Where to Pin Trade??

[MandaMom]

Will be in DL this weekend and I was wondering the best place to pin trade? My daughter just started really getting into it last trip we took in January. Her Aunt is a CM and was nice enough to gift her with 50 pins and a pin trading bag but no lanyard. Any ideas of where to purchase a cute lanyard as well? Any tips would be great.

TIA

MandaMom
We're going to DisneyWorld !!! May 20th to June 1st - Royal Pacific Resort

 

[got2travel]

What a great head start she has, 50 pins, wow.

We trade all over the park. Just be on the lookout for a CM with a lanyard. We've traded with other guests too, but mostly CMs.

At the Premier Shop in Tomorrowland, a bunch of professional traders hang out, mostly on the weekends. You'll find a mixed bag of pin trading there. Some just love to trade and will trade anything at all with the kids. Others will only trade the more valuable pins, with you giving up your valuable one and them giving you a less expensive one. Then there are those that won't trade at all with other guests, they only trade with CMs. (On one trip, my son a had pin that another guest really wanted, but wouldn't trade with us. As soon as he saw us talking to a CM, he came running up ready to trade with the CM because my son was going to give up the coveted pin. I wouldn't let me son trade it, I just didn't want that other guy to get it.)

You'll always find a CM with a lanyard (or 2 or 3) at the pin carts scattered throughout the park. Also, more and more other CMs are starting to wear lanyards now too. The black lanyards are for everyone, and teal are for kids only. Maroon lanyards are manager lanyards and usually have better pins. Just remember to always ask to see pins, don't just start reaching for someone's chest.

You can find lanyards to purchase anywhere they sell pins. They are about $10-12. We started out with some I found at the dollar store. Then I got some from ebay for $4. My son now needs 3 lanyards, he's collected so many. Its very addicting. Have fun.

 

[MandaMom]

thanks Got2travel. I just answered a question to you on another post regarding Who's wants to be a millionaire. Thanks for the tips. We'll do our best I am printing up all the great advice you just gave and I am going to pose the question on the pin trading board. Thanks for taking the time to write up all the info. I love your picture you have a beautiful family and it looks as though you all have been pin trading for a while.

MandaMom

 

[got2travel]

Thanks.

Would you believe we just started trading in June? I told you it was addicting.

There is an FAQ you can read up on too. It helped us get started.
Official Disney Pin Trading

 

[webprinter]

We found quite a few traders in an area with tables. If you walk all the way down Main Street towards the castle, there is an area off to the left (I am drawing a mind blank on the name of it), with empty tables. On Sundays, (maybe other days too), at around 2:00 pm, the managers come out with lanyards filled with pins for trading. Some also have vests and multiple lanyards. Both my daughter and I picked up a number of trades. The managers were very nice for trading with and were very friendly. We were there in Dec. Maybe someone else can come up with the name of the area.
I think it may have been the Plaza Pavilion. Debby

 

[challada]

Yes, definitely look for the TEAL lanyards for kids...my kids get a big kick out of trading. We don't know anything about pins but have found that my youngest (DD just turned 5) has the best eye for pins (she has gotten several very LE off cast member trades that are worth $100s).

My kids have found it easiest to trade:
1. At the pin kiosk outside "It's a Small World"
2. At the Tomorrowland pin store (they will pull out all the lanyards under the counter for the kids)
3. In Disney California at the pin kiosk in the middle of the park (there is an older gentleman CM who wears a pin vest that we have run into on different trips there and he's great w/the kids).
4. With an Disney MANAGEMENT...my kids literally look for suits in the park so they can corner them to trade a pin...these folks will take even name pins and really have been super nice w/the kids (even when they seem to have more important things to do than trade pins w/kids)
5. In Grand Californian lobby...we've found CMs that just hang out there w/books of pins for trading (this was last christmas...didn't check during summer)

We took east coast cousins to DL this last year (they are AP holders for WDW) and they could not believe all the pin trading available at DL! They buy lots of pins at WDW but have never traded before their DL experience!

Anway...have fun...let her pick her trades...ENJOY!

 

[Amor4Pooh]

as well, complete with pin cart. We usually hung out there since it is a better location. It is called Plaza Pavillion, but most of it was covered up for renovation last I went, a couple of weeks ago. Also don't forget that this Sunday is the 1st Sunday of the month, so there will be plenty of traders there this Sunday morning. You also get a gift with purchase for pins (for each $20 b4 tax). Have fun! Everyone will be at the newly renamed Premiere shop, now called Space Command (or something like that).
Amor4Pooh

 

[luvtoteach]

4. With an Disney MANAGEMENT...my kids literally look for suits in the park so they can corner them to trade a pin...these folks will take even name pins and really have been super nice w/the kids

This will be our 2nd trip to DL and our 1st time trading pins; both my 9 year old daughter and I are going to try it. What are "name pins"? Does that mean the name of the character is part of the pin design? And why did you say "will take EVEN name pins"--are they considered quite undesirable? Thanks for all the tips in your post! They will really help out us newbies!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Name pins are ones that say "Amanda" or "Ryan" on them