know its a scrapper, or don't care. Now if you take the time you can get legit pins for much less than retail, but would still end up paying $3-6 instead of $10-15.

Now if your kids would likely get a scrapper in return, if they trade a scrapper does it hurt anyone? Your decision. Some people say yes, others say no.