# Disney pin trading



## planzfortomorrow (May 23, 2013)

Hi Everyone.  I'm fairly new to this forum--I'll read for a little while, then get busy with other things & not look at it for months, so I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post this or if it's already been covered.

I'm going to take a trip to Disney World in September, and thought it would be good to get my 5 year old daughter interested in pin trading.  Knowing how expensive the parks are in general, I went on-line to e-bay & bought a couple of lots of cheap pins.  After some research, I've since learned this are most likely fakes (either real ones that didn't pass quality inspection but weren't destroyed or just out & out fakes, using the same molds as the real ones).  From reading on-line, it's VERY hard to tell some of the fakes from the real.  So, I've been trying to buy real ones for trading at Disney, but am coming to the conclusion that I might just be wasting more money, as even if I take real ones to trade, in all likelihood we'll be getting fake ones back in return.  

Does anyone have any experience with pin trading?  I'm not trying to be a serious pin collector, I'm just trying to find a economical way of getting my daughter to have fun.

Thanks for any advice.


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## simpsontruckdriver (May 23, 2013)

My wife also does Pin Trading. There's really no way to verify it without extreme research. You can buy some while at the resort, but I doubt a Disney cast member would refuse a little girl's request to trade! I believe some places around WDW sell a set of pins.

TS


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## Sea Six (May 23, 2013)

My wife collects the pins that are only sold at special events and not available at the normal pin stations.  Events such as MNSSHP, Star Wars weekends, Flower and Garden,  Food and Wine, etc.  There are just too many pins to choose from - need to decide which ones to focus on, like favorite characters and rides.  You can get hung up on this and spend way too much money.


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## planzfortomorrow (May 24, 2013)

I did finally find some legitament ones on e-bay, as much as I could tell.  There's a couple of sellers that sell the black card stock that the real pins are sold on.  I can only assume that this is then for someone else to buy & then put their fake pins on & then sell them for higher priced.  Geesh.  The average cost for what I think are real pins were around $2/pin (no doubt disney clearance sales, some still having the regular disney store price tags).  These have the lot # that all made in china products are required to have (to trace lead content & do a recall if necessary).  None of the fake ones have this lot # info.  The fake ones were around 30 cents a pin, so not a big loss to just toss them.  I'll just let her wear whichever of the fake pins she wants to keep, and only take the real ones for trading, since I just can't be happy having her trade off what I now know to be fake pins at the park, for someone else to end up with.  I've no doubt that the disney staff wouldn't deny her any trades, but I just couldn't live with it.

I do plan on buying one of the more expensive pins at the halloween party we'll be going to while we're there (not to be traded, just to keep).  I think it would be a neat tradition to get started, as long as it's only 1-2 pins a visit.


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## JPD (May 24, 2013)

I have seen pins on line at the Disney store. I also seen a lot of pins at the Walmart's around the parks, as well as other Disney souvenirs.


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## Debbyd57 (May 25, 2013)

On disboards.com, the forums have a collector's board which has a list of good ebay sellers.  I have found pins from some of those for about $1.00.  I know another seller on facebook, who sells some for $1.15.  I haven't received any of his but they are supposed to be legitimate also.


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## janej (May 25, 2013)

Try  http://mousepinsonline.com/   They have monthly specials.   For May, it is 25 pins + a water bottle lanyard for $37.5.   They have been in business for many years.


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## LouiseG (May 26, 2013)

You might want to consider starting her a charm bracelet.  Disney has some inexpensive bracelets and both Disney and Universal have charms that attach with claws.  All run around $5.00 each.


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## planzfortomorrow (Jun 7, 2013)

*Thanks everyone!*

Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions.  I'll have to do the charm bracelet--that will be fun to add to throughout the years, and she could actually wear it outside of disney (where the pins would just go on a shelf).  And can't beat the price!  And hadn't even thought of walmart & places... we know to go there for cheaper t-shirts & such.

Now, it's just a matter of WAITING....


