Pin trading is a time-honored activity at the Disney Parks. Well over 100,000 varieties of official Disney pins have been manufactured over the last two decades, feeding into a pin frenzy that has caught on with tourists and passholders like. As with any hobby, of course, there are myriad ways to approach pin trading at the parks. Guests can walk up to almost any cast member wearing a lanyard and trade for the pins they’re wearing; alternatively, they can find more cast member pin trading opportunities at the shops around the parks and resorts, where boards are placed throughout the day for guests to trade off of.
Those looking for more of a challenge can try trading with other guest pin traders in the parks, though this requires a little different approach than trading pins with cast members. For one thing, a guest may be traidng pins that are older or more valuable than standard rack pins, which can yield some rare and interesting finds. Unlike cast members, however, guests can refuse any trade they don’t want to make, which makes the whole activity of pin trading more complicated and difficult to pull off.
Ready to get started? Here are a few tips and tricks to make your next pin trade go as smoothly as possible.
DO familiarize yourself with the best times and places to trade.
Image: Theme Park Tourist, Flickr (license)
Since pin trading between guests is not organized by Disney, there are no official times or places scheduled at the parks. That said, most pin trading is generally conducted on Thursdays and Sundays. New park pins are released on most Thursday mornings, while Sundays are the non-blackout weekend days for many passholders.
Although you can find guests conducting trades anywhere within the parks or Downtown Disney area, the two best places to trade are outside Westward Ho Pin Trading Company in Frontierland and the picnic area by the Disneyland Esplanade lockers. You might also get lucky in the seating area behind Goofy’s Sky School in Disney California Adventure or at the tables outside Rancho Del Zocalo in Frontierland, though these places have been routinely kept pin trader-free for diners over the last few months.
DO read up on the different types of pins out there.
Disney pins come in all shapes, sizes, editions, and price tags. Most are sold within the Disney Parks, but you’ll also find rarer and more sought-after pins at the Disney Store, Disney Studio Store Hollywood, bi-annual D23 conventions and Mickey’s of Glendale (cast member-only merchandiser). These are the most common kinds of pins you’ll run across while trading with guests:
- Hidden Mickey (HM): These pins are rarely made available for purchase in the parks’ shops. If you’ve ever traded with a cast member, you likely acquired one of these, as they’re most often found on a CM’s lanyard. You’ll recognize them by the little Mickey head symbol on the front of the pin. These are also the cheapest pins to acquire and the most likely to be scrapped and/or counterfeited.
- Open edition (OE): Older open edition pins can be rare and valuable, but the majority are cheap and easy to find. Almost every single pin sold on the racks at Disney shops are open editions.
- Limited release/edition (LR/LE): Limited release pins are often found in mystery pin packs and are fairly easy to acquire. They aren’t quite as rare as limited edition pins, however, which can be the most difficult to obtain. Some limited edition pins, especially those released at the parks, can have edition sizes as large as 6,000-10,000, while LE pins from other licensed sellers can run as low as 100. (A few older pins might run even lower—say, around 10 or 15—though these pins are near-impossible to track down and often come with a hefty price tag.)
Other commonly-used terms include PTD (pin trader’s delight, a limited edition pin released exclusively at the Disney Studio Store Hollywood with the purchase of an ice cream sundae), WDI (Walt Disney Imagineering pins released exclusively at Mickey’s of Glendale), DA (Disney Auctions, often expensive, low-LE pins), AP (artist proof pins, rare versions of open edition or limited editions pins), PP (pre-production, rare early prototypes of open edition or limited edition pins), and so on.
If you’re looking to get serious about your pin collecting/trading habit, check out PinPics.com, a website devoted to cataloging every Disney pin. You’ll find valuable information about the rarity, desirability, and history of the pins you have, as well as those you’re looking to obtain.
DO figure out what scrapper and counterfeit pins look like before you begin trading.
Image: Ricky Montalvo, Flickr (license)
Scrapper pins are officially-licensed pins that feature some kind of manufacturer error. They might have dips in the enamel, incorrect coloring or other blemishes. It’s perfectly okay to trade a pin like this as long as the person trading for it knows of the issues ahead of time.
Counterfeit pins, on the other hand, are imitation Disney pins that were illegally made by non-Disney manufacturers. They’re often copycat pins and will look near-identical to the authorized version. For help on figuring out some telltale signs of counterfeit pins, be sure to check out this handy-dandy guide. Knowingly trading counterfeit pins with cast members or guests is a big faux pas—don’t do it!
