Hi, Can I Look at Your Pins?

Welcome to Pin Trading 101!

If you have made any trips to Walt Disney World since around 2000, you have likely noticed Cast Members and guests wearing lanyards containing pins, pin boards placed around the parks and stores, or kiosks set up with hundreds of pins available to purchase. Welcome to the world of Disney pins and pin trading!  I started collecting Disney pins in 2000 when I was 17 years old.  I was at the age where I was too old for toys or stuffed animals, and I THOUGHT I was too old for Disney clothes (17 year old Brianna should take a look at 39 year old Brianna’s Disney wardrobe!).  That was the trip when I first noticed a few kiosks of pins.  I thought these would make good souvenirs, so I bought my first pins: Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather.  Can you guess my favorite Disney movie?!  Since that trip in 2000, I have collected over 400 pins, and they are proudly displayed in shadow boxes that I look at often.

So, how do you get started?  First, do you want to collect or do you want to trade?  I mainly collect and buy directly from Walt Disney World, but the world of pin trading is huge.  If trading sounds like fun to you or to your children, start with some pins that you don’t mind getting rid of.  You can buy starter sets at most stores and kiosks that sell pins at Walt Disney World, though eBay is also a great source for trading pins. Just be sure they are "official Walt Disney World trading pins". 

Then, start asking Cast Members with pin lanyards if you can look at their pins. These pins don’t actually belong to the Cast Members, so they will always be happy to trade with you.  This is also a great way to get shy children interacting with others.  Some guests may be willing to trade, and you will often see guests with large books full of pins outside of pin shops.  A word of warning: some of these serious traders will ask you to buy them a specific pin in order to trade.  I do not trade with other guests, just Cast Members.  Since 2020 (the post covid WDW), many stores, Guest Relations locations, and random locations around the parks and resorts have pin boards or books full of pins waiting for you!  Just ask if you can take a look.  Some are really cool!

If collecting is more your speed, there are so many options for you.  Many “pin nerds,” like myself, like certain themes for their collections.  I tend to buy pins of my favorite rides and other special occasions like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Food and Wine Festival, Flower and Garden Festival, or any other event occurring when I’m visiting.  Pins can range from $8 to over $20 for specialty pins, so as my dad would say, “Save your egg money!”

If you want to know more about how to make a Disney vacation a possibility for you and more tips on Pin Trading during your trip, click HERE to get started and we can chat!