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## rhonda (Jun 7, 2013)

Beck02 said:


> Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions.  I'll have to do the charm bracelet--that will be fun to add to throughout the years, and she could actually wear it outside of disney (*where the pins would just go on a shelf*).  And can't beat the price!  And hadn't even thought of walmart & places... we know to go there for cheaper t-shirts & such.
> 
> Now, it's just a matter of WAITING....


Awwww ... now I feel totally corny in that I do wear some of my Disney pins outside Disney.
Disney HOLIDAY pins are worn proudly during the appropriate seasons/days.  Who doesn't enjoy a Winnie-the-Pooh dressed as a pilgrim on Thanksgiving?  Or Pluto waving US flags on any flag-appropriate day?  Or Ghost Mickey on Halloween?  C'mon ... they are _fun_!
I have a few Disney pins on my work lanyard ... they are very specific to something I'm doing at work and act as silent reminders to me.
Sometimes I wear one just for fun ... just to initiate questions and conversation.  (Usually these speak to a current situation or mood, etc.)


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## spencersmama (Jun 7, 2013)

Beck02 said:


> Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions.  I'll have to do the charm bracelet--that will be fun to add to throughout the years, and she could actually wear it outside of disney (where the pins would just go on a shelf).  And can't beat the price!  And hadn't even thought of walmart & places... we know to go there for cheaper t-shirts & such.
> 
> Now, it's just a matter of WAITING....



The cast members do actually look at the backs of the pins before they'll trade.  They have to be actual Disney pins, not from Walmart or some other place.  If they can tell the difference between the real and counterfeit ones masquerading as real, I have no idea.


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## planzfortomorrow (Jun 11, 2013)

*Sorry Rhonda!*

When I said they'd just go on a shelf, was referring to my 5 year old who can't keep track of much, but loves to wear a bracelet or necklace.  Although, come to think of it, she'd be just as likely to loose those as a pin.  Not much of a tradition, if she loses it 

I did buy some Alice & wonderland pins for me.  I could see me wearing those at work (especially the mad hatter).  Or the halloween ones (my other interest, and not just for halloween).  I swear, I'm getting more into this than she will.

Have heard that the wal mart in Kissimmee FL on 3250 Vineland Road sells disney authorized stuff, including the pins.  And the local disney outlet store did have some pins which I bought--they're from disneyland, which I guess they'd take there, as they are official.  Apparently, our disney outlet only gets leftover stuff from disneyland.


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## Rsauer3473 (Jun 11, 2013)

At the Premium Outlets just southeast of Downtown Disney there is a Disney outlet called the Character Corner. Pins there run about 50% of retail and, as this is an official Disney retail operation, the pins are legitimate. We have bought pins through eBay before and the going rate is about 75 cents per pin these days ( down from $2 a few years back). Authentic? Check the backs. Most with reference to park activities, rides, etc. are probably OK. Characters may be less authentic. I have never had a pin refused by a cast member. I am under the impression that somehow the fakes make their way from Disney back to underground/ eBay resellers. And the cycle begins again.


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## puppymommo (Jun 12, 2013)

The parks sell pin trading starter sets with a lanyard for the pins and 4 pins, 2 of each type, 1 to trade and one to keep.  There are all types of sets, Princesses, Tinkerbelle, Lilo and Stitch, etc. The lanyard is a good place to hold pins for trading and she could hang it in her room to display the pins afterward.

I am much more into pin trading than DD, now 18, was/is.  Haven't had much chance to trade in our last 3 trips (2 to WDW, 1 to DL) because DH and DD are more interested in everything else and don't want to stop long enough for me to trade. 

But when she was younger, she liked the pins. More to keep than to trade but she did enjoy trading a less desirable pin for one she really wanted.


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## JackieD (Jun 12, 2013)

Have a great time with your daughter!!!  I have been going to WDW since 1996 with my kids and it never occurred to me to do pin trading until our trip in 2011.  At that time my girls were 17, 14, 10 and a 17 year old friend went also.  I bought pins through good DISBoard.com sources before we went and split them between the girls.  I thought it would be met with awww mom this is dumb :ignore: or only the 10 year would do it...but they ALL loved it!  They ended up continuing to purchase starter sets while there to continue trading.  It's pricey while your at WDW (sometimes you find lower priced ones) so buy more from home if possible.  I just wanted to add that it's a fun activity in itself and we were very happy with their enthusiasm. ENJOY!!