It’s also prudent to familiarize yourself with common tactics used by trade scammers (i.e. people who try to take advantage of new pin traders by working a trade in their favor, often in order to resell or score more valuable pins at someone else’s expense). If someone continually dismisses the pins you have for trade, repeatedly insists that you’re getting the better end of a trade or comes off as too pushy or aggressive, it may be a good time to take a step back. The bottom line? Go with your gut. That’s the best way to gauge whether or not a trade is right for you.
DON’T worry about pin values… too much.
Image: Kevin Slavin, Flickr (license)
As you may have guessed, the resale market for Disney pins is crazy. Pins that cost the initial buyer no more than $15-20 can shoot up to $600+ on eBay overnight—and yes, those are prices that someone is willing to meet for a pretty piece of enamel. It’s a good rule of thumb to do a quick eBay search and figure out what your pins are worth, as this can help you make a fair trade with another pin collector. At the end of the day, though, any given pin is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you’d like to make a fair trade without doing a deep dive into perceived pin values, try to conduct trades for pins of similar edition sizes and types as the ones you have (e.g. LE for LE, Hidden Mickey for Hidden Mickey, PTD for PTD, etc.).
DO ask permission before touching someone else’s pins.
Image: Ashley Varela
Let’s get into the nitty gritty of pin trading. This rule also applies to trading for pins worn by cast members, of course, but it’s a good principle to adhere to while dealing with other guests, too. Enamel pins are fairly delicate, and scratches, dents, bent or broken posts, and other blemishes can severely mark down their value and desirability. While you may have the cleanest fingers and best of intentions, it’s always better to ask for permission before reaching for someone’s pin book or lanyard.
DO ask the other person what pin they want to trade for.
Image: Martin Lewison, Flickr (license)
The reason that it’s so easy to trade with cast members is that they technically can’t refuse to trade with you (each guest is permitted to trade two pins with each cast member per day). You get to decide which of their pins you want to take and which of your pins to give them in return, meaning that the trade almost always lands in your favor.
That’s not at all the case with guest pin trading. You can tell the other pin trader which pin(s) you’re interested in trading for, but you must then allow them the opportunity to do the same with your pins. If both parties are satisfied with their selection, then you can make the trade. If you’re trading with or for children, make sure they engage in the same polite etiquette—most traders are happy to make deals with kids as well as adults, but demanding that someone trade you a particular pin or refusing to allow them to make their own selection isn’t going to earn you any friends.
DO be prepared to haggle.
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
Don’t be put off if you can’t come to an agreement right away. It often takes some time and flexibility to work out a swap that makes everyone happy. This is a great opportunity to put your newfound pin knowledge to the test—and, should you feel uncertain about the value of your pin or unsure about how to barter for the one you want, ask your trade partner how they like to conduct trades (by dollar value, edition size/rarity, etc.). The best trades are reached through compromise and consideration.
DO remember to be respectful.
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
No one is obligated to make a trade with you—and vice versa! While this may seem like a no-brainer, there have been countless reports of pin traders stampeding to the nearest pin shop on release days, cheating each other out of valuable pins, even stealing pin bags and lanyards in the parks. Trading pins can be a fun hobby, but it’s just that: a hobby. If you’re just not feeling a trade, a kind “No, thank you” or “Thanks for your time” goes a long way, especially if you plan to continue interacting with pin traders in the future.
DON’T feel pressured to make a trade you don’t feel good about.
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
It’s just a fact: Not every trade experience is going to be the best trade experience. Maybe the other pin trader is acting standoffish or making rude comments. Maybe you’ve been trying to work out a deal for 20 minutes and just can’t find that middle ground. Maybe you promised your daughter you’d go on a Lotso Strawberry Churro run and don’t have time to work out a fair deal. Maybe you just have an uneasy feeling in your gut. Whatever the case, it’s better to step away rather than let a bad trade spoil your day at the parks. Be courteous and kind, of course, but trust your instincts and know when it’s time to walk away.
DO remember to have fun!
Image: Ashley Varela
Pin trading, as with many other hobbies, can veer into competitive and cutthroat territory (particularly during highly-anticipated pin releases). Don’t be the person who gets so sucked into the rush of trading and bartering that you forget to have fun—or, worse, spoil the fun of other guests!
What other practices have you found useful while pin trading at the parks? Sound off in the comments below!
