Trading Disney pins is an under the radar piece of Disney fun that we love! The thrill of the pin hunt adds the right kind of drama to your family vacation. Prepare to immerse yourself in Disney magic while you collect pins, interact with cast members, and have a fun story to tell about all of your souvenirs. Here's how to start your Disney pin collection, pin trading rules, etiquette you need to know, and tips to have the best Disney pin trading experience.
As your kids grow in age, chances are they'll also grow out of the typical Disney souvenirs. Now that my kids are older, they've outgrown many of the souvenirs offered in the Disney World shops and the Disney Store. In fact, on my last Disney trip, the only souvenirs my kids asked me to bring back were pins.
I was happy to do it. Disney pins are small, so they fit easily into carry-on luggage. They're relatively inexpensive, and there are tons of pins available at shops throughout the Disney parks, in Disney Springs and at the Disney Store.
In fact, I was amazed at the wide variety of pin styles and characters. Hunting for the specific ones my kids wanted was a lot of fun. Then I discovered pin trading; it added a whole new dimension to my souvenir hunt.
TravelingMom Tip: You can now book Disney vacations up to 500 days in advance! That means you can book now for visits in 2023. All it takes is a $200 down payment. The balance isn't due until 30 days prior to travel. You can get details on this, as well as help booking, from our partners at Get Away Today. Not only does the company have the lowest prices, it offers a best price guarantee. If you ever find park tickets cheaper, Get Away Today won't just match the price, the company will beat it.
Read More: Everything You Need to Know to Plan the Best Disney World Vacation Ever!
Disney pin trading is exactly what it sounds like: the ability to swap pins with someone else. Pin trading has changed a little bit since Disney reopened after their Covid closure but it's almost back to normal. You won't see cast members with pins on their lanyards like before but we've seen pin trading boards return to most shops, now they just have numbers to identify each pin.
Although you might not find as many pin trading boards - super high touch areas - you might see other guests who are obviously pin traders. Pin traders will have visible lanyards or other containers - a popular one is a wearable pin wallet that looks like a little purse. It's up to you whether you approach them as individuals and ask to pin trade.
In a non-Covid world, there were Disney cast members walking around the park wearing pin lanyards. Their job was to trade pins with guests. At Disney World, a green lanyard means that cast member will only trade with kids. At Disneyland, the kid-only lanyards are teal. Any other color lanyard is fair game for everyone. Cast members who trade only with kids often have a better selection of pins since their trading pool is more limited.
In general, pin trading rules are simple:
Rev up the excitement for an impending Disney trip or extend the magic after a Disney vacation with these Disney recipes, Disney crafts and Disney at home activities:
Pin trading began at Walt Disney World during the Millennium Celebration in 1999. It has since spread to many other Disney locations. You can now trade Disney pins at Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, Aulani, and even on Disney cruises.
Many different series of pins have been released over the years, and there are some serious collectors out there. But for most people, pin trading is just a fun way to meet and interact with cast members and for kids to bring back souvenirs that have extra meaning and stories attached to them.
On my trip, I began my Disney pin trading experience with a "magical moment" at the Coronado Springs resort gift shop. One of the cast members gave me a Donald Duck mosaic pin. I then traded my way through Hollywood Studios until I found a pin that I liked too much to trade for anything else. I was almost disappointed, since the fun is in the trading.
Read More: Trading for pins is one way to save money at Disney.
Here are a few pin trading tips that I learned my first time pin trading at Disney:
To be able to trade up for the pins your kids really want, you need to have some pins to trade. So start with inexpensive pins. Look online at eBay where you'll find lots of Disney pin traders offering bags of "mystery pins" for just a few bucks. Just make sure the pins you buy are authentic Disney pins with the Mickey Mouse backing.
TravelingMom Tip: We've found a TON of cool pins from Disney Parks all over the world at the Disney Character Warehouse outlet locations in Orlando. If you have time check them out!
Some cast members wear the lanyards, others wear their pin collection on cards around their waists. Tell the cast member which pin you want and he or she will remove it and hand it to you. Hand over your pin with the back attached to it. The cast member will put it on her lanyard and move on to trade with the next person.
TravelingMom Tip: Headed to EPCOT? There are pin trading boards at each of the Kidcot Fun Stops in each country. We've found some unique pins there as they aren't as heavily trafficked! Also don't forget to check the gift shop boards in EPCOT.
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Disney-themed lanyards are available at most souvenir shops in the theme parks. Pin books and bags are also available to contain your growing collection. Or you can get creative - I saw pins on shirts, vests, even hats while walking through Magic Kingdom. My kids like to wear theirs on purses or jackets to show off their collections.
Need help planning your Disney trip? Get all your questions answered from our Disney Planning & Fun Facebook Group!
Disney offers lots of pin designs. There are mystery sets too. New pins are released regularly and Disney comes out with special pins for special events and movie openings. Many of the Disney pins available for trading are not available for sale; pin trading is the only way to get them.
What is your most treasured Disney pin?
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