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## Debbyd57 (Jun 12, 2013)

Forget about Disney Pins $1.15 and up.  I just found out that they sell scrappers!


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## planzfortomorrow (Jun 20, 2013)

*"good" number to take to trade?*

We plan on being at the parks for 5 days, and have around 70 pins to trade.  That breaks out to 15 pins per day, or if all 3 of us trade, 5 pins per day per person.  Was thinking that would be a 'good' number to take, and really, if needed, we've actually got more that we could trade if something else caught our eye(s).  And we might not want to trade after 1-2 days, and will just save them for later.  Was talking to a co-worker who recently went, and who took around the same amount, BUT had 4 people to split it between, and she said she thought she'd taken too many.  I guess I'll find out one way or the other when I get there.  We've also got 5 or 6 lanyards to chose between--it's kinda easy to go nuts on e-bay, and there's a lot of cute themes.  We're all fighting over the nightmare before christmas with Jack & Sally.  Who would'a thunk?  

This trip is still SO long away, and I've planned it as much as I can


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## simpsontruckdriver (Jun 20, 2013)

There's not really a good number. Just how many you want is up to you!

TS


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## clogva1 (Jul 8, 2013)

I trade pins and honestly, I don't care if I get fakes or not. :ignore: I just like collecting a whole set. I'm not in it to make money, so I just get the lots. I brought 200 with me last year and allowed myself to trade 20 a day so as not to bog down the whole family with me running from cast member to cast member. It worked out fine. 

The more "serious" traders know what they are looking for and will trade more carefully. But at 5 years old, just have fun and trade the cheap ones. It's all about the fun, right?


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## DeniseM (Jul 8, 2013)

Just my opinion, but you are going to spend a lot of money to go to the parks, and it seems like trying to trade that many pins could use up a lot of precious time.


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## lilpooh108 (Jul 8, 2013)

My 4YO takes pin trading really seriously and she can tell scrappers from reals now, especially on a CM lanyard. 

OP-- if you bought 50 pins for $25 on ebay, they are usually scrappers.  It'd be nice not to circulate these, even if other people do.

We trade while waiting in line, at the stores, at the hotel.  It's a fun hobby for the little kids to pick up and I think it teaches them to talk to people and to be polite (please & thank you).  

The Disney store often times sell mystery pins for $2-$3 per pin and these are good traders.  There are also legitimate pin sellers on Ebay.  

Have fun on your trip


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## sfwilshire (Jul 18, 2013)

DeniseM said:


> Just my opinion, but you are going to spend a lot of money to go to the parks, and it seems like trying to trade that many pins could use up a lot of precious time.



Like the previous poster, we trade while waiting in lines, waiting for a show or parade, or outside the park at Disney Marketplace. My husband and I often send the (big) kids to the wilder rides alone while we wait and people watch. Pin trading gives me something to do. I don't collect anything in particular, just whatever catches my eye.

My only problem is that every time I order a box of pins to trade, I want to keep half of them.

Sheila


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## rhonda (Jul 18, 2013)

sfwilshire said:


> My only problem is that every time I order a box of pins to trade, I want to keep half of them.
> 
> Sheila


LOL!  Me, too!  And my husband is even worse!


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## bshmerlie (Jul 18, 2013)

Unless you are serious into collecting pins....I wouldn't worry about if they are fake or not. I doubt if your daughter cares either way.  Just take your pins and have fun trading.


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## planzfortomorrow (Jul 24, 2013)

This is our 2nd time to go to Disney world, and I'm going for 5 days... I'm actually a little afraid I might have bought too many days!  My hubby doesn't especially care to ride roller coasters--he prefers the plays & such & my 5 year old is too small for lots of the more popular rides, so really, I'm not too worried about the time factor.  We all love to shop as much as anything else   If I can get a fast pass to ride a ride--great, and if not, that's fine too.  I've discovered it's not near as fun to ride by yourself as with a friend.

