Photo above: Pin trading board at Disney’s Riviera Resort craft room.
Are you an expert in pin trading or have you only heard this term and thought ‘what is that?!’ Pin Trading is a really fun way to interact with cast members and other guests throughout the parks and resorts. And it’s fun for all ages!
It’s super easy to get started! If you are headed to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, or a Disney Cruise, you can purchase a starter set or a few individual pins from many of the resort and park shops. ShopDisney also has a small selection you can purchase from ahead of your trip.
Once you are at your Disney destination, look for pin trading stations or cast members & guests wearing lanyards with their own pins. If you find a pin you like then select a pin from your personal collection and make a trade.
It can be really fun to start a collection of a certain character or type of pin and search for them throughout your Disney vacations. It’s really exciting when you find a pinboard and it has your favorite character or the last pin that completes a collection you are working on!
Disney recently introduced a new fun way to trade with pin trading mystery boxes. These mystery boxes add a fun new twist! You will find mystery boxes like in the picture below. Select a numbered box and the cast member will present the pin inside. You can then choose if you want to make a trade for it.
New Mystery Box Pin Trading
If you are headed on a Disney cruise, don’t leave your pins at home! On Disney Cruise Line you can find guests’ staterooms with pinboards decorating their doors. You can search the ship for different pins boards and trade with lots of other guests. On most cruises, there will also be an Officer pin trading event. These are currently on hold due to the pandemic but hopefully will be returning very soon. Check the Navigator app for information while on your cruise.
Officer Pin Trading
Disney Cruise Line Stateroom Door Decorations
There are a few rules or etiquette that are good to follow. Make sure you aren’t trading counterfeit pins. These are typically sold online in bulk sales and can be tempting but they are knock-offs and not suitable for trading. Also, you can make up to two trades with each cast member. But most of all, have fun!
There are so many ways to display your pin collection when you are home. Keep them on a lanyard and hang from a hook. Or use cork boards to display larger collections. There’s no wrong way, get creative!
Do you enjoy pin trading? What’s your favorite pin?