I have gone on e-bay & bought some more of the higher dollar pins (around $10 or so a pin, with shipping).  I've had fun with this even before I've gotten there!  I only like collecting a couple of themes--like alice in wonderland & nightmare before christmas, so am willing to spend a little more on those.  I do plan on maybe getting some of the mystery pins if I happen to see them.  I'll have to decide on a budget & really stick to it when I get to the park.  I'm not too worried about trading fake pins at disney--I figure the chances are I'll get fake ones back.  Lots of ones I got on-line I really couldn't tell a difference--if it's that the color isn't quite right then I'll leave that up to the ultra-picky to keep track of what's real or not.   There's litterally HUNDREDS of those fake pin lots being sold PER DAY on e-bay--what one person (me) does isn't going to make much of a difference.  I'm trying not to buy obvious scrap lots, and about half of what I have to trade are 'scrappers', and the other half are legit.

My vacation is still a month & a half away.  Seems like forever


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## lilpooh108 (Jul 25, 2013)

Beck02 said:


> This is our 2nd time to go to Disney world, and I'm going for 5 days... I'm actually a little afraid I might have bought too many days!



If you put in 1 or 2 resort/pool days, it will go by quickly.  We now do back to back park days (usually about a 4-5 day trip) and it is sooooo tiring.  After we get back we need a vacation.  Have fun!


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## bankr63 (Jul 28, 2013)

Beck02 said:


> This is our 2nd time to go to Disney world, and I'm going for 5 days... I'm actually a little afraid I might have bought too many days!  My hubby doesn't especially care to ride roller coasters--he prefers the plays & such & my 5 year old is too small for lots of the more popular rides, so really, I'm not too worried about the time factor.  We all love to shop as much as anything else   If I can get a fast pass to ride a ride--great, and if not, that's fine too.  I've discovered it's not near as fun to ride by yourself as with a friend.
> 
> I have gone on e-bay & bought some more of the higher dollar pins (around $10 or so a pin, with shipping).  I've had fun with this even before I've gotten there!  I only like collecting a couple of themes--like alice in wonderland & nightmare before christmas, so am willing to spend a little more on those.  I do plan on maybe getting some of the mystery pins if I happen to see them.  I'll have to decide on a budget & really stick to it when I get to the park.  I'm not too worried about trading fake pins at disney--I figure the chances are I'll get fake ones back.  Lots of ones I got on-line I really couldn't tell a difference--if it's that the color isn't quite right then I'll leave that up to the ultra-picky to keep track of what's real or not.   There's litterally HUNDREDS of those fake pin lots being sold PER DAY on e-bay--what one person (me) does isn't going to make much of a difference.  I'm trying not to buy obvious scrap lots, and about half of what I have to trade are 'scrappers', and the other half are legit.
> 
> My vacation is still a month & a half away.  Seems like forever



And that's the trading spirit.  Scrappers or not, it's about the fun of trading.  Our whole family have collections of pins, but DW is the REAL pin trader.  I'm going to guess that we collectively have well over 1,000 pins now after about 8 years of trading.  We think most of them are legitimate, but I'd be willing to bet that if there were an acid test for purity, more might fail than we think.

We go pretty heavy with trading and buying every time we're in Disney, but for DW that's just the beginning.  It's really about the thrill of the hunt finishing a set, and then buying parts of it again as you identify the fakes.  However that is a tough thing to do.  We use magnifying glass to inspect pins, and often have great fun just debating whether a particular pin is a fake or not. They are rarely easy to tell apart, but we don't really care.  Good fakes are constantly traded at Disney.  I've even seen very poor fakes that I could tell from a distance on CM lanyards or the trading boards at Pin Traders.  But it doesn't matter one bit - it's all about the fun you have trading and the people you meet.  

For DW, the whole family knows that she will scan EVERY CM lanyard in the park looking for that special trade, and that's great.  We get to strike up conversations with CM's from around the globe.  There's always time in the day for trading even while rushing from ride to ride.

I say enjoy the fun you have trading, get into it, and don't worry about that pin being real or fake.  They aren't an investment opportunity, they are a distraction and the fun you have in trading is what's important! Come to think of it, it's kind of like Timeshares - it's about the fun you have, not about the money you (won't) make.


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